This week, Santa Cruzans have a standing invitation to pull up a chair at a dozen local restaurants and enjoy an affordable, delicious and socially invigorating experience. Not fast food wolfed down in the car, or a takeout order reheated in a microwave. We’re talking about a civilized meal. On real plates. With other human beings at the table.
Five years ago, many restaurants went through a big shakeup during the pandemic. They pivoted, making it easy for customers to get food on the fly, so they could hang on during those dark days. But to do more than survive—to actually thrive—local restaurants need more people walking in the door.
Though the pandemic is over, old habits have hung on. Foodies are dashing to their doors to accept deliveries, rather than leaving the house to partake in the full dining experience.
“Once you start putting things in boxes, people lose a little love for what they’re plating,” East End Gastropub owner Geoff Hargrave says. “I don’t want to in any way seem unappreciative of DoorDash—I need it—but it has definitely affected the ecosystem of restaurants, the psychology of the cook, because they were putting food on beautiful plates and doing sauces, and now it goes into a brown box and it’s going to be shaken around before it gets home.”
Hargrave believes that restaurants have an even bigger part to play in nurturing human souls. “We’re social animals,” he says. “I think it’s one of the last bastions of social gatherings.” Without restaurants, he believes, we would be very disconnected.
Also affecting restaurateurs, on top of rising costs of labor and food, are various traffic challenges around town—most notably the closure at the Murray Street Bridge. “We are having our own existential crisis over in Seabright, and that is exactly what it is. It’s like Covid,” says Patrice Boyle, who opened La Posta restaurant in 2006. “But to focus on the positive—that’s always a better place to be—what has been sustaining and great and amazing to me is how responsive and how wonderful our customers have been. They have really, really been supportive.”
Talking with Restaurant Week participants, we learned a lot about what it takes to keep the lights on at locally owned restaurants. Below, both veterans and relative newcomers share their thoughts.
O.G. Eateries
Jill Ealy, Zelda’s on the Beach: “Our longevity comes down to a few things: our unbeatable location right on the beach, our dedicated staff, and our connection to the Capitola community. We’ve always made it a priority to take part in local events, support our neighbors, and stay consistent with great food, friendly service, and amazing cocktails overlooking the ocean. We’re proud to be part of so many locals’ memories and grateful to keep being a place people return to year after year.”
Paul Cocking, Gabriella’s: “I’ve had good cooks, I have a beautiful building, a good location and an owner who is usually in a good mood. I think a lot of restaurant owners tend to be grumpy, mostly because it’s very hard to make a living at a restaurant for owners and cooks. The servers always do well.”
Chelsea Holmes, Riva Fish House: “You go there and you know exactly what you’re going to get every time. It’s consistency and quality. And then you put it on top of one of the best locations in Santa Cruz, and you’re golden. … Now’s the perfect time because you don’t have to be bothered with all the tourists running around and walking in the road, parking in weird spots.”
Celia Vogel, Mobo Sushi: “My husband’s mom has owned Mobo Sushi and operated it since 1996. … Being around as long as we have, we’ve become a big part of people’s families. I think a lot of people come for celebrations, everything. We’ve had engagement parties, wedding parties, birthdays, first dates, and they always want to come back. … Our head chef, Kevin, has been amazing. We have a whole crew of people who have really been a big part of Mobo. … We have only been able to be successful due to our customers and our community supporting us for all these years and loving our food. Without our customers we wouldn’t be able to survive.”
David Jackman, Chocolat: “I would attribute our longevity to my love for both working in the restaurant kitchen and providing hospitality face-to-face with our customers. It’s their growing appreciation that keeps me going. My wife, Lori, still waits tables on Saturday nights. We have both noticed how much kinder and more appreciative our guests have become over the years.”
Jeff Westbrook, Crow’s Nest: “I truly believe what has contributed to The Crow’s Nest success through the many years is our commitment to quality. And, of course, hiring good people who show that they care about our customers.”
