Ocean-fresh seafood, an emphasis on natural ingredients, casual atmosphere and an eclectic mix of exotic cuisines characterize Santa Cruz's culinary culture. Vegetarian-friendly and vegetarian restaurants are well represented, but there’s enough steak houses to toss a little red meat into the mix. SantaCruz.com's Santa Cruz area dining guide is anchored by dining reviews from the Metro Santa Cruz weekly newspaper.
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Door Prize
Jun 10, 2009, by Christina Waters
After three meals at the very new, very smart Cellar Door Café in the Bonny Doon Vineyard tasting room, I only wish I could dine there every Friday. On one occasion, I sampled a range of what chef Charlie Parker has up his wunderkind sleeve--from pork belly topped with house-smoked salmon roe to a salad of local greens, multicolored beets, fennel, hazelnuts and pecorino. Desserts included warm olive oil cake and stewed apricots and lemon poundcakes layered with organic strawberries and rose-scented cream. The flavor-driven list of small plates--applewood-smoked fingerling potatoes with aioli, pizzas du jour, cheese plates, cured seafoods--is available daily from noon on. But it's the three-course, prix fixe cafe menu that captures my attention. Read more » -
Imagine it's the late '60s. You're in a pizza parlor. The pizza parlor is in Felton. OK? Well, Redwood Pizzeria is exactly like the picture you now have in your mind. Read more » -
Without a doubt Linwood's supplies one of the dreamiest, most soothing, positively Ligurian views available in Santa Cruz. The sapphire bay, dotted with white sails, all unfolds beyond the rolling green lawn and stands of eucalyptus adorning Chaminade. Read more » -
Somehow you know you've been here before. Metaphorically, at least. The Greek offers a melodious echo of its progenitor, Vasili's--the restaurant that launched a thousand spontaneous dancing parties and retsina afterglows. Well, the Greek is the new Mediterranean kid in downtown Santa Cruz, and it's deliciously armed with the irrepressible menu that made Vasili's a local legend. Read more » -
Café Mare's spacious dining room always has a soothing effect. The staff provides plenty of space for in-depth conversation without ignoring patrons' needs. And the location is perfect for Pacific Avenue sightseeing. Read more » -
The Santa Cruz Mountains wine appellation is as huge as it is diverse. It stretches from Woodside to Watsonville and encompasses three counties. Elevation ranges from 400 to 2,600 feet. While the coastal range and cooling effect of the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay broadly define the region, the geographic, climatic and geologic differences within this 480,000-acre area create innumerable vineyard microclimates that translate into a wide variety of flavors in the bottle. Read more » -
If there’s a more inventive way to get omega oils and lean protein into the human body, I haven’t yet found it. I refer to one of Japan’s greatest creations: sushi. In a perfect world there would be a sushi bar located every 100 feet, and in Santa Cruz that wish is almost a reality. Happy it is that Kawa Sushi & Roll is up and running and making local sushiholics happy as a hamaguri, especially since the prices here are realistic enough to appeal to the resident student population. Read more » -
The parking lot was full in mid-week. Hmm, obviously Bittersweet Bistro is doing something right. Not that it ever wasn’t. Once through the front doors, we were greeted by the happy sounds of a lounge packed with patrons. The rotating nightly “Recession Buster” specials are a big hit here, but Maureen and I were at Bittersweet for a full-on dinner experience. Seated near the cozy fireplace—somehow owners Tom and Elizabeth Vinolus have managed to carve up the huge footprint of the former Deer Park Tavern into intimate alcoves—we ordered a Manhattan, $8 (her), and a glass of Conn Creek cabernet sauvignon, $12 (me), and checked out the lengthy menu. Read more » -
When my mom was a kid, she used to come “downtown” from Boulder Creek to see movies at the corner of Walnut and Pacific Avenue. I imagine the fun of those movie palace days every time I have breakfast in the café now housed in the old theater. Somehow the footprint of the turn of the century still haunts this low-key, completely welcoming breakfast spot. The beamed ceiling, small cozy booths and diner-style counter seating, even the polished wood floors and suspended chandeliers, retain the feel of a kinder, gentler era. And that oasis of old-fashioned comfort definitely attracts an energetic clientele of downtown workers and professionals on weekday mornings. Read more » -
