Capuno's Lutong Bahay

Capuno's Lutong Bahay is a remarkable family-owned Filipino restaurant in Santa Maria with an exceptional 4.9-star rating. Opened in December 2023 by Raul and Jonah Capuno after leaving longstanding careers in healthcare, "Lutong Bahay" means "home-cooked" in Tagalog-perfectly capturing the restaurant's mission to share authentic Filipino home cooking.

The Capunos took over from Jade's Filipino Food, making Capuno's one of only two Filipino restaurants in all of Santa Barbara County. Every recipe comes from generations of family tradition, combining specialties from Raul's hometown in Candelaria, Quezon Province and Jonah's roots in Bacolod, Negros Occidental. The restaurant serves strictly traditional, authentic Filipino dishes tested through years of family cooking-the same food their four daughters grew up eating.

Signature items include lumpia made by Jonah, pancit with sweet-spicy sauce, chicken adobo braised in soy sauce and vinegar, crispy pata, chicken skewers with homemade BBQ sauce, and pinoy spaghetti with sweet tomato sauce and banana ketchup. All combo meals include rice, pancit, and lumpia. The restaurant also serves ube (purple yam) desserts including crinkle cookies, cheesecake, and pandesal, plus halo-halo and leche flan.

Named "Best Lunch" by Santa Maria Times in 2025, Capuno's rapidly grew from two tables to expanding into adjacent spaces-adding more dining room and planning a Filipino bakery. The family operation includes their daughters and son-in-law, all working together in the kitchen. Capuno's offers full catering services requiring one-week advance notice.

For Santa Maria's community, Capuno's provides authentic Filipino flavors that remind diners of home, served with genuine Filipino hospitality.