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.
… Santa Cruz County’s food safety net is under growing strain as deep federal funding cuts and new SNAP restrictions reduce the food supply to local nonprofits. With demand already high — more than a quarter of county residents rely on food assistance each month — local leaders warn that thousands more will soon lose benefits.
At a Sept. 30 meeting of the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, Second Harvest Food Bank CEO Erica Padilla-Chavez and other county health leaders warned that the situation could get a lot worse when cuts to assistance programs laid out in H.R. 1, aka President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” come down.
“These cuts mean that we’re going to see food banks across the nation become the first line of defense against food insecurity,” said Padilla-Chavez. “We recognize that this is going to be a very challenging time for people to secure and maintain benefits.” Here’s the story.
… Santa Cruz-based Verve Coffee Roasters will pay nearly $200,000 to 33 current and former employees at its San Francisco café after a city investigation found the company failed to follow a local health care law for three years. The amount each employee will receive varies depending on how many total hours they worked at the café, with individual payments ranging from $393 to $20,677.
The settlement comes as Verve faces growing labor scrutiny, including recent union votes and controversy over a now-removed service fee tied to employee benefits. Read the story here.
… Be sure to vote for your favorite food & drink experiences – like beer selection, farmers market or mocktail menu – and restaurants with the best burritos, sushi, vegetarian cuisine and more, in the first annual Lookout List. We’re tallying up the votes to spotlight some of the best businesses in Santa Cruz County, so don’t forget to show your favorite places some love.
Voting ends Sunday, Oct. 26, and Lookout will reveal the winners on Nov. 3. Vote here.
ON THE MENU
While researching this story on rising food insecurity and the challenges facing local organizations, I was struck by the lunch program at Grey Bears in Santa Cruz. In the past five years, the free offering has grown from serving a few dozen volunteers and staff members to feeding up to 300 visitors a day, as more residents turn to the nonprofit for food and connection amid rising costs and isolation. For many – from retirees to unhoused residents – the daily meal offers a vital sense of belonging, not just nourishment. Watch for the story tomorrow.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
On Saturday, Watsonville Public House poured its last pint. The nonprofit craft brewery closed after less than two years, citing financial strain from construction overruns and investors seeking to pull funding. Here’s the story.
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
The annual Chili Cook-Off at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk returns this Saturday. Amateur and professional cooks vie for public votes and judge approval as they seek the titles of Best Red Chili and Best Vegetarian Chili. Visitors can sample chilis and cast their vote by purchasing a tasting kit for $15. Tasting begins at 1 p.m. and the winners will be announced at 4 p.m.
LIFE WITH THE BELLIS
Before I had kids, having people over for dinner was my love language. But a triple hitter of the pandemic, followed by having two children within two years, and a sudden mid-30s, Instagram-induced anxiety that my house should look a certain way in order to entertain, put a near-total stop to it. I missed it deeply, and this year vowed to start hosting again. And, in the past two weeks, I’ve had two dinner parties and made spaghetti and meatballs, plus chocolate chip cookies for a friend with a new baby. I’m back!
On Sunday, I hosted a birthday party for my father-in-law, with our family and a close friend. First, the wine came out, along with olives, salami and fresh bread and olive oil. By request, I made chicken cacciatori with my favorite easy oven polenta, with a simple salad with shaved fennel. If I make dinner, I like to buy dessert (or vice versa), so I picked up two types of Sicilian cookies from Il Biscotto, one of my favorite booths at the Live Oak farmers market.
FOOD NEWS WORTH READING
➤ Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a new law that will require restaurant chains with 20 or more locations to disclose major food allergens on their menus. The list includes nine major allergens: milk, eggs, shellfish, fish, wheat, soy, sesame, peanuts and tree nuts. The law goes into effect on July 1, 2026. (National Law Review)
➤ Pumpkins are symbols of autumn, but while the plant is indigenous to America, by the 1800s it had developed as a cultural symbol of an old-time way of living. Check out this seasonal dive into the botanical and etymological history of this rotund squash. (NPR)