Located in the historic La Arcada Plaza on State Street, Santa Barbara, The Andersen’s Danish Restaurant and Bakery has served diners authentic Danish cuisine for over 40 years. Seating is available outdoors, where you could savor the bakery items while enjoying the pleasant Santa Barbara weather, or indoors where you will be dazzled by the elegant Danish palace interior.
When you walk in, a whiff of cinnamon immediately reaches your nose and display of sweet treats is a feast for the eyes. The Andersen’s bakery offers a variety of cakes and other desserts including a gluten free treats. Some of the cakes include Marzipan Layer Cake, Strawberry Fields Forever Cake, and Apple Cake Gluten-Free.
The breakfast menu also included savory items such as the Santa Barbara croissant sandwich, Andersen’s french toast, eggs benedict, napoleon, their famous quiche with hollandaise sauce, smoked salmon and eggs, good morning breakfast, ham omelette and veggie omelette.
The dinner and lunch menu feature Charlotte’s salad, watermelon and mint feta salad, quiche of the day, pork schnitzel, hakelbøf, hungarian goulash, reuben, barbeque pork sandwich, french dip sandwich, vol au vent (tarteletter) smoked scottish salmon (open face sandwich), and the viking platter.
The Andersen’s also offer hygge specialty box kits to-go: High Tea, Weekend Brunch, Trip to Germany, and Trip to Denmark, and Trip to Scandinavia.
hygge (noun)
“a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture).”
Oxford Languages
My dear friend Kirsten celebrated my graduation and made reservations for High Tea here at Andersen’s. Although I tried several items here over the years, high tea with Kirsten was an indulgence I will always cherish.
Delicate teas were served in-house and the eats included fresh scones with whipped cream, two small sandwiches, a slice of apple strudel, fresh fruit, Petite Fours, and a small cream pastry. A complimentary bottle of champagne was included. High Tea is served from 2 p.m. daily.
A stroll down State Street, tasty bites at Andersen’s, and a dose of warm sunshine adds up to a perfect Santa Barbara day.
Lilly C. Lew Ph.D. 