Restaurant Roundup: Madam Lu’s and Tondi Gelato Announce Closures, Dom’s Taverna Opens, and More

There’s never a period of calm in the Santa Barbara restaurant scene. This past week Madam Lu’s and Tondi Gelato announced they would be closing while Dom’s Taverna opened in the former Trattoria Vittoria location, Wingstop is possibly coming the Mesa neighborhood, Erewhon teases a connection to Santa Barbara, and more.

Grab a fork and dig in below.

Madam Lu Retires and Closes After 27 Years

The Chinese restaurant on Upper State Street, Madam Lu’s, has permanently closed as of September 30. Located at 3524 State Street, owner Mei-Jung Lu announced she’s ready to retire. 

Lu had also previously opened Mama Lu’s at 415 Milpas Street before closing it in 2015.

Tondi Gelato to Close in November

The all-natural homemade Italian gelato shop in Paseo Nuevo announced it will close on November 2nd. Tondi Gelato, the former home of Wetzel’s Pretzels located at 723 State Street in downtown Santa Barbara, opened in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The owners took to social media to announce the closure and expressed how this location was supposed to be their long term home.

“We had intended to stay in this space for decades to come, but we chose not to sign the additional 5 year option that we had. Why? No, our business did not fail, 2025 has been our busiest year yet. No, it’s not because of a rent increase. It’s complicated and I won’t get into the details, but the gist of it is that our lease that we would have to operate under is no longer sustainable for our business and for our family. We tried to negotiate but were unable to come to an agreement,” the owners stated.

They also referenced the plan to redevelop part of the Paseo Nuevo mall and how that may have made restructuring a lease unlikely and one of the key aspects in their current lease prevented them from closing for a day off. “Because we make all of our gelato fresh in the morning, me and Deborah have been grinding 7 day weeks since 2020),” they said.

Currently they’re unsure what the future holds but they haven’t ruled out a new location in Santa Barbara.

“All we know is that our hearts are filled with gratitude and that we need a break. Thank you for your support, your kindness, your help, your love, your willingness to give us a try, and for your smiles. We will miss you,” the owners stated on social media.

Dom’s Taverna Opens in the former Trattoria Vittoria Location

A beloved culinary space is now reinvigorated with a bright makeover and a new menu. Dom’s Taverna opened in August at 30 E. Victoria Street in downtown Santa Barbara, the former home of Trattoria Vittoria, which closed in May 2024.

The restaurant draws inspiration from the bold coastal cooking of Spain’s Basque Country and the abundant ingredients of California’s Central Coast. From dock-fresh seafood to locally cured meats and vibrant farm produce, every plate celebrates the producers who make it possible—and the guests who gather to enjoy it, according to their website.

Chef Dom Crisp is hailed as a “seafood expert” who moved to the area earlier this year after purchasing the restaurant’s building with his business partner, Raj Nallapothola of Toronix Gourmet, a Los Angeles-based company that imports food and beverages from Spain.

Some of the menu highlights include a crudo bar with oysters, rock crab, and bluefin tuna; grilled steaks, ciopinno pasta, and “Whole Fish Basquaise” which features local catch roasted in a charcoal oven.

Wingstop is Coming to Santa Barbara’s Mesa Neighborhood

The chicken wing chain Wingstop is opening its fourth South Coast location on the Mesa, reportedly next to Mesa Cafe, reports to the Restaurant Guy.

Wingstop already has locations in Isla Vista, off Fairview in Goleta, and in the La Cumbre Shopping Mall. They also have locations in Lompoc, Buellton, Santa Maria, and Ventura. 

Erewhon Creates a Buzz in Santa Barbara

Fancy LA grocery chain Erewhon created a social media buzz this week with posts that caused more confusion than excitement. The company originally posted “a taste of Erewhon in your city, coming soon,” with several cities tagged throughout the U.S., including Santa Barbara. Many readers took that to mean the grocer would be opening new locations in those cities.

However, Erewhon later edited their social media posts to including “shipping” so it read “A taste of Erewhon Shipping to your city, coming soon.”

So for those who love to pay $50 for a jar of chicken soup or $170 for an Erewhon branded hoodie, this will be very exciting for you.

Win-Dow Burgers Extends Hours

Due to customer excitement and feedback, Win-Dow Burgers announced they will extend their hours to 10:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Located at 701 Chapala Street in downtown Santa Barbara, the former home of the popular taqueria Romanti-ezer, the new burger joint kept the walk-up windows and outdoor eating area to serve up delicious and affordable smash burgers.

With five locations in the LA area, Santa Barbara was a bit of a drive for this burger shop but locals have really taken to the $4.50 cheeseburger and $5.75 dipped cones. 

Although, they may need to extend their hours to 2:00 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays to really make locals happy. Romanti-ezer used to capitalize on throngs of people leaving the Wildcat and other nearby bars at 1:30 for late night burritos. We’ll see if Win-Dow is up to the task.

Little King Coffee Opened in The Post Montecito

Little King Coffee had their grand opening in August at The Post Montecito located at 1801 E Cabrillo Blvd. Sure, technically the Post is located in Santa Barbara but I suppose if you can see Montecito from the edge of the Bird Refuge it qualifies?

The Post is a collection of upscale shops and cafes built around six historically preserved buildings. Currently there are 13 shops that include clothing and jewelry along with a pilates studio and dental office. For dining there’s Ospi and Organic Oren along with Little King Coffee and a third eatery, BOGAVANTE, to open this year.

With another location in Buellton, Little King Coffee is owned by Grace Gates and Ryan Dobosh, previous general managers of restaurants Bar Le Cote in Los Olivos and Bell’s in Los Alamos.

“We aim to create the kind of place that people are delighted to discover and excited to become regulars at. We place a high value on hospitality and service, and we always strive to make it nice for both our guests and the members of our team. We bake, brew and pour with the intention of excellence,” their website states.

Their coffee beans are roasted by Coastal Coffee Collective in Ventura and used in their espresso drinks that feature homemade house syrups like brown sugar cardamom and garden mint.