APTOS
Sanderlings
Seascape Beach Resort on Monterey Bay
One Seascape Resort Drive
Aptos, CA 95003
831 662-7120
The ocean view provides a soothing backdrop to the contemporary restaurant at the Seascape Beach Resort. California cuisine is given an exciting showcase of possibilities in a menu stocked with fresh, local produce, sensuous seafoods and a creative selection of pastas. White linens, visually appealing presentation, and a comprehensive listing of the best in locally-made wines make Sanderlings a consistently acclaimed destination for relaxed dining.
CAPITOLA
Bluewater
110 Monterey Ave.
Capitola, CA 95010
831 464-2583
Poised at the end of the atmospheric Capitola Esplanade, this attractive cocktail and dinner spot offers tons of local color, great surf-watching and a mimosa-infused weekend brunch. The menu is long on beach classics, from grilled Castroville artichokes and shrimp satays, to ahi poke, local calamari and Chilean surf crab cakes. Entrees showcase serious steaks, including rib eyes and filet mignon, as well as classic burgers and pork chops with hand cut fries.
Paradise Beach Grille
215 Esplanade
Capitola, CA 95010
831 476-4900
Winner of the coveted “Best Restaurant in Santa Cruz County” and “Best Restaurant in Capitola” GT weekly 2007, 2008 and 2009— this contemporary paradise enjoys a premier ocean front location on the Esplanade. Diners can soak up the seaside resort atmosphere of charming Capitola village along with wines from Paradise Beach Grille’s comprehensive listing of Local and California premiums. Succulent seafoods dominate the menu and include Sashimi Grade Ahi, Macadamia Encrusted Hawaiian Butterfish, Coconut and Panko Encrusted Prawns and Potato Wrapped Halibut Fillet. The menu also offers memorable Dry-Aged Angus Filets, N.Y. Steaks and 16 oz. Rib-Eye Steaks from Creekstone and beautiful housemade desserts.
DAVENPORT
Davenport Roadhouse
1 Davenport Ave
Davenport, CA 95017
(831) 426-8801
(Dinner Service not available on Sat, 03 October 2009. Closed for Private Party.
Please see our website for more details)
At an historic corner of Highway One and the seaside village of Davenport, the roadhouse has long been a beacon for travelers and locals alike. Armed with soothing ocean views and a rustic interior, the restaurant offers seasonal specialties of California fusion cuisine, ranging from wood-grilled salmon and crab cake sandwiches, to duck confit spring rolls and handmade tamales. All of these go nicely with cocktails in front of the stone fireplace.
SANTA CRUZ
515 Kitchen & Cocktails
515 Cedar St
Santa Cruz, CA 95060-4306
(831) 425-5051
Housed in a chic turn-of-the-century renovation, this bar with a dinner house attached specializes in a young cocktail scene and attractive appetizers. From blood orange mimosas to definitive daiquiris, the mixed drinks are generous, stylish and custom-made, often from artisanal ingredients. The small balcony offers great people-watching on warm evenings, and the downstairs bar area is an oasis of couches and living room ambience. Named for its address – 515 Cedar Street — it has become a word-of-mouth destination.
Aquarius Restaurant
175 West Cliff Drive
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831 460-5012
Wraparound windows provide the most amazing oceanfront view available in Santa Cruz. Adjoining the lounge — check out the surfboards lining the ceiling — Aquarius’ retro dining room showcases fresh ideas in seafood, pastas and natural meat specialties.
Chef Philippe Breneman’s menu is designed to please appetites local and global. The bar menu includes a meze platter, seared yellowfin tuna and Dungeness crab wontons — to match a listing of local wines and classic cocktails.
Bonny Doon Vineyard Tasting Room
& Cellar Door Café
328 Ingalls St.
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Tasting Room 831 425-4518
Cellar Door Cafe 831 425-6771
Biodynamic glamor and a menu of locally-sourced specialties make this a haven for aficionados. Chef Charlie Parker drives the concept created by winemaker Randall Grahm and Iron Chef David Kinch of Manresa, turning out Roman-style pizzas and sensuous seasonal specialties keyed to house wines.
Casablanca Restaurant
101 Main Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95062
831 426-9063
Casablanca restaurant offers its patrons mesmerizing views of surf, sand and the Giant Dipper rollercoaster from the generous picture windows of its romantic dining room. Perched in the former mansion of a San Francisco judge and overlooking the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, Casablanca has earned a devoted following for its elegant setting, sophisticated wine list and appealing menu. A prime spot for beautifully-prepared seafoods, beef specialties and award-winning California coastal cuisine. A showpiece dinner spot by any standards.
