We were sad to find out the hard way a little while back that Creekside Smokehouse in El Granada has closed.
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The novelty of the ambiance is really cool. However, the best Taco Bell in the world is the one closest to where you went to high school … or maybe one of the new ones that have beer 
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I am not really sure where to put it. But one can now get an omakase from the son of the retired owner of Alameda’s Yume, in Half Moon Bay.
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Has anyone tried the artichoke bread or the sandwiches at Arcangeli Grocery Co / Norm’s Market in Pescadero? Worth going?
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I came across this Taco Bell by accident when the family went to the Pacifica beach right next to it. I only realized that its this Taco Bell you talked about when I stared at the building from the beach. Pretty cool view. Though its pretty standard Taco Bell amenities inside.
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Regarding the bread: Very much yes! They move so fast you can usually grab one warm out of the oven. We always grab a loaf with the intention of having it with dinner but it never makes it home because we can’t stop snacking on it. They also sell par-baked loaves you can take home.
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I was in Pescadero last month and made the huge mistake of eating at Duarte’s… what a trap!
Their “famous” artichoke/green chile soup tasted like it was plunked out of a cream of chicken can and shoved in a microwave. It had the consistency of lukewarm snot. I don’t even remember what else was ordered but it came with bagged dry starchy fries which really sucked because that’s literally all that I ate. I didn’t dare touch their crab or abalone sandwich (all fish was frozen in/out season anyhow). Their olallieberry pie was marginally less lousy than everything else but I still don’t get it. I’m usually way more forgiving of these kind of places but I was full of reefer and pie in a historic stagecoach stop and it was still somehow unpleasant so it’s not me!
Also that really old market up the road that turns out fresh baked artichoke-garlic bread every 15 mins… I just don’t get that either. Next time we’re in Pescadero, we’ll pack a picnic!
We love La Costanera near Half Moon Bay! Michelin-starred Peruvian with amazing views and huge fireplaces on the patio.
Not necessarily the most appropriate establishment for a post-hike refuel, but a fun and tasty experience within the specified region
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Time was tight and we ended up didn’t have time stopping at the town of Pescadero or tried the artichoke bread. Although my wife reminded me someone brought those to the campsite and I ate some when we camped last year.
There’s always the taco place at the gas station opposite to Duarte’s. For us, we got lazy and ate twice at Dad’s in HMB over two days.
La Costanera is my favorite restaurant along this stretch. Especially if you can snag a seat with a nice view. The seafood dishes in general, and ceviches in particular, are all great.
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Any recs for Santa Cruz? I recently ate at Firefish Grill, Jack O’Neill’s and Crow’s Nest. The group picked the restaurants. All three are fairly standard burger/ salad/ seafood/ sandwich type of places. Jack O’Neill is the fancier one since the space is new, overlook the harbor. All three places served up dishes that were rather uninspired.
Firefish Grill- sand dabs. The breaded dabs were ok, but the other components added little to the dish.
Jack O’Neill. Had the blackened mahi mahi. The pineapple salsa did not go with the mahi mahi at all.
Crow’s Nest. Petrale Sole. The petrale sole was ok. The bay shrimp was mushy and a wreck. The hostess and the manager were utter disasters. The hostess wouldn’t combine a small 2 seater with a 10 seater for our group of 12 in an uncrowded restaurant, saying the other tables were reserved (we sat for 2 hours, that reservation didn’t show). So our party of 12 ended up in two tables- 8 and 4. The manager, who came when requested, offered to move us upstairs after we already sat for half an hour. We opted to stay put. Gave us a loud insincere sorry at the end and gave us a face. Gave another person in our party a face later on. Utterly unprofessional.
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When in Santa Cruz, I try to stay away from restaurants with a view of water. Seems like their priorities are not in the kitchen.
These are some of my Santa Cruz West side favorites, either just off or on Mission.
Bakery: Companion Bakery. Outstanding breads and pastries. The pinwheel is especially marvelous, savory not sweet. Counter service with seating.
Lunch: Ristorante Avanti, well executed Italian, strong focus on local ingredients.
Dinner: Bantam, wonderful pizzeria, had a chickpea flour dough (FARINATA) based dish that was worth eating and I am not gluten intolerant.
I also have a favorite Westside butcher ( El Salchichero), distilllery (Venus) and chocolate shop ( Richard Donnelly Chocolates.)
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At least the shrimp was mushy.
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Yeah, unfortunately the waterfront restaurants cater to tourists. I like Hula’s Island Grill for lunch/dinner, 515 Kitchen and Cocktails for brunch and dinner, Lulu Carpenter’s for coffee/breakfast/lunch, and Kelly’s French Bakery for baked goods.
