Lion’s Tale is ready to roar right onto Coast Village Road.

Upscale and classy, Lion’s Tale is the newest concept from Good Lion Hospitality, which has six other concepts around town.

“We love Montecito, the community, the people, and the food experiences,” Brandon Ristaino, co-founder and beverage director at Good Lion Hospitality, told Noozhawk. “There were loads of excellent restaurants, but there weren’t any cocktail bars on Coast Village Road. That so happens to be our area of expertise, and we’ve been looking to open a cocktail bar in the area for quite a few years. Luckily, the perfect opportunity arose.”

Ristaino and wife Misty Orman founded the hospitality group. The Lion’s Tale is set to open Friday on the ground floor of the Montecito Inn, 1295 Coast Village Road.

The cocktail bar features a “chic design and warm ambiance, steeped in the elegance of a bygone era where guests can sip on thoughtful classic cocktails with innovative twists,” according to a news release. “Large arched windows allow light to filter into the bar, which features saturated jewel tones, custom banquettes and bar stools upholstered in rich cabernet-colored leather and vibrant velvets that offer both comfort and style, as well as a tiled ceiling and vintage-inspired lighting.”

Cocktail highlights include a Lion’s Tale Dry Martini with gin or vodka, dry vermouth, frozen; an Espresso Martini with vodka, cold brew, averna, orange, px sherry and spiced cacao; and Manhattan and rye whiskey, apple brandy, bonal gentiane-quina, bitter orange, and angostura.

Santa Barbara County and French wines by the glass are available, as well as a robust champagne list curated by master sommelier Lenka Davis. 

Ristaino told Noozhawk that he and his wife were in chats with the Copus family about taking over the former Coast and Olive space last spring.

“We signed a lease and put together a concept we were excited about. Misty and I have a real passion for travel, and there are some parts of the world that simply have magnificent hotel lobby bars — Connaught, Savoy, Chelsea Hotel, to name a few,” he said. “We really drew inspiration from those iconic venues and wanted to create some of that magic in our hometown.”

The cocktail bar will include food from Michelin Bib Gourmand Chef team Ryan Simorangkir and Tyler Peek, owners of the Sama Sama group.

There will be live jazz with the Santa Barbara Jazz Collective every Wednesday from 6:30 to 9 p.m. and happy hour Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. It will be open from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. every day of the week.

The Ellwood Opening Soon

The tide is turning.

The new restaurant at Goleta Beach is almost here.

The Ellwood plans to open perhaps by the end of the year, owner Omar Khashen told Noozhawk.

The company has been advertising for positions online.

“A majority of the construction is behind us. We are just decorating and getting the team ready,” Khashen said.

He also noted that public works crews are wrapping up the parking lot replacement project near the restaurant.

“We’re very excited to get open for the public soon,” Khashen said.

Goleta Beach has been without a restaurant since Beachside Bar-Café closed in 2021.

Sandwiches to Replace Sweets

Ice cream shop Sweetie’s on the Mesa has closed, but don’t have a meltdown.

Here’s the scoop: Mission City Sandwich Shop is expected to open in the spot, at 1826 Cliff Drive, Suite A in Santa Barbara, likely early next year.

Paige and Nathan Simandle, a local chef, are the proprietors behind the new business.

Hotel Bed Taxes Up Slightly

Transient occupancy tax revenues are up 0.5% year-to-date, according to the City of Santa Barbara.

The city has collected $11.7 million in overall TOT. About $10.3 million came from hotels and $1.4 million from short-term rentals.

The City of Santa Barbara collected $3.6 million in TOT for September.

The city’s adopted TOT budget for all funds is $34.5 million, of which $28.7 million goes to the general fund.

Hotel Occupancy Drifts Up

According to Visit Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara South Coast hotel occupancy increased 2% in September, compared with the same month a year ago. 

Hotel occupancy was 77% in September.

The average rate for a Santa Barbara South Coast hotel room in September was $384 a night, which was similar to last year, according to Visit Santa Barbara. Revenue per available hotel room was $295 in September, increasing 2% compared with the same month last year.

The data comes from STR, an independent hospitality data analytics company and includes hotels in Santa Barbara, Goleta, Montecito, Summerland and unincorporated Santa Barbara County (between Gaviota and Summerland).