Welcome to Lily Belli on Food, a weekly food-focused newsletter from Lookout’s food and drink correspondent, Lily Belli. Keep reading for the latest local food news for Santa Cruz County – plus a few fun odds and ends from my own life and around the web.
… Abbott Square, one of Santa Cruz’s most popular hangouts, is searching for two new food and drink businesses to join an established cohort of independent stalls offering everything from sushi to burgers.
There are two spots available at the public market adjacent to the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History downtown, general manager Joey Ward told me. He’s seeking tenants for a space in the Octagon – a brick building adjacent to the square – and one spot in the main food court. The latter is the spot currently occupied by Press, a gelato and sandwich shop, which closed in December.
Chicken kiosk Flashbird closed its final location inside the main food court, and Pana Venezuelan Food, which has been in the Octagon for three years, will move into the Flashbird space, creating a vacancy there.
Ward is looking for business with concepts that are distinct from what’s already on offer at the square. “I wouldn’t sign on someone who’s going to step on the toes of anyone else. We have to have a balance of what our offerings are,” he said. Read the story here.
… Other Brother Beer Co. opened its first satellite taproom, in Aptos Village, at the end of December, and it’s open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. A red-tiled back bar offers 22 taps of Other Brother draft beer – all made in Seaside – as well as wine and nonalcoholic beverages, plus canned beer and a full menu that includes several kid-friendly options.
Rather than replicate the burgers and fries that the original location is known for, chef Josie Lewis leaned into fresh, lively flavors rather than fried foods. There’s no fryer or hood in Aptos, so the space required a pivot and some creativity, she said.
Her take on a classic chicken Parmesan sandwich ($20) is a standout. She smothers a golden-brown cutlet with tomato sauce and luscious stracciatella – the creamy inside of a burrata – and it oozes appetizingly out of a seeded Manresa Bread roll. For the roast beef sandwich ($18) served on a fluffy Manresa Bread brioche bun, thin, tender slices of beef are layered with peppery arugula, white cheddar and a kick of horseradish. Both come with a rainbow-colored side of house-made giardiniera and potato chips. Read my review here.
… As of Monday, the commercial Dungeness crab season is officially open in California, but those seeking local crab will see only out-of-state crustaceans until at least Thursday, local sources told me. Two stormy issues are to blame: a strike among crab fishers to set a higher price, and literal storms, which created difficult conditions to set traps. Smaller crab fishers and large industry buyers reached an agreement Tuesday – no word yet on the price they determined – and the skies are clear again. Expect to see live California-caught crab at area grocery stores and sustainable fishmongers like Ocean2Table and H&H Fresh Fish Co. later this week.
NOTED
New year, new newsletters! In 2026, we’re making changes to Friday’s Eaters Digest and Thursday’s Weekender newsletters. Starting Jan. 8, the best of Eaters Digest – dining tips, best bites and food events – will combine with Weekender’s top arts and entertainment news for one weekend-focused guide, delivered on Thursdays.
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
In Lookout’s end-of-year Newsmakers series, the newsroom looked back on the people and topics that made headlines in 2025. Seabright business owners Michael Spadafora and Patrice Boyle reflect on a tumultuous year for their businesses as the Murray Street Bridge closure slashed summer traffic, left them struggling to survive and exposed what they describe as a lack of communication and meaningful help from the city.
While their activism hasn’t gained much traction with officials, community support from customers and local organizations has helped them hold on through a precarious year, they said. Read the story here.
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
Deadheads, mark your calendars: On Feb. 26, Bookshop Santa Cruz and UC Santa Cruz’s Humanities Institute will host a discussion around the new release “Dead in the Kitchen: The Official Grateful Dead Cookbook.” The event, Kitchen Counterculture: A Conversation About Jerry Garcia, the Grateful Dead, and the Food that Fueled a Revolution, will feature award-winning food writer Gabi Moskowitz and journalist and author Jim Newton. The event is free, but RSVPs are encouraged, and will be held at Bookshop Santa Cruz in downtown Santa Cruz.
LIFE WITH THE BELLIS
Lately, I’ve been trying to merge gatherings at my home that are purely for children – the playdate – and solely for adults – the dinner party or late-night hang – into events that are fun for all of the guests. On Saturday, I had my friend and her family over for cocktail hour, and decided to involve my kids – Marco, 4½, and Cecilia, 2½ – in the party preparations.
Their excitement and willingness to help surprised me. First, we made a big charcuterie board with snacks we had in the fridge and pantry. There were adult treats on there, like olives and fancy cheese, but also plenty of stuff that younger palates could enjoy: cubed cheddar, whole wheat crackers, salami, apples and chocolate-covered star-shaped cookies. Marco got really into it, and voted to add dried mango to the board.
He didn’t stop there. He opened my entertainment cupboard and brought out the fancy plates I like to use at holidays, then placed them around the table with a napkin on top. When our friends arrived, Marco was so excited to show off the board we had created together. His enthusiasm as a host was adorable, and both took it seriously and had a lot of fun. I loved sitting around the table with my whole family, my friends and their lovely kiddos, clinking glasses of seltzer and sauvignon blanc.
FOOD NEWS WORTH READING
➤ After decades of avoiding the spotlight, Brown Estate, Napa Valley’s first Black-owned winery, has decided to become more visible with a new tasting room, a second, less-expensive brand, and public events at the estate. A desire to draw attention to its craft and “show up” for the Black community drove the change, the family said. (San Francisco Chronicle/$)
➤ Weight-loss medications like Ozempic are driving the biggest shift in packaged foods in years, companies say. The demand for high-protein, low-sugar, nutrient-dense foods and snacks is surging and driving product innovation in everything from yogurt to ramen and pizza. (Food & Wine)