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New York Times - â36 Hours in Santa Barbaraâ
âOn State Street, Santa Barbaraâs main drag, stop for ApĂ©ritif Hour ($10 Sunshine Spritzes, made with Aperol alternatives like Cocchi Rosa and Cappelletti aperitif wines) at Satellite, an outer space-themed restaurant and wine bar with a menu designed by the chef Emma West of the beloved, now shuttered, Julienne Restaurant. Satellite serves sexy, distinctly California dishes like Rad Toast ($7), the Yoga Pants Salad ($16), and Smoked Shrooms ($16) in a casual, bar-like setting with a mod dĂ©cor of avocado-colored bench seats, framed newspaper clippings of the moon landing, and film reels of early rocket launches and moon walks projected on the wall. While the food is meat-free and the wines lean ânatural,â Satellite doesnât take itself too seriously.â
How To Spend One Perfect Day in Santa Barbara
"For vegetarian, farm-to-table fare, Satellite is the place to orbit. The eclectic, astronaut-themed restaurant uses uncommon locally-grown ingredients. Founded by "Winestonaut" Drew Cuddy, Satellite also boasts a natural wine shop inspired by Cuddy's experience working on organic, biodynamic vineyards across Europe."
Santa Barbara Independent - Best of Santa Barbara 2023 Readers Poll - Best Wine Bar đ
"Voted Santa Barbaraâs favorite wine bar for three years in a row, Satellite is a âfarmer to glassâ natural wine shop curated by âChief Winestronautâ Drew Cuddy, who is about to embark on a brave new mission to the world of events. âWeâre looking forward to opening our new, events-centric space at 616 East Haley Street!â he said. âItâs a venue for weddings, feasts, wine and food education, and celebrations of all types. We canât wait to offer all of our Farmersâ Market Vegetarian and Natural Wines in a completely new format. See you there in 2024!"
Santa Barbara Independent - Best of Santa Barbara 2022 Readers Poll - Best Wine Bar đ
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"Voted Santa Barbaraâs favorite wine bar for the second year in a row, Satelliteâs farmer-to-table and farmer-to-glass approach is a clear success. With an emphasis on natural wines curated by âChief Winestronautâ Drew Cuddy and cuisine from Chef Emma West (former partner in Santa Barbaraâs famed Julienne Restaurant) that focuses on ethical, environmentally beneficial agriculture and the freshest locally grown ingredients, this place has loads of appeal, especially for young health- and climate-conscious consumers"
Santa Barbara Independent - Best of Santa Barbara 2021 Readers Poll - Best Wine Bar đ
"Judging from our votersâ responseââââand from the crowds that flock to their parklet nightlyââââwine guy Drew Cuddy and Chef Emma West have a hit on their hands with Satellite. Its central State Street location, combined with an emphasis on natural wines and sustainable local produce, appeals to a new generation of health- and climate-conscious connoisseurs. Add in live music outdoors, and a scene is born. "
USA TODAYÂ - "10 Best Restaurants in Santa Barbara"
"Is it over the top to call Satellite the jewel of State Street? Maybe. But with its vibrant spritzes, jewel-toned wines and colorful farm-to-table dishes topped with edible flowers ... well, it's not too much of a stretch. Satellite is a farmer-to-table / glass restaurant and natural wine shop founded by Drew Cuddy. Executive Chef Emma West's menu focuses on ethical, environmentally beneficial agriculture and the freshest locally grown ingredients. That may sound like a mouthful, but each dish is truly an incredible mouth full. Think luscious confit tomatoes, hearty cauliflower tacos and the best cheese board in town. Satellite is located in the downtown Arts District, just steps away from the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. Open from lunch through dinner, the outdoor patio has a party vibe, but it's also a great place to visit as a single diner."
