November 24, 2015 – Construction is more than halfway completed and crews are getting ready to install a new Woodstone pizza oven at the soon-to-open East End Gastropub we reported on last week. Located on 41st Avenue in Santa Cruz adjacent to the Cinelux theaters, the 3,600 sq ft split-level location is the second restaurant for chef/co-owner Geoff Hargrave and Quinn Cormier, who also own the popular West End Tap & Kitchen.
“We’re gutting the whole place and building a new store front,” says Hargrave, adding that the interior decor will be Bistro-like with tile and bright colors. Santa Cruz native Brian Friel of Young America Creative is in charge of the design work.
Menus of both eateries will be similar and Hargrave will oversee both kitchens as executive chef, promoting West End Tap sous chef Adam Becerra to head chef there.
East End will feature pizzas, instead of the creative flatbreads at West End, but the format of appetizers, plates to share, craft beer and keg wines will be familiar to fans of the first location, according to Hargrave who is still in awe of the wild success he has enjoyed in the former Bonny Doon Vineyards tasting room in the Swift St. Courtyard complex since opening in mid-2013.
“I’m still shocked and I feel blessed and very happy that the town has received us so well,” he says. “We just had our biggest weekend ever and I try to figure it out everyday.”
“We are approachable to a large demographic, pricing is fair and we try to show as much respect for the ingredients as possible, and that is really important in Santa Cruz,” he adds.
East End Gastropub is aiming for a late January/early February opening.
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At Edible Monterey Bay, our mission is to celebrate the local food culture of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties, season by season. We believe in sustainability, and we believe everyone has a right to healthful, clean and affordable food. We think knowing where our food comes from is powerful, and we hope our magazine, website and newsletters inspire readers to get to know and support our local growers, fishers, chefs, vintners and food artisans.
