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.
… Mushroom foragers, be aware: Amanita phalloides, known as death cap mushrooms, have sickened more than 30 people across Northern California and the Central Coast, resulting in three deaths. Thankfully, there have been only two local hospitalizations and no deaths, despite the popularity of wild mushroom foraging in Santa Cruz County.
In some cases, foragers from Central America have mistaken death caps for a type of Caesar’s mushroom, an edible variety that grows in the highlands of Oaxaca. Public health officials have released informational materials in Spanish and Mixteco, as well as English, to spread awareness to these communities.
Almost every edible variety has a poisonous doppelganger, and some people can have reactions to certain culinary mushrooms, similar to a food allergy, said Phil Carpenter, a lifelong forager and president of the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz. But poisonings can be avoided if foragers educate themselves about the local varieties before they go for a walk in the woods. “Learn the difference before you pick it, not afterwards,” he told me. Here’s the story.
… Capitola’s El Toro Bravo will reopen Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. after a yearlong closure. The longstanding Mexican restaurant temporarily shuttered on Christmas Day 2024 after an explosion behind El Toro started a fire that damaged the building. The beloved local mainstay first opened nearly 60 years ago, and is located in Capitola Village just steps away from Capitola Beach.
“Thank you to everyone who checked in, waited patiently, and showed us so much support along the way, it truly means the world to us,” the owners wrote in a post on Instagram over the weekend. “We can’t wait to see each and every one of you again.”
… One of Santa Cruz County’s most esteemed breweries is hosting a special public beer tasting and sneak peek inside its exclusive beer club this Sunday. Capitola’s Sante Adairius Rustic Ales – voted one of the top 10 breweries in the world several years running by RateBeer – is offering a special draft list and pouring select bottles, including a preview of some mixed-fermentation brews available in 2026 to members of SARA’s Cellar, its private subscription-based club. Chris Pester, the director of SARA’s mixed-fermentation brewing program, will give a Q&A and answer questions. No tickets necessary – more info on Instagram.
… Valentine’s Day menus are starting to trickle into my inbox. (Santa Cruz County restaurants – please send me yours!) Here’s one to know: Chocolat restaurant in downtown Santa Cruz will offer several à la carte specials in addition to its regular chocolate-infused menu, including carbonara with chanterelle mushrooms ($28.50) and spicy kung pao shrimp with garlic and ginger ($32.50). The Valentine’s Day menu is available for dinner Friday, Feb. 13, through Sunday, Feb. 15. Reservations are available online at chocolatesantacruz.com.
NOTED
Farewell, Eaters Digest – hello, new Weekender! Friday’s Eaters Digest went out for the final time on Jan. 9. Now, the best of Eaters Digest _ dining tips, best bites and food events _ will combine with Weekender’s top arts and entertainment news for one weekend-focused guide, delivered on Thursdays.
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Entrepreneur Clarice Owens, once featured on NBC’s “Today” show, is due to face charges of felony stalking and 34 misdemeanors in a Santa Cruz court Wednesday after prosecutors allege she harassed and threatened dozens of neighbors, colleagues and business partners. Court records describe a pattern of doxing, violent threats and repeated violations of restraining orders involving at least 90 people and businesses, even after multiple court warnings and arrests. Behind the public image of a growing brand, the business has fallen into serious debt, faced eviction and lawsuits and ultimately unraveled as the criminal case escalated. Read the story here.
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
Around here, we love a non-traditional date night, so a Valentine’s Day sauerkraut-making workshop caught my eye. On Feb. 14, Mountain Feed & Farm Supply is offering a Vanilla Rose Kraut class at the Ben Lomond store. I’m intrigued by the unconventional flavor combination, as well as the poetry reading celebrating the recipe. I also feel like there are so many opportunities for romance – fingers brushing inside a giant bowl of shredded cabbage, or perhaps a briny embrace à la the pottery scene in the 1990 film “Ghost.” Tickets are $35 per person at mountainfeed.com.
LIFE WITH THE BELLIS
Over the weekend, my family celebrated a birthday with a “0” on the end: my husband Michael’s 40th. Of course, we threw a party, and packed the house with our friends and everyone’s kids.
We drew on Mike’s Italian heritage for the dinner, and I roasted a huge porchetta as the centerpiece. (Shout out to Corralitos Market & Sausage Co. for providing the gorgeous pork!) Our friends showed up en force with an array of Italian side dishes: eggplant caponata, meat and cheese boards, homemade focaccia, crunchy salads and seafood cioppino. I also made pasta with tomato sauce for the kiddos, who gobbled it up when they weren’t flying across the bounce house we rented from El Rosal Bakery in Live Oak. For dessert, we scooped and handed out cones of Marianne’s ice cream, after a rendition of “buon compleanno.” Many Negronis and Aperol spritzes were consumed, and many memories made.
FOOD NEWS WORTH READING
➤ When it comes to food trends in 2026, Americans are focused on health. Keep an eye out for fiber-filled foods, including cabbage – the vegetable à la mode. Alcohol-free beverages are getting a gut health boost with prebiotics, and those who do imbibe are choosing vintage liquors like crème de cassis. (The State Journal-Register)
➤ Monterey-based chef Tamie Aceves is taking over a long-vacant building at Lovers Point in Pacific Grove. The caterer is refreshing the 6,000-square-foot space as Crema Lovers Point, an ocean-view café and event space. (Edible Monterey Bay)
FOR THE RECORD: A previous version of this newsletter misstated the date of Orientation Day at Sante Adairius Rustic Ales in Capitola. It is on Sunday, Jan. 25.