Gone are the high brick walls, the mini-bistro intimacy and those wild scarlet paintings. But after a long hiatus, Oswald is back, along with chef Damani Thomas, manager Keet Beck, and a short, sweet menu of brasserie satisfaction. Joining the list of appetizers, entrees and desserts (half dozen of each of each), is an eclectic selection of wines, short on California but long on France, Italy and German Rieslings. We spent but a moment wishing for more than five wines by the glass, because the A-Z Pinot Noir 2006 from Oregon ($12), a friendly Falanghina Feudi di San Gregorio 2007 ($8) and a bottle of the Cannonau Di Sardegna Riserva 2005 ($29) made our two recent visits sparkle. Read more » -
Yoji Ogawa leans over a large, cloth-lined tub and thrusts his hand into the snowy white mass filling it. Bits of white dust stick to his cuticles as he draws his hand up and opens his palm, revealing a handful of what looks like powdered, bloated bits of Styrofoam.
“Try it,” he says. The granules taste starchy, but distinctively sweet. This, he says, is koji, rice that has been polished, steamed and left to sit to get a frosting of mold. Good koji is at the very heart of the sake-making process. Read more »
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I don’t diet. I moved recently from New York, a place that glorifies haute couture cupcakes and alcoholism, so in the food pyramid of my life, pizza and beer each enjoy their own trapezoid. Suffice to say, the move to health-conscious Santa Cruz has been a bit of a shock.
Then, three weeks ago, it got a whole lot worse. My editor enlisted the office’s self-titled “glutards,” Molly and Maree, to talk me into giving up gluten, a supposedly evil protein found in wheat, rye and barley, and abundant in foods like bread, pasta, most desserts and—whimper —beer. Read more »
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Not as world-shaking as changes in the White House, perhaps, but nonetheless changes are happening at Capitola Book Cafe. Don’t worry—the coziness and the intimate scale of literary ambience haven’t changed. I’m talking about the café’s culinary expansion. Managed by Phil Nasr, who brings over 16 years with Palo Alto’s Harmony Bakery to the job, the new café menu is vibrant with fresh flavors, wines by the glass and full-bodied panini to add to its all-star roster of sensuous espresso drinks and pastries. Read more » -
The outlook for Calera Wine Company never looked better than it did in the boom of the late 1990s. Vineyards were in vogue. Josh Jensen, who had been producing internationally recognized pinot noir in the Gavilan Mountains outside Hollister since the 1970s, had finally gained a reputation as one of the premier winemakers in Northern California. Thousands of new customers were flooding in, spending tons of tech money on the high-quality varietals Calera was producing. But when the dotcom bubble burst in 2001, Calera, along with the rest of the California wine industry,
hit a brick wall. Read more » -
Last fall, Vancouver environmentalist Emily Jubenvill decided it was time to get her local sushi restaurants on the sustainability train. Following the Carrotmob model of consumer demonstration, she organized a crowd of people to visit sushi restaurants around town and descend en masse upon the most sustainable one on a predetermined day. On Nov. 20, some 100 people crowded into Sushi Bento Express, which had agreed to pursue a sustainability rating system on its menu. Read more » -
The word "wow" acquires new spin with the very first glimpse of Bonny Doon Vineyard's new tasting showcase. Sleek yet loaded with eclectic energy, the spacious tasting room offers daily opportunities to sip, swirl and learn. But even better, thanks to its Le Cigare Volant Cafe, connoisseurs can now enjoy small plates that are every inch the match for Randall Grahm's oenological poetry. Read more » -
