On the corner of Main St. and North Pacific Avenue sits the recently opened and already beloved sandwich shop dubbed Luke’s.” With a small but delightfully tasty menu consisting of sandwiches and salads, this tiny but mighty restaurant is already booked and busy with customers who can’t get enough.
Soft-launched Dec. 16, 2025, it’s only been fully open for just under four months, but it has quickly become a local favorite with its creative menu, high-quality and fresh ingredients and welcoming, warm atmosphere. Many customers are eager to get a taste of the fresh addition to Ventura’s food scene.
Owner Luke Tada is a Ventura native and opened the shop with his two partners, Will Costigan and Tyler Gray. Having been a longtime chef and food lover, Tada leapt at the chance to start his own restaurant, especially after the opportunity “fell into [his] lap.”
Tada teamed up with Costigan and Gray, signed a lease and created a concept from the ground up with a “half-baked” idea. The idea evolved into a sandwich shop focused on accessibility and creativity. Tada wanted a menu that felt familiar yet elevated.
Opening day was more of a reunion than a launch. With deep roots in the community, having grown up in Ventura, the event drew a large crowd of family, friends and locals.
And, while the initial excitement was strong, Tada noted that business truly picked up in January and hasn’t slowed since. Part of that success, he believes, comes from the restaurant’s atmosphere and team dynamic.
“I really like our employees and the team that we made,” Tada said. “I hired based on good energy and good vibes, and it worked out. The team has a lot of fun together…and that good energy and atmosphere translates to the customers… I feel like that’s what brings people back.”
Customers seem to agree. Foothill Technology High School senior Emily Turner had nothing but positive things to say about the new sandwich shop, saying that beyond the food, it felt like a “community.”
“I love the new vibe that they’re bringing into town. It’s something we don’t really see… I think there was a lot of anticipation, and I’ve been [so excited] to come here,” Turner said.
Still, the food remains at the center of Luke’s appeal. Every item on the menu is made from scratch; a detail Tada says sets the shop apart.
“We really do our best to source locally,” Tada said. “It’s really the quality of ingredients we use and that literally every single thing on the menu is made from scratch… we buy the raw meat, we cure it overnight, we roast it in the oven—everything is made from scratch.”
The menu features a variety of sandwiches and salads, including the popular Club with house-roasted chicken, avocado and chipotle aioli, and the Italian packed with prosciutto, salami and stracciatella. Tada’s personal favorite is the BLAT, a lighter option featuring thick-cut bacon, heirloom tomato, avocado, and garlic aioli on house-made focaccia.
Other standout items include the NOT-a-Cheesesteak with sliced tri-tip and oyster mushrooms, a vegan chickpea salad sandwich, and fresh salads, like the Panzanella and Pig and Fig. Sides such as house chips with umami miso seasoning and cucumber salad in Korean XO dressing round out the offerings, along with house-made lemonade and desserts like a black sesame rice crispy treat.
Though the concept may have started spontaneously, Luke’s has quickly found its footing. With a focus on quality, creativity, and community, the small sandwich shop is proving that even a “half-baked idea” can turn into one of Ventura’s busiest new hotspots.
