When food lovers visit Santa Cruz County, it’s hard to choose from the hundreds of fabulous restaurants. One dish the county loves? Clam chowder—evident from the Santa Cruz Clam Chowder Cook-Off at the Boardwalk which draws thousands every February! Many eateries offer this beloved soup on their menus year-round.
We’re highlighting New England chowder. There’s something special about this rich, savory, soup—it can make you feel cozy on a cool day and provides tasty soothing comfort any time of year. Each chef makes it a little differently, so there is bound to be a perfect bowl for everyone. There are versions with bacon and without; some serve it with crackers, others with croutons or grilled bread. If you like eating your chowder out of a bread bowl, you have a few options, on or near the Wharf: Ideal Bar & Grill, Riva Fish House, Stagnaro Bros. Seafood, Firefish Grill, and Woodies Cafe. It’s fitting so many places offer this; the original sourdough bread bowl was made in nearby San Francisco and chowder in bread bowls first became common on Fisherman’s Wharf in SF.
Jack O’Neill Restaurant at Dream Inn
The chowder from Jack O’Neill Restaurant at Dream Inn is so cherished, you can even get it from room service. You don’t have to be a hotel guest to enjoy it—it’s offered daily in the restaurant’s dining room—but if you choose to stay at the hotel you’ll enjoy relaxing in the comfortable rooms, then waking up to sights and sounds of the Pacific Ocean. The soup, served with grilled bread, features ingredients including bacon and shellfish velouté. Address: 175 West Cliff Drive (in the Santa Cruz Dream Inn), Santa Cruz
Pleasure Pizza East Side Eatery
Don’t let the name Pleasure Pizza East Side Eatery fool you into thinking this is only a spot for great pizza. The restaurant boasts fantastic, award-winning chowder. East Side Eatery began competing in the Clam Chowder Cook-Off in 2015. Its chowder, chock full of potatoes and bacon, has been awarded first place several times. Also of note: its chili, a meat version, has earned top honors in the local Chili Cook-Off many times. And the restaurant has a diverse menu with lots of offerings for non-soup-lovers. Address: 800 41st Ave, Santa Cruz
If you visit the Santa Cruz Wharf for chowder, you’ll have opportunities to revel in beautiful vistas from the dining rooms’ windows. If you’re lucky, you will also witness a classic Santa Cruz scene: frolicking sea lions. Here are the Wharf options:
Stagnaro Bros. Seafood
Stagnaro Bros. Seafood, located at the far end of the wharf, has a rich Santa Cruz history. The Stagnaro family, originally from Italy, put down roots in Santa Cruz in the early 20th century and opened a small seafood market and lounge in 1937. Today, Stagnaro Bros. operates a restaurant—where you can enjoy chowder and many seafood delicacies—plus the largest fish market in Northern California which sells fresh fish to cook at home. The takeout counter next to the market has ready-to-eat food including signature chowder sold by the cup, bowl, bread bowl, quart, or gallon! Other counter goodies include fish tacos, crab sandwiches, and deep-fried fish or chicken baskets. Many customers utilize the outdoor seating, which is plentiful. This includes tables and chairs right by the market, and nearby bench options. Address: 59 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz
Riva Fish House
The chowder at Riva Fish House has vegetables sauteed in white wine, which makes the flavors stand out perfectly. One of Riva’s dishes that pairs well with chowder is Arugula and Spinach Salad with ingredients like pickled red onions, pepitas, white wine-poached pears, and Gorgonzola. Riva is situated about 2/3 of the way down the Wharf. Address: 31 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz
Firefish Grill and Woodies Cafe
Firefish Grill and Woodies Cafe: these two neighboring restaurants have the same owner and serve the same delicious bowl of chowder. After you enter the Wharf, they are located about halfway down. The burgers and fish and chips are also popular choices among families who dine at Woodies. A restaurant specialty: seafood cooked with a mesquite charcoal broiler like the signature Firefish Grill selection (includes skewered charbroiled prawns, scallops, and salmon). Both Addresses: 25 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz
Now that we’ve visited the Wharf, here are some more chowder options. One is located next to the Wharf, a couple are by the Santa Cruz Harbor, and one pops up in Aptos each week:
Ideal Bar & Grill
With its beachfront setting between the Boardwalk and the Wharf, Ideal Bar & Grill is a great place to enjoy a bread bowl filled with hearty, creamy chowder. Given its location, it makes sense that the restaurant has participated in the chowder cookoff every year since the competition began. Ideal has earned every award at least once, and it is particularly proud of winning People’s Choice in 2023 and 2024. Address: 106 Beach Street, Santa Cruz
Crow’s Nest Restaurant
You can savor the chowder at Crow’s Nest Restaurant in three different spots. The main restaurant offers ocean views either through the windows or directly in front of you if you sit on the patio. The upstairs bar/restaurant has a smaller food menu but a larger drink menu. The third option is getting a takeout version at the restaurant’s Beach Market, which is on the dock near the Crow’s Nest and carries lots of grab-and-go food plus gifts and souvenirs. You can take chowder home or eat it outside, just steps from the Santa Cruz Harbor, and enjoy views of Walton Lighthouse. Address: 2218 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz
Johnny’s Harborside

Across the way from Crow’s Nest is Johnny’s Harborside, another popular chowder spot. The restaurant has lots of window seating — about a dozen tables — and many of these overlook the Santa Cruz Harbor. There are rotating fresh catch seafood specials listed on a chalkboard, and you can pick your sides (like Southwest, which is polenta, grilled rustic vegetables, Rojo sauce, and lime crema). Also, the eclectic menu, which includes a burger, fish tacos, and oysters, means your dining companions can each be in the mood for something different. Address: 493 Lake Avenue, Santa Cruz
Bay Living Culinary

Although not a brick-and-mortar spot, you don’t want to miss the chowder from Bay Living Culinary, a vendor at the weekly Saturday Aptos farmers’ market at Cabrillo College. Although chef/owner Jody Lombardo has only been selling at the market since summer 2023, she has been making this creamy soup—filled with scrumptious veggies—for many years. During this time, several restaurants have purchased her chowder for their menus. Lombardo sells her chowder all year long (she also sells delicious rotating items like chicken pot pies and turkey chili). One of her chowder secrets? “The precision and the patience,” says Lombardo. “I strive to have every ingredient in the chowder cut to almost the same size, so that when you enjoy a spoonful, you get everything in every bite.” Address: 6500 Soquel Dr, Aptos