Coming to Santa Barbara, I’ve realized the brunch craze is a pretty big thing to do here on the weekends, especially with the countless number of restaurants in Goleta and Santa Barbara. I decided to take advantage of my free time this summer and hit up a pretty popular brunch spot on State Street, Andersen’s Danish Bakery and Restaurant. 

Rachel Lee / Daily Nexus

When I walked inside, I noticed that the interior of the restaurant gave off a very quaint vibe whereas its outside seating felt more modern. Because this restaurant was also a bakery, all their baked goods and pastries were displayed alongside the seating area which was nice to look at while we waited for our food. The service of this place was excellent. Our server was attentive, always checking in if we needed anything and refilling our water and coffee whenever it seemed low. She even brought out some complimentary pastries while we waited for our food, which were phenomenal. I decided to split an order of Crab Cakes Egg Benedict as well as their French Toast with Fresh Berries with my friend as we couldn’t decide between just having one for ourselves! The eggs benedict were amazing. The eggs were poached perfectly, as the yolk was not too runny or cooked. Having crab cakes as a replacement for English muffins are a game changer. I was afraid the crab cakes would taste a little too fishy for my tastings in the morning but they paired with the eggs quite nicely. My favorite part of the dish was the hollandaise sauce topped all over, as the creaminess of the sauce really tied everything together. The dish also came with a side order of diced potatoes. As for the French toast, it was pretty good but nothing that was over the top for a French toast dish. I felt like that batter may have had some hint of banana in it, however, I enjoyed it. What I will say if you decide to try this place out is to try croissant French toast instead! I never imagined croissant to be in French toast form but I was able to try my friend’s and I was mind blown. The toast didn’t taste dry or flaky which I expected since it was a croissant. 

Overall, the food and pasties from here were pretty good. Having been to Denmark and having tried the Danish pastries over there, I would say the pastries here are pretty comparable. I will definitely come back to maybe try just the “High Tea and Pastries” experience and if you ever find yourself in downtown Santa Barbara, you should check it out as well!