The Andersen's Danish Bakery & Restaurant
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Andersen's Danish Bakery & Restaurant: Super delicious brunch in Santa Barbara
Everly
100
Oh my goodness this place is life-changing. Seriously. I love visiting bakeries, but not usually for the bread-y, cake-y or pastry options. I usually hope they have some kind of chocolate mousse or a good-looking cookie or brownie. I began that search at this place. The young man behind the counter wanted to be helpful and started offering samples of all the things I would never choose. Something called a Buttering with marzipan and later a fruit torte. The Buttering looked like an enormous Cheese danish, which has never been my thing - carbs that taste stale and lack the artistry and sweetness I crave. And marzipan? That dense, overly-sweet stuff that's used for making cake toppers?? Yeah, there was no way I was gonna like that. HOW WRONG I WAS! This pastry was absolute perfect. The marzipan was light in texture - like a cheesecake. It wasn't overly sweet. And the pastry itself was light, sweet and moist from absorbing a little of the marzipan. If I lived here, I would plan brunches all the time just so I could buy one of these to set out. The fruit tart was nice as well! The cream had just enough sweetness to balance the fruit on top. And the fruit didn't have that obnoxious layer of sugary goo painted on top. Hubby is a huge fan of pastries and a huge fan of apples, so we also got a slice of apple strudel (currant special). I'm not usually crazy about these either. But again, the pastry was impressive and the apples inside were perfection. They didn't taste like they came from a fan but had been baked, sugared and seasoned to perfection! Simply buying two pieces ran around $12. I feel this is on the expensive side, but I also feel it was totally worth it. Great service with out of this world artistry of texture and flavor.
Katie Hallock
00
We arrived just after opening time and weren't exactly warmly welcomed. My wife is a vegetarian and was keen on a pancake dish that came with bacon. The cashier said they could hold the bacon but only after prompting said that some fruit can be served instead. "Sit anywhere." Our table had used protective paper on it (right after opening). And the table turned out to be wildly wobbly. The waitress must have seen the resulting spilled coffee but said and did nothing. She brought my wife's pancakes with a single rasher of bacon on them. So we had to reinvent that wheel. "No substitutions!" "But the gentleman said so ..." Wordlessly she disappeared and returned with pancakes sans bacon but with a small bowl of fruit. The top pancake had a hole in it. (Finger or tongs?) The waitress saw my wife discard it on the previously used table paper but again said and did nothing. My smoked salmon and eggs dish was ... well, so-so. Had there not been a slice of some mild cheese underneath them (?), I could have clearly seen the lettuce though the salmon slices. And the "dill sauce" turned out to be goopy, sweet dressing. Maybe they could tell we weren't happy. They never came back to offer another coffee refill or ask how we liked our breakfast. We had planned to get some Danish pastry but changed our minds after seeing the display, especially what looked like strudel made from puff pastry ... And I had looked forward to having at least somewhat Danish fare ... COVID-shmovid ... How about "These are trying times, so we do our best to retain or even strengthen our customer base"?
R. F. Hahn
00
We recently tried this Danish spot in Santa Barbara, and while it wasn’t quite what we expected, the food definitely left an impression. Let’s start with the duck. It was perfectly roasted, with crispy skin and juicy, tender meat. No complaints there—it was flavorful, rich, and cooked just right. The portion was big enough to satisfy, but not over the top. Solid dish. Next up, the goulash. Not something you typically think of as Danish, but it worked. The beef was melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the sauce had that nice balance of savory and a slight kick from the paprika. Comfort food at its finest. Between courses, we took a detour into the world of Danish pastries (Danishes?). These were definitely the stars of the show. Flaky, buttery, and with just the right amount of sweetness. Now, let’s talk about the service—or lack thereof. Don’t expect to sit down and have someone come take your order. You walk in, pay at the counter, and then a server brings the food to your table. It’s not a dealbreaker, but if you’re looking for a full-service experience, this isn’t it. Still, the staff was friendly enough. All in all, it’s a cozy little spot with solid food. The duck and goulash are worth trying, but the pastries are what you’ll remember. If you’re in Santa Barbara and in the mood for something different, it’s worth a stop—just don’t expect table service or a super polished experience.
Giancarlo Manco
00
It’s the third time I try this place. Probably the last. I value good food but most importantly good service and welcoming people, and this was not the case here. The lady who took our order was pushy and rude. We just wanted to order a drink and a little treat, so we asked for tea and an apple pie. Her reply was “no, you can do better, try this and that “. A bit weirded out by her answer, we then said we just wanted tea and a cookie. Then she replied “you didn’t come here just for a cookie, you can find cookies everywhere, order something else!”. I wanted to reply “then why are you selling cookies?” but didn’t. We honestly should have left at that moment, but really wanted to sat down after all the walking on State street, so we still ordered teas and apple pie. We sat with our number, waiting to be served. After a good 10min, we thought they had forgotten us, we went to check at the counter, and yes, they had forgotten us, nobody was taking care of our order. The lady was taking pictures of plates but had not started preparing anything yet. 2 min later we got our teas and pie. The tea was the same brand I buy at the grocery store (Stash), nothing special. The apple pie was delicious. But it didn’t make up for the rude and impatient attitude of the lady at the counter. I don’t know if she is the owner, but she should definitely do better.
Solene Guillemane
00
Never coming back here!! Please don't support racist businesses. My family and I are POC and my 12 year old little sister and I got kicked out. I recently came to visit this cafe with my family for the first time. I ordered 2 lattes got my order number and sat down with my little sister to wait for our order to be called. Shortly after, the owner of the restuarant comes up to my sister and I and tells us to leave. I was shocked and asked her why and all she said was "because I said so." I told her I wasn't leaving because I was a customer waiting for my order. She then said that she wants my sister and I out and that she will refund us. I asked her why was she kicking us out and she said that we made her feel uncomfortable and that she doesn't need to explain further why we made her feel that way. This is discrimination. My family and I were doing abosolutey nothing but waiting for our order not causing any type of disturbance at all. Not only do I feel humiliated but I feel embarrassed for that lady for acting so absurd I hope she receives the help she needs if she want to run her bussiness.
Aidaly Xicotencatl
00
Nearby Attractions Of The Andersen's Danish Bakery & Restaurant
Paseo Nuevo
Santa Barbara County Courthouse Gardens
Coastal Dispensary Santa Barbara
Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden
Marshalls
Alameda Park
Cleopatra Ink Tattoo & Piercing Santa Barbara Studio
Kimpton Canary Hotel
Santa Barbara Museum Of Art
La Arcada Plaza

