Highest-rated restaurants in Santa Maria by diners

Written by:
Â鶹ԭ´´
January 31, 2025
Dreamer Company // Shutterstock

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 say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, according to a from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—67% of Gen Zers and 40% 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 social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.

New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.

To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Santa Maria, according to reviews from diners as of January 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

You may also like: Highest-paying management jobs for people in Santa Maria

#30. Firehouse Subs

- Rating: 4.1/5 (50 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 469 East Betteravia Road Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Fast food, Delis, Sandwiches
-

#29. In-N-Out Burger

- Rating: 4.1/5 (254 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1330 South Bradley Road Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Burgers, fast food
-

#28. La Vera Pizzeria

- Rating: 4.2/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 239 Town Center West Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Pizza
-

#27. Taco Ranchero

- Rating: 4.2/5 (100 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 108 East Jones St. Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Mexican, Salad, Soup
-

#26. Thai Hut Restaurant

- Rating: 4.2/5 (281 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 120 East Foster Road Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Thai
-

You may also like: Cheapest gas stations in Santa Maria

#25. North China Restaurant

- Rating: 4.2/5 (616 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 113 North Broadway Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Chinese
-

#24. Chef Rick's

- Rating: 4.2/5 (261 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 135 East Foster Road Santa Maria, California
- Categories: New American, Sandwiches, Vegan
-

#23. Vaqueras

- Rating: 4.2/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 908 North Broadway Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Mexican, Food Trucks
-

#22. My Place Coffee and Juice

- Rating: 4.3/5 (76 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 525 South Broadway Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Juice Bars & Smoothies
-

#21. FoodTrip

- Rating: 4.3/5 (107 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 230 Betteravia Road Ste F Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Filipino, Barbecue, Noodles
-

You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants with outdoor seating in Santa Maria by diners

#20. AL PHO

- Rating: 4.3/5 (622 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1201 East Main St. Ste B Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Vietnamese, Barbecue, fast food
-

#19. Zoe's Hawaiian BBQ

- Rating: 4.3/5 (559 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2880 Santa Maria Way Ste A-2 Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Hawaiian
-

#18. Cugini's Pizzeria & Trattoria

- Rating: 4.3/5 (391 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 230 East Betteravia Road Ste G Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Sandwiches
-

#17. Tom's Take Out

- Rating: 4.3/5 (140 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 826 West Main St. Santa Maria, California
- Categories: American
-

#16. Urbane Cafe

- Rating: 4.3/5 (374 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 655 East Betteravia Road Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad, New American
-

You may also like: Highest-rated Chinese restaurants in Santa Maria

#15. Papa Napoli Italian Deli

- Rating: 4.4/5 (289 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 325 East Betteravia Road Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Delis, Sandwiches
-

#14. Mariscos El Picosito

- Rating: 4.4/5 (66 reviews)
- Address: 510 East Main St. Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Mexican, Venues & Event Spaces, Seafood
-

#13. Cubanissimo Food Truck

- Rating: 4.4/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Cuban
-

#12. Bill's Take Out

- Rating: 4.4/5 (99 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 523 North Broadway Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Burgers, fast food
-

#11. Lidos

- Rating: 4.4/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Cheesesteaks, Food Trucks
-

You may also like: Highest-rated dessert shops in the Santa Maria area by diners

#10. The 'A' Street Cafe

- Rating: 4.4/5 (96 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2445 A St. Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
-

#9. Woody's Butcher Block

- Rating: 4.4/5 (264 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 700 East Main St. Ste 104 Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Butcher, Cheese Shops, Sandwiches
-

#8. Jaffa Cafe

- Rating: 4.6/5 (396 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2530 South Broadway Ste A Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Mediterranean
-

#7. SB Restaurant

- Rating: 4.6/5 (72 reviews)
- Address: 2508 South Broadway Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch
-

#6. Luvie's Deli

- Rating: 4.6/5 (41 reviews)
- Address: 4869 South Bradley Road Ste 106 Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Delis
-

You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in the Santa Maria metro area

#5. The Garden Mediterranean

- Rating: 4.7/5 (765 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 122 East Boone St. Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Mediterranean, Vegetarian
-

#4. BBQ In The Stix

- Rating: 4.7/5 (63 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Barbecue
-

#3. Yummy Donut & Deli

- Rating: 4.7/5 (91 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1609 South Broadway Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Donuts, Sandwiches, Delis
-

#2. Deli Delicias & Fresh

- Rating: 4.7/5 (68 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 110 South Pine St. Ste 105 Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Mexican, Delis
-

#1. Capuno's Lutong Bahay

- Rating: 4.8/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 2025 South Broadway Ste B Santa Maria, California
- Categories: Filipino
-

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.

You may also like: Best restaurants for 6 cuisines in Santa Maria

Trending Now