Serving elevated traditional American bar fare amidst airplane hangar-vibed ambiance, Laughing Monk Brewing has become a Scotts Valley scene staple since it took flight two and a half years ago. It is piloted by general manager Matt Laughlin, an industry veteran since he was 19, who was born in Florida, raised in New Jersey and then became a New York City DJ who also owned and ran an entertainment/promotion company.
When COVID shut all that down, Laughlin pivoted and moved to Santa Cruz, returning to restaurant work at Laughing Monk.
He defines it as a high-end, family-friendly sports bar and gastropub, with a relaxed, casual feel and a dog-friendly patio. A signature appetizer is the giant hanging fresh-baked Bavarian soft pretzel with beer cheese and pub mustard dipping sauces. The Wisconsin white cheddar cheese curds with marinara sauce are another succulent starter and a headlining entrée is the Barnyard Burger, an eight-ounce patty topped with pulled pork, fried egg, crispy onions, coleslaw and barbecue sauce. They also offer plant-based burgers, a fish and chips sandwich, tacos, quesadillas and customizable pick-your-protein plate selections.
Desserts do not disappoint with options of blondie and brownie sundaes, vegan cheesecake and gluten-free chocolate tart. They also feature a full bar with house cocktails and mocktails, local wine and their own beer and hard cider on tap.
How has your experience helped launch Laughing Monk?
MATT LAUGHLIN: Building my own company and brand as a DJ was quite a challenge, but it really taught me a lot about marketing and prioritizing the small things to achieve the bigger picture. Essentially, what I do here is the same. We started as a small company and we’ve had to build ourselves up and establish an identity here in Scotts Valley and now we are a valued part of the community.
Tell me more about your myriad offerings.
We have about 20 beers on tap, ranging from Belgian quads to West Coast IPAs and everything in between. Our consistency in brewing also sets us apart; we are also never scared to try something new and this goes for our food menu too. We strive to appeal to everyone with diverse diets and preferences with high-quality locally sourced ingredients, including even for the family dog with a Puppy Chow menu.
262 Mount Hermon Road Unit 103, Scotts Valley, 831-226-2870; scottsvalley.laughingmonk.com
When I first began working on housing and homelessness issues in the 1990s as a coordinator at MHCAN ( Mental Health Client Action Network of Santa Cruz), there was a culture of collaboration and care. Leaders like Page Smith and Paul Lee, along with groups like the Rebeles, were deeply involved in maintaining day centers and stable housing programs. At that time, the Homeless Services Center provided consistent meals, showers, and beds.
Over the years, however, the City Council’s priorities have shifted away from the daily needs of the unhoused. This neglect has culminated in 2026 with the removal of funding for essential mail services, showers, and meals. By dismantling these vital programs and ignoring basic needs like health, medicine, and shelter, Santa Cruz is failing its most vulnerable residents.
The current lack of vision and the reduction of supportive services have allowed desperation to grow, replaced by a shadow of crime, disease, and brutality. Who will stand up to the issues this city is allowing to fester and restore the light and hope that once defined our community efforts?
Coral Brune | Santa Cruz
LEARN HEALTHY FARMING
Farm Discovery spring workshop sign-ups are live! There are a variety of weekend offerings, from February-May 2026. Join us for mushroom foraging, pickling, candle-making, a two-day sourdough intensive, animal husbandry at home, libation and mocktail mixers, fermented drinks, watercolor, focaccia, natural dyes, and natural printmaking. Learn mycology from a local expert, harvest and preserve farm-grown produce, work with natural materials, and build skills you can bring back to your own kitchen, garden, or creative practice.
Workshops are held on Saturdays; most are in the mid-morning to early afternoon and run 3–4 hours. Our instructors are excited to share their knowledge and the farm with you- join us this spring!
Farm Discovery at Live Earth is a farm-based education not-for-profit organization in Watsonville, We empower youth and families to build and sustain healthy food, farming, social and natural systems. By developing environmental literacy, teaching farming skills, and transforming food habits that support personal, community and environmental health we encourage students to build a relationship with food that is healthy for people, the environment and the economy. A special emphasis is placed on reaching underserved people in the Pajaro Valley to bolster individual, community and environmental health.
Stepping into the Allegretto Vineyard Resort in Paso Robles is a breathtaking experience. This world-class resort offers an unparalleled touch of luxury with its exquisite artwork, beautifully appointed rooms, and impressive gardens complete with two labyrinths. The Star Garden Trail was created by hotel proprietor Doug Ayres, which he describes as “a journey through the heavens.” The peaceful trail and its stunning artwork takes one far from life’s everyday fast pace.
But one of the many reasons to stay at this resort is to taste the wines produced by Allegretto. Distinguished Winemaker Don Burns does a stellar job.
Sitting outside on a winter’s day on the patio of the huge Tuscan-inspired courtyard – warm and cozy under a welcome heater – is a superb experience. Taste from a list including Allegretto’s Willow Creek District 2023 Heart of the Vine Symphonic Red Wine ($55) – an exotic blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Tannat, 8% Merlot, 4% Cab Franc, and 3% Tempranillo. This well-crafted amalgam of five red wines is a perfect harmony of smoky, nutty, earthy, and spicy. The Cheese Board or Cheese and Charcuterie Board are ideal munchies. And try the estate-grown 2023 Della Vita Cabernet Sauvignon – a brand-new release with bright red cherry, raspberry aromas with a floral hint, and fresh red fruit on the palate.
Don’t miss the exceptional dining opportunity of Allegretto’s Cello Ristorante & Bar. Executive ChefStanley Carbajal creates splendid cuisine with a Northern Italian flair. Pair with wine from an extensive domestic and international list.
Stop by reception for food to feed the gentle llamas, alpacas, sheep, and goats residing on the property. They will eat right out of your hand.
Recently, I got a call from an editor friend with a wellness-related question: “Have you ever heard of tapping?”
As a wellness zealot in Santa Cruz, I assured him I had. Of course, I had. The practice of tapping, formally known as Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT, has been around for decades, living on the fringe between acupuncture and mindfulness, occasionally making its way into the mainstream before retreating again. Like many alternative practices, it’s been easy to dismiss as either a little too out there, or too simple to take seriously.
Tapping, for the uninitiated, involves gently tapping on specific points on the face and body, many of them the same meridians used in acupuncture, while focusing on an emotional issue, stressor, or physical sensation.
