Highest-rated restaurants in Santa Maria by diners
Highest-rated restaurants in Santa Maria by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Santa Maria, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
#30. FoodTrip
- Rating: 4.0/5 (87 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 230 Betteravia Road Ste F Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Filipino, Barbeque, Noodles
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Firehouse Subs
- Rating: 4.0/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 469 East Betteravia Road Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Fast food, Delis, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Thai Hut Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (266 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 120 East Foster Road Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Vaqueras
- Rating: 4.0/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 908 North Broadway Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Mexican, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#26. In-N-Out Burger
- Rating: 4.0/5 (229 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1330 South Bradley Road Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Burgers, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Chef Rick's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (229 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 135 East Foster Road Santa Maria, California
- Categories: New American, Sandwiches, Vegan
- Read more on Yelp
#24. The Green Olive
- Rating: 4.5/5 (54 reviews)
- Address: 750 East Main St. Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Greek, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Urbane Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (345 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 655 East Betteravia Road Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Zoe's Hawaiian BBQ
- Rating: 4.5/5 (521 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2880 Santa Maria Way Ste A-2 Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Hawaiian
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Cugini's Pizzeria & Trattoria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (369 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 230 East Betteravia Road Ste G Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Jade's Filipino Food
- Rating: 4.5/5 (136 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2025 South Broadway Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Filipino
- Read more on Yelp
#19. AL PHO
- Rating: 4.5/5 (575 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1201 East Main St. Ste B Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Vietnamese, Barbeque, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Tom's Take Out
- Rating: 4.5/5 (127 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 826 West Main St. Santa Maria, California
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Papa Napoli Italian Deli
- Rating: 4.5/5 (275 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 325 East Betteravia Road Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Delis, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Cubanissimo Food Truck
- Rating: 4.5/5 (50 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Cuban
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Mariscos El Picosito
- Rating: 4.5/5 (56 reviews)
- Address: 510 East Main St. Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Lidos
- Rating: 4.5/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Cheesesteaks, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#13. My Place Coffee and Juice
- Rating: 4.5/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 525 South Broadway Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Woody's Butcher Block
- Rating: 4.5/5 (248 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 700 East Main St. Ste 104 Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Butcher, Cheese Shops, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Tacos Sinaloa
- Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 605 South Broadway Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Tacos, New Mexican Cuisine
- Read more on Yelp
#10. The 'A' Street Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (86 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2445 A St. Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Luvie's Deli
- Rating: 4.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 4869 South Bradley Road Ste 106 Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Delis
- Read more on Yelp
#8. SB Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (42 reviews)
- Address: 2508 South Broadway Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Jaffa Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (373 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2530 South Broadway Ste A Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#6. The Salty Brigade Kitchen
- Rating: 4.5/5 (219 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3564 Skyway Drive Bldg 3, Ste A Santa Maria, California
- Categories: New American, Fish & Chips, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Deli Delicias & Fresh
- Rating: 4.5/5 (59 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 110 South Pine St. Ste 105 Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Mexican, Delis
- Read more on Yelp
#4. BBQ In The Stix
- Rating: 4.5/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Barbeque
- Read more on Yelp
#3. The Garden Mediterranean
- Rating: 4.5/5 (718 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 122 East Boone St. Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Mediterranean, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Yummy Donut & Deli
- Rating: 4.5/5 (87 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1609 South Broadway Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Donuts, Sandwiches, Delis
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Garey Store
- Rating: 5.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3798 Foxen Canyon Road Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Grocery, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.