One of the great cuisines of the world, Indian cooking in all its glory is once again available without driving over the hill. The entrepreneurs at Ambrosia India Bistro (sister to the popular Monterey restaurant) have given us all an early Christmas gift (just to mix my multicultural metaphors). Read more » -
Yes, we did order way too much food. But who could blame us? Lively, fresh and loaded with flavor contrasts, Jia Tella's vibrant Cambodian cuisine provides one-stop sensory bombardment. We joined Mario and Francesca last week for a dive into the center of this popular new Scotts Valley restaurant, where the casual format doesn't detract one bit from lingering long over spice-laden dishes. Read more » -
La Bruschetta has always been a terrific place to gather in groups for al fresco lunches and vivacious dinners. Even when it changed hands last year--the original chef/owner went on to launch In Vino Veritas in Scotts Valley--the setting has proven almost irresistible to locals. Two recent meals at the lovely Felton restaurant provided a puzzling mixed culinary metaphor. The outdoor lunch under the sprawling old oak was packed on a luxurious warm day, yet both service and menu proved limited and inconsistent. Dinner last week, however, brought forth the very best from this exhibition kitchen, even though the dining room itself was mysteriously underpopulated. Read more » -
We can all remember them, the dishes that instantly get our attention. These indelible winners walk straight into our lives, throw their arms around us and make themselves at home. The incomparable Chili & Eggs at Zachary's is such a defining dish. So resounding are its flavors, so plush its texture and so persistent its feisty finish that it provided a clear case of love at first bite. Even if we don't get down to Zachary's every weekend, just knowing that the chili specialty is there, waiting to bring unexpected bliss, puts everything in its place. Like watching the sun slide into the horizon at sunset. Zing! Ah! Yes! Read more » -
Still funky after all these years, Phil's Fish Market stands at the center of Monterey Bay scenic attractions. From all over they come to ogle the huge cods, snappers, salmons and sand dabs, laid out like marine royalty on their icy thrones. Fresh oysters of every description, poised in ice caves, await half-shell consumption. Visitors come to swill incomparable cioppino, crispy calamari and plump house-smoked sardines. Locals load up on frozen chowders and sauces, all created from recipes originating in the Sicilian kitchen of Phil's grandmother. Read more » -
Several friends had urged me to get on over to the new Afghan/Pakistani restaurant at the western end of Pacific Avenue, and so I finally did. After two months in business, Khyber Pass is still gauging the tempo of its dining clientele. This is no easy feat given the fickleness of summer grazing patterns and the fact that this friendly restaurant stays open continuously from lunch through dinner. Spacious and clean, the new home of northern Indian cuisine is punctuated with some Afghan recipes as well--and this is great news for fans of the curry-scented dishes of mountainous South Asia. Read more » -
Breakfast just may be the last bargain on the planet--and done American-style, it's pretty much guaranteed to fill you full of protein, carbohydrates, fat, sugar and fresh fruit juice. Oh--and plenty of caffeine too, arguably the most important food group known to woman. In a world of poses, attitudes and designer statements, Silver Spur is downright refreshing. Unlike some of the voguing scenes in beach neighborhoods, this breakfast venue caters to folks who work in the area--Silver Spur is actually closed on Sunday. Here the menu glides easily from breakfast into lunch and serves up big, friendly plates from 6am right through to 3pm, Monday through Saturday. Read more » -
Old venue, new menu--in the case of Fusion at Pearl Alley, this turns out to be a very appealing combo. The upstairs lounge/restaurant that for many years was known as Pearl Alley Bistro is one of the sweetest locations in Santa Cruz. If you've been around for a while, you've known this spot as a French bistro, as the area's first wine bar, and more recently as the showcase for the restless cuisine of chef-entrepreneur Marc Westburg. Recently, the vintage dining room was given some fresh attitude and a menu devoted to seasonal and organic ingredients defined by longtime area chef Robert Morris (formerly of Blacks Beach Cafe). Read more »