Practitioners often pair the tapping with spoken phrases that acknowledge discomfort while reinforcing self-acceptance. For example, “even though I didn’t follow through on my commitment, I love and accept myself.” That’s it! The guilt, the self-judgment, and the disappointment now have an alternate route to release.
It looks simple. Almost suspiciously so. No equipment, no prescriptions, no expensive retreats required. Which, historically, is exactly why many of us have side-eyed it.
And yet.
The wellness world has changed. Or maybe it’s finally caught up. Practices once labeled “alternative” are now being studied, regulated, and somewhat awkwardly embraced by institutions that once rolled their eyes. Meditation is prescribed by doctors. Breathwork shows up in corporate retreats. Psychedelic therapy is inching its way into legitimacy. Against that backdrop, tapping suddenly doesn’t seem so fringe after all.
What makes EFT particularly interesting is that it lives at the intersection of psychology and the body. Unlike traditional talk therapy, tapping doesn’t require a deep dive into the narrative of your past. You don’t have to relive every detail or make sense of every feeling. Instead, you tune into a sensation: anxiety in the chest, tightness in the jaw, a looping thought, and work with it directly, through the body.
There’s growing research suggesting that EFT can reduce cortisol levels, calm the nervous system, and help regulate stress responses. Some studies have shown promising results for anxiety, PTSD, phobias, and chronic pain. Skeptics rightly point out that more large-scale research is needed. But even the skeptics tend to agree on one thing: tapping appears to be safe, low-cost, and accessible.
And in a moment when stress is no longer episodic but chronic, woven into daily life through news alerts, economic pressure, climate anxiety, and digital overload, those qualities matter.
What struck me most as I revisited tapping wasn’t whether it “works” in a clinical, double-blind, gold-standard way. It was how well it reflects a broader shift in how we’re learning to relate to ourselves. Tapping asks us to slow down, notice what’s happening internally, and engage with discomfort rather than powering through it. It’s less about fixing and more about befriending what’s there.
That alone is radical.
In Santa Cruz, where yoga studios outnumber banks and conversations about the nervous system are as common as surf reports, tapping feels oddly at home. It aligns with a culture that values self-inquiry but doesn’t always want to intellectualize everything. Sometimes we don’t need another insight; we need regulation. We need to feel safe enough in our bodies to let something shift.
I’ve spoken with therapists, coaches, and longtime meditators who use tapping not as a replacement for other modalities, but as a complement. A way to unstick moments when the mind understands but the body hasn’t caught up yet. A bridge between awareness and embodiment.
Of course, tapping isn’t a magic wand. It won’t erase trauma, cure disease, or spare us from the messiness of being human. And it’s not for everyone. Some people feel awkward doing it. Others find it surprisingly emotional. Like any practice, it works best when guided thoughtfully and used with discernment.
But maybe that’s the point.
Wellness, at its best, isn’t about chasing the next big thing or collecting techniques like merit badges. It’s about finding tools that help us meet ourselves more honestly, especially when things feel overwhelming. Tapping doesn’t promise enlightenment. It offers something quieter: a way to pause, check in, and remind the nervous system that, in this moment, we’re okay.
So when my editor friend asked if I’d heard of tapping, what he was really asking was something else entirely: Is this worth paying attention to now?
I think it is. Not because it’s new, but it brings us back to the present moment, where we are.
A handheld meal that serves up the food pyramid in a tidy sphere, the prototypical hamburger unites proteins, grains, dairy and vegetables in one portable package.
It began as a meal for people on the move—whether brought to the Americas by the Hamburg America Line in the mid 1800s, as some say, or emerging in 1885 at the Hamburg Fair in New York, when a shortage of ground pork led two food vendors to tinker with ground beef instead.
Either way, more than a century later the burger remains. And in the Central Coast, this staple of the American fast-food industry has become a dish worthy of even the most elevated palates.
For proof, we point to Santa Cruz Burger Week, now in its ninth year. From Feb. 25 through March 8, a record 34 local restaurants across Santa Cruz County will offer up their own creative takes on this most American of meals.
Every chef offers a unique blend of flavors, but there are some common ties. Food is prepared to order, served at peak temperature; no lukewarm patties or congealed cheese stuck to paper wrappers. And there won’t be the need for hurried consumption; these concoctions warrant a leisurely session in a scenic location.
And collectively these talented local chefs find new ways to incorporate local meats, produce and other artisanal products while also looping in culinary traditions from around the world.
Below, find the savory details on Burger Week specials as of press time. Deals are offered at three price points: $15, $18 and $20. For more up-to-the-minute information, visit santacruzburgerweek.com.
AJ’s Market & Natural Foods
This Aptos establishment also sports a gas station, gourmet market and car wash, making it an unexpected home for the AJ’s Classic Burger, which comes with a choice of cheddar, Swiss or American cheese, plus ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, onion, lettuce, tomato and pickles. Another standout at AJ’s are the buns, which come from Aldo’s Bakery & Cafe in Soquel. It’s offered during Burger Week for $12 (fries included).
Kitchen staffers Jesse and Hector keep busy making the hand-pressed ground beef patties. “We grind our own meat; we don’t deal with frozen products,” Hector says. “And we also use boneless chuck roast. It’s a tender meat, not so fatty. And we grind it twice so that way it has a nice texture. And we also cook them on the broiler, rather than cooking them on a flattop, for that nice char, which gives a more barbecuey taste.”
Proving conclusively that a burger doesn’t need to be round to be delicious, this downtown Santa Cruz restaurant offers its Döner Burger Wrap, which incorporates crispy French fries right next to rotisserie beef and lamb döner kebab meat, all wrapped up in lavash to form a tubular Turkish flavor bomb stuffed with American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles and a spicy house-made red sauce.
A burger specialist perched near the picturesque greens at Pasatiempo, Back Nine always steps up during Burger Week. This year, chef Ben Kralj cooks up a Cheddar, Bacon & Serrano Chili Pepper Burger, sporting a flame-broiled house-ground chuck patty served on an egg bun with chipotle aioli. For those in a Mediterranean mood, the Garlic, Feta & Black Olive Burger also offers a half-pound patty on an egg bun, but this time topped with arugula and garlic aioli. Both are served with fries or slaw.
