Bettina at the Montecito Country Mart.Photo:Carter HiyamaOn any given weeknight, a pizza takeout order fromBettinaat the Montecito Country Mart in California could be forPrince Harry and Meghan Markle, who, like many of the area’s locals, are fans of the restaurant.The hotspot,which is the brainchild of husband and wife team Brendan Smith and Rachel Greenspan, has become one of the most popular casual restaurants in town, offering Neopolitan-style pizzas on naturally leavened sourdough crust, along with offerings like pasta — including theircrowd-favorite mafaldine cacio e pepe— and antipasti.“Brendan had been running the bread programat Roberta’s in Brooklyn, and I was in food sales, working with restaurants like Per Se and Eleven Madison Park [in Manhattan],” Greenspan tells PEOPLE of their origin story. The couple left New York City in 2014, decamping for the Santa Barbara area. Four years later, Bettina opened their doors in Oct. 2018, with a focus on the same style of pizza dough that Smith had made at Roberta’s.“Brendan’s focus has always been sourdough bread, so that is essentially the foundation of the restaurant. All of our pizza and bread dough is naturally leavened sourdough, resulting in a super chewy and delicious flavor,” says GreenspanBettina’s pepperoni pizza.Carter HiyamaThe rest of the ingredients used are local. “We strive to source all of our produce and fruit from local farmers that we have personal relationships with, and then focus on keeping most of our other ingredients like flour, tomato sauce and cured meats domestic. Everything else is made in house with care and a focus on keeping everything simple so the ingredients shine,” Greenspan says.Since opening, they’ve had plenty of bold-faced named as patrons, fromCatherine Reitmanand herhusband Phillip SternbergtoMeghan, who has dined inside with friends. But Greenspan says it’s also just a great spot for families and for date nights.“We definitely get a mix of locals and tourists,” Greenspan says.Bettina restaurant in Montecito Country Mart.Blake BronstadSome guests, of course. simply come in for a glass of wine at the bar.“Our wine list is a wide mix of both local and European wines, and we consciously strive to source wines that are natural, biodynamic or organic,” Greenspan says, adding, “It’s truly great for everyone. We open for dinner early and get a ton of families right off the bat.“Later in the evening, the mood usually shifts to a more adults-only scene.Greenspan says, “By nightfall, the lights go dim and our space is filled with groups of friends celebrating special occasions or couples out for a date night.“She adds that they are grateful for the Montecito community, who remained devoted to keeping the spot thriving during tough times.“We have an amazing community of regulars who kept our doors open through Covid, and continue to come weekly to support us,” she says.
Bettina at the Montecito Country Mart.Photo:Carter Hiyama
Carter Hiyama
On any given weeknight, a pizza takeout order fromBettinaat the Montecito Country Mart in California could be forPrince Harry and Meghan Markle, who, like many of the area’s locals, are fans of the restaurant.The hotspot,which is the brainchild of husband and wife team Brendan Smith and Rachel Greenspan, has become one of the most popular casual restaurants in town, offering Neopolitan-style pizzas on naturally leavened sourdough crust, along with offerings like pasta — including theircrowd-favorite mafaldine cacio e pepe— and antipasti.“Brendan had been running the bread programat Roberta’s in Brooklyn, and I was in food sales, working with restaurants like Per Se and Eleven Madison Park [in Manhattan],” Greenspan tells PEOPLE of their origin story. The couple left New York City in 2014, decamping for the Santa Barbara area. Four years later, Bettina opened their doors in Oct. 2018, with a focus on the same style of pizza dough that Smith had made at Roberta’s.“Brendan’s focus has always been sourdough bread, so that is essentially the foundation of the restaurant. All of our pizza and bread dough is naturally leavened sourdough, resulting in a super chewy and delicious flavor,” says GreenspanBettina’s pepperoni pizza.Carter HiyamaThe rest of the ingredients used are local. “We strive to source all of our produce and fruit from local farmers that we have personal relationships with, and then focus on keeping most of our other ingredients like flour, tomato sauce and cured meats domestic. Everything else is made in house with care and a focus on keeping everything simple so the ingredients shine,” Greenspan says.Since opening, they’ve had plenty of bold-faced named as patrons, fromCatherine Reitmanand herhusband Phillip SternbergtoMeghan, who has dined inside with friends. But Greenspan says it’s also just a great spot for families and for date nights.“We definitely get a mix of locals and tourists,” Greenspan says.Bettina restaurant in Montecito Country Mart.Blake BronstadSome guests, of course. simply come in for a glass of wine at the bar.“Our wine list is a wide mix of both local and European wines, and we consciously strive to source wines that are natural, biodynamic or organic,” Greenspan says, adding, “It’s truly great for everyone. We open for dinner early and get a ton of families right off the bat.“Later in the evening, the mood usually shifts to a more adults-only scene.Greenspan says, “By nightfall, the lights go dim and our space is filled with groups of friends celebrating special occasions or couples out for a date night.“She adds that they are grateful for the Montecito community, who remained devoted to keeping the spot thriving during tough times.“We have an amazing community of regulars who kept our doors open through Covid, and continue to come weekly to support us,” she says.
On any given weeknight, a pizza takeout order fromBettinaat the Montecito Country Mart in California could be forPrince Harry and Meghan Markle, who, like many of the area’s locals, are fans of the restaurant.
The hotspot,which is the brainchild of husband and wife team Brendan Smith and Rachel Greenspan, has become one of the most popular casual restaurants in town, offering Neopolitan-style pizzas on naturally leavened sourdough crust, along with offerings like pasta — including theircrowd-favorite mafaldine cacio e pepe— and antipasti.
“Brendan had been running the bread programat Roberta’s in Brooklyn, and I was in food sales, working with restaurants like Per Se and Eleven Madison Park [in Manhattan],” Greenspan tells PEOPLE of their origin story. The couple left New York City in 2014, decamping for the Santa Barbara area. Four years later, Bettina opened their doors in Oct. 2018, with a focus on the same style of pizza dough that Smith had made at Roberta’s.
“Brendan’s focus has always been sourdough bread, so that is essentially the foundation of the restaurant. All of our pizza and bread dough is naturally leavened sourdough, resulting in a super chewy and delicious flavor,” says Greenspan
Bettina’s pepperoni pizza.Carter Hiyama
The rest of the ingredients used are local. “We strive to source all of our produce and fruit from local farmers that we have personal relationships with, and then focus on keeping most of our other ingredients like flour, tomato sauce and cured meats domestic. Everything else is made in house with care and a focus on keeping everything simple so the ingredients shine,” Greenspan says.
Since opening, they’ve had plenty of bold-faced named as patrons, fromCatherine Reitmanand herhusband Phillip SternbergtoMeghan, who has dined inside with friends. But Greenspan says it’s also just a great spot for families and for date nights.
“We definitely get a mix of locals and tourists,” Greenspan says.
Bettina restaurant in Montecito Country Mart.Blake Bronstad
Blake Bronstad
Some guests, of course. simply come in for a glass of wine at the bar.
“Our wine list is a wide mix of both local and European wines, and we consciously strive to source wines that are natural, biodynamic or organic,” Greenspan says, adding, “It’s truly great for everyone. We open for dinner early and get a ton of families right off the bat.”
Later in the evening, the mood usually shifts to a more adults-only scene.
Greenspan says, “By nightfall, the lights go dim and our space is filled with groups of friends celebrating special occasions or couples out for a date night.”
She adds that they are grateful for the Montecito community, who remained devoted to keeping the spot thriving during tough times.
“We have an amazing community of regulars who kept our doors open through Covid, and continue to come weekly to support us,” she says.
source: people.com
