Taste Dining Out By Nancy Roberts Photographs by Gary Moss
Ana’s Got It All Day
C
A BRIGHT NEW CAFÉ IN DOWNTOWN SANTA BARBARA’S ARTS AND THEATER DISTRICT FILLS THE BILL FOR EVERY MEALTIME.
afe Ana (cafeanasb.
com) is one of those restaurants that, once you try it you wonder how you did without it. Located in the completely remodeled former Coffee Cat space in downtown Santa Barbara, the café is named for its spot at the corner of East Anapamu and Anacapa streets. Light, bright, and inviting, the upscale all-day eatery melds an urban-chic feel with neighborhood-hangout warmth. Husband and wife owners Julian Sanders and Katherine Guzman Sanders are veterans of the hospitality industry. Julian’s most recent stint was at Restaurant Gary Danko in San Francisco. Katherine’s work at restaurants, hotels, and a winery, along with her study of food communications in Florence, Italy, have all nurtured her passion. “We have both always worked in hospitality, and we’re both obsessed with it— the food, the wine, and the service,” Katherine says. Julian is a third-generation Santa Barbaran and Katherine grew up in the Los Angeles area, so Cafe Ana represents a homecoming of sorts. For the concept, “We were inspired by the wonderful coffee shops we found while traveling in Europe, where you can experience café culture all parts of the day,” says Katherine. “It’s a place where the community can gather for coffee, a glass of wine, and good quality food.” The airy, high-ceilinged venue has plenty of seating at tables, a communal table, and marble counters; the overall look was inspired by Scandinavian design.
During the more than two-year renovation process, the couple enlarged windows and worked with Ventura-based Brothers of Industry on woodwork, cabinetry, and details like an iron-and-glass wine rack that hangs from the ceiling. The inventive yet accessible food reflects chef Ryan Whyte-Buck’s approach and culinary background. An Ojai native, Whyte-Buck honed his skills in Portland, Oregon, and most recently at Golda, a buzzedabout all-day café in Brooklyn. His menu combines influences from the Mediterranean and the Pacific Rim with the fresh flavors of local produce. “My philosophy is that food is a focus of all of our cultures, and it’s a way of bringing people together,” he says. “I want to make people feel safe, comfortable, and happy—that same feeling of going home.” Breakfast offerings include homey dishes with elevated creative twists: a satisfying sandwich of pork sausage, soft scrambled egg, and cheese is punched up with arugula and dill pickles; toasts with toppings like salmon and labneh (tangy, creamy yogurt cheese) are made with fluffy, slightly sweet Japanese milk bread that’s baked at Ana’s every morning; house-baked pastries change with the season, but a recent blood orange and poppy seed mini-Bundt was a sweet revelation. A key ingredient at any all-day café is a really good cup o’ joe, sourced here from specialty coffee roaster Lamill. Weekend brunch from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. includes a few breakfast menu items with some addictive additions that could fuel a hike up Tunnel Trail or a stroll along East Beach: blueberry
The new restaurant, wine bar, and coffee shop turns out a selection of house-made pastries daily (top) and pours specialty coffee drinks featuring the gourmet roasts of Lamill as well as beers and local and international wines (above).
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MARCH 2019 / 805LIVING.COM
