Eats and Drinks

Bella Vista Italian Kitchen and Bar – CLOSED

March 3, 2017 by Seb Frey

Bella Vista Italian Kitchen and Bar has CLOSED!

Bella Vista Italian Kitchen and Bar is the newest eatery in Aptos. It’s located in the famous Bayview Hotel, in Aptos Village. The Bayview Hotel has hosted a number of restaurants in recent years, but Bella Vista is under distinct ownership and management. It first opened its doors in late February 2017, and it quickly won accolades from many Aptosians looking for traditional and authentic Italian cuisine.

Bella Vista is the work of Jan Johnson, whose family built an Aptos beach home in the 1940’s. She’s owned and managed a number of restaurants over the years, and never thought she’d want to do it again…until she realized what an opportunity she had with the Bayview Hotel location. She had looked at a lot of locations in and around Aptos, but the allure of the Bayview won her over. According to her, “You just can’t replace the ambience of this location.”

The interior of the restaurant was completely refreshed for Bella Vista – it’s a transformation. The design is clean and classic 19th century; the feeling is warm and inviting, which is exactly how Johnson describes her reception by the local community. She attests that even competing restauranteurs in the area have been supportive.

The chef is a native of Italy, hailing from Napoli. He’s worked in restaurants throughout the world and all over California. He is dedicated to his craft; he hand-rolls the gnocchi and and rolls and stuffs the ravioli by hand too.

The wine list – featuring wines from Italy and California (mostly on the central coast) – was prepared by the head waiter Sandro, the former owner of Star Bene and Ristorante Da Mario in Saratoga. Bob Marsh, who runs the the local Birichino winery whose wines are featured, also helped with the wine list.

The restaurant has a Mugnaini wood-fired clay oven in the back yard, which they use for braising their own meats…and for making pizza as well. The pizza uses caputo flour from Italy, which gives their hand-tossed crust a very distinctive flavor.

They have live music every Friday night, and other musicians may drop by on other nights of the week to strike up a tune.

Bella Vista Italian Kitchen and Bar is a huge and very refreshing departure from recent restaurants located within the Bayview. It’s got all the makings of a great spot for date night. If you’re looking for something new and exciting to try in Aptos, take a step back in time and check out the new Bella Vista.

Bella Vista Italian Kitchen and Bar Photo Gallery

A Look Into Persephone

February 16, 2017 by Seb Frey

I recently had an opportunity to chat with two of the owners of Persephone, the hottest new restaurant in Aptos. I wanted to check in with them and see how their new venture is going, and to learn more about what has made Persephone such a success right out of the gate.

I sat down with chef Cori Goudge-Ayer and her brother Alex Potter who serves as the beverage manager / sommelier. I met with them around mid-day, as they were hard at work planning that evening’s service. Several cooks were in the kitchen, busily preparing the food which would be served in a few hours. I was told that the kitchen starts going shortly after dawn, as many of their dishes require hours of preparation.

Speaking with Cori and Alex, their passion for their work and Persephone came through. I’m not a restauranteur and only a wannabe foodie, but when I have my choice, I want someone who clearly wants to serve a meal that’s going to knock my socks off. Talking to Cori and Alex, that’s the distinct impression I got: they want every dish that comes out of the kitchen to wow the palette and dazzle the eyes.

One of Persephone’s hallmarks is their commitment to using fresh, seasonal, and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. This means that the menu is always changing as new vegetables come into season. A couple of local farms have even agreed to grow vegetables exclusively for the restaurant, assuring them a steady supply of fresh, high-quality ingredients for their cuisine.

This kind of dedication to their craft is clearly what’s behind the restaurant’s success. Already, a number of locals come to eat there on a weekly basis, as the daily and desert specials are constantly refreshed, subject to availability of ingredients. For example, many seafood items will be available only when the fishermen bring in a fresh catch, and may be on the menu for a single night only.

If you’re looking to treat yourself (or your spouse, friends, or family!) to a really special night out, be sure to check out Persephone and see for yourself why they’ve already earned so many raving fans.

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Persephone Restaurant

November 13, 2016 by Seb Frey

Persephone Restaurant in Aptos is located on Soquel Drive, across the street from the Rancho del Mar Shopping Center and next-door to Burger. It occupies the former location of Aptos Pizza, which shut its doors in 2014.

