Santa Barbara Sea Urchin appears as a signature dish in 1 United States cities. See each city's local variant and where to eat it.
Santa Barbara Sea Urchin (Uni) · Santa Barbara
Hand-harvested by hookah divers from Channel Islands kelp beds, Santa Barbara red sea urchin is prized for a sweet, briny, creamy flavour that reflects the cold upwellings and rich kelp forests of the Santa Barbara Channel. The roe is golden-orange in colour and significantly cleaner in taste than alum-preserved imported alternatives. A quarter of the annual local catch is exported to Japan.
The Santa Barbara Channel urchin industry expanded significantly in the 1970s when Japanese export markets emerged; before that, urchins were treated as kelp-farm pests destroyed by commercial divers to protect abalone populations. Diver Stephanie Mutz and other small-boat operators now sell directly at the Saturday Fisherman's Market at the harbour, alongside the wholesale catch that supplies restaurants across the city.
Where to eat in Santa Barbara:
- Santa Barbara Shellfish Company
- Brophy Bros.