Inside the Inn at Pasatiempo, 555 Highway 17, Santa Cruz, 831-226-2350, backninegrill.com
Belly Goat Craft Burgers
Belly Goat Meatball Burger
Founder Greg Crema tasked chef consulting partner Anthony Kresge with creating a signature dish for Burger Week, and Kresge is confident that he’s delivered a drop-the-mic winner: “You’re gonna hear people saying, ‘Have you been to Belly Goat for the Meatball Burger?’”
Kresge says that as he was pulling ideas together, he thought about focusing on Crema’s Italian heritage. “We’re a craft burger joint; we’ve done everything under the sun. What else can be done? Let’s just take some of the roots here. Let’s go back to the godfather side.”
He elaborates: “It’s our house-made meatball with all the seasonings and spices, and it’s smashed onto the griddle and then it’s topped with marinara and grated mozzarella over the top.” Kresge also incorporates peperoncino aioli—adding “brininess and brightness”—and tops it off with slivered red onion and a chopped Caesar slaw. And that’s not all: surrounding this culinary marvel are the two sides of a garlic confit parmesan brioche bun. “It’s SO good,” Kresge says. “Don’t miss it. It may not be around after this.”
This friendly Scotts Valley hangout leans on its predilection for puns, offering a return of the “comeback kid” in the form of Smash Brothers, sporting twin four-ounce patties topped with sautéed onions, lettuce, tomato and a dollop of sauce. Olive You Long Time tells “a Greek love story,” its patty and bun stuffed with feta, tapenade, garlic aioli and arugula. And “drip happens” on Drizzle Me This, with its mozzarella-draped patty decorated with avocado, pesto and a balsamic glaze.
Proprietor Brian Churchill says, “We didn’t want to do anything fancy or silly for Burger Week. Some people do a crazy burger special, but we wanted to showcase the burgers we sell every day that keep people coming back.”
On the menu are two heavy hitters. The Western Bacon Burger steps up to the plate with an Angus beef patty, cheddar cheese and two gargantuan onion rings draped in barbecue sauce. The Jalapeño Jack Burger adds spice in just the right place: between a layer of melty jack cheese and a brioche bun. Both come with fries and can be ordered on a gluten-free bun.
Churchill and his team just celebrated their three-year anniversary on Super Bowl weekend, which drew a good crowd, thanks to its quality sports-viewing atmosphere, with plenty of TVs. But Churchill doesn’t classify his establishment as a sports bar: “We have the structure of a bar—we have beer and wine—but we also offer a no-frills, casual dining experience for the whole family.”
One thing you can’t get just anywhere is a burger served alongside the water, pleasing the eyes as well as the taste buds. Befitting its setting in the harbor, the Crow’s Nest is offering up the Salmon Burger, with a Pacific Rim marinade, sweet chili mustard and Asian slaw on a toasted francese bun. Also on special is the Rib-Eye Burger, with grass-fed beef dressed in bacon-onion jam, arugula, havarti cheese and horseradish cream. Both are served with fries.
According to Davenport Roadhouse co-owner Ginny Miller, “When you think about a roadhouse, it evokes the feeling of pulling up after a long drive or bike ride or surf and finding that hidden gem on the side of the road that has a really juicy burger that’s going to hit the spot. So when we took over ownership this past year, it was obviously essential for us to come out of the gate with a burger that we felt could really satisfy the roadside desire and do so in a way that we call sloppy delicious. A little bit messy around the edges but good quality—just delicious-to-the-core ingredients.”
For their first Burger Week, Davenport Roadhouse will serve its regular burger: the Cash Smash. Made with meat from Pomponio Ranch meat, it’s “a little bit thicker than the typical smash but still has that nostalgic, indulgent feel to it,” Miller says. During Burger Week, the Roadhouse will try “more of a bistro burger/bar burger,” Miller says. “Also with Pomponio Ranch beef, it’s going to be an Angus burger with a half-pound of Angus beef, smoked Gouda, bacon jam, and then some kind of saucy goodness on there, and butter lettuce. We’ve been experimenting more with making our own breads in-house, trying to use our wood-fired oven in creative ways, so that’s something we may play around with.”
There will also be a vegan option, and potentially a chicken burger. “We’re working on doing something with mushrooms,” Miller says. “There’s a lot of cool foraging up on the North Coast, and we’re hopeful we can keep playing around with mushrooms across our menu.”
She adds, “We’re still in year one of reopening the doors to the Davenport Roadhouse. We are in, I would say, an experimental and startup phase of trying new things and trying to serve the community in ways that we think will be fun and delicious. Look out for more to come.”
A regular participant in both Santa Cruz Restaurant Week and Santa Cruz Burger Week, the East End Gastropub will be hooking customers with a favorite from 2025. The Soft Shell Crab Burger ($20) features crispy Maryland soft shell crab on a sesame bun with lettuce, tomato and red onion. Fries can be added for $2.
1501 41st Ave., Suite I, Capitola, 831-475-8010, eastendpub.com
Empire Grill
This cozy go-to spot for Felton residents as well as visitors to the redwoods will serve up four specials, including two spicy burgers: One comes with a sweet chili pepper sauce and is baked in pepper jack cheese. The other has serrano peppers, sautéed mushrooms and avocado. According to a staffer at Empire, the other options are a Teriyaki Veggie Burger, with a veggie patty and grilled pineapple, and the Empire Coast Burger, which has a salmon patty, avocado and Thousand Island dressing. Each burger comes with the popular house fries.
This longtime downtown Santa Cruz cafe has three items for Burger Week, with different types of protein dressed up with lettuce, tomato and caramelized onions. The Grass-Fed Beef Burger receives a coating of horseradish aioli, while the Lamb Burger is perked up with mint aioli and the Salmon Burger harmonizes with lemon aioli.
“We use our focaccia dough for buns, which is a little special,” says restaurateur Paul Cocking. “And our potatoes are particularly good. We do roasted Yukon Gold potatoes.” For diners seeking an even healthier side dish, Gabriella Cafe also offers Brussels sprouts and crispy cauliflower.
From a spacious booth inside this local eatery situated on the Municipal Wharf, diners can check out the wave action while supping on the Surfer’s Paradise Burger. Served with fries, the burger special sports a beef patty with padrón jam, crispy onions and sharp cheddar on a toasted homemade bun.
