Montecito in Santa Barbara County sits about 60 miles north of Los Angeles, yet remains a well-travelled route for weekend getaways, second-home owners and a reliable celebrity enclave. In the Upper Village, chef Diego Moya (Le Comptoir and L’Arpège, Paris) leads Little Mountain, a live-fire cooking concept alongside Andrew Cosbie (an alum of Wallpaper* USA 400 firms Commune Design and Studio Shamshiri) and creative director Eva Schreier (Mexico’s Hacienda Los Milagros).
Wallpaper* dines at Little Mountain, Montecito
The mood: a cosy fireside dinner party
Spanish Colonial archways open onto warm, earthy details, from reclaimed Italian terracotta floors to Portuguese green tiles running along the entire base of the restaurant, a nod to the nearby Casa del Herrero museum. Local artisans were brought in for the plasterwork and hand-hammered copper hood in the kitchen, alongside a mural by Arien Valizadeh. The bar area is constructed from salvaged old-growth redwood, while the private dining room – an extension of the covered patio – is wrapped in curtained walls.
The fireplace is clad with hand-painted tiles resembling portraits of historic farmers and ranchers, created by BDDW in LA. Art vignettes curated by Alison Harding include Amy Applegate’s still lifes of fruit and vegetables, illuminated by vintage lighting fixtures sourced from France and Spain. Local ceramicist Sarah Genuardi created the powder-room lamps, set against merlot-coloured plaster walls and green-hued soapstone tiles.
The food: elevated live-fire cooking
Chef Moya draws heavily on what is available at the twice-weekly local farmers’ market, though a menu staple remains his chicken, smoked on the hearth after being brushed with barley miso and served with a fennel salad.
Some dishes may sound simple but reveal far greater depth: country sourdough with house-made cultured butter; pickled vegetables from the larder served in a meticulous kaiseki style; crispy-edged patatas bravas; and Koshihikari rice with sesame butter, a perfect companion to Mt Lassen trout and wild mushrooms. Everything is served on plates and pottery sourced from Mexico.
The most-ordered cocktail is aptly named From the Hearth: a bourbon served with a smoky flourish. The Café de Olla Basque Cheesecake has been on the menu since day one. A ringing endorsement? Legendary chef and restaurateur Alice Waters is a fan.
Little Mountain is located at 516 San Ysidro Rd Unit A, Montecito, CA 93108, United States