A new restaurant has opened at the site of the former Judge For Yourself Cafe — Luna’s Cafe.
Longtime employee Federico DeJesus and his family acquired the lease, and after a closure for a few months and some changes to the menu and site, reopened it in July.
“My parents immigrated from Mexico, came from nothing. [My dad] started as a dishwasher and slowly made his way up. Now, he’s got something for his own,” Eyssy DeJesus said.
Federico DeJesus, from Guerrero, Mexico, along with wife Nancy and adult children Kayla and Eyssy, all work at the restaurant, open at 1218 Santa Barbara St.
It’s a breakfast and lunch spot, with “the best chilaquiles in town,” Eyssy DeJesus said.
The restaurant features traditional American dishes such as pancakes, burgers and sandwiches. It also specializes in Mexican dishes such as chilaquiles, huevos rancheros and huevos a la Mexicana.
Eyssy DeJesus said they tweaked the menu a bit and removed some things that weren’t selling. Thursday specials include the tri-tip and seafood omelets, along with huevos con chorizo.
They also replaced the floor, fixed up the bar and touched up the inside.
The name comes from the family dog, Luna, a shih tzu.
Village Inn and Dave’s Place Restaurant Grand Opening
The Village Inn in Lompoc has scheduled its grand opening for Oct. 20 at 3955 Apollo Way.
The event will be free, and after a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 12:30 p.m., guests can take tours of the hotel, listen to live music, and enjoy food and drink specials at Dave’s Place Restaurant.
The retro-modern hotel, located along the Pacific Coast Highway, was purchased in 2019 by Realty Center Management Inc. and underwent major renovations, starting in the summer of 2021. It now has 63 rooms and includes Dave’s Place Restaurant, which features classic American cuisine and local wines.
Dave’s Place Restaurant, owned by Dave Jaskolski, started as a breakfast café called The Village Coffee Stop Café & Catering before moving into the Village Inn. Now, the restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as boasting barbecue and full-service catering.
“The Chamber is excited to welcome the Village Inn as it brings new energy and investment into our community,” DeVika Stalling, president of the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce, said in a news release.
Hotel Data Shows Uptick in Overnight Travel
Data from the nonprofit Visit Santa Barbara shows an increase in hotel occupancy from July 2024 to June 2025 compared with the year before.
Visit Santa Barbara works to drive overnight travel in Santa Barbara, which makes up a key part of the city’s economy.
“As travel habits evolve, so must we, by focusing on tourism sustainability, experience-driven messaging and cultivating strong relationships across the hospitality sector,” Visit Santa Barbara President Kathy Janega-Dykes said.
This year’s checkup was completed by STR, a company that analyzes hospitality data. STR looked at Santa Barbara’s rate of hotel occupancy, average cost of a hotel room and revenue per available hotel room, month by month. It found 1% to 5% increases in all three categories compared with last year, and overnight travel resulted in $35.2 million of transient occupancy tax for the city, up 9% from last year.
“Strong hotel occupancy in the Santa Barbara South Coast supports a wide range of local businesses, including restaurants, attractions and tour operators,” Janega-Dykes said. “By leveraging data, investing in key markets and sharing Santa Barbara’s distinctive story, we strive to deliver measurable value to our partners and maintain Santa Barbara’s position as a premier destination for visitors from around the world.”
Dylan Delivered to Bring Dylan Star Boutique Online
Dylan Star Boutique, a clothing store in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, will transition into an online shopping service called Dylan Delivered in early 2026.
The Anacapa Street boutique has been owned by Erica Brown since 2018. It also puts on an annual fashion show at the Lobero Theatre, an event that drew 100 guests this year.
Dylan Delivered, launched in 2024, allows customers all over the nation to access the boutique’s clothes and personalized shopping.
“Now, instead of shopping for everyone, when I go to LA and elsewhere, I have my specific Dylan Delivered clients in mind,” Brown said. “I know their sizes and preferences, and with each delivery box, my understanding of their needs grows. It’s personal shopping, delivered directly to their doorstep.”
On the website, DylanDelivered.com, customers fill out a questionnaire and sign up for personalized boxes of clothing. They can return unwanted items at no extra cost.
Dylan Star Boutique will stay open until early 2026 with discounted inventory.
Dom’s Taverna Opens
Dom’s Taverna has opened at 30 E. Victoria St. in Santa Barbara.
The restaurant will be open on Tuesdays from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., serving brunch.
Reservations are available via OpenTable, InKind and Toast.
The restaurant, according to a news release, combines the flavors of the Basque region of northern Spain and southwestern France with locally sourced Central Coast ingredients.
“Opening Dom’s is an incredible adventure, both personally and professionally,” chef Dom Crisp said. “I cannot wait to welcome guests and offer them a gathering place with authentic flavors from the Basque country. We are thrilled to share our table and traditions with Santa Barbara.”