May 7, 2024 – The long-awaited Aptos branch of Whale City Bakery Bar & Grill is getting ready to turn on the griddles. They held a community open house this afternoon and have set the Grand Opening for next Tuesday, May 14.
Owner Jimmy Armas—who purchased the building where Burger used to be at 7941 Soquel Drive over a year ago—says the structure needed a lot of work, starting with the subfloor and new flooring in the kitchen and dining room. New paint and new furnishings are also in place in the 79 seat dining room and a large patio overlooking Aptos Creek behind the restaurant has been refurbished for private parties.
“The menu will be exactly the same as Whale City in Davenport,” says Armas, who purchased that iconic business three years ago from longtime owners Kristen and Stephanie Raugust. “All the same baked goods from Davenport will be brought here fresh every morning.”
The bakery is known for its buttery croissants, that come in a variety of fruit flavors like apricot, raspberry and olallieberry, as well as savory versions. Travelers up and down Highway 1 also rave about Whale City’s artichoke bread and corned beef hash.
Armas says it was a loyal customer who lives in Aptos and was tired of driving to Davenport, who first told him about the property for sale and convinced him to open the second branch. Armas, along with help from his wife and daughter, also owns Las Cazuelas restaurant in San Jose.
So this will be his third restaurant, but he’s still a hands-on owner. The day before open house he could be found out on the patio pulling weeds. “I do everything that’s needed,” he says. “Take orders, bus tables, order the beer.”
Whale City Bakery Bar & Grill will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In addition to corned beef hash, breakfasts include chilaquiles, crab cake Benedict, salmon Benedict, eggs Florentine and nine different types of omelets. Pastries and breads will also be available to go.
The lunch and dinner menu includes soups, salads, burgers, grilled sandwiches and house specials like crab cakes, calamari and fish and chips. Local beers and wines are also on the menu.
Armas hopes to eventually install another working bakery on the lower level of the building to handle the increased demand.
The Grand Opening on Tuesday, May 14 will take place from 6:30am to 9pm. For more information and hours follow the restaurant on Instagram @whalecitybakery.
About the author
Deborah Luhrman is publisher and editor of Edible Monterey Bay. A lifelong journalist, she has reported from around the globe, but now prefers covering our flourishing local food scene and growing her own vegetables in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
