Daniel Voskoboynikov’s full-circle story of becoming Harbor Café’s owner started in college, when he bused and served there. After graduating, he worked in San Francisco for several years in business accounting before moving back to Santa Cruz to study for his CPA exam. Then the fork-in-the-road moment: the drummer in his old band told him his girlfriend’s stepfather was looking to sell Harbor Café.
“Opportunity knocked and I said, ‘Let’s party,’” Voskoboynikov says, closing the loop and fulfilling his childhood dream of small business ownership paired with passion for food and hosting.
For good times, Harbor Café is about it, whether it’s starting the party with a festive brunch or keeping the party going from the night before. The full bar pours drinks both classic and creative, and the vibes are laid-back with a distinctly nautical “quaint little shack” ambiance.
The breakfast/lunch menu is traditional American with twists, like the “heavy hitter” customizable breakfast burrito, the open-faced Cali Benedict with avocado on a croissant, and the dream-come-true churro Belgian waffle. Lunch favorites include burgers, salads and beer-battered fresh fish tacos with cabbage slaw and housemade tomatillo salsa.
What makes Harbor Café that local spot?
DANIEL VOSKOBOYNIKOV: It’s a very fun vibe here; we have a lot of longtime employees and we all work very well together. We cater to locals, tourists, families and even dogs, and pride ourselves on being very welcoming to everyone. Running a restaurant is difficult, but I truly love my job. My employees feel the same, and we have a lot of fun doing what we do here. We’re very grateful to our clientele. We have a lot of rad people coming through our doors.
Tell me more about your bar.
The bar manager, Jalen Horne, is a longtime employee who has done wonders with our beer and cocktail menu. One new banging thing we have is a slushy machine which allows us to serve our Cruising Coffee cocktail, a sweet refreshing whiskey coffee slush topped with horchata whipped cream. It’s a big hit with our guests. Jalen does a great job; he’s always sporting the freshest haircut, hair colors, tattoos and wardrobe. His whole vibe is cutting edge, from who he is to the drinks he curates.
535 7th Ave., Santa Cruz, 831-475-4948; harborcafesantacruz.com