Francisco Cervantes, Hula’s Island Grill and Tiki Room: “I believe our longevity and continued success come down to three key things: consistency in our food and drinks, our commitment to warm and genuine customer service, and our strong ties to the community. One example of how we like to give back is through our Mahalo Mondays program—we donate a percentage of our sales each Monday to local nonprofits, something that’s deeply important to our team.”
The Next Generation
Tim Hunt, owner, Pono: “We started in 2010. We have been serving Santa Cruz. We closed in 2020, like many people did, and we came back in late 2022. But we maintained our location in Capitola and we are lucky to have survived. Thankfully we have a community that supports us and loves what we do, and what we do is give back. It’s a tough business. … It’s challenging in the sense that still, post 2020, we don’t fully have the amount of customers that once were. It used to be lines out the door and all the time it was just hustling and bustling. We don’t feel that has to do with us personally, it just has to do with the times. Because it’s happening to all my fellow restaurateurs that were also hustling and bustling. We’re seeing more people go to online services like DoorDash and UberEats than ever before, and it seems to be unfortunately pressing more toward that. The challenge for us is getting humans to come into the doors and sit down and dine with us. That’s the only thing I can say. And that’s in both locations. It’s a steady customer base but we have the challenge of, where are the bodies? They’re definitely ordering the food online but they’re not coming in like they used to.”
Ali Olivares, Laili Restaurant, identifies the three C’s: Craft, from scratch: “We prepare everything in-house: House-made pasta noodles, our sauces and chutneys to desserts like the pistachio baklava are all house and hand made.” Consistent hospitality: “An attentive team and a lush, enclosed patio that feels like a tucked-away courtyard.” Community roots: “Downtown Santa Cruz has been our home for years; we’re grateful for an incredible local following that keeps us striving for excellence.”
Sarah Bargetto, Venus Spirits: “I’m newly sworn in to the Venus empire [which came into being in 2014] … what I’ve seen in my time at Beachside is the dedication that Sean and Grace Venus have, their vision. They’re very involved and they like to make sure there’s a quality of service that we’re focusing on for our customers and also just a broad attention to detail over all of the things they do. … We’re really grateful to the community that we’re in. The building Beachside is in is the old Cafe Rio building that’s been a quintessential restaurant in the Rio Del Mar and Aptos area for so many years. And we have a lot of customers who come and dine in the space as Venus and reminisce about Cafe Rio.”
Tatiana Glass, Avanti: “Ristorante Avanti originally opened in 1987. I purchased it in 2018 and renamed it Avanti Restaurant. The farm-to-table philosophy remains at the heart of what we do—even stronger today than ever before. Staying true to my values and maintaining the farm-to-table focus has been key. But above all, it’s the team—having people who care deeply about what we do and who bring that passion to our guests every day.”
Joanne Guzman, Bruno’s Bar and Grill: “We’re going on our eighth year since we bought Bruno’s. Most of our guests are part of our family. … We have people who come all the way from Aptos to Bruno’s, which is surprising and exciting for us. They’re our regulars; they come all the time to the live music, for the food, for the staff. We’ve built a family that takes pride in what we do. From the kitchen to the bar to the front door, everyone plays a part in creating the experience that we provide. … I want them to have fun while they’re there. I want them to be happy while they’re there. And my husband is the same way. This is the kind of place we would want to work at. We want to share that with everybody.”
Erick Gonzalez, The Point Kitchen & Bar: “We celebrated six years in July. Two brothers run the kitchen who came from Mexico to live the American dream as co-owners with Josh, who was born and raised here. It’s been a lot of success. We’re proud and happy and excited for another year of Restaurant Week … We’ve increased sales year over year for every year, and we thank the community for that more than anything.”
For the next eight days—through Oct. 29—visit participating restaurants to sample special menus. Each one offers a fixed-price, three-course menu (appetizer, entree and dessert) for $45, $55 or $65. For complete menu details, visit santacruzrestaurantweek.com.
