Gabby Trachsel / Daily Nexus

State Street welcomes you with open-door businesses, magical string lights and gas-fired patio heaters to keep you warm as you cheers to a good day in the sun with your closest friends. It is filled with great restaurants for every kind of foodie out there. I, for one, love Italian and had to try out Pascucci when I heard about it. 

The bright white Spanish arcs illuminated by warm, yellow lights invite you into the restaurant. You are greeted by wonderfully smiling faces and offered a table indoors or outdoors. My guest and I decided to bask in the heat of the fire and enjoy the brilliant colors of the Santa Barbara nightlife that surrounded us. However, do not let the sounds of the bustling street and other restaurants discourage you from sitting outside. Pascucci is located on the corner of W Haley Street and State Street. Therefore, it offers a sense of quiet peacefulness that is great for conversations.

I suppose since the title of this section is “On the Menu,” we should talk a bit about the menu. First, for us carb lovers, this menu offered everything and more. It had the basics, like fettuccine alfredo and spaghetti with bolognese, to the authentic Italian dishes, like Risotto Toscano. The wine list wasn’t exhaustive, but the rich reds and light whites were more than great pairings with the pasta options. 

Gabby Trachsel / Daily Nexus

We started with an order of the bruschetta because how could you not, and a regular-sized Cobb salad split in half. We were surprised to see that each dish was huge! It made us feel like we may not even have had the room for the main course. We ordered the San Marco ravioli with portobello mushrooms and a mushroom cream sauce, along with the Shrimp Piccata. The flavors were exactly what you would imagine: buttery and tangy, delicate yet sharp and all amazing. By the time the bill had come, we were stuffed. To our surprise, the prices, unlike most nice Italian places, were suitable for those with a champagne taste on a beer budget.

Gabby Traschel / Daily Nexus

If you are out with friends, on a romantic date or just really craving some pasta but don’t want to make it yourself, Santa Barbara’s Pascucci is the place to be.