Welcome to Lily Belli on Food, a weekly food-focused newsletter from Lookout’s food and drink correspondent, Lily Belli. Keep reading for the latest local food news for Santa Cruz County – plus a few fun odds and ends from my own life and around the web.

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… Last week, Santa Cruz-based Humble Sea Brewing Co. announced that it’s opening up a location in San Francisco, and on the famed Pier 39, no less. Pier 39, the busiest section of Fisherman’s Wharf, is one of the city’s major attractions, with millions of visitors every year. Starting this summer, Humble Sea’s newest taproom will be right smack in the middle of it, in a space that overlooks a boat mooring – perfect for a nautical-themed craft brewery. 

If that wasn’t impressive enough, this will be Humble Sea’s sixth location, making it one of the most prolific breweries in the state. In addition to its flagship brewery on Swift Street in Santa Cruz’s Westside neighborhood, it also has taprooms in Pacifica and Alameda, a seasonal beer garden on the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf and a restaurant in Felton, the Humble Sea Tavern. That growth is impressive, especially since the rest of the craft brewing industry has skidded to a halt over the past few years. Craft beer sales decreased 1% nationally last year, but San Lorenzo Valley native Taylor West, who co-owns the brewery with high school friends Nick Pavlina and Frank Scott Krueger, said Humble Sea’s sales have increased an eye-popping 25% year over year. 

West says Humble Sea’s talented, hardworking staff are the reason why the brand, known for its “foggy,” hop-driven beers and kooky can art, has seen such enormous growth over the past nine years. Read the full story here. 

… Lookout wine writer Laurie Love is back on American soil after a few weeks of galavanting and wine tasting through Holland, Germany, France and Switzerland (I’m only a little bit jealous … OK, maybe a lot). In her newest column, she recaps the Perfect Pair event at Cabrillo College in April, notes a new home for Ser Winery’s wines after the Doon to Earth tasting room closed last month, and reflects on her current favorite wine list at Hook & Line, a new restaurant from chef Santos Majano in downtown Santa Cruz. Plus, she shares a half dozen wine-related events to put on your calendar over the next few months. Don’t miss out – read it here. 

… Mark your calendars: The Pig Roast for Whiskey Folks will return on Saturday, June 8, at award-winning Westside distillery Venus Spirits’ tasting room. This second annual event aims to celebrate “the artistry of whiskey-making and the time-honored tradition of communal feasting,” according to the website, with snacks, live music and smooth, bold, house-made whiskey. A $40 Meal Ticket includes a full plate of pork and ribs, baked beans, potato salad, mixed greens, garlic bread and dessert (there’s also a vegetarian option for $30). For a $100 VIP ticket, guests can enter the event an hour early to experience porky hors d’oeuvres, whiskey and cocktail tasting. Check it out here. 

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Whale City Aptos opened last week for breakfast, lunch and dinner in the former Burger spot on Soquel Drive. Fans of the original location in Davenport will feel right at home – the menu of mostly American classics is nearly the same, and pastries are brought in daily from the bakery up the coast. Read more about the new addition to the Aptos community.

EVENT SPOTLIGHT

Ramen and dumpling shop Full Steam Dumpling is hosting a Vietnamese brunch pop-up this Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Santa Cruz Art Center (formerly Santa Cruz Food Lounge) in downtown Santa Cruz. I’m a huge fan of Full Steam and chef Andy Huynh’s cooking in general – he captures big, bold flavors and textures in a variety of Asian cuisines on his rotating, seasonal menu at Full Steam. This Sunday, he’s focusing on Vietnam, with banh mi, egg rolls, steak and eggs, and bánh xèo – savory Vietnamese crepes. Mariposa Coffee Bar will also pop up to share its decadent, traditional Vietnamese coffee. More info on BOLO.

PARTY TIME!

In case you haven’t heard us screaming it from the rooftops, the staff of Lookout won a coveted Pulitzer Prize in the breaking news category for our coverage of the devastating storms of January 2023. Of course, we’re having a party – and all members are invited.

Join us for a Lookout Pulitzer celebration at our downtown Santa Cruz office tomorrow from 5 to 7 p.m. Have a drink and some snacks, and help us celebrate this win. This event is free to Lookout members, but space is limited, so please RSVP. Not yet a member? Sign up today to support our work and join the fun!

LIFE WITH THE BELLIS

I had such a good time at the NEXTies on Friday night, mingling with movers and shakers in Santa Cruz County and everyone out in their best, most awards-show-y outfits. I haven’t been back since before the pandemic. This year, Taylor West of Humble Sea Brewing and I presented the Foodie of the Year award to Lance Ebert, the chef of SC Bread Boy, who took the stage with his chef-de-partie Isabella Cantek. I’ve written about Lance several times – first, when he was selling cannoli and focaccia off of the back of his Vespa on East Cliff Drive, again when he pivoted to enormous, lacy-edged smash burgers in Santa Cruz, and, most recently, when he became the pop-up in residence at the Humble Sea Tavern in January. It was an honor to present this award to such a hardworking, kind person, with an irreverent streak to his technique-driven cuisine that reels me back again and again.

The most memorable moment of the evening came when – true to form – Lance pulled a kilo of Tsar Nicoulai American-grown white sturgeon caviar and a piping bag of whipped herb and lemon ricotta out of his satchel, and passed out decadent caviar “bumps” to the crowd. I reached out my hand as Isabella squirted a dollop of ricotta into the groove between my thumb and my forefinger, and Lance crowned it with a generous spoonful of black caviar. The creamy, tangy, herb-flecked cheese was the perfect foil for the briny fish eggs. What a treat!

FOOD NEWS WORTH READING

➤ Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy Sunday. While more than 500 locations throughout the U.S. and Canada will remain open during the process, it abruptly closed dozens of others. The seafood chain restaurant found itself in hot water (you’re going to see that pun a lot) after a series of poor financial decisions, including an ill-fated all-you-can-eat-shrimp promotion that led to $11 million in losses. (NPR)

➤ Last week, a judge in Fort Wayne, Indiana, ruled that tacos are “Mexican-style sandwiches,” paving the way for a restaurant owner to obtain a permit to open in a local strip mall. Following the announcement, the internet cracked open with opinions. America is, for some reason, obsessed with things that aren’t sandwiches that could be considered sandwiches – burgers and hot dogs are also hotly debated. But writer Tejal Rao points out in a column in The New York Times that, legally, it might depend on where you live. (WANE.com / The New York Times)