Mesa Verde

Delicious vegan food, nice (and dog friendly) patio away from the street, very friendly service.
Prices on the high side for some things (e.g., desserts can be $ 14!), but portions are fairly large.
Great addition to SB

Amazing food. Beautifully presented. Really wishing you would move your delicious food to my home state (Wisconsin could use a bit more mesaverde).
Clever décor. Very clean.
If the parking lot is full don’t go somewhere else. It really is worth the walk from another parking spot.

The food was good but not great… but I love the atmosphere, the selection and friendly staff.

This place serves up some tasty dishes. I feel like to do a lot of things very well here in terms of the food (portions, breads, sauces, spiciness, etc. Its a fairly casual place with a real local feel.

Went to Santa Barbara for the day and was looking for a great vegan spot for lunch. Mesa Verde was rated one of the top spots and let me tell you, after eating there, I know exactly why.
First off, the ambiance was fantastic. The décor was rustic and the entire restaurant was really well done. The service was fantastic. The server was extremely attentive and was able to answer all questions we had about the menu. The food, wow. Everything was fresh and they mentioned it was all organic and locally sourced food and you can definitely tell. To drink, I had the berry and ginger Kombucha and my girlfriend had the Hades smoothie. Both were great, especially my Kombucha. To eat, I had the roasted mushroom and vegetable burger and my girlfriend had the avocado toast. Both meals were fantastic.
If you’re in the Santa Barbara area and looking for a wonderful vegan spot, look no further.

Delicious vegetarian fare. Beautiful presentation. Beat and avocado salad was a work of art. Beautiful wood interior. Kitchen is visible and interesting to watch. Falafel tahini and barley was flavorful. Will return next time in santa barbara.

It just gets better and, better, every time!!! Jamal, you and your «Andrews» ROCK. Brought sisters in law today and ordered several thing we had not had before and, some favorites. The «Street» tacos, made of luscious caramelized, smokey, sexyspicey were to live for!!! The «pulled» mushroom sandwich was ridiculous, the polenta fries, flatbread and hummus with homemade harrissa… Be still my heart. The cinnamony baklava with homemade pistachio ice cream I want every day FOREVER!!! It’s a wonder, as a vegan eater to be able to have anything and not have concerns other than if I like it or not. Mesa Verde is just that special and, you most certainly do NOT have to be vegan to be swept away.
Always a thrill to introduce new people to MESA VERDE. It just never disappoints, seemingly always finding new ways to delight. Took a serious vegan foodie from Maui yesterday. Jamal and the rest of the crew have an uncanny way of making a guest feel like they’re the only person in the room. She ordered everything and was grinning from ear to ear. Thanks guys, hot making me a hero, again!!!

My husband and I went to Mesa Verde all three days of our stay in Santa Barbara, we loved this place so much. I have trouble eating out while traveling and Mesa Verde’s smart alkaline balanced food pairings meant no digestion issues. Plus the food is DELICIOUS! The Poseidon smoothie tastes just like a creamy pistachio and the vegan & gluten free pumpkin cheesecake was legendary. We also kept coming back for the kava kava tea that puts you straight into dreamland. The empanadas and beet & avocado salad were our favorite entrees, but you can really not go wrong with any of their menu choices. Can’t wait to go back next year!

This gem is hidden between a Seven 11 and a gas station. I didn’t think it would be possible but the food was even better tasting than the way it looked. So flavorful and absolutely gorgeous. Lovely wait staff. The owner even greeted us and ended our wonderful experience with a glass of fresh juice. Can’t wait to come back for dinner.

The best restaurant I’ve been to in Santa Barbara so far! Omg!!! So stoked to have found this place. Lovely people and beautiful setting. The food was out of this world and they gave me a special complimentary dessert.

This place needs no review — if you like great food you will like Mesa Verde. Incredibly fresh produce and flavor combinations that you never thought existed but will only want more of. As a person who has been around farm fresh food for a large portion of my life, I can attest to the quality of the creative cuisine that lies herein. I honestly can’t wait to try everything on the (very dynamic) menu.
The prices won’t kill you either!

Beautiful atmosphere, delicious vegan/​vegetarian food, amazing flavor combinations, yummy smoothies and juices, welcoming &friendly service!!!
Polenta fries!
Vegan pizza!
Street tacos!
Cashew cheesecake!
So good!

