Before it was deemed the town of the cats, Los Gatos was ancestral land of the Ohlone, Tamien Ohlone and Muwekma Ohlone people, who thrived in this fertile region until the 18^th century. In the mid 1800s, settlers came in and renamed the area La Rinconada de Los Gatos, or Cats’ Corner, a nod to the screams of cougars that prowled around the mountains nearby (we Santa Cruz Mountains residents can relate). Today, the enclave at the base of Highway 17 has become a quite popular destination for luxe shopping, strolling and, of course, eating. Here are our top picks for where you should stop on your next visit to Los Gatos.

A great way to kick-start a Sunday here is at the Los Gatos Certified Farmers’ Market every Sunday from 9am–1pm. The central location at the Town Park Plaza is a perfect downtown venue to explore the 40-plus vendors who sell here. Seasonal produce, flowers, fresh seafood, eggs and dairy are all on offer, plus a slew of prepared foods. Don’t miss stopping at fifth-generation Achadinha Cheese Company from Petaluma or trying kombucha on tap in seasonal flavors from Soul Patch.

Opened in May 2022, Tasting House is an oenophile’s dream come true. In simple terms, this is a wine bar. But it’s also way more than that, presenting a bistro, wine shop and Champagne bar in one location. Owners Denise and Mike Thornberry (South Bay locals) created this space after a personal light bulb moment over a bottle of Sancerre and some chèvre in Southern France. It led to the philosophy that drives Tasting House, with food pairing always in mind. The approach to curating the bistro menu, wine program and cheese list is distinct and intentional, highlighting small-production, often family-run producers. “We have met with dairy farmers, winemakers and produce farmers to build relationships and select the best products for our guests,” says Denise Thornberry. The Wine Bistro is helmed by Chef Julian Silvera, a NYC native who is dedicated to sourcing hyper locally and sustainably. A literal team of sommeliers take care of the wine, which just received the third consecutive Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence for their list of 65 wines by the glass and over 700 wines by the bottle.

Another wonderful wine-centric stop is across the main intersection of Saratoga-Los Gatos Road at Ancora Vino, a sister to the landmark Enoteca La Storia up the street and Ancora Vino San Jose. The partners created this space to uphold their philosophy that wine should not be pretentious. Co-founder Joe Cannistraci (also known as Joey Pomodoro, who lives across the street tending a micro farm of tomatoes in his yard) knows it can sound cliché, but spend just a few minutes here and you will easily feel that it’s legit. “We want to be genuinely unpretentious, to make wine accessible and to help people develop their palate.” The 30-plus wines available by the 2.5-ounce taste, 6-ounce glass or full bottle offer much opportunity to hone it. Known for carrying boutique wines from small producers all around the world, the shop is now in its fourth year and has a devoted customer base. A huge element of this credibility is due to the highly knowledgeable team that runs it. “We are a well-educated staff and we love wine … we are all about it!” says Cannistraci.

Practically a household name, Chef David Kinch has brought some high wattage culinary stardom to an otherwise quiet South Bay town. His Los Gatos restaurant, Manresa, which opened in 2002 and went on to earn three Michelin stars over the course of its 20 years in business, closed in 2022, a move that was a bit shocking to some. The business rebranded to become Ritual at Manresa, a rotating venue for acclaimed chefs from around the world, creating ephemeral menus for those lucky enough to be Ritual members, or a la carte ticket holders. Down the road, Kinch’s more casual side project that opened in 2016 is The Bywater. Perch here at the bar for some fresh oysters and a killer Sazerac, all inspired by NOLA. Another offshoot, begun in the Manresa headquarters back in 2013 by head baker Avery Ruzicka, is Manresa Bread. Now in six locations, you can still enjoy this Los Gatos original on North Santa Cruz Avenue. Don’t skip ordering a biscuit here, or any of the pastries or the tangy tuna fish sandwich with caper aioli.

Recently celebrating 10 years in downtown Los Gatos, Lexington House (locals lovingly call it “The Lex”) is still going strong with their alluring menu of shareable plates and cocktails. Global flavors and seasonal farmers market ingredients result in non-standard dishes, like the stone fruit salad with coconut vinegar and roasted peanuts or the steamed Manila clams with Vietnamese sausage and lemongrass. Cocktails follow suit, with head-spinning descriptions that will make you want to buy another round. The last Monday of every month is Monday Night Experience, where Chef de Cuisine Ethan Carreon creates an off-menu prix fixe dinner inspired by whatever is in season.

Amber Selene Turpin is a freelance food and travel writer based in the Santa Cruz Mountains. She is a regular contributor to the Mercury News, Edible Magazines, 7×7, Marin Living, Diablo and the Slow Wine Guide, with work appearing in Bon Appétit, EatingWell, and many other publications over the last 20 years. You can find her on Instagram @amber.s.turpin.

EAT DRINK LOCAL

LOS GATOS

Los Gatos Certified Farmers’ Market
Town Park Plaza on Main St & N Santa Cruz Ave
800.806.FARM
cafarmersmkts.com/losgatos-farmers-market

Tasting House
368 Village Ln
408.348.1807
tastinghouse.com

Ancora Vino
534 N Santa Cruz Ave
408.402.5842
ancoravino.wine

Ritual at Manresa
320 Village Ln
ritualatmanresa.com

The Bywater
532 N Santa Cruz Ave
408.560.9639
thebywaterca.com

Manresa Bread
40 N Santa Cruz Ave
408.402.5372
manresabread.com

Lexington House
40 N Santa Cruz Ave
408.354.1600
thelexlg.com