Quick bites | Lester Estate Wines offers guided hike through vineyards, ranch – Santa Cruz Sentinel

APTOS

Lester Estate Wines launches new hiking/wine experience

Lester Estate Wines (lesterestatewines.com) is offering 90-minute guided hikes through the vineyards and ranch with Steve Johnson at noon on June 25, July 30 and August 27. Participants will explore the winery’s 200-acre ranch while learning about the estate’s history and winemaking practices. The event promises “a 360-degree view of Monterey Bay…part education, part exercise, part wine experience.” The cost is $60 per person, which includes sips of wine during the hike plus “a light snack with a finishing glass of wine.” One must reserve; visit deerparkranch.com/experiences.

SANTA CRUZ

Local food, drinks at Pleasure Point Street Fair

The eighth annual Pleasure Point Street Fair, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday on Portola Drive between 41st and 38th Avenues, will feature local vendors including East Side Eatery (with street tacos), Bread Boy, Saucey’ z, Ate3One and Whiting’s Foods. The beer garden includes New Bohemia Brewing Company and Sierra Nevada as well as Deep Eddy Vodka. Additionally, mimosas and wine will be available for purchase. There will be live music, children’s activities, a skateboarding competition and lots of arts and crafts. Free entry. The Pleasure Point Business Association presents the event; visit pleasurepointstreetfair.com. This year’s nonprofit recipient, Live Oak Education Foundation, will receive a portion of the fair proceeds. LOEF (liveoakedfoundation.org) raises funds to ensure that students in the Live Oak School District have meaningful opportunities in the visual and performing arts, “STEM” fields of science, technology, engineering and math, and positive play.

SANTA CRUZ

Tickets on sale for the Homeless Garden Project Dinner

Homeless Garden Project (HGP) is hosting a “Sustain Supper” on July 23 at its Natural Bridges organic farm (Delaware Ave. and Shaffer Rd.). The cost is $175 per person, which includes a multi-course vegetarian dinner with produce from the HGP Organic Farm. The event features a farm tour, live music, and several guest speakers, including James Beard & NAACP Image Award-winning chef/educator/author Bryant Terry, who is known for his work in food justice. and durability. Proceeds benefit HGP, which provides job training and transitional employment to homeless people. See eventbrite.com/e/sustain-supper-registration-345872563147 for tickets and more information.

WATSONVILLE

Ella’s at the Airport expands breakfast

Breakfast is now available at Ella’s at the Airport (100 Aviation Way, 831-728-3282, ellasinwatsonville.com) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Selections include Corralitos bacon with farm-fresh vegetables, cheese, herbs and free-range eggs; an Italian Benedict; and ricotta pancakes.

SOQUEL

Art and Wine Fest organizes a launch party

The Capitola-Soquel Chamber of Commerce is organizing a launch party for the Capitola Art & Wine Festival 2022 (which will take place on September 10 and 11). The event, 6-9 p.m. Friday at Bargetto Winery—3535 N. Main St.—is $45 in advance and $55 at the door if it’s not full. Buy your tickets at master.capitolachamber.com/events/details/capitola-art-wine-kickoff-party-2777. Attendees will receive food from Busy Bees Catering, Sampa Kitchen and Sugar Bakery, as well as drinks from festival wineries. There will also be a silent auction and live music.

SANTA CRUZ

Birichino Hosts Sparkling Wine and Pet Event

Birichino (204 Church St., 831-425-4811, birichino.com) offers a Pet Nat parade and photo booth on Saturday and Sunday, when it’s open from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Birichino donates 20% of sales from both days to local animal welfare groups. They will be serving three of their 2021 Pétulant Naturels aka Pet Nats: Malvasia Bianca, Old Vine Carignane Rosé and Old Vine Zinfandel Rosé (among many other wines). “Les Pétulant Naturels are our riff on French sparkling wine Pétillant Naturel,” says winemaker John Locke. “We are also creating a photo booth/stage for animal lovers and their furry, feathered, scaly, etc. friends. Both humans and animals can take a Polaroid photo of their visit home with them.

APTOS

New menu at Restaurant Malik Williams

A seasonal menu and new hours begin at Malik Williams Restaurant (9067 Soquel Drive, 831-251-0676) on Wednesday. Dishes include pear salad; No Whey, Jose (eight-spice crusted cauliflower steak with mashed peas and seasonal vegetables); and The Great Egg-Splosion (includes roast chicken, watermelon dressing, pancetta, and white bean cassoulet). The restaurant opened in March; see @restaurantmalikwilliams on IG. Hours are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Reservations are recommended at opentable.com/r/restaurant-malik-williams-aptos.

SCOTTS VALLEY

Food trucks at Skypark Friday

The Scotts Valley Food Truck Friday monthly series continues from 5-8 p.m. Friday at Skypark (361 Kings Village Road). Participating food trucks will be Holopono, Pana, Taquizas Gabriel, Epoch Eats and Aunt LaLi’s. There will be a makeup artist and the Scotts Valley Educational Foundation is hosting a beer/wine garden to raise money for schools in Scotts Valley. Local band Cringe will perform. Dogs on a leash are welcome. For seating, there are picnic tables where participants can bring lawn chairs and/or blankets. Visit facebook.com/events/533034885193942.

Quick Bites, compiled by Tara Fatemi Walker, is your weekly serving of Santa Cruz County restaurant, food and drink news. Send articles to [email protected] (Sunday 7:00 p.m. deadline for this week’s column). Want local food and drink news as it happens? Follow Sentinel’s catering team on Twitter @santacruzfood.