Make it a double: Downtown Santa Cruz has added two top-shelf bars in the last few weeks. When’s the last time that happened?
Last Thursday, March 12, The Hotel (1003 Cedar St., Santa Cruz) opened its doors ever so quietly, to the loud and surprised shouts of joy from locals passing by, then jaunting up the stairs and marveling at the reincarnation of a storied space.
The spot above The Red Room has enjoyed a number of legendary lives, and originally was Surf City’s first hotel, circa 1877.
Now it benefits from new floors, reappointed—and spacious—lounge areas, a pool table, a gorgeous L-shaped bar, and eight signature cocktails ($14).
The two I tried, the Do Not Disturb (with Huxal Mezcal, Cocchi Rosa, Campari and orange) and Madonna Inn (gin, dill!, vermouth, citrus herb oil), impressed with depth and identity.
They appear on a menu also dotted with botanical/spirit-free possibilities ($6-$12) and a bunch of craft beer on tap ($8-$12).
The forthcoming food menu (arriving as soon as this weekend) throws down $4 stylish empanadas; a bunch of $5 snacks like micro baked potatoes and bacon-wrapped dates; swanky—and rotating—charcuterie boards ($23); and a signature French dip ($18 with fries) plus a double patty double cheeseburger ($16 with papas).
“We’re finding different ways to honor its history with the menus and the way we’re emphasizing the space as one for community and uplift,” manager Sloan Cipa says.
That triumphant opening was preceded by breathlessly anticipated Alley Oop! in the former Poet & Patriot (320 Cedar St., Suite E, Santa Cruz).Â
More on my visit there next week. The teasers there: A friend of mine was so moved by the experience he wrote a pop song demo inspired by it, one that’s already getting a lot of attention from known producers.
And this: I never thought I’d be saying two of the most adored bars in Santa Cruz history are quite possibly better than ever.
GETTING RIPPED
Bay Area Brewers Guild Association Executive Director Sayre Piotrkowski called me out the other day. Well, to be fair, he banged all food media.
His beef: Why do we fawn over top-ranked restaurants—versus breweries—even when they demand a lot more $$$ to enjoy, and are accessible for a lot fewer people?
If Monterey Bay had two of the country’s top eight restaurants, we’d hear all about them, he continued. Meanwhile, it does have the #4 and #8 small brew ops, per the rigorous folks at Craft Beer & Brewing, yet not much buzz.
Maybe he hasn’t been reading this column, because I bring up #8 Humble Sea Brewing a lot, and will now because 1) Its outdoor beer garden on the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf is now open (and will be through October), with tasty-making Shock Waves Food Truck on deck; and 2) its ninth anniversary celebration is happening all month, leading up to the climactic party March 21, humblesea.com.
Meanwhile #4, Alvarado Street Brewery (asb.beer)—which is based across the bay but flows from a lot of taps up here—has made a game-changing move.
Out in the fields of Castroville, work on a huge new “legacy brewery” complete with expansive production space—for experimental beers as well as popular kegs and cans—plus a beer garden, food truck zone and tasting room represents some of the biggest local brew news in a while.
The square feet of the facility, coming online this year, will probably double, or triple, or quadruple, the number of Castroville residents (7,000).
So there’s another double upgrade to toast.
