About Us

Rachel Greenspan and Brendan Smith first bonded over their love of carbohydrates while he was working as the head baker at Roberta’s Pizzeria in Brooklyn. When Brendan was offered a new job in California only a few months after they first met, it seemed only natural that Rachel would join him.



Today, the duo is on a mission to bring the finest pizza and naturally leavened breads to Santa Barbara County. They spend their days nerding out at farmers markets and hand-pulling mozzarella cheese. Although they’re obsessed with ingredients, you don’t need to know the difference between pecorino and parmesan to enjoy Bettina’s food—they’re devoted to honest, everyday cooking that is approachable and easy to love.



After moving to the Santa Ynez Valley in 2014 and starting a mobile wood fired catering business, Brendan and Rachel opened their first restaurant, Bettina in late 2018. Located in the Montecito Country Mart in Santa Barbara, California, Bettina specializes in wood fired, naturally leavened pizza and simple market drive Italian dishes. In addition to being featured in numerous publications, Bettina received a Bib Gourmand and Michelin designation in 2021, and was recently featured on the Food Network Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.

We aim to build community with every guest we serve, each ingredient we source, and all employees we hire.

We hand shop the Santa Barbara Certified Farmer’s Market every Tuesday and Saturday, rain or shine, and get the majority of our produce and citrus direct from the farmers. 
All of our pizza and bread dough is made using organic, sustainably-milled flour, and the majority of our specialty items are sourced from local or domestic artisans.