The Heavenly Brunch Burger unites two things that stand out at this Scotts Valley restaurant—burgers and brunch—by adding two over-medium eggs and ham to a half-pound patty, plus Dijon aioli, cheddar cheese, arugula and tomato. Bella’s Cali Burger ($18) complements its half-pound patty with avocado, applewood smoked bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, American cheese and the kitchen’s secret sauce. And Ruby’s Devilish Delight ($15) adorns its patty with grilled jalapeño, pepper jack cheese, cilantro, chipotle mayo, lettuce and tomatoes. Each comes with either house-made fries or a mixed green salad.
Not surprisingly, this downtown Santa Cruz culinary hot spot includes a fish-centric selection on its Burger Week menu: the Rockfish Sandwich, served with carrot and fennel slaw, house pickles and tartar sauce. Meat lovers can opt for the H+L Burger, with a patty made of Marin Sun Farms beef, cheddar cheese, garlic aioli, a Manresa bun and house pickles.
As befits the vibes at Hula’s, Burger Week takes a tropical turn here. Pele’s Burger is flavored with spicy-sweet gochujang sauce and topped with green papaya salad, cilantro and jalapeños. Served on a brioche bun, it can be paired with a wide assortment of sides: house-cut fries, sweet potato fries, Caesar salad, arugula salad or island slaw.
221 Cathcart St., Santa Cruz, 831-426-4852, hulastiki.com
Ideal Bar & Grill
Celebrating Burger Week, this wharfside restaurant will serve The Honco, a gussied-up patty, consisting of ground beef, pork, bacon and green chiles, served on a pretzel bun with jack cheese, onion, tomato and green leaf lettuce, topped by a roasted serrano. And there are steak fries on the side. The Bella Burger takes the pretzel bun in a different direction: a grilled balsamic marinated portobello mushroom stuffed with goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes forms the patty, topped with honey mustard aioli, parmesan cheese, arugula and pickles. On the side? Sweet potato fries.
After 20 years, restaurateur Ciera Cash says, it was time for a new burger at Johnny’s Harborside. And new chef Jeffrey Wall, formerly of Alderwood, had just the recipe. Jeffrey’s Cheeseburger has “become a community hit. Fishermen come up after a cold, wet morning pulling crab pots to enjoy it,” Cash says. “I’m looking forward to Burger Week spreading the news even further.”
Chef Wall shares the particulars: “We do a potato brioche bun that’s toasted with garlic butter, and then it’s two patties that we smash on the grill.” Once they’re flipped, Wall begins building flavors with onion jam, sherry vinegar, garlic aioli, cheese and dill coriander pickles. “The thing that makes it special is the technique, and I’m really strict about it,” he says. For example: “three slices of white American cheese—one on each patty and one on the bun.”
Three other concoctions will be on the menu during Burger Week: the Bacon-Jalapeño Patty Melt, on sourdough with Thousand Island dressing; the Western Bacon Cheddar, with bourbon BBQ sauce and sharp cheddar; and the Inside-Outside, with grilled onion, lettuce and tomato.
Laili’s Burger Week offerings include kabab seasoned Koobideh Burger and Lamb Burger
Laili owner Wadi Amin says his restaurant delivers the flavors of central Asia’s Silk Road—the 3,000-year-old trade route from Rome to China—to downtown Santa Cruz. “I have this very special connection with food,” he says. “Food is the human connection, you know. When you sit with your loved ones and you have a meal and you tell the stories of your day—it’s a human encounter.”
Central to the Burger Week menu at Laili is the Koobideh Burger, made from Laili’s traditional kebab meat: ground meat spiced with cumin and garlic and coriander and salt and pepper,” Amin says. “It’s a very flavorful meat, and it’s very very popular. We make that into a burger; we use our imagination and people loved it last year. Especially with caramelized onion and the arugula. We don’t put lettuce—we put arugula on it, with mint aioli. And also coriander and crushed mint.”
Laili will also serve a Lamb Burger, made from ground lamb, seasoned with white onion, garlic and topped with mint aioli, butter lettuce, red onion, lettuce, tomatoes, Swiss cheese. Both are served with mixed greens and roasted potatoes. “It’s a lot of food,” Amin says. “Normally we charge $25; we did a special deal for Burger Week for $18.”
Laughing Monk’s Matt Laughlin is an old hand at Burger Week, and he brings a lot of enthusiasm to the task of setting the menu. He’s doing “one for the vegans and vegetarians out there” that he’s calling the Katsu Tofurger, featuring “a nice big square of panko-breaded fried tofu with a sesame miso cole slaw and a vegan sriracha aioli” plus the katsu barbecue sauce. He’s also concocted the Gochi Burger, a kimchi-style burger with a beef patty, Swiss cheese, a house-made gochujang barbecue sauce and pickled red onions.
But there’s more: “Number three is going to be this new creation,” Laughlin enthuses. “We’ve got the Birria Burger, which has been in my mind for a couple of years, and I finally got it to come to fruition. It’s a burger with birria meat on it; we’ve got some cilantro, onions, and melted mozzarella to make it like a birria taco.” Crispy, toasted tortillas stuck together with melted cheese are used in lieu of a bun, Laughlin says, “and then we give you a consummé to dip it all in. … I think it’s gonna bring some people in and be a big hit.
“We look forward to Burger Week every year,” Laughlin says. “It brings in a lot of new faces and friends who all become regulars afterwards. We want everyone to let us know their favorite—verbally when they’re in the store, or message us on Instagram. Let us know which is the Burger Week winner, and that’s going to go on the regular menu for the next year.”
Another newcomer to both Burger Week and Santa Cruz, La Bahia Hotel is getting into the spirit at its casual dining spot, Low Tide Bar and Grill. “Our approach at Low Tide is all about letting quality ingredients shine while keeping the experience approachable and fun,” says Executive Chef Fernando Reyes. “Our signature burger is a guest favorite because it’s simply delicious. For Burger Week we created the Cali Smash Burger, a creative, crave-worthy spin on our burger. Santa Cruz is gonna love it! We want locals to know this is their spot, great food, great energy, and a team that loves welcoming familiar faces.”
La Bahia Hotel & Spa,215 Beach St., Santa Cruz, 831-285-0044, labahiahotel.com
Makai Island Kitchen & Groggery
Though details on the specials were not available at press time, rum fans should take note that owner Martin Drobac’s tiki-themed bar and restaurant will participate in Burger Week. Expect something that will pair well with Makai’s rum-centric cocktail menu.
