SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
Staff of Life donates to food bank
Staff of Life Natural Foods (staffoflifemarket.com) is partnering with Smart Chicken to support Watsonville’s Second Harvest Food Bank (thefoodbank.org). Throughout November, for every 10 pounds of Smart Chicken purchased at Staff of Life in Santa Cruz and Watsonville, Staff of Life and Smart Chicken will donate one pound of chicken to Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County. The all-natural chicken is humanely raised without hormones or antibiotics. “Staff of Life has always been a huge supporter of our Santa Cruz County community. This event … gives our community direct participation to help Second Harvest Food Bank with their Smart Chicken purchases at Staff of Life,” said Gary Bascou, who has owned Staff of Life for 50-plus years.
SANTA CRUZ
Venus Spirits wins awards
Local business Venus Spirits, led by founder/distiller Sean Venus, earned accolades at the recent Sunset International Spirits Competition. The agave spirit El Ladrón Yolo, which has a smoky quality reminiscent of traditional mezcal, was awarded Best of Class, Double Gold, and Best Other Agave Spirits. The process to make this spirit included a first step of collaborating with Craig Reynolds of California Agave Ventures and Muller Ranch to harvest 6,000 pounds of agave from a Yolo County farm and final steps of double distilling the spirit in a hand-pounded copper alembic still and resting in stainless steel for six months before bottling. You can find El Ladrón Yolo at the tasting room and online shop. Visit venusspirits.com for details.
SANTA CRUZ
Butternut squash soup is back at Charlie Hong Kong
Popular seasonal butternut squash soup, with organic squash from local Lakeside Organic Gardens, is back on the menu for a limited time at Charlie Hong Kong (1141 Soquel Ave., 831-426-5664, charliehongkong.com). Charlie Hong Kong is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Customers can order food in person or online.
SANTA CRUZ
New hours at Sampa
Sampa Brazilian Kitchen (841 N Branciforte Ave.) is shortening its hours for the winter. It is now open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
SCOTTS VALLEY
Last farmers market for the season
The weekly Scotts Valley farmers market (9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays at 5060 Scotts Valley Drive) will have its last appearance for 2023 this week. It returns again in late spring. Learn more at santacruzfarmersmarket.org.
In other market news, the Wednesday downtown Santa Cruz market recently switched to winter hours (1-5 p.m.).
BOULDER CREEK
Thanksgiving offerings at Scopazzi’s
Scopazzi’s Restaurant (13300 Big Basin Way, scopazzisrestaurant.com) will be open from 1-8:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. It is serving a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings and pumpkin pie. The regular dinner menu will also be available. Reservations are recommended at 831-338-6441.
LA SELVA BEACH
Food trucks, crafts, bake sale and books
The La Selva Beach Holiday Fair is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the La Selva Clubhouse Lawn (26 Florido Ave.). Food vendors include S&B Burgers and Tacos el Jesse. There will be 50 craft booths, a used book sale, and a bake sale. This event raises funds for La Selva Library programs, CERT and the La Selva Improvement Association. For details, contact [email protected].
SAN LORENZO VALLEY
Thanksgiving menu at Wild Roots
Wild Roots Market (wildrootsmarket.com) has a holiday menu; customers need to order by phone or in person by Nov. 17 for pickup starting Nov. 20. Selections include all-natural and organic turkeys, Cascade Creek leg of lamb, Mary’s free-range duck, and other meats. Sides include stuffing and buttermilk mashed potatoes. The bakery menu features items such as pie and tea cakes. The Felton store is at 6240 Highway 9 (831-335-7322). The Boulder Creek location is at 13159 Central Ave. (831-338-7211). Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
SANTA CRUZ
Takeout Thanksgiving from La Posta
La Posta (538 Seabright Ave., 831-457-2782, lapostarestaurant.com) is offering a takeout Thanksgiving menu priced at $60 (with a couple optional supplements for additional fees). Starter choices include Dungeness crab and artichoke crostini; the roast turkey entrée has accompaniments like wild mushroom and leek bread pudding. Visit the website or IG @lapostarestaurantsc for full menu and details.