Center Street Grill
1001 Center Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831 423-4745
Beautifully appointed dining rooms invite guests to linger over abundant breakfasts, classic California lunches and dinners prepared with a Mediterranean accent. The downtown location and spacious setting add to Center Street Grill’s appeal. So do the outrageous mashed potatoes. Signature dishes include braised lamb shanks in red wine, bacon-wrapped shrimp, rotisserie chicken with fries and baby back ribs. Dining room décor utilizes screens, plantings and velvet drapes to create a luxurious dinner experience.
Clouds Downtown
110 Church Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831 429-2000
The easy-access location, welcoming atmosphere and lively cocktail scene have earned Clouds its pride of place in the downtown Santa Cruz hospitality landscape. From California cuisine to Asian fusion, the sky’s the limit at Clouds. Popular lunch and dinner specialties range from seared ahi and crab cake appetizers to grilled salmon and macadamia nut-encrusted mahi mahi entrees. Patrons are pampered with classic comfort food sides dishes and the martini variations are endless.
Cypress Dine & Lounge
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831 459-9876
This high-ceilinged interior has been transformed from its original life as an auto repair palace, and later a longtime coffeehouse. Now a hot downtown music and pre-dinner drinks venue, Cypress Lounge serves up unexpected appetizers and hearty, homemade specialties such as authentic “backyard bbq” burgers, sweet potato fries and other distinctive accompaniments to the fabled $2 happy hour pints. Terrific for live music and truly original, only-in-Santa Cruz funque atmosphere.
Gabriella Cafe
910 Cedar Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831 457-1677
With wunderkind chef Brad Briske in the kitchen, this charming boutique cafe has never been better. The adventurous menu showcases the freshest locally-sourced organic and free-range items, composed in beautiful dishes accented with seasoned oils, herbs and brilliantly flavored aiolis. A top destination for intense flavors, intriguing flavor pairings and a solid listing of local wines. Specialty charcuterie, seafood pastas and slow-roasted meats reinforce Gabriella’s stellar reputation.
Hindquarter Bar & Grille
303 Soquel Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95062
831 426-7770
The name of the game at this long-time Santa Cruz favorite is meat —steaks, ribs, chops, and burgers — prepared to order with two-fisted flair and all the trimmings. Seafoods and free-range poultry also receive careful preparation, matched by a full line-up of top wines, beers and cocktails. The Hindquarter lounge has hosted happy hours for decades at this centrally-located downtown meeting spot. Definitive American cuisine served with pride.
Hoffman’s Bakery Café
1102 Pacific Ave.
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831 420-0135
Authentic European-style pastries are only part of the temptation of this intimate bakery-bistro in the heart of downtown Santa Cruz. Consummate brunches and lunches of fresh, local items enjoy cult followings, and live jazz highlights the bistro ambience every evening. Hoffman’s dinner menus showcase regional specialties seven nights a week, but it’s those dreamy desserts that continue to fuel the long-standing legend.
Hollins House Restaurant
20 Clubhouse Rd
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831 459-9155
High atop the fairways of the historic Pasatiempo Golf Club, this landmark dining room offers new American culinary ideas in a setting graced with jaw-dropping views of the entire Monterey Bay. Retaining a 1930s elegance infused with warm service, Hollins House belongs on the short list for out-of-towners, as well as date night dining. The creative tapas menu pairs perfectly with the restaurant’s cellar of top California wines.
Johnny’s Harborside
493 Lake Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95062
831 479-3430
A casual dining room with a wraparound view of the atmospheric Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor, Johnny’s Harborside specializes in fresh fish, friendly service and lots of user-friendly choices. Seafoods are cooked to order — blackened, broiled or sautéed — and served with patron’s choice of regional sauces and side dish combinations. Affordable and lively, the menu caters to every seafood taste, while providing plenty of non-seafood specialties. The cocktails — as well as the bread pudding —attract a local following.
La Posta
538 Seabright Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95062
831 457-2782
Italian wines, robust, artisanally prepared dinners and vivacious vibes make La Posta a neighborhood handout with unpretentious Mediterranean attitude. Pizzas and antipasti soak up the seasonal produce from local markets, and hand-made pastas can arrive adorned with rich Bolognese, Dungeness crab or housemade pancetta. Roasted branzino with baby fennel, and crispy-skin duck breast are among the specialties. Sunday nights feature a multi-course family-style feast, complete with freshly-created gelato.
