SANTA CRUZ

The Chocolate Studio shutters doors

The Chocolate Studio at 912 Cedar St. has closed. The café opened in mid-February as a three-month pop-up and stayed open an extra month after the original projected closing date. “I am so grateful to have had that experience and to have been able to hold a space for the community,” says chef Stephen Beaumier, who operated the business.

The menu included savory items, Manresa Bread pastries, Ikon Roastery coffee and espresso, as well as selections from Beaumier’s White Label Chocolate and Katy Oursler’s Mutari Craft Chocolate. Customers can still order items from the latter two via whitelabelchocolate.com and mutarichocolate.com, respectively.

MONTEREY BAY AREA

TV show features local restaurants

KQED’s James Beard and Emmy Award-winning Thursday night television show “Check, Please! Bay Area” is featuring Santa Cruz and Monterey County restaurants in upcoming episodes airing at 7:30 p.m. This week, restaurants including Hanloh Thai in Santa Cruz and Schooners in Monterey will be featured. The July 17 episode includes Sampa Brazilian Kitchen from Santa Cruz and Julia’s Vegetarian Restaurant in Pacific Grove. Soquel’s Home is part of the July 24 lineup. Visit kqed.org/checkplease for details.

SANTA CRUZ

News from H&H Fresh Fish

H&H Fresh Fish recently launched mixed sashimi trays as an occasional selection available at its shop (located at the harbor below Johnny’s Harborside) and at farmers markets. The first batch included hamachi, bluefin akami and otoro. Ingredients rotate depending on availability. The seafood market is also currently selling wild king salmon for the season (from Alaska since there is no local commercial season this year) and wild Alaskan spot prawns.

Also, plans are moving forward for H&H’s second brick-and-mortar location to open in the Swift Street Courtyard, near 11th Hour Coffee. Like the flagship location, the Westside spot will feature ready-to-cook sustainable fresh seafood plus ready-to-eat dishes like poke and ceviche.

SCOTTS VALLEY

Beer festival with many food vendors on tap

The annual Hop N’ Barley Beer Festival, a family-friendly and dog-friendly event with live music, is 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at Skypark. There will be 60 beers and ciders to taste from over 30 businesses. Cousins Maine Lobster, Chubbs Chicken Sandwiches, Cre’s BBQ and Soul Food, Enzo’s Shaved Ice, Garcia’s Fish Tacos, H&H Fish (with oysters), Pana, Pizza Series, Rollin’ Snack Shack, River Dogs, S&B Burgers and Taquizas Gabriel will sell food. Plus, there are dozens of classic VWs to admire and 40 vendors selling art and other products. Buy tickets and learn more at hopnbarley.org. Event proceeds benefit the Homeless Garden Project.

SANTA CRUZ

Tickets available for Damians Ladder benefit

Moose Lodge 545 is hosting a fundraising event for nonprofit Damians Ladder from 4-8 p.m. July 20 at 2470 El Rancho Drive. A multi-course dinner prepared by the lodge will be served, and includes beef tips, mushroom chicken and grilled portobello mushrooms, along with side dishes and dessert. Guests will be able to purchase beer and wine at the Moose Lodge Bar.Advance ticket purchase is required. The $45 admission includes games and the opportunity to bid on auction prizes including Adorable French Bakery and Cruz Coffee items and a “dinner for eight” cooked by Colly Gruczelak, co-founder of Damians Ladder. Event proceeds benefit the nonprofit, which provides low- and no-cost minor home repairs to seniors and people with disabilities. Visit damiansladder.org for tickets and to learn more about the organization.

HALF MOON BAY

Tickets on sale for tasting salon

Wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay are partnering for Taste of the Mountains July 24. Attendees will enjoy wine from 15-plus wineries and light bites prepared by the hotel’s culinary team.

Learn more and buy tickets for $95 at winesofthesantacruzmountains.com/events/ritz.

Pana food truck earns accolade

The Pana food truck, led by chef and co-owner German Sierra and his wife Gabriela Ramirez, recently received recognition from Yelp. It was named to Yelp’s 2025 “Top 100 Food Trucks” in the country and earned the No. 3 spot in California. You can follow the food truck on Facebook @foodtruckpana.

Pana, which sells Venezuelan arepas and plantains, also has a brick-and-mortar location in the Octagon at Abbott Square (118 Cooper St., 530-340-6656). The business is on Instagram @pana_foodtruck. In addition, Pana sells food at SAP Center in San Jose. Learn more at panafoodtruck.com.

Announcements from The Midway

The Midway, at 1209 Soquel Ave., is doing a special wine dinner for $125 per person with Megan Bell of Margins Wine July 21. Chef Katherine Stern is creating a set four-course menu, which will be served with wine pairings. Reservations are required at themidwaysantacruz.com/make-a-reservation. Read more about Margins Wine and the event on Instagram @themidway_s_c.

Also, The Midway is joining the downtown Santa Cruz farmers market at a date to be announced in the future. The booth will be located near the Birichino Winery Tasting Room (204 Church St.). “We’ll have a simplified menu based on our lunch that is offered at the restaurant as well as baked goods, grab ‘n’ go snacks and our jams and hot sauce,” said Stern. “Also, customers will be able to get some of our greatest hits formerly seen at the weekend markets, like savory scones, galettes and seasonal grilled cheese on our house-made bread.”

Wine tasting at Pelican Ranch

Pelican Ranch Winery, at 2364 Bean Creek Road, is offering a tasting of wine and chocolate from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday for $15. Learn more at 831-332-5359 or pelicanranch.com.

Medical challenges for Gabriella Café chef

The longtime chef of Gabriella Café, Gema Cruz, has cancer and there is a GoFundMe to help. Cruz started at Gabriella Café as a prep cook 30 years ago. Visit gofundme.com/f/support-gema-cruzs-battle-with-breast-cancer to donate or learn more.

“Gema has poured her heart into every dish, every service, and every person who has walked through our doors,” stated the fundraising announcement a month ago. “Recently, Gema was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. She has been out of work for nearly two months, undergoing chemo treatment and radiation, while trying to focus on her health. We are raising funds to help Gema and her family with medical expenses, ongoing treatments, and personal costs during this difficult time.”

Bakery pop-up at Verve Coffee

The Magical Baker will sell a large variety of vegan, gluten-free goodies, including monkey bread, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (or earlier if sold out) Sunday at Verve Coffee Roasters, 816 41st Ave. For menu and details, visit the business on Instagram @mariasgfbakery.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

Scrumptious Fish & Chips pop-ups

Scrumptious Fish & Chips has several brewery pop-ups in July: Steel Bonnet Brewing in Scotts Valley 4-8 p.m. July 11 and July 18, and Humble Sea Brewing in Santa Cruz from noon to 7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays (with special early start time of 11 a.m. July 27 for Wharf to Wharf).

Other appearances include the Felton farmers market 1-6 p.m. on Tuesdays. See the full schedule at scrumptiousfc.com.

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.