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.
… The port district is still working hard to clean up debris and marine equipment out of the Santa Cruz Harbor following the storm surge on Dec. 23. The event caused an estimated $26 million in damages, and my story Tuesday takes a look at the commercial impact of the surge on harbor businesses, including seafood market H&H Fresh Fish Co., Bayside Marine bait shop and the commercial fishing fleet.
While most of the commercial fishing boats were unscathed by the surge, local fishers will have to navigate a harbor mouth compromised by shoaling, or sand buildup, which comes just as the commercial Dungeness crab season is finally set to begin this week. Read the story here.
… Want to say goodbye to 2024 with a fantastic meal? Plenty of local restaurants are showing off with elaborate New Year’s Eve menus. Visit their websites (all linked below) to check out the special menus and snag any remaining reservations for Tuesday evening.
Here are some of my favorite spots to check out: Gabriella Cafe, Hook & Line, Ibiza, Venus Spirits Westside and La Posta in Santa Cruz; Trestles in Capitola; Persephone, Venus Spirits Beachside and Cavalletta in Aptos; and The Grove Cafe & Bakery in Felton, which is offering both a New Year’s Eve dinner and a New Year’s Day brunch.
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
A few days before Christmas, I sat down with Bookshop Santa Cruz cookbook buyer Stefanie Berntson, who has curated the cookbook section at the landmark downtown bookstore for the past 32 years. Over those decades, she has stocked the shelves with bestsellers on vegetarian cooking and weeknight dinners, while bringing in more representation from other cultures. Despite the rise of free online recipes, she believes cookbooks are still relevant and vital. Check out our conversation here.
ON THE MENU
Last week, I had the pleasure of taking a hard-hat tour of the new La Bahia Hotel & Spa, currently in the midst of construction across from Main Beach in Santa Cruz. The hotel aims to be the most luxurious accommodation in the area when it opens this fall, and will include two restaurants open to the public, as well as poolside service and a champagne bar available for guests. I’ll share more on the dining options later this week, and watch for my colleague Wallace Baine’s story on the hotel’s development and future amenities.
LIFE WITH THE BELLIS
I actually like New Year’s resolutions. I enjoy reflecting on my life and addressing areas that feel stuck, with the goal of creating more of the good stuff: joy, peace and adventure. I have two food resolutions for 2025.
One, I’m going to continue my commitment to meal planning. I started planning my family’s meals a few months ago. Now, I decide what we will eat Monday through Friday the weekend before, and go to the grocery store just one time. With two small kids and a partner who also works full time, it has been a huge improvement to know exactly what we will eat the moment I walk in the door in the evening, and know I’ll have all of the ingredients at hand. Our evenings are so much more relaxed, and we spent less on groceries after cutting out random trips to the store. But, I’m going to schedule more takeout nights from our favorite taqueria and pizza spots — because I deserve a break, too.
My second goal is to be even more adventurous with my exploration of food experiences in Santa Cruz County. This food and drink beat is far-reaching, as regular readers will know, but I never want to lose sight of one of the best parts of this job, which is finding the most interesting and delicious things to eat and drink in the area.
Do you have a food resolution? I’d love to hear it – email me at lily@lookoutlocal.com or text me here.
FOOD NEWS WORTH READING
➤ Red wine sales are tanking at San Francisco restaurants. Although the wine industry overall is in a slump, red wine is taking a particular hit; it’s down 11.9% since this time last year, with some restaurants reporting a decrease in sales of as much as 24%. What’s up? Some customers say they’re tired of paying close to $20 for a glass of wine and are choosing more affordable options, like white wine, which is often a few dollars cheaper. Others are abstaining due to health reasons. (San Francisco Chronicle).
➤ An alarming new study shows the extent of plastic contamination in foods, from packaging of everyday staples like rice and salt, to meals from restaurants like Burger King and Shake Shack, and ever-perceived healthy options like Whole Foods’ cold-smoked Atlantic salmon. (Newsweek)