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.
Stay in touch with me by text throughout the week – I send text alerts every time I publish a story. And you can text me back! Share your thoughts, send tips and give feedback. Sign up for texts from me here. Thanks to those of you who’ve already subscribed! Check out all of my food and drink coverage here.
… Over the past two years, a conflict between the owners of Capitola Bar & Grill, located on the Esplanade in Capitola Village, and the landlord has escalated into multiple lawsuits. I reported on the thorny situation in November. This week, owners Lasalle and Michelle Strong announced on social media that they have been “pushed to the limit” and will close the waterfront restaurant at the end of the month. Landlord Steve Yates says the restaurant’s lease expired eight months ago, and Capitola Bar & Grill has been a holdover tenant since July. He’s not sure how the Strongs’ departure at the end of January will affect the lawsuits currently in arbitration. Read more here.
… As I looked back on my reporting over the past year, one thing was clear: 2023 was a difficult year for local restaurants. Between intense weather that affected restaurants in the Santa Cruz Mountains and along the coast, and closures that outnumbered openings, there was more bad news than good. Movement within the industry slowed way down after a pandemic revival in 2022, with fewer pop-ups and more cost-conscious customers. So, with this in mind, what might be in store for the local industry in 2024? I spoke to local business owners and offer my own musings in this story on Lookout.
… Emily Thomas and Chad Brill, the owners of Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing, have sold the 18-year-old Westside Santa Cruz brewery to Adair Paterno, owner of Capitola-based Sante Adairius Rustic Ales, and her husband, Brad Clark, owner of Private Press Brewing in Santa Cruz. The sale will be finalized at the end of the month, and marks the end of an era in the local craft beer community, which Thomas and Brill helped build over the past two decades.
Not much will change, Paterno told Lookout. She and Clark plan to streamline some of SCMB’s beer recipes, and some of Sante Adairius and Private Press beers will be available on draft. “Emily is a dear friend and I have a mountain of respect for her and the community she built at her taproom, and through her fundraisers and events,” said Paterno in an email. Read more on Lookout.
… Agri-Culture, a nonprofit focused on agriculture leadership, education and farmworker assistance, offers six different scholarships for those seeking to further their education in the agricultural industry. Applications are now open; the deadline to apply is Feb. 16. The scholarship amounts range from $1,000 to $4,000. Find out more at agri-culture.us.
TEXT ME
Want to stay on top of the latest local food news? I send text alerts every time I publish a story. And you can text me back! Share your thoughts, send tips and give feedback. Sign up here.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
This month, I’m exploring the vegetarian and vegan options in Santa Cruz County. Every week, I’ll share in my Friday Eaters Digest column a dynamic, exciting, plant-based dish that’s worth seeking out, regardless of dietary preferences. First up: the silky, smoky, utterly harmonious mole negro at Copal in Santa Cruz. Check it out here, and make sure you’re subscribed to Eaters Digest.
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
The Santa Cruz Fungus Fair returns this weekend for – get this – its 50th year! This beloved local festival shares, explores and celebrates the vast world of mushrooms through arts and crafts, speakers, panel discussions, educational displays and much more. The event takes place at the London Nelson Community Center in downtown Santa Cruz on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. More info on the SCFF’s website.
THIS WEEK
The California commercial crab fishing industry has endured historic delays this season – the season was delayed a fourth time on Dec. 20 due to the continued presence of migrating humpback whales along the coast. On Thursday, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife will assess the risk to marine life. With any luck, the season might finally open this weekend. Local crab fishers are ready for it – over the weekend, I saw crab pots being loaded onto fishing boats in the Santa Cruz Harbor.
LIFE WITH THE BELLIS
I’m nine days into my January vegetarian journey, and if I had to pick one word to describe the shift in my diet so far it would be: indulgent. Rather than leaning on animal products, I’m giving myself permission to purchase more of the produce I adore – all varieties of mushrooms, which are exploding everywhere right now; organic tofu and tempeh; creamy potatoes, jewel-toned beets and sweet carrots; luscious bouquets of greens; and as much ginger, turmeric, green onions and garlic as I can legally carry out of the store. While I’m not cutting out dairy entirely, I am leaning on plant-based alternatives like cashew cream and coconut milk. Will I return to enjoying animal products at the end of the month? Definitely – but right now I don’t miss them at all.
FOOD NEWS WORTH READING
➤ After a year of anticipation from The Midway fans, chef Katherine Stern opened the popular farmers market brunch stall in a brick-and-mortar space. The upscale diner is located at the intersection of Seabright Avenue and Soquel Avenue in Midtown, and currently offers brunch and lunch four days a week. Dinner service is on the horizon, says Stern. (Lookout)
➤ The Dungeness crab season is open north of the Mendocino County line, but few crabs are making it to market there due to a strike by crab fishers in Humboldt County. The issue is that Pacific Seafood, which purchases a large amount of crab in the area, has set the price of crab at “50-85 cents lower per pound” compared to other locations in California and Oregon. (Eater SF)