Chicago Tribune - "A weekend in Santa Barbara, a coastal escape with great food, bike shares and sailing galore"
"... My boyfriend is vegan, so he was most excited about the colorful plates at natural wine bar and vegetarian restaurant Satellite. Dishes here are thoughtfully composed, with playful names like Yoga Pants salad. Brussels on a Date, meanwhile, is a medley of roasted Brussels sprouts, Bahri dates, mustard seeds and crushed hazelnuts all over a bed of celeriac puree â easily the best Brussels sprouts weâd ever tasted."
IconicLife.com - "Santa Barbaraâs Compelling Culinary Scene" January 2021
"This farm-to-table/farm-to-glass restaurant and natural wine shop focuses on ethical, beneficial agriculture, and the freshest locally grown ingredients. Satelliteâs ever-evolving vegetarian menu, overseen by Executive Chef Emma West (owner of Santa Barbaraâs late, famed Julienne restaurant) is a place to discover uncommon flavors. Donât miss the Yoga Pants Salad, fully vegan and loaded with a seasonal mix of the best farmers market produce with ingredients subject to seasonal change. Under Westâs deft hand, even a humble dish of slow cooked Confit Tomatoes transports."
Haute Living San Francisco - "Santa Barbara's Culinary Scene Continues to Captivate" November 2021
Travel + Leisure Magazine - âSouthern Exposureâ - November 2018
"⊠One of Parrâs favorite spots is Satellite, a downtown bar with regional natural wines, lime-velvet Midcentury seating, and a guest magician on Thursday Nights. Itâs in the lobby of a three-story co-working space called [Kiva]. Then I dropped by on a Friday, it was packed with lunchtime laptoppers in nerdy frames and sneakers from local brand SeaVees. I ordered a house-made shrub and vegan tacos with shiitake mushrooms and chatted with a guy enjoying a glass of Parrâs Domaine de la CĂŽte Pure Pinot Noir. He turned out to be Parrâs business partner, Alejandro Medina, co-owner of the celebrated Bibi Ji, a socal Indian boĂźte down the streetâ
The Seattle Times "An insiderâs eating and drinking weekend around Santa Barbara"
"I like to start my day at Satellite Santa Barbara, a vegetarian restaurant where nearly all ingredients are sourced twice weekly from the cityâs farmers market. The restaurant also pours organic and naturally fermented wines from producers practicing biodynamics, regenerative agriculture, polyculture, and no-till farming. Try the Yoga Pants Salad, which changes regularly based on seasonal ingredients, like blueberries and cherry tomatoes in the summer. Wash it down with a flinty Marsanne wine from Ămevive, made by noted vigneron Alice Anderson, whose vineyard is located on a regenerative farm nearby."
Santa Barbara Independent FOODIE AWARDS 2019: âNatty Is Niceâ Award
State Street was crying out for a hot spot like Satellite, somehow both retro hip and currently comfortable, rooted in the region but not afraid to pour some German orange wine called Wild Pony as well. âOur food is crunchy, nutrient-dense, pesticide-free, and without much manipulation, as are our wines,â said owner and founder Drew Cuddy. âWe donât make it easy on ourselves â only using seasonal, local ingredients, and with a constantly changing wine list â but we really believe these fleeting, temporary experiences at the height of freshness and quality are essential to what makes Satellite Satellite.â At the top of the essential are the smoked mushrooms â exotics like king oyster, maitake, bunapi, and beech â that Chef Emma West cooks up and serves on Oat Bakery bread. It all comes from a tiny kitchen that forced West to focus on a mostly vegan menu. The staff happily helps you navigate why the tacos are sexy, the toast is rad, and the salad wears yoga pants â and explains why youâll want to pair that with an Italian pĂ©t-nat from The Marche.
