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The breakfast options in Goleta just got a lot bigger.
Bringing a little relief to the long lines at Cajun Kitchen and Jeannine’s comes IHOP, formerly known as the International House of Pancakes.
The chain restaurant has hopped from near the corner of Calle Real and Turnpike Road to the Plaza Shopping Center at 7127 Hollister Ave.
A long time ago, the site was home to The Crabby Lobster and Baja Fresh, and most recently Itsuki, but the latest chapter involves pancakes, waffles and bacon omelettes.
The restaurant held a soft opening a week ago, and so far business is steady and growing.
“Business is starting to really pick up,” general manager Migule Velasquez said. “Everything is working great.”
The restaurant is open every day from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The new space is smaller than the Calle Real location, which was a popular hangout for families and San Marcos High School students.
The site is destined for an overhaul. Chick-fil-A is working its way through the permitting process and plans to open a large drive-through location.
IHOP maintains another location, at 1701 State St. in Santa Barbara.
The Goleta IHOP is next to another new business that opened this summer, Planet Fitness.
State Street Update
The number of vacant storefronts in downtown Santa Barbara edged up from 32 to 35 in the third quarter of 2022, according to Radius Commercial Real Estate.
But there are bright spots: The 1000 block had six vacancies in 2020, but only one today — the former Subway spot at 1021 State St.
The newly opened O’ My Sole and the upcoming L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele are likely to further revive the block, according to Radius.
Radius also noted the opening of Augie’s on the corner of State and Ortega streets.
“This highly visible corner draped in original Jeff Shelton design draws focus away from the recently opened 7-Eleven next door,” Radius reported in its Q3 report. “The city should applaud the dedication of the Augie’s team for reinvigorating an important downtown location.”
The 500 block, however, is facing challenges. It has been one of the strongest blocks, according to Radius, but it now has three vacancies.
“With the Hotel Santa Barbara getting a fresh paint job and Drift Hotel nearing completion, the progressing environment of this block should help buffer the increased vacancy,” Radius said.
Other new restaurants on State Street to open in Q3 were Longoria Wines, State Street Axe Club and Mokutan Japanese.
“Although the city plans to keep the street closed through 2023, a long-term solution remains to be seen as MIG, Inc. consults on the State Street Master Plan,” according to Radius.
Tyger Tyger Gets New Stripes
Consulting chef Jasmine Shimoda, formerly of Los Angeles vegan restaurant Jewel and Santa Barbara’s Loquita, and Chef Trevor Laymance have created a new “plant-forward menu offering vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and omnivore options,” at the Funk Zone’s Tyger Tyger, according to a news release.
The newly styled restaurant will offer breakfast and lunch daily, and dinner service on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The relaunch of Tyger Tyger will officially take place Nov.17 at 121 E. Yanonali St.
“Ever since Tyger Tyger was forced to close its doors two years ago, we have had consistent requests from our loyal guests to reopen with our innovative Asian fare,” said Sherry Villanueva, founder of Acme Hospitality. “Those voices have been loud and clear, demanding a healthier and more sustainable menu brimming with flavor but good for the body and the planet. We are listening, and this new iteration of Tyger Tyger is our effort to deliver on that promise.”
The fast-fine concept delivers “elevated menus utilizing counter service with an inventive design,” the news release states.
Tyger Tyger will serve breakfast daily from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and lunch daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dinner is served Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Boutique Grand Opening
Women’s fashion boutique Catherine Gee is holding a grand opening on Nov. 18.
The new flagship store is at 1114 State St., Suite 24, in the La Arcata Plaza in Santa Barbara.
“Join us to celebrate the grand opening of our new downtown Santa Barbara flagship store,” the company said in its newsletter.
The event will feature champagne and hors d’oeuvres. Email catherine@catherinegee.com to reserve a spot.
— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.