Avanti Restaurant
“I love cooking with squash in the fall—it’s such a versatile ingredient. We make fresh butternut squash ravioli and butternut squash soup, and we also find ways to incorporate it into other dishes throughout the menu. I also love the atmosphere this season brings. As the weather cools, the restaurant feels especially warm and inviting. We host more private events this time of year, which I really enjoy—from designing the menus to seeing our guests so happy during their celebrations,” says owner Tatiana Glass.
For Restaurant Week, Glass is bringing back some favorites that regulars will be happy to see again. “The stracciatella with beets and avocado is a huge favorite, and it’s back for Restaurant Week only. It’s such a refreshing dish, with bright, balanced flavors that our guests really love.” And as befits a restaurant named Avanti, there will be pasta on the menu: pappardelle, seafood linguine puttanesca, and butternut squash ravioli.
Bruno’s Bar and Grill
Joanne Guzman, co-owner of Bruno’s, waxes enthusiastic about the arrival of autumn. “It’s our favorite time of the year at Bruno’s. The air is crisp, the comfort food comes out, everything feels a little cozier. It’s the season for gathering with friends. People love coming to watch the football at Bruno’s, especially. In fall everyone comes back together. Not to mention the beautiful trees and all of that.”
For Restaurant Week, she says, “We’re bringing back some old favorites. We do different specials every week, and people ask, ‘When are you going to do this again, or that again?’” Some of those crowd-pleasers: Bruno’s Wings, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Surf & Turf, and Cheese and Pepper Gnocchi. Guzman also promises some sweet endings: upside-down pineapple cake, pumpkin lava cake and a three-berry bread pudding, with raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.
Chocolat
David Jackman, longtime owner of Chocolat, says, “October feels like the grand finale of our harvest season at the farmers market. So the fall is special in Santa Cruz because we find most of our favorite summer vegetables still available. Meanwhile the special fall treats, like butternut squash, come available too.”
He used that bounty to craft the Restaurant Week menu. “The Pork Chile Verde Enchiladas are a first time for us,” Jackman says. “We have been getting tomatillos from Pinnacle Farms at our DT Farmers Market more than ever this year. I love this adaptation of my wife’s chile verde recipe. The Mocha Mudpie is also a first. The first time I had Mudpie as a kid, it was called ‘mocha almond fudge.’ I have been wanting to offer that Mudpie for several years, so it’s about time.”
He’s also using produce from Groundswell Farms for the Butternut Squash Rosettes. “Another returning fall special is the Piki Pakio (actual Italian spelling is Picchi Pacchio),” Jackman explains. “The eggplant we roast and chill for that dish is perfect—also from Groundswell Farms. Our GF mini bread loaf is a favorite all year round, and new customers will find it an addictive discovery.”
Crow’s Nest
“As a chef, fall means to me an opportunity to work with ingredients that I haven’t seen since the previous winter and fall, so it renews my creative juices again,” says Jeff Westbrook of The Crow’s Nest. “The dishes we are offering at The Crow’s Nest are all new items for this year and are highlighting seasonal fall ingredients.”
Seasonal starters include the Autumn Wedge Salad, loaded with walnuts, dried cranberry and bacon in a maple Dijon vinaigrette. Main selections include hearty fare: Braised Beef Short Ribs with a white bean cassoulet, as well as Pork Tenderloin with pistachio romesco, a havarti-potato galette and roasted cauliflower. And each dessert incorporates winter produce: Pistachio and Beetroot Cake, Pumpkin Pot de Crème and Pear Tarte Tatin.
East End Gastropub
Though fall can be tough for a restaurant’s bottom line, East End Gastropub owner and chef Geoff Hargrave says, “Personally I love fall, because the world quiets down a bit. … It’s the earth going into rest mode. You can kind of feel it, and you kinda get into it, too. Comforting foods feel better. I really like the vibe or the pace that fall puts out. That can translate into more of an intimacy when it comes to dinners. You’re eating a little earlier, eating heavier foods. It’s candlelight and fires.”
