One of the first questions every guest asks is where to eat, so we keep a running list. Here’s the short version.
For breakfast or a grab-and-go lunch, Gayle’s Bakery in Capitola is the one we send people to before we’ve even finished saying hello. It’s part bakery, part rotisserie counter, part full deli, and the pastry case alone is worth the ten-minute drive. Grab something to go and picnic on the sand back at the house.
For dinner, Shadowbrook is the splurge night — a cable car ride down through a wooded ravine to a creekside garden dining room that’s been open since 1947. Book ahead, especially on summer weekends.
If you want something more casual, the food trucks around Sante Adairius Rustic Ales in Capitola rotate regularly and pair well with one of the best sour ale programs on the West Coast. It’s an easy stop after a beach day, before heading back for the evening.
Further afield, Santa Cruz’s downtown strip has everything from taquerias to sushi if you want more variety on a night out, about twenty minutes from the house.
We keep an updated list of our current favorites for every guest who books direct — it’s one of the small things you get that you won’t find on a platform listing. See more of our local picks or check your dates to start planning.