This lively downtown night spot will keep burger lovers happy with a trio of offerings. The Mozaic Burger contains a charbroiled Angus beef patty draped with caramelized onions. The Wild Salmon Burger features a grilled salmon patty with the house honey Dijon sauce and caramelized onions. And the Lamb Burger patty comes with fresh mint aioli, tomato and onions. All burgers are served with fries, and vegetarians can substitute a Beyond Meat patty for any of the selections.
Enjoy one of California’s most loved oceanfront views at this Capitola eatery, which will offer its Paradise Classic Burger as a special. The Angus beef patty is layered with lettuce, tomato and onion and served with fries, and patrons can customize by substituting a turkey burger or garden vegan patty.
“We are well known for our burgers. We use quality products—half-pound Angus beef with fresh ingredients, simple seasoning,” says Joel Sawtell, who—along with coowners Nathan Myrick and Erick Granath—opened the Santa Cruz location of Parish Publick House in 2008 and the Aptos location in 2017. “It is our most-sold dish, and I think we’re pretty creative with our additions to the burger and creating a flavor profile that we’re happy with.”
Sawtell, who manages the Aptos location, says, “We listen to our customers’ feedback; sometimes we’ll bring a special burger in and switch out another burger on our menu. We like to hear how our regular customers, our community, enjoy it, and we will ask them for new ideas too.”
For Burger Week, Parish has three specials. Hot Honey, I’m Home provides a half-pound Angus patty on a seeded bun, with sweet and savory notes from prosciutto, melty brie, arugula, mayo and spicy hot honey. For the Fajita Bandida, the beef is flavored with taco seasoning, sautéed onions and bell pepper, spiced crema and pickled curtido, then draped with sharp cheddar and placed on a seeded bun. Tropic Like Its Hot pairs Dave-O’s Fried Chicken and sweet plantains with bacon and a maple syrup sriracha aioli, all piled on a Hawaiian roll. Each is served with a side of house-made BBQ chips (Impossible or veggie burgers also available as substitutions).
“We’re a year and some months old, so this is our first Burger Week,” says Chloé Chédin of Pete’s in Capitola. And she has good news for fans of fancy fungi. “We’re going to be doing a Truffle Burger: a waygu smashburger with a black truffle aioli with black truffle Gruyère served on a Martin’s Potato Roll with truffle fries. It’s truffle overload!” she exults.
“We’re also going to have our regular burger: it’s a beef patty with some cheese on it, pickles, onions, tarragon aioli and some lettuce and tomatoes. That’s always on our menu. But the main feature will be the truffle burger.”
Asked what else could accompany this boldly flavored burger, Chedin says, “You could pair it with our classic martini builder menu. We do it so you can pick any martini you want: shaken, stirred, dirty, dry. I think that would be my biggest recommendation.”
“We’re excited to be participating in Burger Week 2026,” says Erick Gonzalez of The Point Kitchen & Bar, a local, family-owned restaurant “serving elevated American comfort food in a casual but polished setting” on Santa Cruz’s Pleasure Point. “We focus on quality ingredients, generous portions, and flavors that feel both familiar and bold,” Gonzalez explains.
“For this year’s Burger Week, we’ll be featuring two burgers,” he says. The Spicy Mango Tango option features a grass-fed beef patty on a brioche bun, flavored by a mix of “mango habanero jelly, crispy onions, smoky bacon, melty cheddar and fresh arugula.” A second option, Pickled Blackened Chicken, is delivered on focaccia bread and augmented with beet hummus, crunchy pickled veggies and mixed greens. Both burgers come with fries.
This seafood stalwart always offers meat lovers its Riva Cheeseburger and Black and Bleu Burger, as well as the plant-based Beyond Burger. And there will no doubt be a special menu item available during Burger Week.
As befits its Irish heritage, Rosie McCann’s is offering its signature Guinness Burger during Santa Cruz Burger Week. Pair it with fries, plus a side of live entertainment, which varies throughout the week and includes Celtic jam nights, DJ music, a Monday comedy night, and trivia on Tuesdays.
Chef Jay Moon’s Sanderlings Burger is a popular dish year-round, and for Burger Week he’ll augment the certified Angus beef patty—a blend of chuck and brisket—with some special touches.
According to Sanderlings staffer Elimar Acosta, Moon is incorporating a house-made sauce and bacon jam along with butter lettuce, tomato, red onions and a dill pickle spear. “It’s served on a brioche bun from Manresa; we’re trying to stay local on some of our produce and products,” he explains. But what really has Acosta sold is what’s on the side: porcini seasoned fries to dip into Moon’s house-made cheese sauce.
Taking it over the top is the Sanderlings location itself, which pairs the food with a view of the sun setting into the Pacific. “We’re so blessed to have this beautiful location and great weather,” Acosta says.
A welcoming sight as one enters Santa Cruz’s main drag, this landmark eatery is serving up its take on a traditional diner classic. The Monte Cristo Burger pairs a burger patty with ham and Swiss on grilled French toast, sweetened with strawberry jelly. Served with fries.
Serving food daily from 7am to 9pm, Solaire draws more than just hotel guests to its dining room, which offers a view of the always-popping Paradox pool. For Burger Week, Solaire is serving the Juicy Cruzy, described as a “short rib and muenster cheese stuffed burger topped with more muenster, shredded lettuce, crispy onions and chili crisp aioli.” Also grabbing attention are Solaire’s far-from-pedestrian Sidewinder Curly Fries, with potatoes contorted into flavorful, crunchy, corkscrew-like spirals.
Inside Hotel Paradox, 611 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. 831-600-4525, solairesantacruz.com
Süda
Cole Kerby of Süda offers some insight into the Pleasure Point restaurant’s philosophy: “Our burgers begin with the foundation that matters most—the patty. We use an eight-ounce proprietary beef blend, crafted to deliver exceptional juiciness and deep, savory flavor in every bite.”
For Burger Week, the focal point is the Pitt Boss, served with whiskey bacon jam, mushrooms, Point Reyes blue cheese, arugula and truffle aioli.
This “seasonal winter burger,” Kerby says, “is layered with sweet-smoky bacon jam, earthy mushrooms, and bold blue cheese, creating a rich umami profile with a lingering, savory finish.”
