Slurps up: 8 bowls of soup for winter in Santa Cruz County

Winter does not mean the same thing in Santa Cruz County as it does in other parts of the world. In a region where January earned the nickname “June-uary” for its reliably beachlike weather, beanies and jackets donned during the morning chill are usually stripped off by midday. Nevertheless, Santa Cruzans abide by the calendar mentally and culinarily, if not physically, and that means soup. 

This is a list of eight soulful bowls worth the effort of emerging from your cozy lair. They’re all on the regular menus at each restaurant, available any time a craving strikes. Each was vetted for exceptional flavors, as well as value. Some noodle soups, like the bun bo hué at Asian Express in Capitola and pho at Pho Kitchen in Watsonville, were massive even for a very hungry person; mere mortals will likely require a takeout container, allowing the good times to roll into a second meal.

Other soups on this list border on luxurious for their complicated preparations and seasonal ingredients, including the khao soi at Coconut Thai in Capitola topped with crispy duck breast, and Full Steam Dumpling’s deep, umami-rich bowls of ramen. The decadent clam chowder at Firefish Grill on the Santa Cruz Wharf, with whole prawns, clams and rockfish, almost doubles as a seafood platter. 

There are more modest, budget-friendly choices, too, like the simple chicken pho at Charlie Hong Kong and carne en su jugo at Taqueria Santa Cruz. Having these nourishing and comforting bowls placed in front of you makes you feel like someone cares. They’re priced so that experience can be replicated often. 

This is not an exhaustive list of great soups, and there are likely weekly specials in your neighborhood worth exploring, such as the occasional Ramen Night at Emerald Mallard in Felton and fiery menudo at El Rosal Bakery in Live Oak on Sundays. Seeking out each one will have you on your way to brothy bliss, no matter what the thermostat says. 

Note: Restaurants are listed from north to south. 

For those who believe that food is medicine, the ginger noodle soup ($15.95) at Chloe’s Kitchen in Santa Cruz could cure any number of ills, from a cold to seasonal ennui. Ginger is known for its digestive and anti-inflammatory benefits, and this soup is brimming with it. The spicy-sweet earthiness wafts from the bowl before it hits the table, and the broth is both rich and refreshing. This soup is topped with broccoli, cabbage and a few slices of bok choy, and the diner’s choice of proteins. In this bowl, simple is memorable. 

Since the early 1990s, Taqueria Santa Cruz has carved a name for itself in Santa Cruz’s Mexican restaurant scene for flavorful street tacos, weighty burritos and — for those in the know — tangy, hearty bowls of carne en su jugo ($14.50 small/$16.25 large). It’s not uncommon to see extended families sit down at the Mission Street taqueria on weekends, each person with their own bowl. There is no vegetarian version of this soup, which comes loaded with carne asada and bacon, as well as pinto beans, and is topped with plenty of ripe avocado, cilantro and diced white onion. The broth is heartily flavored, but not particularly spicy, and each order comes with a side of corn or flour tortillas and a few dried chiles to crumble on top. 

Most clam chowders offer more vibes than flavor, but the seafood chowder ($28.95) at Firefish Grill, located about halfway down the Santa Cruz Wharf, flips that narrative. Clams in their shells and fried potato wedges are artfully arranged around the bowl like a mandala, and the center is festooned with a leafy celery and a purple orchid. The texture of the soup is creamy without being gloppy, and loaded with seafood: prawns, clams, rockfish and bay scallops, as well as a generous handful of bacon. No dull cubes of potato or chewy clams here. 

Experiencing one of chef Andy Huynh’s bowls of ramen is to know passion, because you cannot create those layered flavors without time, skill and inspiration. At Full Steam, located inside the 11th Hour Coffee space on Center Street in downtown Santa Cruz, the toppings on the porky tonkotsu ($24), murky shoyu ($22) and delicate miso ($20) ramen change with the seasons, but often include tender slices of pork or chicken chashu, soft and salty tare eggs, swirly fish cake, green onions and nori. The vegan ramen loaded with mushrooms from Far West Fungi is a sleeper hit. 

In soups with noodles, the starchy components are sometimes underappreciated in favor of the broth. But Noodle Time makes its wheat noodles in house, and the springy, chewy texture can’t be ignored. Co-owner Stacy Liu’s family previously operated Shun Feng in Santa Cruz before passing the torch to new owners in 2020, and she and her husband learned how to make the noodles by hand before launching their own restaurant. All of the soups — except for the pho, made with store-bought rice noodles — include the housemade version, and it elevates an already flavorful and complex dish to an indulgent level. If it’s your first visit, the braised beef ($17.95), with hunks of meltingly tender, slow-simmered beef and vibrant bok choy in a rich broth is a good place to start. 

Like everything on its menu, Charlie Hong Kong’s Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup – its version of pho gá – is made with all organic ingredients, and at just $10.50, it’s a steal. The uncluttered, clear chicken broth is infused with star anise and cinnamon, packed with chicken breast and wide rice noodles and comes with a side of herbs, slices of jalapeño and fresh lime, so diners can customize each bowl. 

I spent a month in Thailand in my early 20s, and much of that time was spent sitting on plastic stools in Chiang Mai in the mountainous north slurping bowls of khao soi. Coconut Thai’s version ($23.95) took me back to those meals more than 10 years ago. The addictiveness of this classic regional soup is in the curried coconut broth and the inclusion of both slippery egg noodles beneath the surface and crispy fried noodles on top. Textures swing between crunchy and creamy, and flavors swirl from tangy to rich to spicy, balanced with pickled mustard greens and fresh mint and cilantro. The crisp-skinned duck breast is worth the additional $2. 

This relaxed eatery near the Capitola Mall is known for its Vietnamese pho, which can be customized with proteins such as brisket, poached chicken and seafood, and it’s great. But I’d recommend the nose-tingling bún bò hué, a spicy, flavorful cousin to pho that originates from Hué in central Vietnam. While not the most traditional — the original recipe includes pork knuckles and blood sausage — Asian Express’ version is a chile-infused counterpart to the mild pho, with wheat noodles, chewy meatballs, rare brisket that cooks in the broth and tripe. If you want even more spice, up the ante with a healthy squirt of homemade chile sauce. 

Pho Kitchen’s wide bowls of Vietnamese pho are no secret. The three self-ordering kiosks near the door are a flurry of button pushing as locals pack the colorful dining room at lunch and dinner. The light, semi-clear broth is gently spiced with star anise and whole clove, with plenty of stretchy rice noodles, and comes with the traditional side of bean sprouts, fresh basil and lime. There is a range of meaty toppings to choose from, including thinly sliced rare steak that cooks in the hot soup, fat meatballs and jellylike tendon. Order the popular beef combination meatball ($17.95) to have your pho topped with all three. 

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