Verve celebrates Pride with benefit drink

To celebrate Pride Month in June, Verve Coffee Roasters is offering a new seasonal beverage. The Blueberry Matcha Cold Foam Latte, available at all California locations for a limited time, features iced matcha topped with blueberry cold foam. Verve is donating 100% of proceeds from sales of this product to Equality California (eqca.org), the country’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization.

Verve’s Santa Cruz stores are at 1540 Pacific Ave., 1010 Fair Ave., 104 Bronson St. Suite 19 and 816 41st Ave. Also, Verve is also donating 20% of online Streetlevel sales from its website to Equality California for a limited time. Visit vervecoffee.com to purchase Streetlevel, Verve’s flagship blend.

CAPITOLA

Daily lunch service returns to Shadowbrook

Just in time for summer, Shadowbrook Restaurant (1750 Wharf Road) has brought back daily lunch service in both the Rock Room Bar and Lounge and the Rooftop Terrace. Lunch begins at noon. First come, first served.

Also, for customers dining in the evening, the lower patio recently reopened for the summer. Outdoor heaters are available. Contact 831-475-1511 or visit shadowbrook-capitola.com for more information.

News from Ashby Confections

Ashby Confections (16C Victor Square, ashbyconfections.com) is offering its version of the viral Dubai chocolate bar. Owner Jennifer Ashby’s kids inspired her to create this new treat, which she is very proud of. “We make our own pistachio cream rather than buying ready-made, so ours is more natural and cleaner,” says Ashby. “There are no green dyes, preservatives, additives or extra sugars.” Ashby makes all of her chocolates and candies by hand, including top-selling Fresh Fruit Sour Strips.

The shop’s hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. You can also find Ashby Confections at the Cabrillo College Farmers Market in Aptos from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday.

In the future, Ashby will close its Scotts Valley location and move to 1207 Pacific Ave. in downtown Santa Cruz, next to Pacific Cookie Co. The opening date has not been announced; stay in the loop on Instagram @ashbyconfections.

SOQUEL

Menu addition at Café Cruz

Café Cruz, at 2621 41st Ave., recently launched a Tuesday lunch special. The chilaquiles burger on a brioche bun is available during lunch hours only: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Ingredients include a house-ground beef patty, pepper jack and mozzarella cheese, roasted jalapeño, pickled onions and “salsa verde chilaquiles” (with housemade tortilla chips and a Glaum Ranch egg done “your way”). Accompanied by a choice of four sides including fries, it costs $22.

Restaurant hours are 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 5-9 p.m. Sunday. Call 831-476-3801 or visit cafecruz.com for details and reservations.

Chaminade events this weekend

Reservations are available for several Father’s Day weekend events at Chaminade Resort and Spa.These include BBQs with live music 4-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday on the Sunset Patio, with selections such as smoked wagyu brisket, grilled portobello “steaks” and charred scallion cornbread muffins.

Brunch buffets are from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday-Sunday plus two special events Sunday: a bourbon tasting for ages 21 and up from 3 to 5 p.m., and a steakhouse dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. with an à la carte menu.

Call 831-465-3452 or visit chaminade.com/santa-cruz-restaurants/fathers-day for cost, details and reservations.

Also note that Chaminade’s Sunset Restaurant has brought back its signature Sunday brunch buffet, available weekly until Sept. 7. Learn more at chaminade.com/santa-cruz-restaurants/sunday-brunch.

SCOTTS VALLEY

Pop-ups at Steel Bonnet Brewing Co.

A few food trucks are appearing at Steel Bonnet Brewing Co. (20 Victor Square, 831-454-8429, steelbon.net) in the near future. Shockwave pops up 5-8 p.m. Thursday as well as June 19, June 26 and July 3. Scrumptious Fish and Chips pops up 4-8 p.m. Friday. La Fenice Pizza appears 5-8 p.m. June 20, Sleight of Hand Pizza 4-8 p.m. June 21, Cali Caracas 5-8 p.m. June 27 and Kikuchi Yakitori 4-8 p.m. June 28.

SCOTTS VALLEY

Events on deck at Inversion Winery

Inversion Wines, at 75 Mount Hermon Road, has upcoming events including guest food vendors. On Friday, the Cali Caracas Venezuelan food truck will appear 4-8 p.m. (it returns June 28) and the winery will offer “name that tune” live music trivia 6-7:30 p.m. On Saturday, there will be live music 3-5:30 p.m. accompanied by The Griddler food truck.

The weekend of June 20-21 offers ItaliaFire wood-fired pizza (4-8 p.m.) and trivia (6-7:30) Friday, and live music (3-5:30 p.m.) Saturday. For details, call 831-419-5036 or visit inversionwines.com.

SANTA CRUZ

Cherry Bomb cookies are back

Pacific Cookie Co. has brought back its seasonal Cherry Bomb cookie for the summer. The sugar cookie with dried cherries is available at the retail location, 1203 Pacific Ave., and online at pacificcookie.com. Hours at the store are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and 10 a.m. to midnight Friday-Saturday. Call 831-429-6905.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

Scrumptious Fish and Chips pop-ups

Scrumptious Fish and Chips has several pop-ups in June. These include Humble Sea Brewing in Santa Cruz from noon to 7 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 6:30 p.m. Sundays. You can also order from the business via Uber Eats and DoorDash every Saturday and Sunday.

It will appear at the Felton farmers market 1-6 p.m. Tuesdays, and at the Food Truck Friday event 4:30-8 p.m. June 27 at Skypark in Scotts Valley. See the full schedule at scrumptiousfc.com.

APTOS

Tickets on sale for Community Bridges benefit

Tickets are available for the 10th annual Community Bridges Farm to Fork Gala, June 28 at Seascape Golf Club (610 Clubhouse Drive). Attendees will enjoy a multi-course meal, wine and live and silent auctions. Tickets are $150 per person at communitybridges.org/events. Event proceeds support 10 Community Bridges programs, which serve more than 20,000 local children, families and seniors.

BEN LOMOND

Fika Bakeshop Father’s Day treats

Scandinavian-inspired licensed home bakery Fika Bakeshop (fikabakeshopbenlomond.com) is hosting a Father’s Day pop-up from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. or sell-out Sunday at 261 Madrona Way, a private residence.

In addition to signature Swedish cardamom buns, Fika will showcase savory pastries such as pesto-gruyere buns and corn and hot honey scones plus sweets such as mini berry galettes.

Quick Bites, compiled by Tara Fatemi Walker, is your weekly helping of Santa Cruz County restaurant, food and drink news. Send items to sentinelfood@gmail.com (Sunday 7 p.m. deadline for that week’s column). Want local food and drink news as it happens? Follow the Sentinel’s food crew on X @santacruzfood.