Enjoy delectable dishes with coastal views

When Santa Cruz restaurants boast that they offer stunning views, it’s true. In this coastal landscape, eateries overlook the Santa Cruz Harbor, the Woods Lagoon, Soquel Creek and Capitola Beach on the gorgeous Monterey Bay.

Naturally, seafood is on many menus, but you’ll also find juicy steaks, burgers big enough for two meals, and more recently, an array of vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Dig in, and enjoy.

Crow’s Nest

Nestled above a beach where the harbor meets the Pacific Ocean, this iconic place has been welcoming loyal customers since 1969. Savvy diners know to request a table in the upstairs Breakwater Bar & Grill dining room for the most magnificent views spanning to the Santa Cruz BreakwaterWalton Lighthouse.

Entertainment is another draw at the Grill. Under owner Charles Maier, acts include comedy, live music and dancing to styles ranging from rock and roll to funk, soul, Afro-Brazilian sounds, vintage country and western swing.

Here, you’ll dig into casual all-day fare like crispy calamari, Hawaiian mahi mahi fish and chips, French dip with lovely salty jus and a half-pound chargrilled burger that takes two hands to manage. Treat yourself to cocktails, too — the signature Sailor Jerry Mai Tai is a winner with its blend of five rums and fresh fruit juices.

Downstairs, you’ll also find breakfast, plus fancier fare such as a flatbread spread with black truffle alfredo sauce and ratatouille in balsamic glaze, traditional Louie shrimp or crab salads, grilled local sand dabs and a mocha-rubbed filet mignon chargrilled with porcini butter. Vegetarians will like the all-you-can-eat salad bar and the lavish butternut squash ravioli tossed in brandy cream.

But no matter where you sit, you take in the scenery of boats in the harbor, the sandy shore and soaring seagulls. Sunsets on the shorefront decks are spectacular, flooding the water with goldenred beams of light.

Shadowbrook

Dining here is an adventure, as a sleek red cable car whisks you up the hillside, delivering you to a meandering path through lush gardens and waterfalls. Just beyond, the restaurant beckons, welcoming you with its nostalgic glory that still speaks of its 1947 opening. The decor is old-school charming set with chunky stone fireplaces, Swiss chalet-style accents, ornate antique furniture, an atrium wall lined with ferns and a wood-trimmed bar with lighting that’s always nicely dark no matter the time.

Head up to the rooftop cocktail deck overlooking Soquel Creek and Capitola State Beach, and sip a Gold Rush that’s potent but floral with Larceny bourbon, orange blossom honey and blood orange bitters. You might even find owner and local celebrity Ted Burke holding court here; he has run the restaurant for more than 50 years and still loves to personally welcome guests.

Then scoot back down to the dining room for traditional dishes such as bacon-wrapped prawns slicked in ginger-coconut cream, gooey baked brie dotted with jalapeño jelly and hearty clam chowder stocked with oven-roasted sweet corn and bacon. Pacific Rim salmon is a standout, dressed in sea greens and ginger-wasabi and ponzu, while surf and turf brings a prime top sirloin alongside an 8-ounce butter poached lobster tail with garlic-whipped potato, broccolini and Champagne beurre blanc.

Vegetarian and gluten free dishes are just as opulent — treat yourself to the deep fried, golden crispy artichoke hearts dunked in cilantro-lemon vegan aioli or the risotto verdi studded with asparagus, crisp peas, Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh herbs.

Woodies Café

Smack dab at the entrance to the restaurant village on the Santa Cruz Wharf, this family-friendly favorite welcomes with casual comfort food for lunch and dinner. And the waterfront views are delicious, delivering a panorama of the Monterey Bay.

Start with buffalo chicken wings, then move on to grilled wild salmon sliders, crab cake sandwiches or a half pound burger layered with bacon, Jack cheese, guacamole and pico de gallo. Regulars also know to get the specialty fried combo of prawns, daily fish, calamari and chips or the rich, creamy pasta alfredo tumbled with crab, shrimp and fish.

Craving a cocktail? Woodie’s is a sister restaurant to Firefish Grill, which means you can order “delivery,” for a concoction like a so-fun Blue Hawaiian in a mix of rum, coconut rum, blue curaçao, sweet and sour mix and pineapple juice on the rocks.

Firefish Grill

Right next door to Woodie’s, this lively spot on the edge of the wharf seems to float above the ocean, thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows. The waves look inches away, buoyed by sailboats skimming the Santa Cruz coastline.

Seafood is the main draw here, from briny fresh oysters to seared scallops and ahi, steamed clams, firecracker prawns and sweet crab cocktail. And those are just appetizers. Bigger plates tempt with classic shrimp Louie, thick seafood chowder spiked with bacon and sherry, a mouthwatering crab salad sandwich and Monterey’s own beloved grilled sand dabs.

Live large and indulge in the seafood Rockefeller, an impressive platter of Pacific snapper, prawns and scallops baked golden with spinach and bacon under a blanket of hollandaise sauce.

PHOTOS BY LAURA MORTON Above: Guests at Shadowbrook enjoy dinner in the Fireplace Room. Below left: Visitors to Shadowbrook in Capitola ride the cable car down to the restaurant. Below right: The “chateau cut” prime top-sirloin entree at the restaurant features chargrilled Angus steak topped with chimichurri, smoked Gouda and Yukon gold potato gratin, sautéed seaonal vegetables and a roasted bell pepper puree.

Far left: Mike Harris, center, has dinner with his parents Janice Harris, left, and Richard Harris to celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary at Shadowbrook in Capitola. Left: The black truffle gnocchi at Shadowbrook features goat cheese béchamel, truffle oil and trumpet mushrooms. The historic restaurant with lush gardens opened in 1947.