The year 2026 will mean liftoff for a number of tantalizing projects across Santa Cruz County. Including Woody’s at the Watsonville Airport (100 Aviation Way, Watsonville).
Chef Tim Wood’s Woody’s at the Airport, Monterey version, has quickly established itself as locals’ favorite thanks to big, unfussy and farm-driven plates of stuffed potato skins, ranch burgers and calamari steaks, plus strong drinks and longtime hospitality staffers, even earning USA Today readers’ votes as the #1 airport restaurant in the country.
Launch date for Watsonville: March.
Woody’s team knows how to cultivate a welcoming and festive environment, but perhaps the most energizing addition to come next year will be Breakfast Club at Midtown, a South Bay microchain destined to fill the former Alderwood Pacific and Assembly in…downtown (1108 Pacific Ave., which is inspiring plenty of midtown/downtown zingers).
The sizable quantity and intensity of its built-for-brunch rundown—s’mores pancakes, Garbage Plate skillets, Mariachi Bloody Marys—feel like a party on their own before the jukebox begins bumping or weekend DJs start spinning.
Two more newbies-to-be: Avery Ruzicka and Manresa Bread are eyeing late spring as a cautious date for its bakery-bar-bistro in the 4,000-square-foot former Izakaya West End (334 Ingalls St., D, Santa Cruz); and Alley Oop Cocktail Bar is playing coy but hinting mid-February might just be its much-awaited premiere in the old Poet and Patriot (320 Cedar St., Santa Cruz).
One less savory plot twist: Aki Fresh was set to debut this month in the expansive and historic spot that was Ristorante Italiano (555 Soquel Ave., Suite 150). But chef-owner-kind soul Isabel Escorcia was dealt a scary colon cancer diagnosis and is focusing on treatment for the foreseeable future.
FREE FLAVOR
I love what I’m hearing from my favorite bottle shop by the bay, Deer Park Wine & Spirits (783 Rio Del Mar Blvd #27, Aptos), as its team resolves to double down on more events that “bring people together, more shared pours, and more moments where the shop feels less transactional and more communal.” First up: a complimentary blind vodka tasting with owner-operator Cheyne Howell, 4-7pm Friday Jan. 16, and a free non-alcoholic tasting and mocktail competition 4-6pm Friday, Jan. 23, deerparkwines.com.
REX FLEX
Decorated wine judge and journalist Laura Ness reports Rexford’s relatively new Capitola tasting room (309 Capitola Ave.) presents a compelling contrast to its original Westside Tasting Room (429 Ingalls St.): “This space is certainly a different experience than the winery cellar on Swift Street, which gives you that gritty-where-the-action-happens sensation…Rexford’s Capitola location has a sense of casual serenity: like a cruise ship version of the operation.” The wine, meanwhile, continues to shine, with Ness spotlighting the silky and aromatic 2023 Tondre Grapefields Pinot Noir in particular. Ness’ free “Grape Escapes” column drips oenophile flavor every Friday, sign up via ediblemontereybay.com.
GRATEFUL LIVING
The Farm at UCSC (60 Ranch View Road, Santa Cruz) hosts “Intro to Fruit Trees” 10am–12:30pm Saturday, Jan. 17, covering fruit tree selection, planting and cover crops and amendments ($30–$45, casfs.ucsc.edu/education/intro-to-fruit-trees)….The Third Saturday Pie Ranch Barn Dance rollicks 6-9pm Saturday, Jan. 17, at the storied ranch in its name (2080 Cabrillo Highway, Pescadero) with live music by the NOTAFLOF, pieranch.org/work-day-meals…Double wisdom from Bob Weir, who passed on to the jam session in the sky Jan. 10, to play us out: “What I like best about music is when time goes away”; “I don’t believe in death.”