For Restaurant Week he has “several special things that are off menu.” Clams & Nduja features Manila clams sauteed with rendered andouille sausage, white wine, garlic and shallots, served with a piece of bread. Another starter is Leche de Tigre, a Peruvian-style ceviche with coconut milk and an aji sauce; it would pair well with Corvina Sea Bass, with marble potatoes and aji verde sauce, which Hargrave describes as “a creamier cilantro jalapeño sauce—not spicy, really bright, really aromatic.”
He’s particularly happy that the kitchen is able to pull off Wild Chanterelles. The mushrooms, foraged from Oregon because the season hasn’t started yet locally, are sautéed with guanciale, he says, and then “on top of Roman-style gnocchi with raw egg yolk. It’s very rich. I think the yolk makes it a little daring for Restaurant Week.” And for patrons who want something more familiar, the menu will include various pizza selections—partly to show off to new patrons something that’s always on the menu, and also to encourage groups to share dishes.
Gabriella Cafe
Mulling over what the fall season brings for his restaurant, Gabriella Cafe owner Paul Cocking says, “We’re not particularly a tourist restaurant in the summer, so in the fall we tend to get a little busier. UCSC, our biggest employer, comes back. People seem to come out more, want to be inside eating at a cozy restaurant like mine.”
Cocking also looks forward to the seasonal produce. “All the squash dishes are something to do a lot with, and salads and things. Kale and broccoli, we serve big piles of that, which tend to be abundant locally in the fall. And crispy Brussels sprouts with hazelnuts are popular this time of year. Rodoni Farms pioneered organic Brussels sprouts,” Cocking says. The restaurateur’s menu also features produce from other organic farmers—Pinnacle, Dirty Girl, Blue Heron, TwinGirls, Sea to Sky and Live Earth—in a wide range of choices for Restaurant Week: six starters, eight entrees and three desserts, including his favorite: Apple Cobbler with chantilly cream, drizzled honey and toasted almonds. “Apples are very abundant right now,” he says.
Hook and Line
Longtime local chef Santos Majano is getting ready for Hook and Line’s second Restaurant Week. “Last year was very successful; we got a lot of people coming in to try us out. It’s good exposure for some people who haven’t tried us yet,” he says about the annual fall ritual. “There’s a lot of new things out there, seasonal, pumpkins, braised greens, Brussels sprouts—things are changing at the farmers market. I think it’s a great time to have Restaurant Week around this time.
“People are out there looking for new items of the season,” Majano says. “With the holidays coming ’round, a lot of people are also visiting town and it’s a good time to gather the family and try new restaurants and the restaurants being able to offer them something new that they can’t get year round. I think, for us, we are always trying to do new things.”
Specifically for this Restaurant Week, he says the staff looks forward to the pumpkin with mole sauce. “We have actually never paired that together. Just the sound and the combination and the ingredients gets us excited,“ he says. “We can’t wait to get it going. It’s something we don’t run on our normal menu.” Another standout is Quail and Chanterelles. “Usually that dish is more traditional with chicken and chanterelles,” Majano says. “We’re trying to do something different.”
Hula’s Island Grill and Tiki Room
“The fall season is one of my favorite times of the year,” says Francisco Cervantes, general manager of Hula’s. “The cooler weather and slower pace give us more opportunities to connect with our guests—to check in, share stories, and make sure everyone leaves feeling like part of the Hula’s ohana.”
Cervantes shares some of the items—a “mix of returning fan favorites and exciting new dishes”—that Hula’s will feature during Restaurant Week. For appetizers, Pork Stuffed Potstickers “are a Hula’s classic that our guests have been asking us to bring back” and Godzilla Tots are “crispy, craveable, and full of flavor—topped with sriracha aioli, caramelized onions, and nori flakes.”