SANTA CRUZ
Homeless Garden Project event features small bites from chef Schultz
Homeless Garden Project (homelessgardenproject.org) is partnering with Santa Cruz Shakespeare for a holiday celebration from 6:15-9 p.m. Friday at London Nelson Center. This event will include a table reading of Sophocles’ Oedipus at Colonus, a post-reading discussion, Homeless Garden Project’s pop-up holiday store, and bites prepared by Jozseph Schultz of India Joze. Read details at eventbrite.com/e/banishment-exploring-homelessness-through-sophocles-oedipus-at-colonus-tickets-737104067107. Tickets are $15 online or $10 in person at the project’s store (1338 Pacific Ave.).
SCOTTS VALLEY
Local vendor fair at Cruise Coffee Café
Cruise Coffee Cafe (246 Kings Village Dr., 831-515-7324, Instagram @cruisecoffee) is having a shopping fair — with many local vendors and coffee and treats available for purchase — from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Vendors include Goods4goodsmarket (eco-friendly gifts include kitchen items and apparel from businesses that give back), Tammy’s Lemongrass Spa (natural skin and beauty care) and Mountain Ocean Spirit (crocheted items). Felton-based nonprofit Wings Homeless Advocacy (wingsadvocacy.org) will also be present. 2 Rabbits Events (Instagram @2_rabbits_events) presents the event.
Also on Sunday — from 9-11 a.m. — Cruise Coffee hosts Cars & Coffee. Held on the third Sunday each month, it’s a gathering spot for people to bring their cars, “old and new.” The café offers coffee and food specials during the event.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
Erik’s Deli adds seasonal sandwich
Erik’s Deli has brought back the Total Turkey Feast sandwich for a limited time. It features roast turkey breast piled with traditional stuffing, cranberry sauce and signature sauce served on sliced rosemary sourdough bread. Local deli branches include Santa Cruz, Capitola, Scotts Valley and Aptos. Visit eriksdelicafe.com.
SCOTTS VALLEY
Popups at Steel Bonnet Brewing Co.
A few food trucks are appearing at Steel Bonnet Brewing Co. (20 Victor Square, 831-454-8429, steelbon.net) in the near future. S.C. Eatery is at the brewery from 4-8 p.m. Thursday. Scrumptious Fish & Chips pops up from 4-8 p.m. Friday, and from 4-8 p.m. Nov. 24 and Dec. 1. Pesce Veggie appears at Steel Bonnet Brewing Saturday, Kikuchi Yakitori pops up Nov. 25, Cali Caracas (Venezuelan) comes on Nov. 26, and La Fenice Pizza visits on Nov. 30.
FELTON
Changes at The Grove Café and Bakery
The Grove Café and Bakery (6249 Highway 9, Felton, 831-704-7483, IG @thegrovefelton) is no longer serving regular dinner (in October it had launched dinner service Thursday-Saturday). Instead, owner/chef Jessica Yarr has launched Supper Club/pop-up style dinners, which will occur two to three times each month. The next events are Neighborhood Night Nov. 16: $20 for Bouillabaisse or Mushroom Cassoulet with bread and salad (no reservations needed) and Georgian Food & Wine Dinner ($70-100, tickets required). Learn more at thegrovefelton.com/events. Regular hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday-Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Also, Yarr recently announced a couple of pie classes; these immediately sold out.
SANTA CRUZ
Humble Sea bake sale on tap
Humble Sea Brewery (820 Swift St.) is hosting special events from noon-5 p.m. on Sunday. There will be a bake sale with Ashby Confections, Uhuru Food and Pies, and more, plus a pie-eating contest which starts at 3 p.m.
Quick Bites, compiled by Tara Fatemi Walker, is your weekly helping of Santa Cruz County restaurant, food, and drink news. Send items to [email protected] (Sunday 7 p.m. deadline for that week’s column). Want local food & drink news as it happens? Follow the Sentinel’s food crew on Twitter @santacruzfood.