From the best things she ate in April to spots to celebrate Mom in Santa Cruz County this weekend and go-to local fishmongers for salmon, it’s another packed Tuesday newsletter from Lily Belli.
Lily Belli on Food
A Tuesday newsletter from Lookout food & drink correspondent Lily Belli – subscribe here.
Posted inFood & Drink
Lily Belli on Food: Coffeehouses upping their food game; Abbott Square newcomers; learn fermentation from a master
Lily Belli’s Tuesday newsletter covers a culinary trend for coffee shops, what’s new at a downtown Santa Cruz food destination, a fermenting vegetables workshop and a secret to the crispiest chicken cutlets. Dig in!
Posted inFood & Drink
Lily Belli on Food: Too Good To Go’s foodie win-win; Scotts Valley, Felton farmers markets returning; NYT’s local faves
Lily Belli test-drives a national app that helps restaurants cut down on food waste and gets customers big discounts, notes the return of a pair of Santa Cruz Mountains farmers markets and relays the local attractions that got New York Times shout-outs recently.
Posted inFood & Drink
Lily Belli on Food: Salmon season opens; Grey Bears expands; and ramen-slurping poetry
The latest in Santa Cruz County food & drink news, notes, event recommendations and more from Lookout correspondent Lily Belli.
Posted inFood & Drink
Lily Belli on Food: Santa Cruz’s slam-dunk new cocktail lounge; local mom’s booming meal delivery service; lunch al fresco at Mentone
Lily Belli goes inside downtown Santa Cruz’s Alley Oop, notes the rise of meal delivery business Village Foods, welcomes the return of Little Beach daytime service at Mentone in Aptos and plenty more in her Tuesday newsletter.
Posted inFood & Drink
Lily Belli on Food: Rising bakers’ moving stories; Sleight of Hand wows at World Pizza Games; vegan challenge throughout April
Lily Belli relates the stories behind a trio of up-and-coming Santa Cruz County bakers, notes a great showing in Las Vegas for a local pizza purveyor and spotlights the Santa Cruz Vegan Chef Challenge, beginning Wednesday.
Posted inFood & Drink
Lily Belli on Food: Heat wave’s crop impact, new downtown gelateria and openings of note
In her Tuesday newsletter, Lily Belli checks in on how locals growers fared during last week’s heat wave, spotlights Gran Gelato Caffè in Santa Cruz and notes food & drink business openings downtown and in Aptos.
Posted inFood & Drink
Lily Belli on Food: Good news for salmon fishers; chef Sarah Bargetto’s Venus Beachside feast; Outstanding in the Field’s local 2026 dates
California gives recreational and commercial salmon season the go-ahead for spring, a Soquel-raised chef shines at Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen Beachside in Aptos and where a famous roving farm-to-table dinner series will set up in Santa Cruz County this year – you’ll find all that and more in Lily Belli’s Tuesday newsletter.
Posted inFood & Drink
Lily Belli on Food: Damage from fatal Capitola Village fire shuts restaurants; chefs coming to Bookshop; Aptos Vineyard closing tasting room
News, notes and coming events from the Santa Cruz County food & drink scene are in focus in Lily Belli’s Tuesday newsletter.
Posted inFood & Drink
Lily Belli on Food: Cat & Cloud’s union push; AI controversy at Salty Otter; April’s vegan chef challenge
In the return of her Tuesday newsletter, Lily Belli notes unionization efforts at local coffee chain Cat & Cloud and a downtown Santa Cruz restaurant changing its logo over artificial intelligence backlash, and looks ahead to a plant-based April.