Romantic Waterfront Dining

Consistently rated as Santa Barbara's #1 restaurant, Toma Restaurant & Bar offers an idyllic dining experience with outstanding service. Toma is dedicated to showcasing the beauty of the central coast, utilizing locally-sourced ingredients alongside stunning beachfront views.

About Toma

Toma is a restaurant on the Santa Barbara waterfront specializing in rustic coastal cuisine. Owned by third-generation Santa Barbaran Julian Sanders, a certified sommelier and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America’s Accelerated Wine and Beverage program, and Sam Grant, a front-of-house veteran and San Diego restaurateur. Located on West Cabrillo Boulevard, Toma Restaurant & Bar has been serving a unique array of Italian-inspired dishes since 2013. With its charm rooted in its old-world, historic building and romantic, waterfront façade, Toma is the beautiful result of over 70 years spent in the culinary industry. We welcome you to experience a pinnacle of Santa Barbara hospitality.  

  • At Toma, we are committed to sourcing and providing the best wines at the greatest value for our guests. We take great care in selecting and creating our wine lists, with a focus on those "hidden gems" selected from various Italian as well as local vineyards and wineries for the perfect pairings. 

  • Our Executive Chef, Gregorio Bonilla, joined the Toma team in 2021. Gregorio has a great appreciation for our local bounties and creatively incorporates seasonal local finds to complement our Italian-inspired Mediterranean menu for a truly unique dining experience.

In early 2023, stewardship of Toma Restaurant & Bar was handed over to Sam Grant and Julian Sanders, in partnership with Bill Parsons and Richard Sanders. Sam and Julian oversee daily operations with Julian also overseeing the beverage program.

Sam Grant is a restaurateur from San Diego who spent most of his career with stalwart restaurant group, TS restaurants, and worked his way from busboy to manager before taking on his own restaurant projects. 

“Toma was always my favorite restaurant when visiting family in Santa Barbara,” says Grant, “When Julian and I were brought together for this opportunity, we jumped! Tom and Vicki leave some big shoes to fill, but with my and Julian’s combined experience along with the wonderful staff at Toma, we are looking forward to building on the strong foundation laid by the team at Toma.”

Julian Sanders, most recently of Cafe Ana, brings his extensive beverage knowledge with him as Beverage Director. After Cafe Ana’s closure, Julian went on to join the team at Caruso’s at the Rosewood Miramar Hotel where he continued to sharpen his beverage and fine dining skills. He plans to build on the current wine list with additional old-world treasures, value-driven wines from classic regions around the world, local gems, and even include some large format selections.  

“Growing up in Santa Barbara, I’ve had many, many memorable meals at Toma,”says Sanders, “Now, we’re working alongside Tom and learning as much as we can from him to carry on the next chapter of this institution.”

Richard Sanders is a third generation Santa Barbara resident; his family has been active in the local commercial real estate community for more than 75 years. He is an owner and partner in numerous Santa Barbara commercial properties as well as properties in Northern California and the Southwest. Bill Parsons, former chairman and CEO of TS Restaurants, grew up in Carpinteria and Santa Barbara. Bill lives in Del Mar, California but spends time with his family in Santa Barbara and on his boat where he still, tries to, surf The Channel Islands