The Story
Julia Mayer and Todd Stewart founded Dune Coffee Roasters in 2009 in Santa Barbara, starting with a single espresso machine on the corner of State Street and Figueroa — borrowed, as the story goes, from Verve Coffee — and just the two of them running the operation. The name evokes the coastal California landscape that frames Santa Barbara: the Channel Islands out on the water, the hills behind the city, the particular quality of light that shapes the place.
The early years were lean but focused. Julia and Todd built their reputation one cup at a time, earning the trust of Santa Barbara’s community before scaling. When they added a second location on Anacapa Street, they brought in a full-scale roastery alongside it — moving from sourcing beans elsewhere to roasting their own, which changed the character of the operation permanently.
They have since expanded into Goleta with multiple locations, a trajectory delayed but not derailed by the pandemic. Today Dune is the defining specialty coffee presence in Santa Barbara, a city that might not be the first name in California coffee but that has developed a discerning coffee culture around what Dune built.
Sourcing & Relationships
Dune sources seasonally, building a rotating single-origin lineup that reflects what’s at peak quality from their producing partners in Latin America and East Africa. The approach prioritizes coffees that reward careful brewing — origins with defined character that distinguishes them from one another rather than generic high-altitude washed lots.
Direct relationships with producers have developed over time as the company has grown, replacing reliance on importers with more direct engagement with farms.
Roasting Philosophy
The house style at Dune is calibrated for clarity and sweetness, with roast levels that preserve origin character without tipping into the underdevelopment that can make light roasts taste raw or grassy. The California coastal context matters: this is coffee for people who drink it with intention, not as a utility. The seasonal espresso offerings track the same sourcing principles as the filter lineup.
What to Try
The seasonal single-origin filter offerings are the backbone of the Dune experience — rotating frequently enough to reward regular visits and sourced with enough care to be genuinely interesting. The espresso blend is well-balanced and serves the Santa Barbara cafe culture well. If you’re in the area, the Anacapa Street location is the full expression of what the company has built.