Plan a fun day in downtown Santa Cruz with ice cream, lush bouquets

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The Santa Cruz downtown may be somewhat small, but it’s mighty. Even big cities are jealous of the wealth of restaurants, spas, breweries and shops that keep visitors enthralled all day long. From relaxing spa treatments to creating a colorful bouquet to taking in the newest movie in a historic theater, make sure to plan a fun-filled day in downtown.

Kick things off with the most important meal of the day, done in modern style. Cafe owners Peter and Henry Wong love breakfast food, so the twins recently launched this eclectic breakfast-brunch spot with the slogan, “We’re All Good Eggs Here.”

Those eggs are organic cage-free from a local farm and they appear in most dishes, from a b.a.e. sandwich stuffed with soft scrambled egg, extra sharp cheddar, thick cut bacon, avocado, caramelized onions and sriracha aioli to a Loco Moco with a beef patty on top of white rice, smothered with Japanese curry and topped with a crispy fried egg and furikake.

Set in a cheerful space trimmed in wood, black and white tile with pops of egg-yolk yellow, this is an order at the counter deal. But the food is restaurant quality with locally sourced ingredients, dishes prepared from scratch, homemade sauces and daily baked brioche buns.

The menu beckons with some high-end fare, such as the Mad Chick sandwich of juicy house-marinated fried chicken capped with an over-easy egg, pickled cabbage, baby arugula and garlic aioli. But then there’s also whimsy, like a crunchy-edge spam patty sammy with an over-easy egg, green onions and creamy sriracha aioli, or Dirty Tots, which are crispy tater tots smothered with Japanese curry, a fried egg and furikake.

The Wongs also proudly proclaim their love for matcha, so be sure to sample the finely ground green tea leaf drinks, including a strawberry matcha latte, plus other whole leaf teas like jasmine green tea blended with pineapple chunks and fresh orange.

Dive into pure relaxation at this historic oasis, which dates back to the late 1940s, when Santa Cruz native Anne Sunlight established a traditional Japanese tea garden as a place to escape memories of World War II and the incarceration of Japanese Americans.

Instead of a protest, hers was a remarkable effort to bring East and West together, even as many Americans still harbored anger against Japan. Wearing a traditional kimono, Anne would serve tea to her guests and invite healing conversations.

Expanded to a spa in 1984, the retreat now offers private hot onsen or salt tub rooms, cedar-lined saunas, massage and those soothing tea services. The garden still thrives with a magnificent cypress tree at the front door, plus a 70-year-old bamboo grove and waterfalls outside each therapy room.

Pamper yourself and a loved one with the Room One Experience for couples, strolling through the garden and sipping handcrafted teas. Then lay back on plush heated beds for 70-minute personalized massages, followed by 70 minutes in your peaceful room to soak in private views of the bamboo garden, a two-person onsen soaking bath with bath salts, a two-in-one rainfall steam room shower and more tea.

For lunch, grab a brew and a meal at this cafe that showcases hard-to-get beers. Fresh kegged suds on tap means lots of selection and constant rotations, or you can sip from hundreds of different bottled beers. Owners Noëlle Antolin and Stuyvesant Bearns Esteva also like to surprise with rarities, including Cuvée des Jonquilles Farmhouse Ale from Hauts-de-France or Strawberry Cider from Santa Cruz Scrumpy Hard Cider.

The food is equally adventurous, drawing on a mix of Spanish tapas, Belgian beer cafes and the Latin American and Mediterranean roots of the owners. Made-from-scratch signatures tempt with spicy chicken tinga empanadas, deeply seasoned albondiga (meatballs) draped in tomato sofrito for scooping with garlic toast and cochinita pibil tacos, the citrus-splashed Yucatan-style pork slow roasted in banana leaf.

Beers go great with grilled cheese sammies, too, in mouthwatering versions like a Verde stuffed with queso Oaxaca, chevre, peppery arugula, avocado and pesto.

In the afternoon, explore this magical place from co-founders Sharon Schneider and Noha Gowelly. You get to create your own bouquet while sipping on gourmet drip coffee, cortados and lattes or craft beers, ciders, botanical brews and California or European wines.

Schneider said Flower Bar started as a flower shop with chocolates but has grown over the years. The goal was always to offer a creative space for community connections.

The cafe section also serves delights like banana chocolate walnut bread, a sandwich of turkey galantine, Emmentaler Swiss and horseradish Dijonnaise, a burrata salad with arugula, avocado, tomatoes, walnuts and balsamic glaze or a decadent brunch board laden with mini waffles, frittata bites, avocado toast, fruit and pastries.

Now it’s time for a pick-me-up, so grab a Santa Cruz-roasted 11th Hour Coffee at this lively cafe that mixes caffeine with a candy store featuring big jars of Skittles, M&Ms and more. And since this is an indulgent day, check out the handcrafted ice creams (and maybe even a slice of pie or a pastry). Chef and owner Dave Kumec’s team hand-makes everything in-house from a turtle sundae with hot fudge and caramel sauces, candied pecans, whipped cream and an Amarena cherry to hefty ice cream cookie sandwiches.

Every perfect day needs a Michelin recognized meal, and this treasure from chef Jeffrey Wall impresses with appetizers like Australian Westholme Wagyu beef tartare lavished with egg yolk gel, bone marrow, tendon puff and Wagyu fat sourdough. The raw bar goes all out, too — an Oyster Deluxe platter includes citrus-cured scallops, kampachi, trout roe, uni shoyu and actual gold leaf. For entrees, you’ll crave aged duck breast drizzled in honey duck jus with wood-roasted morels, kale and duck sausage, or a Flannery California Holstein dry aged bone-in ribeye (note it’s $175), partnered with roasted pommes roti singing with garlic, thyme leaf, Brillat-Savarin cheese and tarragon (add $25).

To wind down from the day, enjoy a late (even midnight) movie at this Art Deco triplex that was built in 1936. The classic architecture remains at the entrance and inside, but the triplex is outfitted with DLP Digital Projection and Sound and shows independent and foreign language films as well as the latest blockbusters. Plus, the concession stand sells an array of locally made snacks and organic popcorn with real butter.