Paseo Nuevo
4.4
(1.4K)
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Santa Barbara County Courthouse Gardens
4.8
(953)
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Coastal Dispensary Santa Barbara
4.7
(566)
Click for details

Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden
4.8
(583)
Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of The Andersen's Danish Bakery & Restaurant
Sandbar Cocina y Tequila - Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Public Market
Handlebar Coffee Roasters
Carlitos Café y Cantina
Joe's Cafe
The Palace Grill
Cali-Forno Pizzeria
Santa Barbara Craft Ramen
Cajun Kitchen
Benchmark Eatery

Sandbar Cocina y Tequila - Santa Barbara
4.2
(928)
Click for details

Santa Barbara Public Market
4.6
(690)
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Handlebar Coffee Roasters
4.7
(599)
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Carlitos Café y Cantina
4.4
(566)
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Basic Info
Address
1106 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Map
Phone
(805) 962-5085
Call
Website
andersenssantabarbara.com
Visit
Reviews
Overview
4.3
(503 reviews)$$
Ratings & Description
Description
Landmark restaurant & bakery serving Danish cuisine in an ornate, old-world dining room since 1976.
attractions: Paseo Nuevo, Santa Barbara County Courthouse Gardens, Coastal Dispensary Santa Barbara, Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden, Marshalls, Alameda Park, Cleopatra Ink Tattoo & Piercing Santa Barbara Studio, Kimpton Canary Hotel, Santa Barbara Museum Of Art, La Arcada Plaza, restaurants: Sandbar Cocina y Tequila - Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Public Market, Handlebar Coffee Roasters, Carlitos Café y Cantina, Joe's Cafe, The Palace Grill, Cali-Forno Pizzeria, Santa Barbara Craft Ramen, Cajun Kitchen, Benchmark Eatery
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