Santa Cruz Travel Guide 2012 - 19

Field toTable
The delicious tastes of Santa Cruz County begin in the rich sandy soil unique to the Central Coast. Warm sunny days offset cool foggy nights to create one of the most distinctive geographical areas in California for produce. The roots of Santa Cruz County cuisine literally lie in the soil. The abundance of locally grown fruits and vegetables provides inspiration for the many celebrated chefs within the county. A number of chefs are known for creating menus in harmony with the seasons to highlight locally-grown items at their peak. Farmers markets throughout the county are veritable boutiques of nature, where you can browse at leisure. Many of these markets host special cooking-related events featuring fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and other locally-made items. And speaking of fresh, nearly every restaurant offering seafood in town features salmon, Dungeness crab, sand dabs, and other succulent choices, sustainably harvested from the Monterey Bay. Daily catches become nightly specials at restaurants throughout the county, in particular on the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf where you’ll find some of the best clam chowder in the county. For a menu rich in seafood and sweeping views of the Monterey Bay, Linwood’s or the Sunset restaurant at the Chaminade Resort, the Santa Cruz Dream Inn’s Aquarius restaurant, or Sanderlings at the Seascape Beach Resort are perfect spots. For the perfect accompaniment to local cuisine, the celebrated

wines of the region rank among the best in the country. In fact, the Santa Cruz Mountains Appellation is one of the oldest wine growing regions in the United States. The area boasts over 70 wineries many of them small and family-owned. Visit a tasting room, or try one of the local restaurants which serve these handcrafted wines. Pairing food with wine has been par for the course at area restaurants. Shadowbrook Restaurant in Capitola features Winemaker Wednesdays, October through April, when local wines take center stage. Or try Soif in Downtown Santa Cruz for other delicious pairings. Cafe Cruz restaurant and the Crow’s Nest are other sumptuous options. For just wine, the Bargetto Winery tasting room in Soquel Village is a scenic choice. Whether your culinary preference takes you to an outdoor market bursting with fresh produce, a romantic hideaway, or a bustling Mediterranean-themed sidewalk bistro, Santa Cruz County offers the perfect gastronomic destination. For a complete list of recommended dining options, see page 62. Bon appétit!

Sample the tastes of Santa Cruz County

“(now) ‘rabid localism’… refers to the restaurant that uses eggs from its own chicken coop and the woman who churns organic ice cream with fennel foraged from a nearby field...”
auSTralian FinanCial reVieW, January 28 – 30, 2011

Photo: Paul Schraub

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Santa Cruz Travel Guide 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Santa Cruz Travel Guide 2012