We can think of no more salubrious place in Santa Barbara to have a drink and watch the sun languidly set over the Andrée Clark Bird Refuge than the terrace of Ospi, a Cal-Ital restaurant handsomely positioned at The Post, an upscale collection of carefully curated specialty shops on a private lane in Montecito. Ospi serves up handmade pasta, wood-fired dishes, and all-day dining in a relaxed coastal setting. There is a lively bar and comfy banquette indoors, but we always seem to be drawn outside where a firepit blazes and the cool sea air is refreshing.  

We like the pizzas here along with a glass or two of the well-priced wines. At our last dinner we splurged on roasted cauliflower which was terrific, quality crab cake

excellent charred fiery shrimp in a zesty remoulade

fried calamari, a tasty trio of meatballs, chicken parm and branzino.  The tiramisu and chocolate sundae were a perfect ending.

Curious about the name? In Italian, “Ospi” is a shorthand nickname for ospitante, which translates to “host” in English. The name certainly suits this popular restaurant group created by Top Chef alumni Jackson and Melissa Kalb. They are full of cheerful welcomes and genuine kindness. They have several locations including Brentwood, Venice, and Costa Mesa and if you are looking to chow down on classic red-sauce dishes and pizzas with a modern touch, we suggest you give it a try.  Located in: Las Aves Shops & Offices, Address: 1801 E Cabrillo Blvd Ste F, Santa Barbara, CA 93108, Phone: (657) 837-0009