It’s all good. So good.
We decided to try Mesa Verde for dinner after a walk on the beach.
The first thing we noticed was a spacious and crisp décor… plus ample parking.
But we didn’t go there for the parking, right?
First of all, every server stopped by our table and greeted us. Very friendly and pleasant. A good start. The coffee was excellent. Always nice.
On to my entrée…Polenta fries with smoked beans and roasted veggies. Sounded simple. But what I got was amazing. Plated beautifully on a wooden board; the flavors and texture were just perfect. Every flavor melded in my mouth.
Dessert was a triumph, a home made baklava, with just a hint of pomegranate, served with vegan ice cream.
We could tell that the chef really cared about what came to our table, each item was perfect.
The level of service remained excellent throughout the meal.
And finally, the owner Jamal stopped by our table and greeted us as if we were old friends.
All these rave reviews are for real.
Take a walk on the beach… then stop by Mesa Verde.
You’ll find a perfect end to your perfect day.

Been meaning to write this review for awhile!
Mesa Verde is one of those places where you can tell the owners genuinely care about the experience that you have. Honestly, I am neither vegetarian or vegan but you will love the food regardless not to mention this type of warmth this place gives off as if you were visiting a friend or relative.
Food: All together some of the most hearty, creative and flavorful food that I have had in awhile not to mention presentation is an A+
Polenta fries with the vegetables-​these were cooked to perfection !
Epanadas– black beans, and I love me my cashew cheese. These were so savory and a total treat.
Baklava and soy icecream with pomegranate syrup. They had a variety of desserts to chose from. They all looked so interesting to try.
It was def a experience and no doubt worth it if your visiting Santa Barbara!

My husband and I were driving back home from Pismo beach and decided to try a restaurant that was on the way home. We did some research on Unilocal,and came across numerous positive reviews for Mesa Verde.
After eating here today I can honestly say the positive reviews were accurate. We ordered the Picadillo Empanda, Macro Bowl, Grilled Polenta and Picadillo Tacos. They were all very delicious, but the Grilled Polenta was my favorite… a succulent mixture of braised tomato, garbanzo stew, kale and shallot!!! Who would have thought something so healthy could be soooo yummy! The Picadillo Tacos had this mouthwatering jackfruit and tempeh filling with some other healthy delicacies. With meals like these, someone could go Vegan cold-​turkey :)
The customer service was also excellent. Rami was very welcoming, knowledgable about the menu, and even gave us a complimentary taste of the baklava dessert (heavenly goodness btw)
My whole experience here was great, and we will definitely be back!

I am beginning to feel like a 5-​Star snob, but this place really deserves it. The atmosphere is that of casual but the food is Michelin Star worthy.
This place is Not and I repeat does NOT deserve the distinctive status of– «good for a Vegan/​Veg Restaurant», but rather Good to GREAT period. I believe as a meat loving carnivore, you could and would not feel the sentiment of «Where’s the Beef?», cuz this place takes classic, comforts, & moderns, then fuses them together, creating well-​composed dishes of delishesness.
Essentially our table ordered four dishes and shared bites with each other. Sadly, my selection was the least satisfying (The Risotto) but most likely because everything else was so bloody good. The Sweet Potato trio (chip, baked wedge, mash) with brussels was lushess, as was the fried Brussel and White Bean Purée. Talk about an incredible use of vinegar with just the right touch of acidity. Now the surprise of the evening and something I would never order out– The Lasagna! Somehow, they made a non-​dairy cheese (nut-​based), taste Better than a ricotta. Served in a min-​cast iron skillet with pita&zataar equates to that of a HomeRun!
Service was sincere and ambiance was moy tranquillo. This place is the «Best» Vegan restaurant I have frequented and I will return. Look out SB, the Veggie is taking over and even as a meat-luv’n fool; I am okay with it :)

Based on a friend’s recommendation, I had the chance to visit this restaurant out of curiosity. Everyone seemed to rave about it, but I was a little skeptical. First off, I’m a big meat eater, so the idea of a vegetarian restaurant was not an appetizing one to me.
I started off slow, trying their empanadas. They were surprisingly flavorful, and I did not miss the meat at all. But the highlight of my night was the street tacos. Aside from the elegant presention, the unique blend of flavors has brought this meat-​eater to appreciate what a good vegetarian/​vegan dish is supposed to taste like.
Overall, I was impressed by this places dedication to staying true to their ideals yet not sacrificing taste. I hope to come back again soon to try more of their seasonal specials.

