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.
… When I brought up my research on two stories on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s evolving food scene to my friends, the unanimous response was, “You mean corn dogs and funnel cake?” Clearly, Santa Cruz’s iconic seaside amusement park isn’t exactly known as a culinary destination, but that’s changing quickly.
Over the past few years, the Santa Cruz Seaside Company – which owns the Boardwalk and runs many of its concessions – and Whiting’s Foods, its largest concessionaire, have worked to make food part of the fun by blending new diverse dining options alongside the Tater Twists and salt-water taffy. At the same time, they’ve made a conscious shift away from premade and frozen ingredients and toward fresh and homemade foods. Many new items are made or cooked to order in front of guests. Swirling crepes, grilling brisket over live coals and twisting pretzels both showcase the freshness of the product and give diners a show.
The first story takes you behind the scenes on this seismic shift. And you can sink your teeth into my guide to my top 12 new Boardwalk treats – from tikka masala to nitrogen-blasted ice cream and a Nashville hot chicken sandwich.
… Ella’s at the Airport has gone off the radar. Last week, the brunch, lunch and dinner spot at the Watsonville Municipal Airport closed suddenly after 10 years in business under two owners.
A post last Wednesday on Ella’s Facebook page didn’t give a precise reason for the closure. “Due to unexpected circumstances, we’ve made the difficult decision to close Ella’s at the Airport,” it said. “We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our incredible team, who showed up every day with dedication, hard work, and kindness.”
The restaurant was the site of romantic dinners, community fundraisers – and, more recently, a public protest against a pro-Trump viewing party, although it’s unclear if community backlash played a role in the decision to close. Here’s what we know.
… On Friday at around 10:30 p.m., the Santa Cruz Fire Department responded to a fire at Royal Taj, an Indian restaurant at 270 Soquel Ave. near downtown. The blaze originated in the kitchen, and no one was injured. The cause of the fire is unknown and under investigation. The restaurant is currently closed until further notice.
… On Thursday, Grocery Outlet opened on 41st Avenue in Capitola in the former New Leaf Community Market space. (In November, the Capitola New Leaf moved to the King’s Plaza Shopping Center across the street.) The national franchise offers discounts of as much as 60% on conventional grocery items. This location will be operated by Renee Johnson, a Capitola entrepreneur. It is the third Grocery Outlet location in Santa Cruz County; there are also stores in Santa Cruz and Watsonville.
NOTED
Congratulations to Marianne’s Ice Cream, Pacific Cooking Company and Marini’s Candies for earning top spots in USA Today’s annual readers’ choice lists. Marini’s placed third for Best Candy Store, Pacific Cookie Co. placed seventh for Best Cookie Store, and Marianne’s placed 10th for Best Ice Cream Shop. The rankings are decided based on votes by readers and the paper’s judgment.
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
Explore the small urban wineries in Santa Cruz’s Westside neighborhood at the Surf City Wine Walk on Saturday, July 12. Expect select pours from more than a dozen vintners, such as Sones Cellars, Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard and Madson Wines. Tickets are $50.
LIFE WITH THE BELLIS
My family spent four sunny days camping at Plaskett Creek Campground in southern Big Sur last week, and I enjoyed three evenings cooking on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The first night, I seared carne asada – pre-marinated at home and transported in a double-ziplocked bag – for epic taco salads. The next night, we made sausages with peppers and onions, while the kids ate hot dogs. The final night, our friends made a sensational paella with chorizo, mussels and shrimp. Breakfast was pancakes for the kiddos and Greek yogurt with berries and homemade roasted nuts with olive oil and sea salt for the adults, plus lots of coffee. During the day, we picnicked on salami, cheese, crackers, cut veggies, strawberries and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at the beach across the street from the campground. I miss it already – take me back!
FOOD NEWS WORTH READING
➤ A deep congratulations to Bad Animal – Santa Cruz’s rare book store-slash-natural wine bar-slash-Thai restaurant – for being included in the Los Angeles Times’ list of the 101 best restaurants in California, compiled by critic Bill Addison. Check out the full list here. (Los Angeles Times)
➤ Tariffs are coming for our tomatoes. By prioritizing Florida-grown over Mexican-imported fruit, the Trump administration could thrust one of the most flavorless pieces of produce on grocery store shelves onto Americans. Here, a look into why these tomatoes taste so bad, and how tariffs could affect U.S. growers, from The New York Times’ Opinion section. (The New York Times)