Persephone Restaurant in Aptos is the result of over 15 years of work by Cori Goudge-Ayer and her family. Chef Cori is a Santa Cruz native, and is a graduate the culinary program at nearby Cabrillo College and also studied at the renown California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. Locally, she is known for having been the opening chef at Laili in downtown Santa Cruz and Suda near Pleasure Point. It’s definitely a family operation, with Chef Cori’s brother Alex Potter serving as beverage manager, stepfather Miles Porter as Business Manager, and mom Karen Porter as pastry consultant.

The 40-seat restaurant specializes in Mediterranean cuisine, with a focus on seasonal recipes using locally sourced ingredients as much as possible. Their full menu is available on-line and includes their list of fine wines and craft beers as well. The restaurant is open five nights a week, Wednesday through Sunday, from 4:30 PM until 9:00 PM. As seating is limited reservations are required and may be obtained by calling the restaurant at (831) 612-6511 or by texting a reservation request to (831) 818-2331.

The Colonel has Left the Building

November 13, 2016 by Seb Frey

The lower end of the Rancho del Mar Shopping Center is turning into a veritable ghost town, as another of its tenants have closed up shop. Early this month, the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant shut its doors, with apparently no prior notice to any of their customers.

The plastic lighted sign has been turned around, and the letters and logo can be seen as a reversed ghostly image in the sign post. A note taped to the door gives thanks for “many years of patronage” and refers customers to two nearby KFC locations.

Nobody seems to know precisely why the Colonel has left the building – but it seems the most likely reason is that their lease was up and the new owners of the shopping center raised the rate to the point where business at the location was no longer viable.

A lot of folks will say good riddance to bad rubbish – but what comes next? The owner of Rancho del Mar, TRC (formerly known as Terramar Retail Centers), isn’t talking. We’ll just have to watch that space and see what pops up.

Kentucky Fried Chicken in Aptos is Gone

Cafe Rio 5th Anniversary & 4th of July Celebration

July 1, 2016 by Seb Frey

The folks at Cafe Rio (located down in the Rio del Mar Beach flats) are poised for a double celebration this weekend! They’re celebrating both their 5th Anniversary as well as the 4th of July!

To celebrate, they’ll have a special menu from 12:00 to 5:00 PM on the 4th of July. There will be an All-American BBQ by CB Hannegans, including a Tri Tip Sandwich, Jerk Chicken Sandwich, Hot Dogs, Veggie Burger, Pulled Pork sandwich…and traditional sides on desserts like potato salad, watermelon and brownies.

They’re taking it up to 11 by featuring a 140 pound Pig on a spit, which will be a feature in the Aptos 4th of July Parade before it heads on down to Cafe Rio – just follow the smell!

They will also have live music provided by local Santa Cruz musicians The Breeze Babes and Katy Ekin! It promises to be a fantastic way to enjoy a terrific meal after the parade.

JuicySweet Frozen Yogurt and Juice Bar

January 28, 2016 by Seb Frey

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JuicySweet Frozen Yogurt and Juice Bar is located in the Aptos Center shopping center, and features all organic frozen yogurt and fresh smoothies and squeezed juice, made right there and then at the time its ordered. The smoothies have fun and exotic names like Sweet ‘n Simple, Tropical Green, Spicy Hawaiian, and Holy Cacao. The juice menu has similar names, like Sweetie Pie, Happy Place, Hot Stuff, and Don’t Beet Around.

If a custom juice is more your to your taste, you can choose to make your own from a number of quality ingredients including carrot, celery, cucumber, apple, orange, kale, spinach, ginger, and many more.

It’s both Juicy, and Sweet!

A Chat with the Owner of Flats Bistro

June 5, 2015 by Seb Frey

Seb Frey with Aptos Community News ambled down to the new Flats Bistro in Aptos to have a chat with the owner, Jeanne Harrison. We wanted to talk about Jeanne’s new venture, and she shared quite a bit.

We talked about their newest menu item: breakfast pizza ($14). According to Jeanne, It’s like having sourdough toast with either bacon or sausage, an egg done over-easy, some spinach and a little bit of cheese.

Most people order the breakfast pizza in the morning, but you can get it any time of day; it’s been a very popular menu item. The breakfast pizza crust has a very nice flavor, it’s super thin and crunchy. Their crust uses a 100 year old starter for the sourdough, and that could be the reason the crust in their pizzas is extra tasty.

Listen to the Discussion

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Their 60 inch pizza oven was made by Mugnaini, a renown pizza oven maker based in Watsonville. The oven runs 650-700 degrees, and in an oven this hot, it’s really difficult to make some specialty crusts. They tried to make a cauliflower crust but it just fell apart in the oven.

