There’s a counterintuitive locals life hack worth resurfacing right now: A boatload of resident-friendly deals appear at restaurants along one of the more touristed stretches in town, Santa Cruz Wharf.
That reminder matters at the moment because the wharf collapse in December scared off diners during what’s already a slow season.
That’s the bad news. The good news: Everything is fully open, and parking is free for two hours in February.
Free parking also continues year round for Local Tuesdays, with validation from any business on the wharf. Offseason Tuesdays also mean two-for-one caramel apples at Marini’s Candies.
The other good news runs pretty deep.
Wharf Wednesdays are happening 6–8:30pm with raffle prizes and live music including Jive Machine (Feb. 12), Trestles (Feb. 19) and Trianna Feruza and Friends (Feb. 26).
Firefish Grill does a $19.95 Locals Menu for lunch and dinner Monday–Friday, and makes it a three-course meal with salad and dessert for $6.95 more. (A bonus Firefish note: Santa Cruz City Council has green-lit plans for a new restaurant in the space now occupied by Humble Sea Brewing Co.’s al fresco beer garden from the same restaurateur, Mark Gilbert, behind Firefish Grill and Woodies Café.)
Olita’s Cantina Taco Tuesday and Thursday throws down tacos with a house margarita, draft or bottled beer at $8, $9 and $10 price points.
Makai’s Island Kitchen and Groggery has quietly crafted a secret drink menu—ask your server for the map—and Riva’s Fish House unfurls a 3–6pm happy hour weekdays with $5 well drinks and house wines.
On top of that, a flurry of more kinetic activities await: There’s free bocce (check out balls from Stagnaro Bros.); free fishing, no license necessary, from the wharf itself; free swing dancing by the seal statue with Swingout Santa Cruz 2-5:30pm every second Saturday; and free salsa dancing at the Wharf Stage 3-7pm every Sunday.
Annalise Bryant, special events coordinator for the city of Santa Cruz, helped assemble that list of possibilities, and adds you don’t necessarily need an excuse to visit.
“The Santa Cruz Wharf isn’t just a stretch over the sea—it’s a bridge to memories, strength and passion,” she says. “Whether you’re a local, work there, or are visiting for the first time, you feel what this iconic Wharf has been offering the Santa Cruz Community for over 110 years—you might not always know why but you always find yourself coming back and discovering new things.”
CLAMATION ANIMATION
Another Surf City treasure done in collaboration is less than two weeks away: The 42st Annual Clam Chowder Cook-Off simmers up Feb. 22–23, at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, with proceeds going to city parks and rec. Bryant sums it up with flavor to spare: “With each spoonful, you taste the creative spirit of our coastal town, where tradition meets a little bit of rebellion, and every chef brings their own bold twist to a classic.” beachboardwalk.com/Clam-Chowder-Cook-Off.
EGGED ON
Fungus February continues at Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History with a Feb. 15 Land Trust Walk at Antonelli Pond Mushroom Exploration and Feb. 15–16 flameworking and glassblowing, santacruzmuseum.org…The latest reminder egg shortages are ongoing: 100,000 eggs were stolen from the back of a Pete and Gerry’s Organics distribution trailer in Pennsylvania last week, and the hard-boiled thieves remain uncaught…Chef José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, take us out: “Food is national security. Food is economy. It is employment, energy, history. Food is everything.”
