Helena Avenue Bakery — Restaurant in Santa Barbara

Update: Last year, I promised I'd get the Elvis on my next Fiesta trip. And I did just that!

I'm not a fan of peanut butter, but man do I love Elvis sandwiches and toasts! And this one was unique as it was served on a thick slice of banana bread.

It was amazingly delicious! And well balanced - I can taste each component separately but were in harmony when eaten in one bite. The bananas and honey gave it a slight sweetness that went well with the crispy peppery bacon and savory peanut butter. This is by far my favorite Elvis toast I've ever had.

And I had to get a pastry to go, which I got a lemon blueberry scone. I ate it later that evening with a cup of tea and it automatically made me relaxed. The lemon and blueberries were bright and the pastry was buttery. Definitely order a pastry or else you will regret it.

I adore Helena Ave Bakery and it is my go-to spot in Santa Barbara. ——————————

I totally dig this place. It has delicious food, friendly people, and a wonderful atmosphere.

The first time I went here, I could only order a pastry to go. And that was their plum danish. It was so delicious! It wasn’t too sweet and the puff pastry was so buttery and flaky.

I had the pleasure of experiencing their breakfast menu. I ordered the breakfast taco. I didn’t know what to expect because for the price, I knew it had to be somewhat bigger than a street taco (especially because it’s singular). It was pretty big! I had to use a knife and fork at first, but I was able to hold it like a taco near the end. And it was so yummy! The egg was perfect with a runny yolk. I loved the taste of the salsa and crispiness of the bacon. The tortilla itself was also a bit crispy.

I also got a lemon blueberry scone. It was soft and full of lemon and blueberry flavors. It went will with my English breakfast tea.

I really like the space the restaurant occupies. Since the Funk Zone was the industrial area back in my day, the warehouse this bakery is in is spacious. When the tall garage door is open, the outdoor space fits seamlessly with the indoor space. And there are plenty of tables to accommodate groups of all sizes.

Parking can be a hassle in the Funk Zone, so plan accordingly. But definitely don’t miss out...

Cozy relaxed spot with good coffee. (5/5 green stars) Plenty of indoor and outdoor shady seating and decent WiFi make this a good place to work. Nice music playing, from Beach House to Grizzly Bear. Great coffee – no pour-overs, but their drip coffee tasted fresh. It’s from the Dart Coffee Co. (new to me) – lightly roasted Peruvian beans. Decent value too – I had a coffee, bagel with cream cheese and tomato, and muffin for about $9. Coffee refills are free, so I had a blueberry scone ($4) to go with the second cup ;) I have mixed feelings about their pastries. They all look good, and while the bagel tasted good, the muffin and scone were bland and both were a touch overdone. The muffin was listed as grapefruit poppy seed, and while the texture was good, there was no grapefruit flavor that I could detect. It was a Monday – perhaps an off-day? Would recommend it for the coffee and ambiance, and I think the bakery side has potential – their baguette sandwiches look great.

I’m also giving Helena Avenue Bakery 5/5 “green stars” for social and environmental impact, based on these reasons: • Their coffee, from Dart, is certified fair trade and organic. • They use organic flour for baking, sourced from Central Milling • They have ceramic cups and plates and metal utensils for eating in-house. • Items like sandwiches have just a simple paper wrap. • Even items that come in packaging (like house-made pickles) they have made fairly sustainable choices (cardboard and PET). • Cold drinks cups are compostable, although hot cups and lids are not. • Water is available in little glass jars. • The support some local charities and events such as bike to work day and Heal the Oceans.

Find out more about green-star ratings at Green Stars...

The menu sounds tastier than the food itself. I ordered several items: the gluten-free biscuits with the butter/jam combo, the breakfast sandwich, the lemon yogurt granola, and an almond milk cappuccino.

The granola was absolutely divine—I would order it again.

The almond cappuccino, however, was undrinkable: bitter and lacking any craft.

The gluten-free biscuits were extremely dry, and the jam they served—blueberry lavender—was inedible. Everyone at our table tried it, and we all agreed to return it. It literally tasted like hand soap, completely overwhelmed by lavender. When they brought out the second option (either peach or apricot), it was just as disappointing. It tasted like old, fermented fruit with no real flavor. Our biscuits went to waste since they were far too dry to eat without something decent to go with them.

The breakfast sandwich was also a letdown. That brick-shaped egg inside the biscuit/bun was not tasty at all. Why serve an egg in a dense, flavorless block when a simple fried egg would add both moisture and taste to the sandwich?

As for service: the staff seemed inexperienced and lacked a sense of customer service. We had to chase them down just to get a table cleaned, and when they finally wiped it with a gross, soaking rag, we ended up using napkins to dry...