“Same family. Same recipes. A new home.”
That’s how the good folks at La Placa Italian Cuisine are presenting their new world headquarters in Scotts Valley (219 Mt. Hermon Road, Suite F).
The restaurant-pizzeria-bakery merges two family businesses—La Placa Bakery in Ben Lomond and Bedda Mia Restaurant in Santa Cruz, which have both now shuttered—for a new do-it-all destination.
The offerings include Italian espressos, fresh pastries, classic pancakes, house crepes, authentic antipasti, Sicilian salads, loaded minestrone, traditional fettuccine, old world cioppino, chicken Parmesan, rustic pizzas and a bunch more.
The restaurant kitchen serves 8am-9pm every day but Tuesday, the bakery 8am-8pm the same six days a week too.
“The community response has been very, very good,” says Davide La Placa, who co-owns the spot with his sister Deborah and father Leonardo. “We’ve been extremely busy from day one—and we didn’t expect that—so we are very happy, and already adding more staff to keep up with all the people coming in, and to make sure we can continue giving everyone a great experience.”
Peek the new website at laplacaitaliancuisine.com.
REALLY DOUGH
A Watsonville institution has a new lease on life—and one that honors its local legacy. Melo Bread is now rising in the former Miramar (532 Main St.), which dished homemade style meals for a full 50 years. The female half of Melo’s husband-and-wife team, Ivana Grenz, traces her connection to the downtown landmark by way of her mom (a longtime server there) and great uncle (an original co-owner). While she helps manage the business, hubby and Bar Tartine alum Kevin shoulders a prodigious amount of baking, with quality to match the quantity. Highlights include naturally leavened, whole-grain sourdoughs made with stone-ground flour from Central Milling in Sonoma County and Cairnspring Mill in Skagit Valley, Washington, plus popular cinnamon buns, Nona’s focaccia, plant-based brioche and more. Limited hours to start run 11am–2pm Wednesday and Friday, 10am–1pm Saturday, melobread.com
HAPPY HEALING
If you’re in the market for some soul-soothing, Chaminade Resort & Spa (1 Chaminade Lane, Santa Cruz) has some options at the ready. First up: doggie nirvana, aka Pawsh Retreat, noon-3:30pm Sunday, Aug. 30, with adoptions, ample food and drinks for both species, dog pools (!), agility games, portraits and a canine fashion show, to benefit the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter. Up next: For The Love of Dogs starring Peace of Mind Dog Rescue fur babies Sunday, Sept. 27 (discounted tickets last until Sept. 1), plus wine and beer, hearty hors d’oeuvres, top-shelf desserts, silent and live auctions of local art, experiences and getaways, a Hawaii trip raffle, and max grey-muzzled senior dogs mingling. Then the renewing Forest Therapy wellness retreat both Elizabeth Borelli and I spotlighted returns with a full retreat, one day or two, at Chaminade this Oct. 2-4, chaminade.com.
DELISH DRIPS
The Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust and Moss Landing Marine Laboratories invite the public to experience a free purple sea urchin (uni) tasting—and learn about urchin impacts on kelp—during Seas the Summer, a family-friendly celebration of Monterey Bay hosted by the Western Flyer Foundation 11am–3pm Sunday, Aug. 30, in Moss Landing, westernflyer.org/seas-the-summer-is-back…Humble Sea Brewing and Second Line Pleasure Club have The Boil coming to the OG brewpub (820 Swift St., Santa Cruz) 5-8pm Sept. 1, featuring day-of Sacramento Delta crawfish, Oaktown Spice Shop seasoning, custom andouille sausage, Viet-Cajun garlic butter, live music and these instructions: “Grab a beer. Grab a bib. Grab several napkins. Get your hands absolutely disgusting,” markitai.com/e/G1mSLn1Es…Slow Money Farm Fest 2026, co-hosted by Agricultural Institute of Marin, has opened early bird discount registration ($38) for Saturday, Sept. 19, at Red Hill Ranch in Petaluma, luma.com/slowmoneyfarmfest…Sophia Loren: “First we eat, then we do everything else.”