3910 Portola Dr., Santa Cruz, 831-600-7068, eatsuda.com
Tortilla Shack
An addition to the foodie landscape from East End Gastropub restaurateurs Quinn Cormier and Geoff Hargrave, Tortilla Shack specializes in wrapping up custom burritos in a variety of different tortillas that are prepared in house.
For Burger Week, they’ve deployed the elements of the classic bacon cheeseburger inside a hand-pressed sesame flour tortilla. Called the BBQ Bacon Burger Burrito, it combines ground meat, bacon, onion rings, lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese and a pickle, with barbecue sauce to tie it all together.
“We’re happy to be participating in Burger Week again this year,” says Charlie Watson of Zachary’s, downtown Santa Cruz’s stalwart breakfast and brunch spot. “We’ll be offering a Mediterranean Burger, a one-third-pound char-broiled burger on grilled sour white bread, with roasted red peppers, feta, arugula and our homemade hummus. The hummus is our own special recipe, and we’re excited for the opportunity to feature it for Burger Week.”
Chefs are changing the way we think about a once basic meal
Cooking is like music– jazz music–for Santa Cruz chefs on Burger Week. A burger that was once a simple hand-held travel food is now spiced up with an unimaginable palette of ingredients and quality at an affordable price between $15 and $20. Chefs are taking burgers where they have never been before, strutting their stuff and hitting the high notes. No reason to stay home this week. Get out and sample the best. santacruzburgerweek.com
Since November, local business leaders have grown concerned about the impacts that offshore oil drilling may have on the region’s economy, after the Trump administration released a plan proposing two sites off California’s central coast.
In reaction, advocates of local industries that rely on a pristine and unobstructed coastline sat down with Congressman Jimmy Panetta on Thursday to discuss the negative impacts oil drilling may have.
“We have jobs that come from each of our coastal industries, jobs that I believe are permanent,” Panetta said. “They’re generational, they belong here and we’re gonna have to continue to fight to make sure they stay here.”
The talk included representatives of the fishing industry, the hospitality industry and multiple local chambers of commerce and business councils. Each had concerns about how oil drilling off the central coast could negatively affect both their business and the area’s residents.
“In order to maintain those rigs out in the bay, our neighbourhoods are going to change,” said Rick Aldinger, Past Chair of the Monterey County Hospitality Association. “Our downtown is going to change because of the infrastructure necessary to maintain what’s happening off the shore. It’s comprehensively changing what we have going on here and what we enjoy so much about where we live.”
Many central coast businesses rely directly on the coastline. These are fisheries, hotels, whale watching tours or small shops and restaurants that rely on the business of beach-goers. But the potential impacts of oil-drilling do not end at the shore.
Jose Luis Barajas, Program Manager at the Monterey County Business Council, explained that because of the interconnected water systems between the coast and the Salinas Valley, an oil spill could be catastrophic for local agricultural communities.
“There’s a lot at stake, both from the agricultural production standpoint, but also from a human perspective,” he said. “If that water gets contaminated, everyone in Castroville has to go.”
The Trump administration has tentatively scheduled the first lease sales for 2027. So, for those who live and own businesses in the central coast, preventing oil drilling development is a time sensitive project.
“We’ve made a decision that we’re not just protecting our coast,” Panetta said. “We’re protecting our way of life, while ensuring that there is no offshore oil drilling or exploration off of our coast.”
Caltrans will lower speed limits on several segments of Highway 9 in Santa Cruz County following a recent engineering and traffic survey of an 11.63-mile section of the roadway.
The study area begins just south of Exit Road at the Santa Cruz city limits and extends north to the Boulder Creek community. Highway 9 is a rural, mountainous two-lane highway that serves Felton, Ben Lomond, Brookdale and Boulder Creek.
Based on the survey, the speed limit from just south of San Lorenzo Avenue to just south of Hillside Avenue will be reduced from 35 mph to 30 mph. In the Ben Lomond community segment, the speed limit will be lowered from 30 mph to 25 mph. A 0.90-mile segment north of Brookdale will be reduced from 35 mph to 30 mph. Other speed limits along the corridor will remain unchanged.
Caltrans said the changes are intended to “encourage the safe and orderly flow of traffic.”
Enforcement will begin once new speed limit signs are installed, a process expected to be completed within the next 30 days.
According to Caltrans, the engineering and traffic survey evaluated existing speed limits, collision history and roadway conditions that may not always be apparent to drivers. Those conditions include pedestrians and bicyclists sharing the road, the configuration of horizontal curves, direct driveway access, parking and pedestrian crossings.
California Highway Patrol and Santa Cruz County expressed support for the recommendations.
“I would like to remind the motoring public to always drive at a safe speed for the current conditions and drive responsibly,” said Lt. Grant Boles, acting commander of the CHP Santa Cruz Area Office. “Excessive speed is one of the leading causes of serious injury and fatal crashes. Let’s all do our part to keep our roads safe.”
Caltrans said it uses multiple resources to determine speed limits on state highways, including the California Vehicle Code, the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, engineering judgment and engineering evaluations. Speed zoning decisions also align with the Safe System approach outlined in Caltrans Director’s Policy 36.
Director’s Policy 36 reflects a department-wide commitment to prioritizing safety and achieving zero fatalities and serious injuries by 2050. Establishing safe and appropriate speed limits is a key component of that approach and supports the goals of the Caltrans Strategic Plan.
It was a blue-sky, midweek, early afternoon, the sun was shining, and business was already buzzing at clothing retailer Anthropologie in the former Bank of America building at 1134 Pacific Ave. With its spacious design and multi-room concept, the new clothes and home goods shop celebrated its grand opening Jan. 21, according to store manager Charlie Wall.
The new store lends a worldly design to the same space formerly occupied by a bank and a grocer, New Leaf Market. The brand identity of Anthropologie is luxury clothing and accessories, including partnerships with exclusive brands such as Reformation, Maeve, Pilcro and Celandine.
The Downtown Association of Santa Cruz (DASC) is an organization that manages the Downtown Business Improvement District and advocates for businesses through leadership and marketing.
“Customers who would drive to Los Gatos or Valley Fair Mall to shop at Anthropologie, can now stay local instead,” Jorian Wilkins, DASC executive director said in an email. “That sales tax revenue stays local in the city of Santa Cruz. And those shoppers visit other businesses downtown.”
