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.
… It’s last call for a popular wine spot on Santa Cruz’s Westside.
Since 2016, Stockwell Cellars has been a site for weekend food pop-ups, live music and bottles of Central Coast-grown varietals shared at upturned barrels and communal tables. On Sept. 1, owners Eric Stockwell and Suzanne Zeber-Stockwell will close the doors to the tasting room to pursue other kinds of sales.
The couple plans to distribute their wine within the state and in Texas, where they live half the year. That’s a big change for Stockwell Cellars, which has sold the majority of its wine through the tasting room and its wine club since it opened a decade ago. But the traditional tasting room model no longer works for them, Zeber-Stockwell told me.
“What used to be engaging and educating people about wines and selling wine has turned into just entertaining people,” she said. “You’re not selling wine to go. People are enjoying wine on site only. That’s a big shift.” Here’s the story.
Get full access to Lookout Santa Cruz
Become a member to read all of Lookout’s local coverage, from politics and policy to education, dining and more. Annual and monthly membership options are available — start reading for as little as $17 today!
… It was a bad week for local bars. The Neighbor’s Pub, Santa Cruz’s only LGBTQ+-oriented drinking establishment, announced it will close this Sunday after less than two years. Owner Frankie Farr blamed the decision on high rent, issues with the building and increasing operating costs, and hopes to relocate the business to another location in the future. They also plan to host pop-up events in the community. “We’ve been together through life’s transitions. We hope you’ll stay for our transitions too,” said Farr in a social media post.
Over The Hill Gang Saloon, a Pleasure Point mainstay on Portola Drive famous for its cowboy aesthetic and swinging saloon doors, announced that after 35 years, its last day of service will be Sept. 20. In an Instagram post, owner Pete Hill said he was unable to agree to a 12.5% rent increase, and the property owners terminated the lease. “It will be the end of another chapter of Santa Cruz so many of us were lucky enough to know,” he wrote.
… La Placa Italian Cuisine opened on Mount Hermon Road in Scotts Valley over the weekend, in the former Casa Nostra restaurant space. Here, the owners have combined two former businesses: Ben Lomond’s La Placa Family Bakery, which closed at the original space on Highway 9 earlier this month, and Santa Cruz’s Bedda Mia restaurant – now closed at the space on Water Street – for an all-day Italian experience.
The bakery offers coffee, espresso and Sicilian pastries like bombolini, amaretti and tiramisu, while the restaurant’s menu lists classic Italian dishes, including a variety of antipasti, homemade pasta, pizzas and hearty mains like chicken Milanese. It’s open daily from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. I plan to visit in a few weeks and will report back.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
After nearly five decades of baking bagels in Santa Cruz County, Bagelry founder John Hamstra has retired and handed the business to former employee Sidney Grant and his wife, Tal Kamran. The new owners say they intend to keep the local institution unchanged, from its menu and affordable prices to its longtime staff. Read the story.
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
This Sunday, Circle & Square Bistro in Corralitos is collaborating with Sante Arcangeli Family Wines on a Chardonnay Retrospective. Starting at 2 p.m., winemaker John Benedetti will guide guests through a tasting of Santa Cruz Mountains chardonnay, paired with small bites from the bistro prepared by chef Tyler Reiner. Tickets are $85.
LIFE WITH THE BELLIS
When was the last time you were invited to a tea party? After my good friend threw such an event for her daughter’s fifth birthday on Saturday, I’m convinced we all need more tea parties in our lives. She set up a low table in her backyard with pillows on the ground, and set out thrifted teacups, two pots of herbal tea, those brown, square sugar cubes and a pitcher of cream. The food: three different kinds of sandwiches cut into squares and trays of small treats like mini-cinnamon rolls purchased from a local bakery, plus fresh fruit.
Her daughter asked everyone to dress up, so my daughter, Cecilia, 3, came in a butterfly princess dress and my son, Marco, 5, dressed up as a cowboy. I cannot describe how delighted all of the children and adults were pouring tea for each other, stirring in sugar cubes and snacking on adorable treats. It all felt so special.
FOOD NEWS WORTH READING
➤ Fast-food apps from major restaurant chains like Starbucks and Burger King have made ordering easier, and loyalty programs offer steep discounts, while collecting a wealth of data about what, when and how often customers eat. The trade-off: more personalized marketing and a whole lot less privacy. (Eater)
➤ Americans are falling out of love with plant-based milks made from ingredients like almonds and oats, and choosing dairy, according to new data. The market has fallen by 5% for three consecutive years, due to customer concerns over ingredients and nutrition. (Bloomberg)