Satellite Santa Barbara is a State Street gem, encapsulating much of what’s great about the community.
Farm fresh food, interesting local organic wines, pleasant outdoor seating, plus fun live entertainment.
All that’s missing is your toes in the sand.
Satellite, a downtown restaurant and bar at 1117 State St., is co-owned by Emma West and Drew Cuddy, who met while tasting wines.
With Cuddy’s background in wine and West’s experience in restaurants, they thought they had what it took to be a success, and opened Satellite in 2017.
“It was challenge accepted,” declared West, whose background includes having co-owned the much loved and missed Julienne.
“Emma and I have strong ideas about what we personally want to eat and drink, and how we want to live,” Cuddy added. “And that’s reflected in the wine and food menu here at Satellite.”
Their menu is vegetarian, and West sources the ingredients directly from the Santa Barbara farmers markets, shopping there every Tuesday and Saturday.
How does she choose? “Don’t overthink it,” she replied.
Emma West and Drew Cuddy met while tasting wines and soon teamed up to open Satellite, their restaurant and wine bar at 1117 State St. in downtown Santa Barbara. “Emma and I have strong ideas about what we personally want to eat and drink, and how we want to live,” Cuddy says. “And that’s reflected in the wine and food menu here at Satellite.” Credit: Ellen Raede / Noozhawk photo 
The Satellite grilled cheese sandwich features a melange of cheeses on Oat Bakery charcoal sourdough bread with a sauerkraut spread. Credit: Satellite photo 
Satellite is located at 1117 State St., midblock between West Anapamu and West Figueroa streets. Credit: Rob Raede / Noozhawk photo 
The Yoga Pants salad pairs well with a nonflabby granache. Credit: Rob Raede / Noozhawk photo 
Vegan and gluten-free, the Brain Bowl is a smart choice with house giardiniera, green olive, chickpeas, sprouted green peas, tardivo, cucumber, tahini and sesame. Credit: Rob Raede / Noozhawk photo 
Drew Cuddy handles Satellite’s wine selection. “I look for small-producer organic wines that pair well with the freshness and crunch of the farmers market,” he says. “Nothing flabby or boring.” Credit: Rob Raede / Noozhawk photo 
Cast-iron herbed foccacia and roasted garlic olive oil? Yum. Credit: Rob Raede / Noozhawk photo 
Mushroom soup for those brisk days. Credit: Rob Raede / Noozhawk photo 
Satellite keeps popular magician and mentalist Gene Urban up its sleeve for entertainment. Credit: Rob Raede / Noozhawk photo
“I describe my food as emotional,” West explained. “I use certain moods to inspire what’s on the menu.”
If you’re feeling virtuous, she said, there’s the Brain bowl or Yoga Pants salad. If you need some comfort, there’s the Grilled Cheese Sandwich, served on Oat Bakery charcoal sourdough.
The menu also includes soups, cheese plates, tacos, desserts and more.
West, who attended culinary school straight out of high school, told us that “the restrictive nature of our kitchen forces us to be creative.”
She’s not kidding. We’ve seen bigger kitchens at a Homewood Suites.
Satellite recently announced it will be adding a new commissary kitchen in the Funk Zone, where they can expand and experiment with their menu.
Cuddy, who runs front of house and manages the wine and beverages, was born on a turkey farm in Ontario Canada, but eschewed a career in fowl to follow his father into the wine distribution business after they moved to California.
These days at Satellite, “I taste between 75 and 300 wines per week,” he said, “with an emphasis on local wines, but really from all around California.”
“I look for small-producer organic wines that pair well with the freshness and crunch of the farmers market,” Cuddy added. “Nothing flabby or boring.”
No one wants a flabby wine with their Yoga Pants salad.
With an emphasis on whites and lighter reds, Cuddy said, “We don’t offer the big commercial popular wines that have had everything good stripped out.”
In addition to the 10-12 wines that typically are offered by the glass, there are several creative vermouth/Prosecco spritz drinks.
“There’s something uniquely hospitable and welcoming about a good spritz,” Cuddy said.
“Plus they make people hungry,” he laughed.
To help educate guests, Satellite offers certified wine instruction, and the The Natural Coast Wine Festival, which is coming up on April 22 and features more than 40 producers from Los Angeles to San Francisco.
“The more people who can talk about and enjoy wine in an educated way, the better for the whole wine community,” Cuddy said.
For those feeling a need to do more for the community, you might check out the Satellite wine club, which features two distinct wines per month, plus other fun benefits.
Any description of Satellite is incomplete without mention of the nightly entertainment, including magician and mentalist Gene Urban on Fridays and live music by Brett & Co. on Thursdays. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself, literally, dancing in the street. (Click here for the schedule.)
Team Let’s Go Eat asked West and Cuddy what they wanted Noozhawk readers to know about Satellite.
“We’ve got a unique and fun vibe here,” Cuddy said. “The spritzes and wine, the food, the staff and the informal feel.”
That combination “is our superpower,” West added.
Locals Only
This is a place to bring friends and try lots of things, not just one entrée. Ask for the “Naughty and Nice” combo (Grilled cheese sandwich plus Yoga Pants salad).
When You Go
Satellite, at 1117 State St. in downtown Santa Barbara, is open from noon to 9 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, and 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. It is closed on Sunday.