Lily Belli

Downtown Santa Cruz's Gabriella Café and the beachside Dream Inn both have new chefs at the helm, Lily Belli reports in her Tuesday newsletter.

For decades, Pajaro Valley apple farmers relied on S. Martinelli & Co. as their primary — and often only — buyer, but the company’s decision to stop renewing some grower contracts has left longtime orchardists scrambling for alternatives and questioning the future of local apple farming. As multigenerational families tear out orchards and lease land to berry growers, many fear the region is losing not only a historic industry, but also the infrastructure and cultural legacy that sustained it for more than a century.

What the loss of Martinelli's contracts will mean for area apple growers, a chance go behind the scenes at an upcoming vegan food festival and a dynamic food presence leaving downtown Santa Cruz – get all that and more in this week's newsletter from Lily Belli.

A monthly roundup of Santa Cruz County dining highlights celebrates the start of summer with four finds: a fruit-packed aguanada in Watsonville, a savory martini in Aptos, a wood-fired seafood platter in Live Oak and chilaquiles paired with a banana milk latte from a food truck in Santa Cruz.

In her Tuesday newsletter, Lily Belli catches up with chef Andy Huynh as he prepares to shutter Full Steam Dumpling, shares updates on Woody’s at the Watsonville Airport and Toriman in Capitola, spotlights a new chef at a Davenport landmark and plenty more.

After Martinelli’s announced it would not renew contracts with local apple growers, one Pajaro Valley farmer has been flooded with calls, ideas and offers from community members eager to help replace the major buyer. While potential partnerships with school districts, nonprofits and other local organizations show promise, growers say finding markets large enough to absorb the thousands of tons of apples once sold to Martinelli’s remains a significant challenge.

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s first major new thrill ride in a decade, Vertigo 360, offers riders a soaring, upside-down view of Monterey Bay while adding to the park’s growing lineup of attractions. Along the way, Lily Belli samples several new food offerings, from smash burgers and smoked brisket to beignets and dirty sodas, highlighting the Boardwalk’s expanding culinary options.

In her Tuesday newsletter, Lily Belli notes the opening of H&H West in the Swift Street Courtyard, a new long-term home for the Scotts Valley farmers market and an Old Town Salinas taproom for a Scotts Valley standby.

A year after purchasing the historic Davenport Roadhouse, business partners Ginny Miller and Gavin Parsons have transformed the North Coast landmark into a destination with renovated guest rooms, an upgraded restaurant, expanded event spaces and a renewed focus on serving locals and travelers. Drawing on backgrounds in hospitality and design, the pair has modernized the property while preserving its artistic, coastal character, positioning the roadhouse for a sustainable future as a community gathering place and Highway 1 stop.

The revitalized Davenport Roadhouse, chances to sample food and drink around Santa Cruz County and a multipurpose marinade are all on the menu in Lily Belli's Tuesday newsletter.