In just a few short months, Luke's on Main has become Ventura’s most talked-about new restaurant.
But beyond the long lunch lines and enthusiastic word-of-mouth is a story that feels distinctly Ventura: three Ventura-raised friends and roommates building a business in the city where they grew up.
I recently sat down with owners Tyler Gray and Luke Tada to talk about friendship, food, Midtown Ventura, and what happens when people create the kind of place they themselves wished existed in town.
And almost immediately, it became clear this wasn’t just a story about sandwiches.
“We wanted a quick meal that was nutritious and tasty that people could grab any time in the afternoon,” Tyler told me. “We wanted it specifically for this part of town where we live.”
Midtown, they felt, needed it.
The three owners —Luke, Tyler and Will Costigan — all grew up in Ventura before eventually leaving for school. But like many people who grow up here, they found themselves realizing, there’s no place like home.
“When you leave Ventura, you realize how special it is,” Tyler said. “Ventura is so close to the perfect place to live, and we want to help build the food culture here. You don’t have to be in LA or another big city to have great food.”
Luke laughed while describing himself as a very picky eater as a kid — so picky, in fact, that he started learning to cook at just six years old.
Food was always important in his family. Influenced heavily by his Japanese-American dad and his grandmother, who immigrated from Japan and is now 93, he grew up around adventurous eating, diverse flavors, and people who genuinely loved food.
In college, he took a job cooking and quickly realized he loved the kitchen more than school itself.
Under a chef mentor he still speaks about with deep respect, Luke said he learned something that continues to shape the philosophy of Luke’s today:
“What makes great food is love.”
He also learned to approach cooking through culture — understanding the history and meaning behind dishes, not just recipes. Later, working as a sous chef at Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, he gained the operational experience needed to run a kitchen from the business side as well.
Tyler, meanwhile, laughs that he’s the opposite.
“I’m a computer scientist,” he said. “This is basically my first time working in a kitchen.”
Originally, the group planned to open a concept centered around donburi bowls — which Luke jokingly describes as “the sandwiches of Japan.” But after Luke’s girlfriend suggested they consider sandwiches instead, the idea suddenly clicked.
Sandwiches, they realized, felt approachable. Ventura. Casual but still creative. The kind of thing people could grab after the beach, between jobs, or on a quick Midtown lunch break.
They also gave Luke the perfect excuse to “force-feed people nutrition,” he joked. “Sneak in pea sprouts and make them love it.”
When asked which sandwich everyone insists people need to try at least once, both agreed.
The roast beef.
Tyler says it’s underrated. The meat is cooked in-house, layered with roasted tomatoes, and intentionally designed to avoid feeling like the standard roast beef sandwich people expect.
“People say we knocked it out of the park,” Luke said.
But Luke admits he still spends evenings worrying about whether the heirloom tomatoes are ripe enough.
That level of care may help explain what happened after the Ventura Visitor Center featured the restaurant online earlier this year.
Suddenly, the lines started.
First out the door. Then stretching down the front of the building to the sidewalk.
“We broke our sales records every single day,” Tyler said.
The team had only soft-opened weeks earlier and suddenly found themselves scrambling to keep up. It took about three intense weeks, they said, to fully adjust to the crowds and learn how to operate at that pace.
But perhaps the most meaningful part for Tyler has been building something in the same community where he grew up — including right here in Hobson Heights.
“I’ve always loved Ventura,” he told me. “But now I feel really connected because I get to see the people of the community every day as a business owner.”
Before I left, I asked for their favorite Ventura food spots besides Luke’s.
Their answers came quickly:
Broasted Chicken in Port Hueneme for the best fried chicken in Ventura County. They are huge fans of Backdoor Bento with their Japanese-style lunch boxes and Koba Sushi for super legit sushi (but line up early). Banh Mi Grill and Tasty China are their other favs. And they’ve been hearing great things about Back Bench Pizza and can’t wait to try it.
Which somehow feels fitting.
Because what these three friends are building at Luke’s doesn’t feel competitive. It feels collaborative. Local people excited about other local people creating good things in Ventura.
And maybe that’s part of why the restaurant already feels woven into the community.
Not because it’s trendy.
But because it feels like it belongs here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke's on Main
Where is Luke's on Main located?
Luke's on Main is located in Midtown Ventura, one of Ventura's most walkable and vibrant neighborhoods.
Who owns Luke's on Main?
The restaurant was founded by Ventura locals Luke Tada, Tyler Gray, and Will Costigan.
What is Luke's on Main known for?
Luke's specializes in creative sandwiches made with high-quality ingredients and a strong emphasis on flavor, nutrition, and community.
Why is Midtown Ventura popular?
Midtown Ventura offers a blend of historic homes, local restaurants, neighborhood businesses, and easy access to downtown Ventura and the beach.
As a Ventura Realtor, one of the things I love most about Midtown is the way local businesses become part of the neighborhood's identity. Places like Luke's help create the walkable, community-focused lifestyle that continues to attract homebuyers to Midtown Ventura. It's one thing to buy a home. It's another to become part of a neighborhood where you know the people behind the businesses you visit every week.
Cheers,
Toni
