Handlebar Coffee Roasters — Restaurant in Santa Barbara

Today even the coffe was not good and I dont know why. My oat cap was very bitter and caused me flushing, a bad aftertaste and a headache.

The new turkey sandwich was a zero unleas you like white bread (not sourdough) with a lot of not so good mustard, I think there might have been some cheese? and some shredded lettuce.

Sad. What happened here? 😔

................. older review:

Please offer something savory or a sandwich for vegetarian selection!! Thank you!!!

Was going knock them a point again but will leave as it is. Go for the coffe, not the snacks. Four shot Latte today, taste nice but makes me sleepy.

Even the cookies, fantastic when they first appeared, are throw aways when I forget and order one. Very sweet, too sugary and not enough substance. Kids may like them better. Scones, so-so. Other sweet things available. Bagels are nice. Nothing savory offered other than a slice of cheese with a slice of ham in a croissant. I like the Morning Buns... but they are sweet!

........................... Hopefully kitchen will reopen with fresh intersting selections soon and coffee return to amazing.

......................... Older review.

Update: Love the food selection, yeah, the kitchen did open!!! Sandwiches, toasts, tarts, occasionally salads with fresh ingredients, farm fresh and great breads. Lotta of other yummy selections with an adaptive menu that changes with the season. Cant get bored here ❤️ Their bread pudding was amazing!

Some staff changover but still delicious coffee!

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Consistently great coffee, excellent service and satisfying cappuccinos. Beautiful latte art. Hoping the kitchen will reopen soon, meanwhile baked goods are always good. They roast their own beans and have been offering an array of local gourmet goods from wines to honey and baking supplies.

Can be a long lines and hard to find parking depending on the time and day, sometimes they run out of baked goods. But if you time it right the wait is quick and did I say I love their expresso drinks!

Extra for oat milk or other alternative milks is something I'd like to see phased out. You can get other additions for an extra fee but milks ought to be reflected in the basic cost.

Nice ambiance, plenty of tables. And sweetly...

This review is about sustainability only! ☺️

By 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. And over 95% of plastic we consume and send to recycling doesn’t actually get recycled, but rather is burned in incinerators, gets piled in landfills, or floats off into the ocean.

That why I appreciate your shop—as a cafe in a coastal city—offers real, reusable mugs to customers.

It means a lot to me to have sustainable, zero waste options when giving my patronage to a coffee shop. So I value not just the real mugs and water cups on site, but also the discount you gave me for bringing my own mug.

That said, it seems that many folks inside aren’t aware of the reusables available, or maybe need to be asked explicitly by a barista if they want one. Lots of single use plastic cups in the trash can in the shop, showing just how many folks are making trash after one drink in house.

Maybe worth asking customers if they’re staying! And maybe worth some signage encouraging Santa Barbarans and tourists alike to treat the ocean better.

Thank you for considering, and thanks again for the delish coffee and availability...

I wanted to like this place but there are a few issues.

Most importantly - the cold brew is a little disgusting. I’ve had cold brew like this before. It’s not the worst but it’s not good. It has this weird taste, it’s hard to describe but it’s very bitter and maybe a little nutty. I know a place has nasty cold brew when I taste this, and this place has it but it is more on the subtle side compared to some I’ve had. I would only come back if they use a different coffee or technique - I’m really not sure what makes some people’s coffee have this taste.

My other issue is I wish they could somehow removed their food menu from google, etc. I went here at the end of July 2021 to get food and they said their kitchen has been closed since COVID started. I guess they’re having a hard time hiring people? Cause it’s a bit surprising that’s still happening in July 2021.

Bottom line - don’t drink their cold brew and definitely don’t...