Handlebar Coffee Roasters

Yep – good coffee. Bagel with almond butter and jam is a hit too. (4/5 green stars)
Busy place but service was fast and very friendly. When I asked about bagel toppings I was recommended to try their almond butter and strawberry jam. I was a bit skeptical, but on top of a savory everything bagel it turned out to be a very tasty combo. I was concerned that it might be a bit sickening, but no! They have a toaster on their counter so that you can toast to your own liking. Together with a latte it came to just over $7, which seems reasonable (especially considering the price of almond butter, and they give you a lot!) The latte was $4 (made with organic Strauss milk) and I thought it was very good. The bagel, almond butter and delicious strawberry jam was the highlight tho!

I’m giving Handlebar Coffee 4/5 “green stars” for social and environmental impact, based on these reasons:
• Coffee beans. It’s weird: almost everything that they stock (see below) comes from good suppliers. But when it comes to their very own beans, they have nothing to say! Nothing! No info on prices paid for green coffee, sustainability on farms, processing methods, shade cover. I looked everywhere.
• Their dairy milk is from Strauss Organic.
• A good selection of plant-based milks, including oat milk from Oatly (although that comes all the way from Sweden).
• Almond milk is from Califia, one of the better commercial brands that I can see (e.g., water-use and bee-care).
• Pastries (some vegan) from Renaud’s patisserie.
• Bagels from I.V. bagels, which uses some organic ingredients.
• Chocolate from Twenty Four Blackbirds and tea from Steven Smith.
• Coffee cup lids, cold cups, straws, coffee bags, were not compostable.
• My almond butter and jam came in plastic containers – would have preferred if they used ceramic pots or just placed it on my plate.

Find out more about green-star ratings at Green Stars Project dot org.

Very impressed with Handlebar. You can taste the difference in their coffees and they take pride in crafting a superior product to mass produced varieties. They roast all their own beans and offer a different style of coffee to try every day. I found the staff friendly and helpful - they explained the drinks well, recommended my serving glass, and even gave me samples to try. I had a cortado, which I don’t see everywhere. It was delicious. The space is chill, similar to other coffee shops, with indoor and outdoor seating. What sets this place apart was the superior coffee.

Friendly service, awesome flat white and legit croissants. Fast WiFi, constant stream of customers...definitely a popular spot in downtown Santa Barbara.

Things I like about it: friendly service with a smile, great tasting cappuccino, amazing almond croissants, free street parking and a nice cool and clean atmosphere.

What I didn't like: n/a

Best coffee shop was recommended to me by a relative. It was quite nice to visit cool and speak. I love the decor and friendliness of the staff. One suggestion is that they should look into getting cashew milk for their cappuccinos as it's super creamy and delicious, way Superior than almond or soy milk. Other than that it made my morning quite happy :)

Great coffee and love the outdoor seating. The almond croissant was a little heavy on the sugar coating.

Really cool bike themed coffee bar! Great service and reasonable price. If I lived down here, I would probably come here all the time!

Coffee was decent, though possibly not worth the long line. Have been looking for a balanced coffee since arriving in the US. The beans here are well roasted though mild in flavour so need multiple shots. Order extra hot as the long queue means they rush through the milk process.

Enjoyed my pastry and always love a bicycle themed cafe. I passed the other Handlebar on my bike over the weekend and should perhaps have ridden up to that one outside of the tourist zone.

A great place to hang out. Best service too.

The best place to get coffee in SB. The Owners/staff are beyond friendly/knowledgeable and one of my favorite reasons for going. Really awesome merch and neet local products.

This place is fantastic! I will 100% be back here next time I'm in Santa Barbara! The coffee is amazing, the food is incredible (I'm pretty sure they get their baked goods from the place nextdoor, but I'm not sure).

If you like really good coffee, and you're in the area you definitely need to stop in. A fair warning to individuals, this place is pretty cyclist-centric/friendly. I didn't think much of it, but I could see it being a bit "weird" to a tourist not expecting it. I just think it's a cool quirk for a cool place with an A+ cup of coffee.