A local family is building a new restaurant empire in Santa Barbara.

Georges and Nicole Bitar, owners of The Bitar Group, recently purchased iconic Santa Barbara restaurant The Palace Grill, at 8 E. Cota St., from Sandy and Michael Derousse.

For those who love the jambalaya, crawfish etouffée, soft-shelled crab, blackened filet mignon and other Louisiana foods, don’t worry. No changes, “only improvements,” are expected, according to Georges Bitar.

“The Bitar family was allowed the privilege to take over this iconic place,” he told Noozhawk.

The magicians and musicians will remain, but Bitar said he will introduce “traditional, authentic New Orleans specials.” The beignets also will come back to the restaurant.

“Upbeat service energy and top-quality food will be top priorities,” Bitar said. “Elements from the past that are typical New Orleans, such as white jackets for service staff, may return.”

The previous owners had announced a plan to close the restaurant in September, but The Bitar Group stepped in and kept the restaurant open.

The Bitars also own The Chase on State Street, which they purchased a few years ago. However, the restaurant caught fire in October and has been closed since.

“We are working with all involved entities to execute all repairs properly,” Bitar said. “We look forward to the good old Chase, but with a fresh coat of a paint and updated interior.”

Bitar said he hopes to reopen by Easter.  

The Bitar Group also owns Milk & Honey, 30 W. Anapamu St., which is now open on Monday nights and late on weekends until midnight, as well as Via Maestra 42, 3343 State St., now open for breakfast.

Metro Comic Book Store Burglarized

Metro Entertainment, a comic book and game store at 6 W. Anapamu St. in Santa Barbara, reported on its social media pages that it was burglarized Wednesday of about $10,000.

“We will be open normal hours, but a bit bleary-eyed from the 4 a.m. wake-up call, and possibly a bit aggravated from the loss,” the post stated. “But please come in. We need to see some friendly faces.”

The items stolen reportedly were Pokémon cards.

Jeannine’s Uptown Is Changing

The Jeannine’s bakery at 3607 State St. in Santa Barbara has closed and plans to reopen this spring with a different look.

“Something sweet is baking,” the company posted on Instagram. “Our oldest Jeannine’s location is getting a fresh new look. From January to spring 2025, we’ll be transforming it into a full bakery.”

The post added, “Stay tuned for updates, and in the meantime, we can’t wait to welcome you to our other three locations for breakfast, lunch or just a friendly chat.”

Jeannine’s has restaurants in Goleta and Montecito, and on Cabrillo Boulevard in Santa Barbara.

Light and Home Moving to Oregon

Santa Barbara store Light and Home plans to move to Portland, Oregon, in March.

“To commemorate this significant transition, we are offering an incredible storewide sale with discounts ranging from 15% to 70% off on all items in our showroom,” the company said in a news release. “Light and Home has been a beloved destination for those seeking unique lighting fixtures, stylish furniture, gifts, decor, rugs and essential household goods.

“Our showroom features an impressive selection of renowned brands, including Alessi, Visual Comfort, Arteriors, FLOS, Oly Studio, Vondom, WAC and Arne Jacobsen, ensuring that each piece is not only functional but also a work of art.”

The store is at 18 W. Calle Laureles in Santa Barbara.

“We are excited about this new chapter and the opportunity to bring our curated collection to Portland,” said William George, owner of Light and Home. “We have cherished our time in Santa Barbara and are grateful for the support of our community. As we prepare for this move, we want to give back to our loyal customers with this exceptional sale.”

The Ellwood Opening Soon

Goleta Beach Park is likely to get a new restaurant by the end of January.

The new restaurant will be called The Ellwood.

“We are very close to opening,” owner Omar Khashen said. “It’s currently looking like we will be open to the public by the third week of January, but do not have a hard opening date just yet.”