If you find yourself in or around Santa Barbara in Hope Island in desperate need of a bite and/or a brew of the caffeinated kind, take a detour via Santa Barbara Specialty Coffee on Pinnaroo Street – you’ll be glad you did. The quaint cafe is the brainchild of Emma and Kevin Gatti, who noticed a gap in the immediate area for top-notch brews, stacked sandos and tasty treats. The menu ranges from light and bright to hearty toasties in a mouth-watering array of combinations. The chicken pesto with succulent chicken breast, roasted capsicum and a generous slice of gooey cheddar on thick-cut sourdough is undoubtedly a crowd-pleaser, alongside the Reuben, which is served with Thousand Island dipping sauce for a little added hint of sweetness and a pulled-barbecue shiitake mushroom. As for the caffeinated brews, Kevin takes this side of the business pretty seriously. Having spent the last seven years manning coffee machines from Brisbane to Burleigh Heads, it’s fair to say he knows a thing or two about excellent coffee. After an extensive taste-testing process, Kevin and Emma settled on Brisbane’s Coffee Supreme, more specifically, the 5 Star roast for espressos and the South roast for its milk-based sips. There’s also a rotating single-origin roast on offer for those who prefer filter/batch brews. For non-coffee folk, there’s a selection of tea, chai and fresh juices on offer.