âWe love what weâre doing,â Cuddy enthused. âEmma and I would be nowhere without the Herculean efforts of our entire team: Theyâre young, dynamic, empathetic, and the best damn crew in town.â
The Beet - 7 Best Places to Eat Vegan in Santa Barbara
âThis natural wine bar in Santa Barbaraâs downtown does everything right, from wine to food to service. Satelliteâs vegetarian menu (which is mostly vegan) is prepared from organic produce provided direct from local farmers in the region. As for their wine, they exclusively source wines grown with organic and/or biodynamic principles, so all wine is natural with minimal manipulation and additives. "
Santa Barbara Independent - The S.B. Questionnaire with Chef Emma West
âWe keep things very natural,â says Emma West, executive chef of Satellite SB, the buzzing wine bar and restaurant on the 1100 block of State Street. âWe try not to intervene too much. Weâre farmer to table, farmer to glass.â Though thereâs quite an afternoon rush as we chat, Emma remains effervescent. âIâm having fun,â she tells me, though thatâs obviousâŠ
Coastal Living Magazine - This Classic Beach Destination Is Californiaâs Hottest New Food and Wine Getaway
Donât let the historic Spanish Colonial architecture and stunning waterfront views of âThe American Rivieraâ fool you; Santa Barbara is surrounded by fertile farmland. And restaurateurs like Satelliteâs Drew Cuddy and Bibi Jiâs Alejandro Medina make good use of the spoils from both land and sea. At the former, a natural wine bar and vegetarian restaurant in the heart of downtown, Cuddy offers a SoCal version of bar fare: farmersâ market creations like his Yoga Pants Salad tossed with beets, massaged kale, shaved watermelon radish, edible flowers, and a roast garlicâalmond dressing. Itâs Instagram fodder thatâs even more eye-catching than the quirky wine labels and Satelliteâs Italian spritz presented and poured from science lab flasks.
Visit California - 7 Hot New Restaurants in Santa Barbara
âThe heart and soul of Satellite is on the backside of the menu: Itâs all about the wine. Thatâs never a bad thing, especially when paired with fresh-from-the-farm dishes. Snack on the crowd-favorite Cauliflower Powa, drizzled with parsley-coconut emulsion.â
Coastal Living: The Perfect Three-Day Weekend in Santa Barbara
âMidday, head to Satellite for lunch and a great rotating selection of Santa Barbara wines, including Roark Wine Companyâs Chenin BlancâŠâ
Coastal Living: The Best Restaurants in Santa Barbara Right Now
âWhen it comes to the modern, finger-on-the-pulse ethos of the new Santa Barbara wine and food scene, Satellite owner Drew Cuddy is like the satellite hub of all that is cool and Instagram-worthy. The charismatic proprietor is the wine-peddling equivalent of High Fidelityâs Rob Gordon (sans the snark), introducing patrons to progressive, small-label producers (Lo-Fi, Amplify, Roark Wine Co., etc.) like they were Joy Division b-sides. And what to pair with all those unfiltered, native yeast-fermented, Loire Valley varietals? Stunning farmerâs market creations like his jack fruit carnitas tacos and the âpeasant bruschettaâ scattered with zucchini, strawberries, and French fromage fort.â
Naturally, Danny Seo: âSunny Side Up: Spared by Forest Fires the SoCal City of Santa Barbara is Thriving Thanks to Its World-Class Cuisine, Locally Crafted Goods, and, Of Course, Unfiltered Scenery"
What to expect when youâre within the orbit of Satellite, a natural wine bar and farm-to-table restaurant inside the cityâs premiere co-working space, Impact Hub? All-natural everything - from cloudy, sulftite-free wines produced both stateside and internationally, to tasty snacks such as a tumeric pickled quail egg rolls (topped with edible flowers) or baked carrots with bonito flakes. The space feels equally raw and earthy in design, with exposed brick walls, wooden countertops, and a front window that lets in the breezes. Whether youâre after a glass of Malbec, a pint of Hefeweizen, or even a Spritz, youâll find it at this friendly spot that also hosts classes and pop-up events.
10 New Restaurants to Try in Santa Barbara This Summer
Satellite can be whatever you needâ a farm-to-table restaurant, wine bar, bottle shop, caterer, entertainment venue or wine school. Wine education is a major focus of this inviting fluid space in the heart of downtown.Â
Owner Drew Cuddy shares his passion for wine with guests at regularly scheduled themed tasting events. Chef Emma West (former owner of the critical darling Julienne) is the talent behind Satelliteâs seasonal cuisine that can be enjoyed onsite or to go. The snackable food pairs beautifully with the wine list that features smaller producers from around the world. Beer is also on tap with local drafts and a broader bottle selection.