Both Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie are owned by the same parent company, URBN, a portfolio of global brands that also includes Free People, Terrain, and BHLDN. Although under shared ownership, they operate as distinct brands with different target audiences and product focuses.
While Urban Outfitters targets a younger, more whimsical crowd, Anthropologie targets a more mature audience, offering more practical home decor, business and neutral fashion. Anthropologie also maintains partnerships including Lyrebird, Mother, Clothe & Stone and Tretorn.
Downtown business climate
In 2025, 14 new businesses opened in Downtown Santa Cruz, according to Wilkins. Pacific Avenue saw vacancies drop from 17 in April 2025 to just 10 now. Whereas Pacific Avenue had a 16% vacancy rate in April 2025, groundfloor vacancies in the district are now down to a healthy 9.2% overall (even accounting for newly constructed commercial spaces), according to Wilkins.
“Anthropologie is one of two new businesses to open in Downtown Santa Cruz so far in 2026,” she notes. “Eight more businesses are “coming soon” (currently in design & permitting).”
“We’ve heard positive feedback from the community regarding the updates Anthropologie made to its building, both inside (light and bright) and outside (windows opened up, new doors, and improved lighting).”
If the vibe is bohemian, the elegant store design and window displays say it comes with a price.
The store’s layout is spacious, with high ceilings and a minimalistic design. The open displays make the store appear vast, while demure panels promoting partnership fit right in with the color scheme.
Among the home goods are lemon-scented candles, barware, kitchen tools and eclectic knick-knacks. A three-tiered display held cherry-patterned pillows, people-painted eggcups and tomato-shaped sugar bowls, some at reduced prices.
While there’s not a lot of health and beauty products at Anthropologie, the skin care and cosmetics they offer are curated brands: L’Occitane, Caudalie, Tocca and Sacheu to name a few, along with inspiring baubles, unique jewelry, hair accessories and on-trend headbands.
Historical landmark
The building in which the store is located was built in 1929 and designed by Henry A. Minton. It is an example of ZigZag Moderne architecture. It formerly housed the Bank of Italy (later Bank of America) and New Leaf Market, 1995-2024.
The anthropology core customer is affluent and values individuality, quality, artistic design and a little sense of adventure. “It’s very nice, it smells good,” said Juniper Postlewaite, 22, who recently moved here from Seattle. “My sister loves it” and her mother is also a fan, keeping pieces from 20 years ago in her closet.
“It is a testament to Pacific Avenue being a good place for retailers to do business,” Wilkins said. “They have noticed that foot traffic is up, that new residences are fully occupied and more are on the way, and that the median income of visitors to Downtown is on the rise.”
Tony Nuñez is a Watsonville High School graduate who became a reporter and then editor of The Pajaronian and Good Times, and moved on to work with the nonprofit Community Bridges.
He later became an inaugural member of the Pajaro Valley Health Care District (PVHCD), which oversees Watsonville Community Hospital. Nuñez currently serves as board chair.
Now, Nuñez, 33, is vying for the 4th District seat on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors to represent the community where he grew up.
He filed paperwork Friday morning to challenge incumbent Felipe Hernandez and Elias Gonzales in the June 2 primary. (see profiles of the other candidates here and here.)
The 4th District encompasses Watsonville, Pajaro and the surrounding communities. The top two vote-getters will advance to the November general election.
Nuñez said his platform focuses on expanding access to essential services such as health care, transportation, parks and community spaces.
He immigrated from Cuerámaro, Guanajuato, Mexico, at age 8. He is the grandson of a campesino and the son of blue-collar workers.
As a child, he said, he watched his parents work to afford a home and support him and his sister.
“There are thousands of incredible parents like that in our community who are doing the same thing my mom and dad did — living in multigenerational housing, trying to save money and give their kids a better life,” he said.
After graduating from Watsonville High School in 2010, Nuñez attended Cabrillo College and San José State University.
He said his progression from journalist to nonprofit leader to public servant reflects a consistent goal of building and supporting the systems residents rely on.
The core tenets of journalism—asking tough questions and gathering and explaining complex information—align with the role of supervisor, he said.
That approach continued in his work with Community Bridges and the Pajaro Valley Health Care District, both of which provide essential services.
“I’ve gotten more adept at not only asking the right questions and looking over the data and understanding it from a high-level strategic viewpoint, but also coming up with a plan for a solution and measuring how well that plan is doing,” he said.
He described the Pajaro Valley as a “sleeping giant” with untapped potential—not only as an agricultural center for the Bay Area, but also as home to workers employed across county industries.
“The heart that we have as a community is in the way that we continue to show up for one another every single day,” he said. “There’s really something special about this community.”
Still, that potential often goes unrecognized, he said.
“We’ve been defined by things that we don’t have,” he said. “I want to flip that on its head. I want to stop emphasizing our weaknesses. Instead, I want to lead with the strengths that we have as a community. And I think that we have a lot of them.”
Nuñez lives in Watsonville with his wife and young son.
He said he understands how difficult it is for families to build a stable life amid rising costs.
Nuñez said his campaign will focus on “Access, Opportunity and Accountability.”
He said “access” means protecting and strengthening essential services such as health and mental health care, transportation, child care, parks and other community spaces, and ensuring families and seniors can rely on public systems that keep neighborhoods safe and connected.
“Opportunity,” he said, centers on helping families afford to remain in the community by addressing rising housing, child care and daily living costs, safeguarding anti-poverty programs, and expanding workforce training and small-business support.
Under “accountability,” Nuñez called for transparent leadership that clearly explains decisions, tracks results and responds when public systems fall short.
“I think it is really the baseline that the person in the highest elected seat in this region is working just as hard—if not harder—than those who are working their tails off just to make ends meet,” he said.
Information about the campaign is available at VoteTonyNunez.com.
For three nights, Feb. 27, 28 and March 1, the Rio Theatre will become a portal to the far edges of the planet as we watch people climb frozen waterfalls, paddle through remote rivers, outrun exhaustion, and redefine what it means to be human. The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour returns for its 50th anniversary of the original festival in Banff, Canada, and the 35th year that UCSC Adventure Recreation has brought the tour to Santa Cruz.