Entrees include one longtime favorite—Barramundi Lemongrass Encrusted—and two newer creations. The Island Moa Fried Chicken Sandwich features “the perfect balance of heat, crunch, and island freshness” and Kalbi Short Ribs are “grilled to perfection for a melt-in-your-mouth experience. Served with rice and macaroni salad, it’s a hearty and comforting complement to the bold flavors of our appetizers.”
For dessert, Macadamia Nut Ice Cream Pie is “a true Hula’s staple and a must-have for birthdays and celebrations,” Cervantes says. Other choices are Key Lime Pie (“the perfect tart-and-creamy balance”) and Lilikoi Pie, a passion fruit dessert that “delivers the signature island tang and sweetness our guests adore.”
Laili Restaurant
“As restaurateurs, fall is our ingredient sweet spot: cooler evenings on our garden patio, the warmth of spices like cardamom and cumin, and produce that plays beautifully with the Silk Road flavors at the heart of Laili,” says Ali Olivares, Laili’s office manager. “The season lets us lean into comforting textures and aromatics while keeping dishes bright and balanced.”
In terms of seasonal highlights on Laili’s Restaurant Week menu, Olivares points to the branzino special. “It has been such a hit—a truly amazing dish. And our Cardamom Crème Brûlée brings a fall-forward, spice-kissed balance to the menu.” Other beloved favorites making a return: “Chicken Kabob, the shareable Mediterranean Plate, and our house-made Pistachio Baklava—all guest favorites our regulars ask for year-round.”
Certain qualities hold true across the range of dishes served at Laili. Olivares says diners can expect “California produce and proteins paired with refined Mediterranean and Afghan flavors—vibrant, aromatic, and satisfying without being heavy.”
La Posta
La Posta owner Patrice Boyle says she loves fall anyway, but particularly in Santa Cruz. “All of the sunsets are more beautiful, everything is more beautiful. The light is fantastic. Today is another amazing, amazing day,” she says. “I love seeing the change of seasons at the farmers market and the incoming produce. It’s really, really fun. There’s all sorts of things. The squashes…”
And for Santa Cruz Restaurant Week, Boyle says, “The chef is really pulling out the stops with the menu. Lobster arancini is kind of a new thing for us—it’s really good. Chicories with duck confit is really, really amazing. And the scallops—I love fregolo, it’s a Sardinian pasta.”
And rather than the regular sheet lasagna, La Posta is serving lasagnette—an individual serving that, like all of the restaurant’s pastas, is made in house. “You basically make the pasta and knead it and roll it out and cut it into little squares,” Boyle says. “It gets crispy on the edges; it’s super delish. The goodness oozes out the sides.”
Boyle muses a bit more about that lovely moment when summer gives way to fall. “I also love the late things,” she says. “Our chef saved up figs toward the end of the season—it’s hard to get a lot of figs—and he made a really dense, heavy jam with them, and finally at the end of the season, when there weren’t going to be any more figs, he made three tarts with them.” Though the tarts are gone now, the memory lingers—a reminder of old-fashioned traditions of canning and preserving—what she calls “the whole ‘putting by’ attitude … it’s quite old-fashioned. Those fig tarts were really special.”
Laughing Monk Brewery
As autumn takes hold in Scotts Valley, Laughing Monk Brewery general manager Matt Laughlin says he’s more than ready. “The weather’s just perfect for outdoor seating; you get a little bit of that sun and you have a nice breeze, and as everybody knows, we have a nice big outside patio, which is our main dining area,” Laughlin says. “I love doing a big Halloween party, which we have scheduled on the 25th—with a photo booth and face painting, and we’ve got a band. I love decorating the store for Halloween. And Thanksgiving we love to roll into; it’s a great day for everyone to get together and eat together and celebrate each other. And we have a couple of fall cocktails we’re doing with some cinnamon and nutmeg and hopefully some pumpkin down the line.”
