A weekly column that celebrates local businesses — especially eateries, watering holes, coffee shops and the like.
Tarmo Hannula
FOOD: Pizza My Heart
Fresh hot pizza keeps the customers lining up at Pizza My Heart in downtown Santa Cruz. Founded in 1981 in Capitola Village by Fred Poulos and Keith Holtaway (and now owned by Chuck Hammers), the chain currently has 23 locations. They are also located around the greater Bay Area, including San Francisco, Monterey and scores of spots in between. One thing I’ve always enjoyed about their pizzas is the way they serve them: When you order a slice they slide it into the oven to make sure you’re getting a piping hot meal. Informal and casual, their restaurants almost always have a crowd. I’ve found their plain cheese pizza, their mushroom and cheese and their meat combos plenty satisfying. They also offer scads of toppings, from oregano and basil to garlic powder and parmesan cheese as well as a selection of hot sauces, including a dangerous one called Shark Repellent. The folks that tend the place are welcoming and friendly, often sharing a joke with the customers to help them get through their day. I regularly see a few cops standing in line on their lunch breaks, which brings a nice community feel to the place. They’re at 209 Esplanade and 2180 41st Ave. in Capitola, and 1116 Pacific Ave. in Santa Cruz.
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Johanna Miller
FOOD: Dutch stroopwaffle
If any of you have been following along with my European travel series, you’ll remember that I was recently in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. While there I tried one of the Dutch’s most famous delicacies: stroopwaffle. To my surprise, on Christmas morning I came into my family’s kitchen to find a tin of stroopwaffle that they purchased at Grocery Outlet. They are also available at various coffee shops and supermarkets in Watsonville. The treat is best eaten after placing it atop a hot cup of tea or coffee. This warms the caramel inside, making it soft and gooey when you bite into it.
DRINK: Peet’s chai latte with oat milk
I’ve mentioned before that Peet’s Coffee is a bit too strong for me, so I usually order some kind of tea from the popular chain. Whether it be an iced hibiscus or hot peppermint, the tea is always a winner. I also love their chai tea latte. Some shops make their chai too sweet, others, not sweet enough. Peet’s is a great in-between. This weekend I tried the latte with oat milk—a milk substitute that has caught on recently. It added a unique flavor and creamy texture to the drink.
