A Santa Cruz institution
survives its makeover
Photos by Ted Holladay
By April M. Short
“Are you going to keep all the old plates and the pots?”
Such was the trepidation of customers who’d come to view Ristorante Avanti as something of an extension of their own dining rooms that owners Paul Geise and his wife Cindy were peppered with questions like this when they announced their decision to move the nearly 25-year-old Italian eatery to a fancier space just one block down Mission Street.
Paul told them, “No.”
“And they had this look on their faces that they didn’t quite understand why not, but as a human you have to keep growing,” Paul says. He points out that he and Cindy still own the old location, complete with the original pots and plates, but it has been reincarnated as Pizzeria Avanti, which offers creative, organic pizza and the old informal atmosphere.
Still, customers were relieved to get their Ristorante Avanti back. “When we did move and re-open, I mean, I never had so many hugs in my life,” he says. “It really gives you a sense of community or more like family. We become an extended family to all these other families that come here to celebrate birthdays and holidays.”
The original restaurant sat in a small strip mall on Santa Cruz’s West Side, which the Geises converted from an old deli in 1987. The dining room—decorated with the aforementioned pots and dishes— was pleasantly cozy and clamorous, but its casual atmosphere contrasted with the elegance and simplicity of Avanti’s seasonally shifting menu.
“I wanted to bring the interior up to the level of the food,” Paul explains.
So the Geises added a fancy cocktail menu, full bar and a more elegant interior.
“Before it was sometimes so old fashioned, it felt like you were eating at your grandmother’s,” Paul says with a laugh.
Paul had lived in Italy as a child, and he opened Ristorante Avanti in part to provide an alternative to typical1980s Italian restaurant fare in America, which was limited to tomato-heavy pastas from Southern Italy. Remembering the risottos, polentas and seafood his mother and grandmother cooked from scratch, Paul wanted to redefine Italian food in Santa Cruz with fresh, wholesome recipes.
From the start—before organic was trendy—he and Cindy realized the importance of buying and cooking with locally cultivated, simple, and chemical-free ingredients. Today, they also buy pastured whole animals as much as possible for their meats and are big supporters of local farms.
“To me, every purchasing decision you make in your home or business is a political decision,” Paul says. “[We’re] trying to make the smallest possible impact on the earth by avoiding chemicals and by not buying stuff from China that has to be shipped all the way here. It’s still a real challenge and it’s more expensive, but for me it’s about doing the right thing.”
The result of the Geises’ efforts is a beloved local institution complete with regulars, a long-term staff and dedicated local partners “It’s fun to see farmers in here,” says Paul. “Billy Rodoni [of Rodoni Farms], who we get all of our Brussels sprouts from, he’ll come in here and get a Brussels sprouts salad. If your family has been growing Brussels sprouts for generations and you still come here and get Brussels sprouts, I think that’s a real compliment.”
The evening I visited the new Ristorante Avanti, it retained its familial vibe amidst chic fittings. Wooden tables, the tops of which are reclaimed redwood from Robert Mondavi wine tanks, were placed a spacious three to four feet apart, booths lined the walls and an island bar, also made from reclaimed redwood, stood in the center. A 12-or-so person party enjoyed the secluded outdoor patio, which kept their rambunctious conversations from disturbing the indoor guests.
I thought of Billy Rodoni while I munched a delicious Brussels sprouts salad, and imagined the beets of my red beet ravioli sleeping in a nearby field just hours prior.
The restaurant has changed, but its heart, its mission and its delicious food have been preserved.
April M. Short is a lifelong storyteller and award-winning journalist whose work is dedicated to the issues affecting Santa Cruz—her home of six years—and the surrounding region.
Ristorante Avanti
1917 Mission St., Santa Cruz
831.427.0135
ristoranteavanti.com
About the author
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.