SB Independent: Satellite Opens Inside Impact Hub
âPerhaps it was this visceral sense of place that left me feeling transported although I was on State Street, looking out on a familiar scene. La Arcada plaza, with its blooming jacaranda trees and busy shoppers, took on a new light. The fresh Contatto Spritz with Montecito orange and the jar of plump Sicilian Castelvetrano olives that greeted me may have helped as well. The spritz is a crowd favorite, and near and dear to Cuddy and server Julia Wiggins, who said, âAt the end of the day, I want to drink something refreshing that will bring me back to life, and thatâs what this isâŠâ
SB News Press: Undercover Fork - Satellite SB
âA new wine bar, cafĂ©, and education hub has launched in the not-too-distant reaches of downtown Santa Barbara that should be in your orbit of places for lunch and dinner.
Brainchild of Canadian-turned-US citizen Drew Cuddy, diploma candidate with WSET, Satellite is an unexpected dose of whimsy on Planet Foodâ
805 Magazine: The Restaurant Issue
âFollowing the urban dine-where-you-work trend, Satellite (satellitesb.com) is a small, hip food bar located at the IMPACT HUB work space in the main corridor of State Street in Santa Barbara. Chef Emma West brings experience from the beloved but shuttered Julienne.
Intensely focused of farmersâ market finds, her menu changes daily. On one day, the Yoga Pants Salad is a mĂ©lange of ribboned kale, radicchio, and butter lettuce, a fine dice of steamed beets, and butternut squash, julienned sugar snap peas, dried cranberries, toasted sunflower seeds, pea shoots, and Ojai Micro Sprouts, all with roasted garlic and marcona almond dressing. The menu is meatless and displays Westâs knowledge of flavor. The Grits Cake, and original riff on Lasagna, is presented in a mini cast iron pan layered with creamy, Parmigiano Reggiano grits, a succulent blend of broccolini, leeks, blanched almonds, and red chili flakes, followed by another layer of grits topped with spicy pepper jam and a soft pat of oregano butter. Enjoy premium local beers on tap, cider, international beers by bottle, choices from an international wine list, or the sophisticated and refreshing Sunshine Spritz, a personal favorite of proprietor Drew Cuddy made with aperitifs Cappelletti and Cocchi Rosa Americano. Wine-tasting events such as Brown Bag Blind Flight Tuesday and Flight Night Monday are a plus and DJs Andrew Elia and Chris Benedict take turns spinning vinyl on Wednesday Nights.â
SB Independent: Vegan Chef Challenge Runs Through April
Yeah, We Won!
đ„Emma West: Vegan Chef of the Year
đ Best Dessert!
SB Independent: Satellite Takes Off with Innovative Offerings
âAs residents of the American Riviera weâre already living on Cloud 9 in terms of Food and Drink. However, Satellite, the new Wine Bar and cafĂ© at the entrance of Impact Hub somehow manages to transport guests into a new orbit of wining and dining.
The sleek space themed spot, which opened in June, offers lunch, dinner, wine, beer, spritzes, catering, and wine education, providing members with a place to meet friends, relax, and explore new frontiers in taste. . . â
Nonprofit Explore Ecology âDigging Deepâ to Support Students Through Garden Education
A special field trip recently helped students see the fruits of their labor being put to good use at Satellite, a local vegetarian farm-to-table restaurant that served them lunch made with food they grew themselves. âSeeing a local restaurant turning what we grow into a successful business helps students understand how our local economy works and they get to learn what itâs like to own a small business.â Â
The special event began with students harvesting fresh produce from their garden, and then walking to the restaurant for a behind-the-scenes tour and presentations by Satellite Executive Chef Emma West and owner Drew Cuddy.