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.
… Two Santa Cruz-based event companies are kicking off the holiday season by filling long-vacant buildings in downtown Santa Cruz with a series of pop-ups.
Last week, Collective Santa Cruz announced on Instagram that it will hold two holiday markets, on Dec. 21 and Dec. 22 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., inside the old Logos Books & Records building on Pacific Avenue. The daytime events will feature more than two dozen Santa Cruz-area artists, craftspeople and food vendors, as well as craft beer by Humble Sea Brewing Co.
Toward the north end of Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz Mountains Makers Market is hosting weekly craft fairs with more than 25 artists inside the former Palace Art & Office Supply space on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through December. The events will be similar to the monthly markets the event company has hosted on Pacific Avenue every third Sunday for the past three years – just indoors. Read the story here.
… Home restaurant in Soquel Village has opened Home Away, a casual daytime bar and market around the corner from the original fine-dining dinner-only spot, serving seasonal small plates, soups, salads and local beer, wine and cider. After a soft opening with limited hours in mid-November, Home Away will expand to a Wednesday-Sunday schedule starting this Wednesday, Dec. 3, and will add grab-and-go items in January.
Here’s the story – watch for an update later this week on what chef Brad Briske is cooking up inside.
… The owners of Bottega del Lago have stocked the Live Oak Italian market’s shelves with imported Christmas goodies, including fine vinegars and olive oils, cookies, panettone and candies, jarred sauces and artisan pasta, and more. Business partners Matteo Robecchi, his wife, Lindsay Rodriguez, and Giovanni Spanu – who also own Italian restaurant Lago di Como down the street from Bottega – have created the market for years, and always manage to find treats with star power – like a panettone in a holiday tin created by Italian designer Dolce & Gabbana. (If you need more details, here’s my story on Bottega del Lago from October 2024.)
… La Posta Restaurant in the Seabright neighborhood of Santa Cruz will celebrate its 19th birthday on Sunday, Dec. 7, by popping some special bottles and pairing them with its seasonal, Italy-meets-California cuisine. That evening, the restaurant will spotlight wines from winery Ca’ del Bosco, one of the most acclaimed producers from the Franciacorta region in northern Italy. Reservations are required – go to lapostarestaurant.com/19th for more info.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
In January, Chris and Tiffany Phillips transformed their former shower door shop in Live Oak into Santa Cruz Mushrooms, a boutique indoor farm where they grow ultra-fresh culinary fungi, including lesser-known varieties like Italian oyster mushrooms and chestnut mushrooms. After a personal health journey sparked Chris’ passion five years ago, their business has grown over the past year, fueled by restaurant demand, and the couple is preparing to expand production in 2026. Check it out.
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
Venus Spirits is hosting its third annual bartender competition on Monday, Dec. 15, at 8 p.m. at the Westside Santa Cruz tasting room. I was a judge last year, and was absolutely blown away by the skill, creativity and athleticism – those shakers were flyin’! – of the contestants, all of whom sling drinks at Santa Cruz-area bars. It’s free to watch and open to the public, with food for purchase by Sarah Bargetto.
NOTED
No Lily Belli on Food next week – I’ll be on vacation. It’ll be back in your inbox on Dec. 16. (No disruption to Eaters Digest – the next edition will arrive this Friday.)
LIFE WITH THE BELLIS
My husband, Mike, and I are getting ready for a quick vacation to New York City this weekend, with no kids (thanks, Mom and Dad!). I lived in NYC briefly after I graduated college, but I haven’t been back in over a decade, and Mike has never been before. Our main prerogative is to eat, of course, and enjoy the vibe of the city, more than particular sites, during our brief three-day stay.
In an iconic city teeming with options, we’re sticking to some classics with a few newer spots mixed in: L’Industrie Pizzeria for late night slices and maybe some standup at the Comedy Cellar, a stroll through the Union Square Greenmarket, pastrami sandwiches at Katz’s Deli, dinner at historic Keens Steakhouse, drinks at Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle hotel, and a late-night reservation at Michelin-starred Rezdora.
But how could I plan a trip without getting recommendations from my readers? Send them my way – particularly daytime spots around Central Park and in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
FOOD NEWS WORTH READING
➤ Washington Post restaurant critic Elazar Sontag – who just came into the newly forward-facing position last month – announced that he’s bringing back star ratings, which have been on hiatus since 2020. Although our mileage may vary on the value of the reviews themselves out here on the West Coast, thousands of miles away from Sontag’s jurisdiction, I find the conversation around the ethics of dining criticism and how best to serve readers fascinating. (The Washington Post/$)
➤ A bit closer to home, San Francisco Chronicle associate restaurant critic Cesar Hernandez – one of the few anonymous critics left after a wave of revelations last year – shared his take on Modesto’s thriving food truck scene, including his top four spots for dishes like torta ahogada and goat birria. As someone who drives through the valley on a semi-regular basis to visit my parents, you can bet I’ll be going out of my way to stop here next time. (San Francisco Chronicle/$)