Maybe you are holding out hope your true love is going to give to you 12 drummers drumming, 11 pipers piping, 10 lords a-leaping, nine ladies dancing, eight maids a-milking, seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, five gold rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and one chaste partridge in a pear tree.
Partly because being given seven female dancers and eight milk maids hasn’t aged well, I’m taking a different holiday tack.
Instead of crossing fingers and wish-casting ahead, I’m glancing back at a full dozen delicious developments that already qualify as 2025 gifts.
Though I could use a few drummers drumming to furnish a drum roll for my list, appearing here in ascending order of awesomeness.
12. Insomnia Cookies
True to its name, this spot honors after-hours cravings as late as 3am with indulgent options out of a strategic downtown spot (1010 Pacific Ave., Suites C&D). The cookie options are expansive and inventive—more than 20 total—with brownies, ice cream and custom ice cream cookie sandwiches too. insomniacookies.com
11. Cliffside Coffee Bar
The year’s smallest new food-and-drink debut also commands one of the coolest locations (Pleasure Point Park). The espresso stars, complemented by matcha, cider, lattes and pastries. instagram.com/cliffsidecoffeebar/
10. The Foodlab + The Landing + Vin Vivant
This new wine bar-food truck concept lies a little beyond Santa Cruz County (7990 Hwy 1, Moss Landing) boundaries but earns inclusion for a dynamite duality of vino tasting destination curated by sommelier Ryan Cooley and soft-shell crab sandwiches and crave-level burgers from chef Todd Williamson. Meanwhile, Cooley teams with Michelin-honored wine mind John Haffey on Vin Vivant in the old Capitola Wine Bar (115 San Jose Ave. #G).
9. Gabrielita Tamaleria
The authentic Oaxacan food that makes Gabriella Cafe a hit takes on a smaller, newer, more laidback form featuring the chicken mole, black bean, chile rojo and pork verde invoked in the name, plus burritos. The January debut doesn’t have a social media page, its own website, or even an address, but it does have an admirable spot for its kiosk (on Pacific Avenue, in front of Bookshop Santa Cruz near the Lincoln Street intersection).
8. Emilie and the Frenchies
In April, Aptos got a francophile-friendly infusion of espresso, breakfast tartness, Niçoise salad and sandwiches in the form of a bakery-cafe in the former Carried Away (7564 Soquel Drive), across the street from the updated Aptos Public LibraryCo-owner Céline Molière sums up the cute pin-striped spot succinctly. “It’s a French cafe that is affordable, generous, healthy, and not fussy,” she says. emilieandthefrenchies.com
7. Mad Yolks #2
The Pacific Avenue institution now has a Pleasure Point sibling (830 41st Ave.) with familiar DNA: egg-loaded Mad Chick fried chicken sandwiches, breakfast burgers, and the best selling B.A.E. (thick cut bacon, avocado, soft scrambled egg, plus extra sharp cheddar, caramelized onions and spicy aioli). That opened in July, and Mad Yolks went on to add a San Jose spot in November (1087 Meridian Ave #40). madyolks.com
6. Salty Otter Sports Grill
Longtime Santa Cruz resident and industry pro Rachael Carla Smith remembers when 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall was a bustling tap house in the heart of downtown Santa Cruz. In spring she introduced the Otter (110 Walnut Ave., Santa Cruz) after years nurturing The Salty Seal Brewpub on Cannery Row. It’s an honest-to-Goddess sports bar with 30 taps, billiards table, dog-friendly patio and menu, with classics like calamari, Gilroy garlic fries, clam chowder, big burgers, fish ’n’ chips and your game on the telly. saltyottersportsgrill.com
5. Fusion Fare Restaurant
Szechuan heat zings up items like crispy pepper chicken, fried eggplant and red-oil dumplings at centrally located Fusion Fare (1003 Cedar St., Santa Cruz). Other goodies worth a gander include tofu rainbow salad, peppercorn stir fry salad, braised chicken and Szechuan street burger. fusionfarerestaurant.com
4. Silver Spur #2
The Live Oak legend has thrived for decades on the strength of its breakfast-lunch lineup of big omelets, scrambles, waffles and special Spur sandwiches. Its sequel premiered in spring in Watsonville’s East Lake Village (1040 E Lake Ave.) with the same seasoned team—namely longtime SS cook Juan Valencia and his son Danny Govea—directing operations. instagram.com/silverspurranchco
3. La Bahia Hotel & Spa
Long-awaited La Bahia Hotel & Spa (215 Beach St., Santa Cruz) gives the Boardwalk-adjacent destination no fewer than four on-premise possibilities. High Tide channels elevated Pacific Rim flavors and a great view. Low Tide travels more casual but retains the island tropicality. Pearl cocktail bar invokes London sensibilities. Plunge does poolside dining with ceviches and smash burgers. At the August ribbon cutting, Mayor Fred Keeley called the overall operation, crowned by its tiled bell tower, “a new benchmark in our community.” labahiahotel.com
2. D20 Pizza
Talk about a potent combination. This summertime debut, in the former Burger (1520 Mission St., Santa Cruz), does some outstanding Detroit-style pizza, and pairs it with a wealth of board games. The pies go 8 by 10 inches and range from cup pepperoni to Almost Maui to Nana’s Pesto Pesto; the games cover even more ground, leaping from Ticket to Ride to Far East classic Go to Dungeons & Dragons, whose iconic 20-sided die inspired the pizzeria’s name. instagram.com/d20pizza
1. Mane Kitchen & Cocktails
Led by two astrological Leos in chef Desmond Schneider and mixologist Julianna Mireles, Mane roared into downtown Santa Cruz on Halloween, occupying what was Betty’s Eat In (1222 Pacific Ave.), with an overhauled look and multidimensional appeal. The decor leans contemporary chic. The bistro fare explores coastal Californian-French-Mediterranean flavors with an emphasis on Monterey Bay seafood and Santa Cruz produce. The drinks get creative and memorable. No partridges or pears needed. manekc.com