Laughlin explains that Restaurant Week is a preview of dishes that Laughing Monk will roll out in early December. “We’re running part of our new entree section, which lets you pick your protein; you get a little vegetable medley on the side and then you get mashed potatoes or a baked potato choice, and you can also upgrade to a loaded baked potato if you’d like, or do a side salad instead of the veggies or something along those lines,” he says.
According to Laughlin, “If you come out with your family and there’s one meat eater, there’s one vegetarian, there’s a vegan, and there’s someone who doesn’t like anything ever, I’ve tried to design a menu to please everybody and give everyone a little taste of something that they’ll like.”
Makai Island Kitchen and Groggery
Chelsea Holmes, Makai’s executive chef, is getting in the mood for the fall season. “Definitely a lot of the warm flavors, bringing in pumpkin and yams, a little more curries, a little more spices that you can play around with,” Holmes says. “At Makai we currently have a pumpkin curry dish that we are putting some sweet potatoes in, and fried tofu. It’s coming out vegan. We have a coconut base for it, and we use a yellow curry base mixed in with the coconut milk. We’re literally using pumpkin puree in the curry base for the sauce. It’s so smooth, and the pumpkin totally mellows and calms the spice. It’s so good it’s ridiculous.”
Mobo Sushi
Celia Vogel, a Mobo Sushi co-owner with husband Ben Vogel, sees the upside in the shorter days of the fall season. With darkness falling earlier, she says, people gather earlier in the evenings. “It’s nice. I feel like you spend a little more time together. I enjoy how fall brings people together,” Vogel says.
People have been gathering at Mobo Sushi for close to three decades, but Vogel says this is the first time the eatery has participated in Restaurant Week. “Because we are kind of an older restaurant I feel like there’s probably a whole generation that may not know about us,” Vogel says. “I hope we can bring some people in who haven’t been here or who haven’t come in for a while. It’ll be nice.”
“We put a couple new items that we have on our menu, and I’m excited for people to try those. We put them out a little while ago, and people have been enjoying them quite a bit. We have such a big menu; things can get buried in there, especially when they’re new. So it’ll be nice to have some of those being up front so people can see them and give them a try, because I think they’re delicious,” she says. “The Hamachi Nama Crudo is new, the Mobo Salad is new, and the Spicy Sesame Edamame is new, and a couple of desserts are new, so it’s just exciting to have some new things happening.”
The Point Kitchen & Bar
Erick Gonzalez, general manager at The Point Kitchen & Bar, reveals what the staff likes most about the fall: “We can be creative. We have a bar and we get to make creative cocktails, and even do hot cocktails. Right now we’re doing Halloween cocktails that we rotate regularly. Foodwise, we’re doing pumpkin cheesecake, we’re doing a fall harvest salad. We get to play around with the menu more than other times of the year.”
For Restaurant Week, Gonzalez says, “We decided to go with three appetizers: the Crispy Brussels Sprouts, a BLT-type house salad And we are doing a cup of soup. We’ll have clam chowder and also a veggie option. For the clam chowder, it’s actually an award-winning chowder. We participated in the Chowder Cook-off in February of this year and under the professional category we took second place.”
Of the three main entrees—steak, salmon and chicken—Gonzalez says that red meat is “what we’re known for. We’re always rotating between filets, ribeyes, flatirons—so we decided to go with a New York steak. We’re adding a horseradish sauce on top of it. It’s going to be 10 ounces, so that’s a really big piece. I think other places are doing smaller ones.” And the chicken dish can be modified for vegetarians: It comes with artichoke hearts, capers, garlic, lemon, white wine sauce, Parmesan cheese and locally made gnocchi.
“Restaurant Week is always our best week of the year, and each year we’ve done better and better and we get better feedback. We’re excited and the team is ready,” Gonzalez says.
