WEEKENDER
Your cheat sheet for eating well and going out in Santa Cruz County.
Jan. 22, 2026
THREE WEEKEND HITS
Longtime fans of El Toro Bravo rejoiced this week as the beloved Mexican restaurant in Capitola Village reopened after a yearlong closure. Originally opened in 1967, the family-owned spot closed on Christmas Day 2024 after an early morning explosion at a home next door started a fire in the restaurant. On Wednesday, El Toro Bravo was back, boasting a fresh sky-blue coat of paint, and the same homestyle recipes. Watch for more on the reopening next week.
I stopped by two other new spots this week worth noting. Gluten-free bakery and farmers market stall Switch Bakery opened a brick-and-mortar café on Cedar Street in downtown Santa Cruz this month. Guests will find a selection of cakes and pastries, as well as savory dishes like pizza, soup and sandwiches, all gluten-free. My curried duck confit sandwich ($12) on wonderfully spongy focaccia was memorable and delicious.
In Scotts Valley, the owners of Far East + Kitchen on Scotts Valley Drive reopened in December as Oreno Ramen, with a menu that focuses on deep bowls of noodle soup and donburi rice plates. My favorite dish was, perhaps ironically, the brothless maja soba ramen ($15.95), with a chewy pile of ramen noodles tossed with a generous amount of crumbled pork with fresh herbs, and topped with a raw egg yolk.
Eat well and enjoy the sunshine this weekend. – Lily Belli
UPCOMING EVENTS YOU’LL LOVE
FROM THE LOOKOUT LIST
FAVORITE PLACE TO MEET A FRIEND FOR COFFEE
11TH HOUR COFFEE
“They have a good combination of indoor and outdoor seating, good selection of both coffee drinks and food, and the food is well-priced too.”
ICYMI: ARTS & DINING STORIES
A TREAT BEFORE YOU GO
Play the Wordrow Puzzle of the Day
Six tries to guess the word right!
Sudoku, crosswords and more word puzzles await – play new daily puzzles in the free Lookout App. Available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.