All my favorites. Moved away in 2017 . My home town . Born and raised. Other than that so mediocre.
I’ve got La Costanera on our list if we ever stop in SCruz (we usually just go straight to Monterey/Carmel).
We really enjoyed Barranco, which owner/chef Carlos Altamirano opened in Lafayette. He also owns Paradita in the Emeryville Public Market, Walnut Creek’s Parada, and SF’s Mochica.
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Things continue to improve in Santa Cruz. It seems unlikely to ever support a diverse ecosystem of eateries, but within the narrower subset that have the ability to succeed, the quality is on an upward trajectory.
I agree that most any spot with an ocean view is to be avoided if you want good food. Exception is perhaps The Picnic Basket which is decent or better.
With that pre-amble, here is a very long download (as of August 2019).
Places I recommend:
La Posta continues to carry the standard for Italian food in the area, even with the chef change. There were a few rocky bits at the start, but things seem to have smoothed out nicely now. I usually go app + pasta.
Home in Soquel is probably the best restaurant in the area these days. Well-conceived and -executed food, at a price point that’s probably a touch less expensive than you expect. Biggest drawback is their wine list is dominated by rather unexciting California offerings. I highly recommend bringing your own.
Mumbai Delights is probably my favorite restaurant in the area these days. Service and spice levels can be uneven, but most dishes are well-executed and the flavors are generally on point. Their vegetarian dishes are often at least as good as their meat dishes. I particularly like their korma, chicken biryani, and bhindi masala (okra).
Bantam as previously mentioned has terrific pizzas among other dishes.
The relatively new Cemitas 1 in Davenport is worth a trip. It’s one of those nicer, handmade tortillas, everything done with care with prices to match kind of places.
In Capitola, San Marcos Charquito has a similar ethos. They bake their own bread for tortas to go along with nice tortillas.
The very popular Lillian’s is also worth a look for a more red sauce joint. Dropping in without a reservation is not recommended.
Alderwood is the hottest restaurant. I think it’s worth trying. The highs are high, but some of the dishes are so-so, and the prices are not for the faint of heart – although their happy hour menu is a great way to explore what they can do at a lower price point.
Laili is solid as long as you don’t eat there too often. The menu barely ever changes, but going one or twice a year is
Oswald if for nothing else than their really good burger.
Soif if for nothing else than their always amazing wine list – check out their adjacent bottle shop for a terrifically curated selection.
Everyone has their favorite traditional taquerias. Mine is La Cabana on the Westside, but others prefer Tacos Morenos, Los Pericos or De La Hacienda.
Breakfast is also done well here. I’m partial to Linda’s Seabreeze in Seabright. The somewhat related Silver Spur is also excellent. Harbor Cafe has deservedly strong following.
Other places that are worth a visit:
Gabriella Cafe (Cal-Italian); Pizzeria Avanti; Sesame Grill (serviceable Korean); Shun Feng (serviceable Chinese); Pizza My Heart; Ristorante Avanti (best calamari anywhere when available); West End Tap and related East End Gastropub; 515 Kitchen and Cocktails.
If you have a large group and can’t find one spot that satisfies everybody, strongly consider the Abbott’s Square food hall downtown.
Upcoming: two really exciting projects are Barceloneta (opening seems to be weeks if not days away) from the former owners of the well-regarded Contigo in SF. I would bet on it shooting straight to the top of my personal local restaurant rankings. The well-publicized Mentone in Aptos from David Kinch is likely a few months away, with a menu that’s focused on pizzas and pastas.
Other food/drink places worth your time:
Campanion Bakeshop as mentioned (I mostly get their sourdough bread, while some people I know are addicted to their baguettes, either plain or chocolate chip).
Penny Creamery or the superior (in my mind) Mission Hill Creamery for ice cream.
The Buttery is an awesome bakery, especially for cakes.
El Salchichero is indeed a very good butcher.
Lupulo is a great spot for craft beer.
Sante Adairius is one of the country’s best craft breweries.
Birichino makes excellent wine from uncommon grapes and the downtown tasting room experience is always fantastic.
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Very good list thanks! Was just visiting friends in SC today and they mentioned Vim. I just browsed their menu, looks promising, have you tried Vim?
Vim seems promising, but I think the prudent approach is to give them time to grow into what they will be. My sense is that they’re learning and improving by the day. If people find the menu intriguing, they should definitely check it out.
Another ice cream option is Cruz Creamery, which is a bit off the beaten path. We went there a few weeks ago and I thought the Mexican chocolate ice cream was great.
