Low Tide Bar & Grill at La Bahia Hotel & Spa offers Santa Cruz a polished beachside dining experience, with cocktails, California-Pacific dishes, Mediterranean touches and a “South Pacific living room” feel.
Downtown Santa Cruz taphouse Lúpulo pairs its coveted craft beer selection with Latin American and Spanish-inspired plates, from papas machas and tacos to vegan lion’s mane “crab cakes.”
Gran Gelato Caffe brings Italian-trained gelato craft to downtown Santa Cruz, with rotating flavors, espresso drinks, cannoli, tiramisu and a lunch menu featuring handmade focaccia panini.
The View at Chaminade serves modern American cuisine with French technique, global influence and hyper-local touches, from Monterey Bay seafood to on-property honey.
A new Aptos Village spot blends craft beer with elevated comfort food. Other Brother Beer Co. offers everything from nostalgic classics to inventive small plates in a welcoming neighborhood setting.
Sisters Melia and Lilly Spooner carry forward their grandmother’s legacy at Alta Organic Coffee, the beloved Westside Santa Cruz café known for small-batch organic roasting and a no-wi-fi community vibe.