Pono Hawaiian Grill
Tim Hunt, owner of Pono’s restaurants in Santa Cruz and Capitola, grew up in Hawaii, where there aren’t many seasonal weather changes. But here, he enjoys the season. “Things slow down, we’re able to focus on specials, community events, bringing the community together as a restaurant,” he says. “We kind of differ from other restaurants that just do food. We do entertainment as well so we’re constantly working on different community events that involve the surfing industry and of course the Hawaiian community. In the fall you’ll see more of that stuff happening.”
It’s also a time when the staff has the time to add a few new specials. One is the Flying Pig Sando, made with grilled spam, pineapple and aioli—“we make our own chili crunch oil. That one is a tasty, savory, umami, just a delicious burger, and we top it all off with a King’s Hawaiian sweet bun…it’s famous for a reason.”
Another show-stopper is the furikake fries: “Those are pretty simple, but we also make our own furikake topping, which we sell all over the place—Hawaii, the U.S., Amazon, Walmart, everything. We’re really starting to blossom with our product,” Hunt says.
Katsu Musubi, Kalua Pork Tots, Mama Kathy’s Teriyaki Chicken and other classics round out the menu, including two desserts. One is Haupia, which is coconut pudding. “Very simple but really delicious,” Hunt says. “If you go to any luau in Hawaii, they will have haupia. If they don’t, it’s not a real Hawaiian luau. Get out of there. You’ve gotta have haupia,” Hunt says, laughing.
Riva Fish House
It’s autumn on the Wharf, and Chelsea Holmes, executive chef at Riva, is celebrating not only Santa Cruz Restaurant Week but also 13 days of Halloween, with a special appetizer: Trick or Treaties. The dish features six fritters, one of which has a little extra kick. “Five pieces are chipotle cheddar. The sixth has chopped jalapeño inside. One lucky person will get the Trick,” Holmes says.
She’s also excited about one of the entrees for Restaurant Week: the Cajun Seafood Boil. “It’s got mussels, shrimp, crab, our housemade Cajun spice rub. We use a little bit of marinara, corn and red potatoes, and it’s all simmered together with garlic, wine and butter. It’s kind of like our cioppino, but 10 levels above it. It’s the corn—I could eat a whole case of corn simmered in this sauce,” Holmes says. And for palates that favor a sweet touch, the soy ginger sauce “is so insanely good,” she says. “We literally take Anaheim peppers and roast them, peel the skins off and purée them with some sautéed ginger and some green onions, some sesame oil and soy sauce and a little bit of brown sugar. The flavor profile you get from it is fantastic.”
Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen
Sarah Bargetto came on board as chef of the Venus Beachside location about half a year ago and this is her first Restaurant Week. She’s been collaborating with Carlos Perez, chef at Venus Westside, on a menu for the occasion. “Five of the dishes are my dishes, and Chef Carlos has two dishes that he’ll be providing for a first and second course. One of our dessert options—chocolate torte—has been on the menu for a while and is one of our best sellers at Venus.”
Fall “is a time for comfort food—I love creating those warm dishes. On the Restaurant Week menu, that pork belly has a lot of warm spices in there,” Bargetto says. “It tastes just like fall to me.”
Bargetto notes that many items on the Restaurant Week menu could become regular dishes. “Probably the beet carpaccio, hopefully the pork belly,” she says. “The short rib will be going on the Westside menu. I think we will be including the lobster risotto on the Beachside menu. The maitake mushroom dish is kind of an homage to our miso salmon dish—a lot of similar flavors there. So I think we’re pushing to be creative but also have some nods to what we already have and what we will be putting on the menu as well.”
Given the importance of spirits at Venus, it’s not surprising that there are cocktails designed to accompany the Restaurant Week menu (for an additional charge, of course). Three are new: Bourbon Smash, Mamma Mia Mule, and Fall Negroni. The latter, made with the newly released 2025 Fall Gin, sage, apples and fall spices, pairs with the Panna Cotta. “A great drink and dessert to end the meal,” Bargetto says.
