Alley Oop finally opens in downtown Santa Cruz with date-night energy and chef-driven plates, as SF Beer Week and local breweries raise the bar across the county.
Pearl’s stunning cocktails anchor this week’s Dining column, with Valentine’s sips, floating feasts, and local Good Food Awards finalists rounding out the menu.
The food revolution isn’t being televised — it’s broadcast. Santa Cruz’s culinary sleuth has taken to the airwaves, finding the best new restaurants, food stories, and people who make the scene hum.
Bad Animal—part bookstore, part wine bar, part restaurant—returns to in-house bistro cooking with chef Nick Hahn, bringing Parisian bistro flair and Santa Cruz soul to downtown.
Downtown Santa Cruz is finding fresh momentum through food, drink, and community—from a thriving farmers market to pop-up taprooms and creative holiday markets.
