Best of Santa Barbara® 2023

Our Annual List of Champs
Who Hit It Out of the Park

by Tyler Hayden • Photos by Ingrid Bostrom • Illustrations by Ben Ciccati

Mom was right — we’re all winners. But if the game of life has taught us anything, it’s that even among all us special people, some will shine even brighter than the rest.

Those who swing for the fences and blast it out of the park. The ones who grind through the competition year after year, stretching singles to doubles and never missing a game, to come out on top. And those who rally back from setback or injury (or pandemic) better and stronger than ever.

In this, the 2023 season of our annual Best of Santa Barbara® Readers’ Poll, we tip our caps to the 200 businesses and organizations crowned champs of their respective divisions, from Best Quick Oil Change to Best Licensed Therapist, from Best Martini to Best Bank.

The competition, as always, was fierce. More than 340,000 votes were cast by more than 9,300 of the Independent’s readers — a near-record attendance — that ended with some expected results, a handful of nail-biters, and a few major upsets.

A different pizza maker is hoisting the trophy for the first time anyone can remember; a salon that used to be Santa Barbara’s favorite for facials is now a go-to gift shop; and after too many years as bridesmaid to Best Sunday Brunch, one downtown restaurant is finally getting its name in lights.

We offer a hearty congrats to all of 2023’s winners — each and every one of them worked their tails off to earn the honor — and we hope the rest of the field keeps the pressure on, because healthy rivalries keeps us all honest and hustling for the next victory.

Take a seat, grab some peanuts and Cracker Jacks (or oysters and mocktails, two of our new categories this year) and root, root, root for all these home teams.

Play ball!