Linwood’s Bar and Grill
One Chaminade Lane
Santa Cruz, CA 95062
800 283-6569
Amazing views and full service hospitality are only a few of the specialties at Linwood’s. Housed within the tastefully appointed Chaminade complex, the restaurant features locally-grown, organic ingredients and well-made California cuisine. The fireplace seating is elegant and cozy, but in warm weather the spacious terrace is the prime al fresco attraction. Tenderloins with mango glaze, local black cod with Mediterranean relish, and spicy thin-crust pizettas make perfect partners for fine local wines and bracing after-dinner espresso.
Miramar Fish Grotto
45 Municipal Wharf
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831 423-4441
Graced with superb views of Lighthouse Point and the longboard surfing of Steamers Lane, the Miramar plays its role of classic seafood house with style. From cioppino and Castroville artichokes to local halibut, calamari and plenty of Harris Ranch beef, the menu caters to every taste. The soothing views tempt locals at cocktail hour, and host visitors from all over the world anxious to sample the house award-winning clam chowder.
Oswald Restaurant
121 Soquel Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831 423-7427
After a two year hiatus, one of the hottest restaurants in town returned with a full bar and ace chef Damani Thomas at the helm. Sassy and poetic pairings of ingredients — always following the seasons — jumpstart a menu of American bistro all-stars. Unexpected dishes showcasing prawns, orzo and tangerines, share the menu with elegant comfort dishes of roast chicken, seared scallops and skirt steak sided with authentic french fries. Disarming desserts and superior service make this a downtown magnet.
Red Restaurant
1003 Cedar St
Santa Cruz, CA 95060-3803
(831) 425-1913
Housed upstairs in the vintage Santa Cruz Hotel, Red sports sensuous bordello décor that might have pleased both Janis Joplin and Lord Byron. The very lively after-hours scene showcases cocktails, fine wines and a huge listing of imported beers. Pizzetas and pastas add entrée depth to a menu long on spicy bar food, tapas and crowd-pleasing appetizers. A fixture on weekend pub crawls, Red makes a sensuous invitation to its legions of fans.
Rosie Mc Cann’s Irish Pub
1220 Pacific Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831 426-9930
Authentic pub ambience filtered through California coastal attitudes, are the specialty of this upstairs gathering spot. Cocktails, fine wines and spicy finger foods share the menu with dozens of imported and domestic brews available on tap and by the bottle. Two dozen single malts top a line-up of whiskies deep enough to satisfy connoisseurs. Classic grill cuisine, long on Angus steaks, blackened chicken and grilled specialties, has earned a loyal following for this popular spot.
Soif Wine Bar
105 Walnut Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831.423.2020
A sophisticated base camp for aficionadoes of intriguing wines and innovative fresh cuisine, Soif pours vintage intrique to match its inquiring culinary attitude. Piquant appetizers of seasonal delicacies keep pace with an abundance of varietals. Red and white flights change weekly, with over 40 wines by the glass from grand cru to esoteric discoveries. The resident retail shop offers estate depth, diversity and sommelier expertise.
SCOTTS VALLEY
Bruno’s Barbecue Restaurant & Catering
245 Mount Hermon Rd # H
Scotts Valley, CA 95066
831 438-2227
Serious California barbecue is house policy at Bruno’s, where steaks, burgers, ribs and chicken rule the hickory-smoked roost. Juicy and spicy, the sauce-glazed specialties run the gamut from buffalo wings, garlic fries and chili, to baby back ribs and Black Angus steaks with slaw, baked beans and crispy potato wedges. Family-oriented and completely casual, Bruno’s makes everybody feel welcome, and nobody leaves without plenty of extra to take home.
In Vino Veritas
230 Mt Hermon Rd
Scotts Valley, CA 95066
831.461.0851
Gifted with the authentic recipes of chef Luca Rubino, who masterminded Felton’s La Bruschetta, this cozy dining room specializes in warm service, colorful hand-painted murals and a wine list prepared to partner serious Italian classics like braised rabbit, osso bucco and pappardelle with lamb ragu. The antipasti are generous and served with plenty of lusciou focaccia. Pastas, Italian sausage creations and very creamy tiramisu are embraced by the exhibition kitchen.
SOQUEL
Michael’s on Main
2591 Main Street
Soquel, CA 95073
831 479-9777
More than simply a friendly neighborhood scene, Michael’s is a haven of food, drink and relaxation. Dinner is served in intimate nooks, on the romantic outdoor deck or by the cozy fireplace. Enjoy cocktails and live jazz in the popular bar, or host a family party for dinner in the spacious main seating area. Chef Michael Clark’s menu finesses fresh seasonal produce from local orchards and fields, with regionally spiced seafood and steak entrees.