Arnoldi's Cafe

One of the oldest restaurants in Santa Barbara, Arnoldi's Cafe was founded by Giuseppe Arnoldi and his wife Ilda, in 1937, at 421 East Cota Street. In 1940, Giuseppe (Joe) quarried local stone and built the present restaurant at 600 Olive Street. Since then, Arnoldi's, with the bocce ball courts in the garden, has been entertaining Santa Barbarans and visitors from all over the world. Arnoldi's has hosted orchestras and dancers on the maple banquet floor since the 1940's. The mural depicts Lago di Como, where Joe and Ilda were born. Bucky, the Tule Elk, overlooking the bar, joined Arnoldi's following Joe's 1958 hunting trip to Colorado. Joe and Ilda operated Arnoldi's Cafe until 1969, when Jim and Helen Romp took over until 1996. Jim Kershaw and Helen Daniels were proprietors until 2002. The present owners of Arnoldi's Cafe are Dave and Kitty Peri, Jim and Dede Nonn, and Carol Smagala. We are pleased to preserve the valued traditions of Arnoldi's.