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Eat this: Special sandwich aka “The Wilder” at The Picnic Basket
Down the street from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, The Picnic Basket has reopened after five months of renovations. The lunch spot-slash-ice cream parlor is owned by business partners Kendra Baker and Zach Davis, who also founded The Penny Ice Creamery, a local ice cream shop focused on seasonal, farmers market-driven flavors and organic ingredients. The Penny has grown to six locations – four in Santa Cruz County and two over the hill – but The Picnic Basket is the company’s only savory spot.
Last month, The Picnic Basket expanded into the former Aloha Santa Cruz beach store next store, more than doubling its footprint. Now, there’s seating inside in addition to the tables on the sidewalk patio, which is also twice as big. In the new space, Baker and Davis added a market with local wines, beers, nonalcoholic drinks and snacks, and a grab-and-go fridge stocked with salads, sandwiches, breakfast items like homemade chia seed pudding, and other goodies. It’s now a one-stop shop for a healthy lunch for anyone heading to one of the beaches across the street.
Of course, there’s still ice cream, and now the scoop and lunch counters are separate. Lots of people want to stop in just for a cone or a cup of coffee, Baker told me, and having its own register helps them serve those guests faster. And, the ice cream shop stays open until 9 p.m.; the restaurant closes at 4 p.m.
The menu hasn’t changed much – it’s still offering a lineup of thoughtful, homemade sandwiches and lunch items made with local ingredients, like the Picnic Basket Reuben ($15.50), a beet sandwich ($13.75) and breakfast burrito ($13.50). I have enjoyed all of those in the past, but now I have a new love: the current special sandwich, called The Wilder ($16).
This inspired creation satisfies all of the pleasure centers in my brain, with smoked ham, Swiss cheese, crunchy tart green apples, tangy kraut, whole-grain mustard, a pesto-like “magic green sauce” and large-leaved sunflower sprouts, all on a sturdy toasted francese roll. It’s addictively crunchy and fresh, but hearty and satisfying. It’ll be on the menu for the next few weeks, Baker told me. Check out the new space and try it before it’s gone.
125 Beach St., Santa Cruz; 831-427-9946; thepicnicbasketsc.com.
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Party time!
In case you haven’t heard us screaming it from the rooftops, the staff of Lookout won a coveted Pulitzer Prize in the breaking news category for our coverage of the devastating storms of January 2023. Of course, we’re having a party – and all members are invited.
Join us for a Lookout Pulitzer celebration at our downtown Santa Cruz office this Wednesday, May 22, from 5 to 7 pm. Have a drink and some snacks, and help us celebrate this win. This event is free to Lookout members, but space is limited, so please RSVP. Not yet a member? Sign up today to support our work and join the fun!
Best of the Week Ahead
Below, find a curated list of the best food and drink events in Santa Cruz County for the coming week. At the top, I share my picks of unmissable local happenings.
News of the week
ICYMI – here are the food news stories from Lookout that you might have missed, plus important news from beyond our borders picked by yours truly.
- Whale City Aptos brings beloved Davenport restaurant to Mid-County (Lookout)
- Laurie Love on Wine: Wine travels, Perfect Pair recap, comings and goings (Lookout)
- Beckmann’s Bakery scores big again at National Pie Championships (Lookout)
- Buzzy craft brewery opening S.F. waterfront taproom (San Francisco Chronicle)