From the Canadian Rockies to the Central Coast
The festival begins each year in Banff, where more than 400 films are submitted from around the world. Over the course of a week, audiences screen the films and vote on their favorites. From that pool, a few dozen are selected for the world tour, which travels to hundreds of communities across multiple continents.
It brings snowbound summits, desert crossings, deep-water descents, climate questions, human courage, and the kind of stunning cinematography that makes you forget you’re not hanging from a rope thousands of feet above a glacier. But what unites the films is not simply adrenaline.
Dustin Smucker, program manager for UCSC’s Adventure Rec, who is bringing the festival to town says, “The films feature human-powered adventure in beautiful places, with themes of accomplishment, grappling with the human spirit, what drives us to challenge ourselves, to discover ourselves, to protect what we love, both in our natural world and within each other.”
Yes, there are daredevils, but it is a festival about possibility.
Why Santa Cruz Shows Up
For a town that measures time in swells and trail conditions, it has become less an event than an annual migration.
“Santa Cruz is a place that appreciates environment, outdoor adventure, mountain travel, the ocean, and appreciates being transported into spaces where you get to see the human spirit alive,” Smucker says. These films might be comedic, dramatic, about mountaineering or even building a canoe. Each one presents a sense of humanity and the potential for humanity to live at its best.
“We see humans behaving boldly, behaving kindly, exhibiting the best qualities of what it means to be on this Earth,” Smucker says. “They are motivational stories for who we want to be.”
LIGHTNING IN A BODY Rocky meets bouldering as this film documents one man’s sensational battle against aging. PHOTO: Banff Festival
Films That Challenge Assumptions
Each night features an entirely different lineup. One of this year’s selections is “Old Man Lightning,” promised to be pee-your-pants funny. It’s a 45-minute feature Smucker describes as “one of the most profound examples of a human performing beyond expectation.” It’s about legendary senior citizen rock climber John Verm Sherman still chasing vertical challenges. “I love how films challenge our assumptions about who we can be,” Smucker says. “Instead of seeing limitations, they challenge us to see possibilities.”
Another anticipated film, “The Finisher,” follows Jasmine Paris, attempting the notoriously brutal Barkley Marathons, considered one of the most difficult ultrarunning events in the world. In the race’s 38-year history, finishing itself is rare; her goal is to become the first woman ever to do so.
Smucker laughs. “I’m not saying we’re all going to run 100 miles afterward, but we might go home wondering who we are and what we’re capable of.”
A Fundraiser with a Purpose
We may come for cinematic inspiration, but the Rio Theatre event also serves as a major fundraiser for Adventure Rec, a program within UCSC’s Department of Athletics and Recreation that trains students to lead backpacking, kayaking, surfing, and camping trips across California and the western mountains. Adventure Rec’s mission, Smucker says, helps students reconnect with who they are. “Through sponsorships and ticket sales, the festival raises more than $20,000 annually, that is funneled directly back into reducing the cost of outdoor trips for students.”
Smucker explains that over half of UCSC students receive some sort of financial aid. “Cost is often the biggest barrier to trying these new adventures. We’re proud that our trips are relatively inexpensive because of what we raise here. For example, an eight-day spring break expedition to Utah is priced at roughly $300.” Revenue from the Banff Festival tour helps make those journeys possible.
The Rio as a Gathering Place
For Santa Cruz, the festival has become less about spectacle than about reflection: Who are we when we push beyond comfort? What landscapes shape us? What risks are worth taking? Rio Theatre owner and operator Laurence Bedford, who has been presenting the festival for over 20 years, says the festival will sell out all three nights.
Seeing natural majesty on the big screen adds to our immersion, but there is also something about experiencing these stories collectively. Streaming has made solitary viewing the norm, yet the Banff tour remains communal. Gasps ripple through the crowd during precarious ascents. Laughter erupts during moments of levity. By the time the credits roll, strangers feel allied. The Rio Theatre, with its vintage charm and deep local roots, amplifies that shared experience.
Choosing Your Night
Each night has a completely different lineup of films. Tickets are $23.50 for Friday and Sunday, $25.50 for Saturday, plus Eventbrite fees. For students, Sunday tickets are available for $10. To read about the film descriptions and each evening’s program in detail, go to goslugs.com/sports/2025/7/21/banff
Beyond the Screen
What ultimately distinguishes Banff is not simply the feats captured onscreen but the aftereffect that inspires us to see our own town differently. The Monterey Bay marine layer becomes atmosphere rather than an inconvenience. Plans begin forming, maybe a hike. Boots are laced up and people head outside. Half a century after its founding, the Banff Mountain Film Festival continues to ask a deceptively simple question, “What does it mean to live fully?” As Smucker puts it, the films offer “motivational stories for who we want to be.”
Sponsors for the film festival include Allterra Solar, Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, Pacific Edge Climbing Gym, KZSC 88.1, Good Times Weekly, and Woodstock’s Pizza.
Elevated pub fare, 20 beers on tap and a dog-friendly patio make Laughing Monk Brewing a Scotts Valley standout. Meet the gastropub that’s redefining comfort food.
Readers weigh in on the city’s support for unhoused residents, while a local nonprofit invites the community to learn hands-on farming skills this spring.
Stepping into the Allegretto Vineyard Resort in Paso Robles is a breathtaking experience. This world-class resort offers an unparalleled touch of luxury with its exquisite artwork, beautifully appointed rooms, and impressive gardens complete with two labyrinths. The Star Garden Trail was created by hotel proprietor Doug Ayres, which he describes as “a journey through the heavens.” The peaceful trail...
Recently, I got a call from an editor friend with a wellness-related question: “Have you ever heard of tapping?”
As a wellness zealot in Santa Cruz, I assured him I had. Of course, I had. The practice of tapping, formally known as Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT, has been around for decades, living on the fringe between acupuncture and mindfulness,...
A handheld meal that serves up the food pyramid in a tidy sphere, the prototypical hamburger unites proteins, grains, dairy and vegetables in one portable package.
It began as a meal for people on the move—whether brought to the Americas by the Hamburg America Line in the mid 1800s, as some say, or emerging in 1885 at the Hamburg Fair...
Business leaders from fishing, hospitality and agriculture warn proposed offshore drilling could threaten jobs and reshape the Central Coast’s economy.
Anthropologie’s grand opening on Pacific Avenue marks another step in downtown Santa Cruz’s retail resurgence, with vacancies dropping and new businesses on the way.