Zelda’s on the Beach
At this classic Capitola Village eatery, Jill Ealy is ready for autumn. “After the rush of summer and the busy tourist season, fall gives us a chance to slow down a bit and reconnect with our local community,” says the Zelda’s owner. “It’s when we see more of our regulars, play with seasonal ingredients, and bring a little warmth and comfort back to the restaurant. There’s something special about that cozy, coastal feeling in Capitola when the weather cools and the sunsets come earlier. It’s really one of the best times of year to dine by the beach without the crowds.”
For Restaurant Week, Ealy is featuring some popular dishes. “Our Cioppino and Flat Iron Steak are longtime favorites, as well as adding in our Halibut Risotto, which started as a special last year and quickly became one of the most-ordered items on the menu,” Ealy says. “For starters, our Crispy Calamari is always a must, and we’re finishing things off with our Coconut Cheesecake and Bread Pudding, both made from scratch in house.”
Where to Go
Avanti Restaurant
1917 Mission St., Santa Cruz, 831-427-0135, avantisantacruz.com
Bruno’s Bar & Grill
230 Mt. Hermon Rd., Ste. G, Scotts Valley, 831-438-2227, brunosbarandgrill.com
Chocolat
1522 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, 831-427-9900, chocolatesantacruz.com
Crow’s Nest
2218 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, 831-476-4560, crowsnest-santacruz.com
East End Gastropub
1501 41st Ave., Capitola, 831-475-8010, eastendpub.com
Gabriella Cafe
910 Cedar St., Santa Cruz, 831-457-1677, gabriellacafe.com
Hook and Line
105 Walnut Ave., Santa Cruz, 831-225-0434, eathookandline.com
Hula’s Island Grill and Tiki Room
221 Cathcart St., Santa Cruz, 831-426-4852, hulastiki.com
Jack O’Neill Restaurant & Lounge at the Dream Inn
175 West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, 831-740-8137, jackoneillrestaurant.com
Laili Restaurant
101-B Cooper St., Santa Cruz, 831-423-4545, lailirestaurant.com
La Posta
538 Seabright Ave., Santa Cruz, 831-457-2782 or 831-457-9782, lapostarestaurant.com
Laughing Monk Brewing and Gastropub
262 Mount Hermon Road, Unit 103, Scotts Valley, 831-226-2870, scottsvalley.laughingmonkbrewing.com
Makai Island Kitchen & Groggery
49A Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, 831-466-9766, makaisantacruz.com
Margaritaville
231 Esplanade, Capitola, 831-476-2263, margaritavillecapitola.com
Mobo Sushi
105 S. River St., Santa Cruz, 831-425-1700, mobosushirestaurant.com
Paradise Beach Grille
215 Esplanade, Capitola, 831-476-4900, paradisebeachgrille.com
Pete’s Fish House
231 Esplanade, #102, Capitola, 831-453-0801, petesfishhouse.com
The Point Kitchen & Bar
3326 Portola Drive, Santa Cruz, 831-476-2733, thepointkitchenandbar.com
Pono Hawaiian Grill
120 Union St., Santa Cruz, 831-621-7448, ponohawaiiangrill.com
3744 Capitola Rd, Santa Cruz, 831-476-7458, ponohawaiiangrill.com
Riva Fish House
31 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, 831-429-1223, rivafishhouse.com
Rosie McCann’s Irish Pub
1220 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, 831-426-9930, rosiemccanns.com
Sugo Italian Pasta Bar
1116 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, 831-431-6965, sugoitalianpastabar.com
Venus Spirits Cocktails and Kitchen | Beachside
131 Esplanade, Aptos, 831-688-8917, venusspirits.com
Venus Spirits Cocktails and Kitchen | Westside
200 High Rd, Santa Cruz. 831-600-7376, venusspirits.com
Zelda’s on the Beach
203 Esplanade, Capitola, 831-475-4900, zeldasonthebeach.com
