San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Delectable to-go meals fuel outdoor adventures
You’ve decided to treat yourself to a getaway in Santa Cruz. Will it be a luxury excursion with fine dining? If so, you would do well to indulge in a leisurely, al fresco dinner at The View in Chaminade Resort & Spa overlooking Monterey Bay, savoring expertly grilled wild local salmon with delicate potato gnocchi, crispy kale, pea tendrils and basil coulis.
Or will it be an actionpacked adventure, centered around exploring beaches, hiking forested mountains and stand-up paddling boarding with the SUP Shack at the picturesque Santa Cruz Harbor? In which case, you probably don’t want to spend lots of time sitting in restaurants — take-out meals are the answer.
Happily, you don’t need to sacrifice fine food for convenience. The Santa Cruz area brims with excellent, chef-driven cafes that specialize in to-go fare that’s often as pleasing as high-end restaurants. You can pack a picnic, add in some local wine, beer or craft cocktails and feast in style.
Chef David Kinch is known for his three-Michelin-starred Manresa in Los Gatos. But here in Aptos, he makes pizza. Superb, wood-fired, bubblecharred 12-inch beauties with toppings that change with the seasons.
For summer, we tuck into a pie scattered in Jimmy Nardello peppers, red onion, sweet peach, caciocavallo stretched curd cheese, stracciatella soft cheese, ‘nduja fermented pork paste spiked with fiery Calabrian chilies and basil; or a bold mix of anchovies, tomato, olive tapenade, garlic and marjoram.
Round things out with appetizers like local halibut crudo, or a tomato salad tossed with stracciatella, prosecco, whey, basil and vanilla oil; plus shareable entrées including housemade chitarra pasta, sardines, arugula, garlic, chili, fennel, capers and golden raisins; or a sea-centric medley of octopus, squid, scallop, potato, cannellini beans, cucumber and lemon verbena.
The first restaurant Matt McNamara opened, Sons & Daughters in 2010, is a highend San Francisco spot with an innovative tasting menu and a Michelin star. But in 2014, he left, started a family and moved to an 83-acre farm in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Five years later, he opened Pretty Good Advice in Soquel, as a small space with a pick-up window plus a cozy landscaped patio. The menu is stunning and often surprising, showcasing all plant-based recipes and vibrant flavors through the all-day breakfast, lunch and early dinner concept. You’ve never had more perfect, crispy-moist hash browns as on the Mike’s Good Morning Deluxe sandwich, bringing pillowy ciabatta stuffed with fried egg, red bell pepper, avocado, pepperjack and aioli.
Vegetarian burgers can be made vegan, too, with dairyfree cheese, while house-cut fries come with garlic-rosemary aioli or vegan ranch for dunking. Try the plum and goat cheese salad with spicy Dijonwalnut dressing, and sip an iced coconut caramel coffee or mouthwatering apricot infused lemonade. There’s a kids menu, too, and vegan oat milk soft serve for dessert.
The charming, rustic café is owned by the Penny Ice Creamery
team of Kendra Baker and Zach Davis, so naturally, excellent ice cream is on the menu. Scarf a cup or waffle cone while waiting for the chefs to make your take-out order — recently, knockout flavors included strawberry pink peppercorn, Verve coffee chocolate almond praline and blackberry sweet corn.
Note that sandwiches are huge, and so delectable you’ll eat the whole thing anyway, devouring a chicken pesto baguette, Dad’s meatloaf with Swiss and onion jam or chunky egg salad laced with turmeric pickled onions.
Vegans will especially love the market salad of locally grown sweet corn with avocado, cherry tomatoes, ancient grains, mixed lettuces, toasted seeds and lemon vinaigrette — pair it with Santa Cruz’s own Birichino wines in unusual varietals like Malvasia Bianca or Grenache from a vineyard planted in 1910.
The hip, independently owned coffee shop mini-chain is famous now for its direct-trade buying model sourcing straight from the growers around the world and for its premium coffees bursting with robust flavor.
The original location debuted in 2007 on 41st Avenue in Pleasure Point and still draws crowds for its pour-over, drip and brewed drinks, plus delicious made-to-order bites like thick-cut toast layered with avocado, chives, radishes, pickled shallots and cultured butter; or the best brioche bun you’ll ever have, griddled with fried organic egg, cheddar, aioli and chives.
For an even faster get away, browse the grab-and-go case, stocked with homemade coconut chia pudding showered in maple granola and fresh berries or a vegan bowl packed with sweet potatoes, herbed chickpeas, grains, mixed greens, shallots and tomatoes in a spicy citrus vinaigrette.
A former historic county jail has been turned into a culinary, wine, beer and cocktail salon anchored by a 10,000-squarefoot plaza. Just a few of the favorite takeout eateries include Flashbird with juicy brined and fried chicken (www.flashbirdchicken.com), Belly Goat Craft Burgers with Half Moon Bay’s Markegard Family Ranch grass-fed beef (www.bellygoatburgers.com), the West African-inspired Veg on The Edge offering standouts like pumpkin seed-collard green stew over brown rice (www.vegontheedge.com) and Pizzeria la Bufala, an authentic Neapolitan-style pizzeria offering fresh mozzarella di bufala campana, Italian prosciutto, salame and mortadella (www.pizzerialabufala.com).