Flats Bistro is proving to be fertile ground for Jeanne’s culinary experimentation. For example, she says she’d never really made pizza before she got the idea for Flats Bistro. On the day we visited, she had just added something new to the display case: stuffed Portobello mushrooms with garlic, onion, gorgonzola cheese and a breaded topping. Every morning they have bacon and egg croissants for $5. On Saturdays and Sundays they do biscuits and gravy, and also offer ham and egg sandwiches with that.

They are working on a gluten free pizza crust, but so far they have been unsuccessful. She has tried 5-6 gluten-free crusts and they “taste like cardboard.” If anyone knows of a great gluten-free pizza crust recipe, she’d love to have it!

They make all the food and pastries right next door at Cafe Rio, starting at 5 or 6 AM. All the cookies, cakes, desserts, and salads are made on site. But they have no plans for breakfast burritos because, Jeanne says, they love their neighbors, and don’t want to take anything away from Pixie Deli which has been selling breakfast burritos for years. They don’t deliver yet and don’t offer catering, but this is something they may look at doing in the future.

The bistro has been open for only two months, but already they are enjoying incredible success and a growing clientele. They’ve been doing an Instagram campaign to promote the bistro, and the campaign ends today, June 5. Just tag a photo with #FlatsBistroAptos showing one of their coffee cups for a chance to win a Flats Bistro hoodie.

One for the road! #flatsbistroaptos #aptos #coffee
A photo posted by Sebastian Frey (@sebfrey) on May 29, 2015 at 9:40am PDT

#FlatsBistroAptos on Instagram

Flats Bistro

May 29, 2015 by Seb Frey

The Flats Bistro in Aptos is located on the Rio del Mar Beach Esplanade, adjacent to the venerable Cafe Rio. Actually, Flats Bistro and Cafe Rio have the same owner, Jeanne Harrison. While Cafe Rio offers a full bar and a more formal, sit-down dining experience, the Flats Bistro is a much more casual experience.

They open early with fresh hot coffee and pastries, perfect for foggy Aptos mornings and a walk down the beach. Later on in the day, you’ll want to go there for their pizza, cooked in a distinctive gas oven. The ingredients are locally sourced and organic when possible, and the crust is distinctive. Made from sourdough, it’s chewy and flavorful in a way that really stands out in a world of me-too pizzas.

And who says pizza is just for lunch and dinner? Flats Bistro is right on the cutting edge, introducing breakfast pizzas to breakfast patrons.

The Flats Bistro is a welcome addition to the Rio del Mar Beach Esplanade. You might not think that pizza and the beach go great together – but you’d be surprised, especially given all the picnic tables you’ll find a few dozen yards down the beach…the perfect place to munch a slice or two and savor both the pizza and life in Aptos.

Hole in the Wall Cafe

May 12, 2015 by Seb Frey

The Hole in the Wall Cafe is located in Seacliff Village, right on Center street and next to a number of other popular Aptos eateries. It’s called the Hole in the Wall for a reason: indoor seating is very limited, and outdoor seating isn’t too spacious, either. If you come for breakfast on a weekend, don’t be surprised if you have to wait in line. Some folks have commented on the service, saying that it can be bad at times, but that seems to coincide with their busiest hours. If there’s a line and the place is hopping, it’s best to allow some extra time for breakfast.

They serve a wide range of American style breakfast foods, but also specialize in pupusas, as the owners are from El Salvador. They also offer beer and wine – the mimosas might seen expensive, but they’re served in a gigantic goblet and one will probably do the trick. They have recently started to open for dinner as well. All in all, the Hole in the Wall Cafe is a great place to grab breakfast or lunch in Aptos – just don’t come if you’re in a rush.

Pixie Deli

March 9, 2015 by Seb Frey

Pixie Deli in Aptos is located in the Rio del Mar Beach Flats. It’s a great spot to grab a quick bite and maybe a beer as you soak up the rays on the beach. They have a good number of tables outside in the sunshine, and a few indoors for when it’s cold and foggy. It’s called the Pixie Deli but it really isn’t much of a deli, it’s more of a casual restaurant where a lot of diners no doubt take their food to go, back to the beach. Their menu is typical California/American cuisine, featuring French Toast, wraps, breakfast burritos, burgers, pesto chicken sandwiches, and good beer.