The 2026 Lookout List: Food & Drink Experiences

Wine tastings. Little treats. Cocktail menus. Breweries to visit with your friends. Breweries to visit with your dogs. Lookout readers’ favorite spots for Food & Drink Experiences in Santa Cruz County offer a guide to any sort of experience you’re looking for, whether it’s a special night to celebrate or a brunch spot for a perfect Sunday. Find more Lookout List winners here . Find your favorite… Bakery for Cakes/Special Occasions Beer Selection Brewery with Outdoor Seating Catering for a Dinner Party Catering for a Work Lunch Cocktail Menu Dinner with a View Dog-Friendly Restaurant Farmers’ Market Vendor Food Pop-Up Grab and Go Lunch Grocery Store Happy Hour Menu Local Butcher Lunch with a View Matcha Menu Mocktail Menu Outdoor Dining Experience Place for a Casual First Date Place for Brunch with Friends Place for Drinks with Friends Place to Bring Visitors for a Meal Place to Buy a Bottle of Wine Place to Meet a Friend for Coffee Place to Watch Sports Restaurant to Celebrate a Birthday Restaurant to Celebrate an Anniversary Sweet Treat Wine Tasting Experience Favorite Bakery for Cakes/Special Occasions Winner: The Buttery 702 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz Fans say the Buttery still makes “the best carrot cake in the county” after all these years, along with “the most creative, beautiful, delicious cakes” and chocolate cakes made with real chocolate. It’s “up for doing almost anything cake-wise,” one wrote. Runner-up: Gayle’s Bakery 504 Bay Ave., Capitola Readers praise the quality and artistry of Gayle’s cakes, which come in a range of sizes. “Everyone in my family asks for a princess cake,” one wrote. FROM THE LOOKOUT NEWSROOM Gayle’s turns 45 — and gives fans a chance to reimagine their faves Back to all Food & Drink Experiences categories Favorite Beer Selection Winner: Beer Thirty 2504 S. Main St., Soquel Voters say Beer Thirty has the largest selection and “the best beer in town.” Runner-up: Lupulo Craft Beer House 233 Cathcart St., Santa Cruz Beer lovers call Lupulo’s selection “well curated” and “the widest and most delicious selection of beers (especially sours).” Back to all Food & Drink Experiences categories Favorite Brewery with Outdoor Seating Winner: Humble Sea Brewing Co. 820 Swift St., Santa Cruz, plus a beer garden on the Santa Cruz Wharf Fans love Humble Sea’s view, food trucks and atmosphere, and one gave a shout-out to Socks & Sandals. Runner-up: Discretion Brewing 2703 41st Ave., Suite A, Soquel Fans praise Discretion’s “incredible” range of beers and its shaded, quiet patio, where it’s “possible to have conversation with friends and family while lingering over the great brews.” FROM THE LOOKOUT NEWSROOM With a sixth location set to open on San Francisco’s Pier 39 this summer, Santa Cruz’s Humble Sea is defying craft beer’s bust Double the Discretion: Brewhouse upgrade rings in Soquel brewery’s 10th anniversary Back to all Food & Drink Experiences categories Favorite Catering for a Dinner Party Winner: Busy Bee’s Cafe and Catering 1200 41st Ave., Suite B, Capitola Hosts praise Busy Bee’s “amazing selection of foods and high quality.” Runner-up: Tacos831 (831) 239-3099 Clients call them “wonderful folks” with “terrific tacos” who are easy to work with and “up for anything and anywhere.” Back to all Food & Drink Experiences categories Favorite Catering for a Work Lunch Winner: Busy Bee’s Cafe and Catering 1200 41st Ave., Suite B, Capitola Fans say Busy Bee serves good, reliable food, and one recommends the breakfast burritos. Runner-up: Zoccoli’s Deli 1534 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz Fans love Zoccoli’s choice of Italian specialties, and one said its pesto sandwich “will change your life!” Back to all Food & Drink Experiences categories Favorite Cocktail Menu Winner: Venus Spirits 200 High Road, Santa Cruz Most of the cocktails feature Venus’ own spirits, made at the distillery next door, and fans say the bartenders “will make any drink you desire.” One fan called the house gin and tonic, made with Venus’ own gin and its own tonic, the best they’ve ever had anywhere. Runner-up: The Alley-Oop 320 Cedar St., Santa Cruz Fans praise the Alley-Oop’s “extensive and unique cocktail menu” of classics and craft creations “with an emphasis on grape based spirits,” and its “best date vibe.” FROM THE LOOKOUT NEWSROOM Santa Cruz bartenders shake, stir and sprint at Venus Spirits’ third annual competition Alley Oop opens in downtown Santa Cruz with vintage cocktails and speakeasy style Lookout Staff Pick Makai Island Kitchen & Groggery Several years ago, my partner and I stumbled into the mystical world of the modern “Tiki” revival. We were drawn to the escapist aura of the movement during the early days of the lockdown, seeking the same vacation from reality that folks sought during the Depression era—when legendary figures like Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic pioneered the genre. Santa Cruz is fortunate to have an amazing modern version of this midcentury phenomenon on our very own Municipal Wharf at Makai Island Kitchen & Groggery, where owner Peter Drobac and his team have concocted a copious menu of classic and modern libations (and one of the largest collections of unique rums amassed on the West Coast) that is sure to cure what ails you and provide plenty of relief from life’s mundanity. Drinker beware: if the famous rotating bar doesn’t get you spinning, the drinks sure will. Duffy Barrett, Advertising Sales and Marketing Partnerships Representative Back to all Food & Drink Experiences categories Favorite Dinner with a View Winner: The Crow’s Nest 2218 E. Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz “Still a favorite after all these years,” one regular wrote of the upstairs overlooking the yacht harbor, where “you can just feel the tension from the week melt right off your shoulders.” Runner-up: Shadowbrook Restaurant 1750 Wharf Road, Capitola Diners love Shadowbrook’s greenery and river views, which are especially “pretty if you get a window table.” Back to all Food & Drink Experiences categories Favorite Dog-Friendly Restaurant Winner: Harbor Cafe 535 Seventh Ave., Santa Cruz Fans call Harbor Cafe “super dog friendly,” with a great atmosphere, awesome staff and “friendliest folks in Santa Cruz.” Runner-up: Steamer Lane Supply W. Cliff Drive at Lighthouse Point, Santa Cruz Dog owners praised the view, park for walks, free dog biscuits, water bowls and even a doggie frittata on the menu. Back to all Food & Drink Experiences categories Favorite Farmers’ Market Vendor Winner: Dirty Girl Produce Find the farm at Santa Cruz-area farmers’ markets Shoppers love the quality and quantity of Dirty Girl’s produce at excellent prices, especially “their summer tomatoes!” Runner-up: H&H Fresh Fish 493 Lake Ave., Suite A, Santa Cruz “Fresh, fresh, fresh!” one voter wrote. Shoppers love buying so much local catch, from rockfish to tuna poke and ceviche, from “a real fisherman.” FROM THE LOOKOUT NEWSROOM H&H Fresh Fish Co. plans second seafood market on Santa Cruz’s Westside Lookout Staff Pick Laundromat Bagels Having recently relocated to Santa Cruz from the East Coast, where good New York-style bagels are plentiful and practically part of everyday life, I didn’t realize how much I’d miss them until I got here in May. Fortunately, I’ve now found my weekend fix: Laundromat Bagels. You can find them at the Westside Farmers Market on Saturdays or the Live Oak Farmers Market on Sundays. They offer bins of assorted bagels and a selection of cream cheeses. There’s one catch, if you can call it that: They don’t slice, toast or make sandwiches. It’s strictly a rip-and-dip operation. Grab your bagels, pick your cream cheese and eat them there or take them home. If you’re looking for an authentic New York-style bagel in Santa Cruz, it’s absolutely worth the trip. It’s become one of my favorite weekend rituals. Richard Martin, Executive Edit