10 Years of Food and Drinks, Rinkside!

If you've ever entered the lobby of Ice in Paradise, chances are, you've passed the Rinkside Café. And, if you've stayed at the rink long enough, waiting for a lesson or practice, or to watch or play a game, chances are, you've enjoyed what the Rinkside Café has to offer. Lined with TVs and hockey memorabilia alongside the wall, the Rinkside Café offers not only food and drinks, but a space to relax with family and friends. Outside the Café walls, with newly installed TVs, an outdoor patio, recently refurbished and expanded, is available for patrons, which offers additional space to fuel up on the many offerings from the uniquely crafted Rinkside menu.

But the Rinkside Café as it's recognized today, hasn't been around for very long. When the rink first opened, Zizzo's Caffe operated inside of Ice in Paradise until 2018 when MJ Café took over, before closing due to the pandemic in March of 2020. The rink finally reopened in March of 2021, and shortly afterwards, the Rinkside Café officially opened its doors on June 1, 2021. The Rinkside Café that opened was conceptualized by Mysael (Val) Valerdi, current Café Manager and Sean Bentley, current Head Chef, who had previously worked at Zizzo's. Their vision for the Rinkside Café was to offer food influenced by a fusion of diverse cultures, such as the Firecracker Bánh Mì, which was featured in this year's Santa Barbara Independent's Sandwich Week or more recently, the American Taco, which was offered during the always popular, weekly Taco Tuesday.

The Rinkside Café has come very far from what it once was, having now participated in not just multiple Sandwich weeks, but also Burrito and Burger week, hosted by the Santa Barbara Independent. The Rinkside Café has also extended their hours of operation and expanded their menu recently, with the addition of food made fresh from the grill, and dessert items like churros and McConnell’s Fine Ice Cream.

Plans for the future of the Rinkside Café include selling branded merch, offering catering for events, and expanding to GrubHub, so you can still get access to the innovative dishes crafted by Chef Sean, even if you're not rinkside. The Rinkside Café has plans to continue expanding its offerings by developing more local partnerships, like the partnership with Figuera Mountain Brewing Company. Be sure to check out their specially brewed Power Play IPA or Ice in Paradise Pilsner on tap or if you’re just in the mood for good fusion food, good vibes, good sports, and good company, stop by the Rinkside Café!

For more information or to check out the menu for Rinkside Café, you can visit our website by clicking the button below.

To learn more about our 10 Year Anniversary, visit our Celebrating 10 Year page on our website.