Watsonville’s newest business hub has found its home in a 8,640-square-foot, World War II-era naval building on Aviation Way. The space harkens back to when the Watsonville Municipal Airport was a military base surrounded by four 160-square foot shipping containers, fire pits and picnic tables. It’s now known as the Hangar. The idea behind the…
Restaurants
Sweet Curls Reinvents Santa Cruz Ice Cream
Ice cream has long been this area’s No. 1 dessert fixation. From the old-school scoops and sundaes at Marianne’s to Penny Ice Creamery’s more modern and unusual flavors that make the most of local produce, there is a destination for every type of sweet tooth. Now, Santa Cruz has a new type of ice cream…
Santa Cruz County’s Best Breakfasts
Nobody doesn’t love breakfast, and we’ve got every possible style available in the breakfast-obsessed Santa Cruz area. To get you started on your tour, we’ve helpfully corralled several of our favorite spots into appetite needs—choose what fits your morning. Pastries and More Verve: In three Santa Cruz locations, Verve’s brisk baristas serve up expert espresso,…
Food Trucks Expand Santa Cruz Turf
Editor’s Note: This story is part of Good Times’ annual Santa Cruz Visitors Guide 2019. Read the full publication here. In the 21st century, one of the measures of any city’s dining scene is its food truck culture. But while the food truck scene in nearby Silicon Valley is one of the most innovative in…
The Spirits of Santa Cruz: Local Craft Liquor Distillers
Distilled in Santa Cruz—now that’s a seductive phrase for inquiring visitors. But those of us who live here are the real winners. Besides our obvious embarrassment of riches in other departments, we can now boast two makers of distinctive distilled spirits right here by the sea. A one-man crusade for local, organic, high-proof, hand-crafted, small-batch…
Food Tours Reveal the Secrets of Santa Cruz Restaurants
“The story of this town is the story of a jailbreak,” says Brion Sprinsock, the owner of Santa Cruz Food Tours, which just celebrated its 200th event. Sprinsock is sitting in the breakfast nook of the Hinds Victorian Guest House, which he owns, pointing out the window to the railroad tracks that run along Chestnut…
The Lion Fish, the Supper Club and the French Quarter
LionFish SupperClub has become known around town for their Tuesday night pop-up dinners at the Santa Cruz Food Lounge. Many of us have hopped on board to travel the globe with the Fish, as they sample regional cuisines from around the world. The most compelling LionFish pop-up cuisine by far has been Vietnamese street food.…
The Skinny on Good Fats
Why has fat gotten such a bad rap? According to numerous researchers, the reduction of essential fats in the modern American diet has been a major cause of imbalance and inflammation – the underpinnings of many common chronic diseases, but fat continues to be vilified and targeted in many popular diet regimes. Local nutritional consultant…
Winners Announced at the 8th Annual Santa Cruz Chocolate Festival
Sadly, all the chocolate has been put away at the 8th annual Santa Cruz Chocolate Festival. But, congratulations are in order for all the winners at this year’s Blind Tasting Contest. The following is a run-down of all the category winners: Best in Show: Ashby Confections with a raspberry truffle Best Truffle: Ashby Confections Best…
Art Bar & Cafe
Monday is quickly becoming the most happening night of the week, thanks to the Art Bar & Café at the Tannery Arts Center. The café and burgeoning events space hosts the only poetry open mic in Santa Cruz each week and the event, which starts with a poetry workshop and ends with a rollicking performance…
