The long-awaited Goleta bagel shop Yetz’s Bagels has officially opened. 

“I feel excited,” owner Dan Dunietz said. “I feel like everyone is desperate for good bagels.”

The bagel shop officially opened on Monday in Storke Plaza at 250 Storke Road, Suite G, between Lucky Coin Laundry and Ca’Dario Cucina Italiana.

Dunietz originally opened Yetz’s Bagels in Isla Vista in 2024 after rebranding his restaurant, Dank Bowls, which served loaded macaroni bread bowls. 

Opening the second location in Goleta saves people the trip into Isla Vista, Dunietz said jokingly, adding that while the newly opened location is less than 2 miles away from the Isla Vista location, it differs greatly. 

“The Isla Vista location is not built for bagels, but we made it work,” he said. “This is built for bagels.”

The Goleta location has specific bagel-making equipment such as a dedicated kettle to boil the bagels and an oven with a Ferris wheel-style mechanism.

“The bagels are coming out better than I have ever seen them,” he said. 

 With the new equipment, Dunietz said he is able to churn out more bagels and even provide all of the bagels for both locations.

“I don’t think anyone’s doing it how we do it in all of Santa Barbara,” he said. 

The bagel shop is open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Habitat for Humanity Secondhand Store Coming Downtown in Summer

Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County is opening a ReStore in downtown Santa Barbara this summer. 

In the meantime, the store has begun hiring staff and will take donations in mid-March, according to a press release. 

The store, at 400 State St., will sell donated furniture and home décor items. The proceeds will go toward the nonprofit housing organization that builds and improves homes for families who need a place to live.

“The community has been asking for the ReStore for the past six years,” Jessica de L’Arbre, CEO of Habitat Santa Barbara, said in a statement. “Now that we are finally able to share this good news, we want to encourage the community to help us get ready for our grand opening — there will be plenty of work for everyone.”

There used to be a Goleta ReStore, but it closed its doors after 12 years in 2020.

The organization is also seeking volunteers to help get the store ready for opening day.

Los Altos Restaurant Closes Milpas Street Location 

Los Altos Restaurant has closed its Milpas Street location in Santa Barbara and now serves only out of its Goleta restaurant at 5892 Hollister Ave.

“As a family owned and operated business, our time on Milpas has meant more to us than words can express,” according to a poster on the restaurant’s windows. “We will deeply miss this location and memories made here.”

Pascucci Set to Close in March, Hold Furniture Sale 

Italian restaurant Pascucci will officially close at the end of March and will sell some of the restaurant’s furniture following the closure at 1230 State St., Suite A in Santa Barbara.

“We want to thank the beloved community of Santa Barbara for the continued love and support you’ve shown us since 1993,” owner Laura Knight said. “While closing is very difficult, we are so grateful for the 33 years of memories shared within these walls.”

Knight originally announced in November that the restaurant would close in mid-February. However, the closure was delayed through February for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Valentine’s Day and President’s Day weekend, she said.

Before the closure announcement, the restaurant had moved from its 509 State St. location in May.

Knight is also hosting an online “legacy sale” in mid-April when people can buy Pascucci decor, including the restaurant’s Italian pottery, mirrors, curtains and marble tables. 

The time and date for the sale is still being finalized, according to Knight.

Pasta Santina Brings Carpinteria a Taste of Italy

A new Carpinteria pasta manufacturing company, Pasta Santina, opened in January. 

“At Pasta Santina, we’ve made the best pasta in the Central Coast,” owner Sergio Chierego said in a social media video. 

The pasta shop, at 4185 Carpinteria Ave., Suite 5, began after Chierego moved to Santa Barbara to be with his fiancé.

“This is the first time I had the chance to live close to the ocean, surrounded by nature with great locally sourced ingredients,” he states on the shop’s website.