“The chapter of Honey B Market is coming to an end,” owner-operator Katie Belanger writes in a social media post. “I have been feeling the full spectrum of emotions about it, but oddly, [I’m] mostly at peace.”
Yes, that qualifies as a buzzdown for fans of her fermentation/natural foods hive at 1005 Cedar St. in Santa Cruz. But there is some good news (beyond the fact she’s welcoming in customers as long as she has inventory): Belanger will continue to supply local grocers with her Funky Bean brand fresh unpasteurized tempeh, and to lead classes on tempeh and sourdough (more at funkybeantempeh.com). Plus, we can always hope a cool tenant takes over.
“I cannot promise what the next chapter will look like,” she adds, “but I can promise that I will continue to create, from my heart, because it’s truly the best medicine for my soul.”
Other notable restaurants are also at various stages of ending and reemergence.
Legendary—and long dark—Bocci’s Cellar (140 Encinal St., Santa Cruz) is for sale for the first time in decades, listed price $1,199,000. “Own a piece of Santa Cruz history!” reads one real estate ad for the 3,200-square-foot Victorian.
Meanwhile, oceanview community favorite Palapas Restaurant & Cantina (21 Seascape Village, Aptos) has new ownership, including chef-owner Trent Lidgey of One Fish Raw Bar in Campbell. Remodeling for the new joint starts May 18. The incoming spot will be called Dos Pescados and work around a revved-up agave-centric cocktail program, raw bar and a new menu with Mexican-style seafood dishes like hamachi collar.
One more opening note: The debut menu at Hook & Line (105 Walnut Ave, Santa Cruz, eathookandline.com), which opened in the former Soif last week, (sea) stars elements like Manresa brioche with cured salmon, whole-fried local rockfish, bouillabaisse, uni toast and oysters. The gleaming rectangular bar area looks great too.
OTHER FISH IN THE SEA
The Pacific Fisheries Management Council decided to close the California ocean salmon fishery for 2024. Meanwhile the shortened crab season—which was limited by the number of traps allowed but served as a lifeline for local fishers—wrapped last week too. One opportunity that all inspires is to support area boats by shopping local and looking for less celebrated—and mighty tasty—catch, like rockfish, halibut and black cod. Get more information online at Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust, where I’m a contributor. montereybayfisheriestrust.org.
GOOD TASTES
Not news: SFMOMA bursts with inspiring art. News to me: Its ground-floor restaurant grace (named after Grace McCann Morley, SFMOMA’s forward-thinking founder; 151 3rd St., San Francisco) does some eye-catching—and palate-pleasing—yummies like spring bisque “cappuccinos,” braised chicken pot pie, salmon en brioche and buckwheat kake-soba noodle bowls, sfmoma.org…Discretion Brewing (2703 41st Ave Ste. A, Soquel) pours $5 pints of a spotlighted craft brew every Monday, discretionbrewing.com…The Midway (1209 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz) is now open Mondays, dishing plates like ricotta-and-nettle mezzelune and chicken liver toast with fennel and hazelnut, themidwaysantacruz.com…Americans now put away 250 million pounds of avocados a year, up from 100 million a decade back. Not bad for what was once marketed as “an alligator pear.”…Like divinity professor Rev. Halford Luccock once said, “No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra.”
Is Cafe Soarrow actually closing on April 28, 2024 as reported on Next Door??