I was driving to Southern California from San Francisco one day and stopped at this awesome place to meet some friends on the way home!
PARKING/​WAIT:
It was a rainy Sunday and there was no wait. My friends got there a head of me, but were able to sit when they got there. There is a parking lot out front with a decent amount of parking.
CUSTOMER SERVICE:
Our waiter was very nice and helpful.
FOOD:
This is a «modern, plant based» restaurant. I try to eat mostly vegan, so I love finding restaurants like this. They use organic and local ingredients. Their menu is unique and delicious! I obviously did not try everything, but just reading the menu items made my mouth water and stomach excited haha.
I got the Picodilla empanadas with cashew cheese, cacao black beans, chimichurri, pickled savory cabbage and carrots. It was delicious!
I would definitely go back.

Mesa Verde is easily one of the best, most flavorful and hearty vegetarian restaurants that I have ever been to, period. Every dish seems thoughtfully seasoned and consciously presented in order to intrigue ones’ tastebuds and draw out the natural flavors and textures in the food.
My favorite dishes are the pulled mushroom tacos and pulled mushroom sandwich. The mushrooms are meaty and tender, seasoned with smoked spices reminiscent of bacon, with pickled vegetables. The corn tortillas are soft, thick and clearly handmade. It’s the stuff food cravings are made of. Very good!
I also really enjoy the polenta fries. Crispy and golden on the outside, warm and moist inside. They are topped with an array of sautéed vegetables. This dish as well, is perfectly seasoned.
The customer service at Mesa Verde is generally very good. The owners, understandably, convey a genuine pride in their restaurant and know it can deliver a 5 star experience. (And if they can tell you’re a Unilocaler by your snapping of food pics, they certainly don’t mind telling you, «5 stars!» with a playful smile.) It shows that they care about the customer’s experience and the quality of their food.
Often times, they’ll walk by and offer you samples of their fresh pressed juices, they are so refreshing and nutrient dense! I love the beet carrot.
The location of the restaurant itself is on a busy section of Cliff Drive in an area of Santa Barbara, we call «The Mesa.» It is perched next to a ⁷⁄₁₁ in a strip mall-​like cluster of businesses, however, they did a wonderful job of planting shrubby in front of their patio which creates the feeling of a tropical oasis and is quite lovely. Parking in the restaurant’s parking lot can be tough as ⁷⁄₁₁ has the majority of the parking spaces, but don’t fret las or lad, there is plenty of parking nearby on Meigs Road.
Whether you’re a carnivore, pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan or just nutrition conscious like me, you’ll find plenty of food at Mesa Verde that will tickle your fancy. Go get some!

Our weekend trip in Santa Barbara ended on a delicious note after we had the most amazing meal at Mesa Verde!
Met up with friends for a double date late lunch after researching the online menu and drooling over the potential options. We were a bit sad to find out that the regular menu was not available at the time of our arrival. Luckily their Sunday brunch menu sounded just as intriguing. I was also happy to see that every single item on the brunch menu, except for one item, was marked vegan.
Typical move, the Meateater BF ends up ordering the one non-​vegan item. He had the Huaracha Azteca which had jackfruit chorizo, black beans, tomatoes, onion slaw and chipotle salsa on flatbread and topped with a fried egg. He seemed to enjoy it. All I know is one minute, this plate was placed in front of him and the next minute the plate was empty.
Our friends ordered the BLTA and Avocado Toast. The BTLA (
) had marinated tempeh bacon, lettuce, tomato, and avocado on flatbread. The Avocado Toast was like the mother of all avocado toast! Hands down, this one wins for visual presentation as I was not expecting to see a mountain of ingredients. Thick slice of sourdough topped with cucumber, pickled onion, and jalapeño chili aioli.
I ordered the Picadillo Tacos because I love me some jackfruit! It also had tempeh, pickled onion, apple, and blackberries. The taco «shell» was a lettuce leaf and the presentation was pretty artsy as well.
But the real star of the meal was the soup of the day. A Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup made with cashew cream, cauliflower, an essence of smokiness without being overpowering and other spices that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. All I know is that everybody at the table kept dipping their spoons into this giant bowl of deliciously savory soup.
Good food, good company, good atmosphere! Loved dining on the front patio. Service was great and friendly as well. Mesa Verde will be a must for me next time I’m in Santa Barbara.