The Midway

The perfect beachy brunch nook! Bless the places with small-but-carefully-curated menus for my indecisive ass :'D Awesome food & A+ service. My partner and I were seated immediately on a Saturday afternoon.HOUSE-MADE YOGURT: I am a simple person... I see parfait, I order it. Delicious! The freshness here is remarkable. AGED CHEDDAR & APPLE GRILLED CHEESE: This is one of the best grilled cheeses I've ever had ;_; I was just really intrigued by the apple butter and potato-- despite my minor apple allergy, I decided it was worth the risk LOL. So flavorful & well-balanced. Every bite of cheesy goodness is met with little pockets of tangy, sweet apple. I'm tempted to recreate this at home.So much local flavor packed into one spot! Love that they source from nearby vendors and farmer's markets. If only I lived nearby... I'd stalk their rotating menu regularly.

Such a cute local brunch spot. The restaurant itself is quite small, but fills up fast. The kitchen is exposed and you get to watch as the super kind staff prepare your food. The menu is small, but what they serve is executed very well. Ingredients are fresh, and all of the plates are a work of art. From what I can tell, the menu changes often but they tend to be variations of the same concept. Like the yogurt and granola is always on the menu, but they change what fruit compote is served with it depending on what's in season.I ordered the smoked black cod and it was very delicious. Each of the elements were fresh and colorful, with the buttery fish falling apart when I pick it up with my fork. The seasoning didn't over power the cod flavor at all, and the beats were the perfect sweet to go with the runny, savory yolk and the small pieces of salty olives. Everything balanced perfectly and had a high quality you can taste. My one wish is that the green beans were cut a little smaller to make them a little easier to eat, or cooked a little longer to make it easier to cut with the knife. As for the grilled cheese, my friend loved it. The ricotta was super creamy and paired well with the tangy greens and potato. The sourdough is made fresh in house and is toasted so it has a slight crunch before reaching the soft filling. This is a great local cafe, but fairly easy to miss when you are on the street due to its small size. I would recommend trying it as the food is prepared with so much attention to detail in terms of looks and flavor. I appreciate how the menu rotates often so that there is always something new to try. The price you pay for the food is definitely reflected in the quality, not to say that this restaurant is super expensive, but you do pay a little more than some other brunch spots in the area. But if you're a foodie, or just looking for a good fresh meal option, it's totally worth it.

Stop what you're doing and head over; I don't think you're eating better than this in Santa Cruz. To start, the ambiance is relaxed--the space is open and bright, the staff is welcoming and cheerful, and the lights were dimmed at just the right moment. Worth a note, we were lucky to get a table without a reservation so I'd suggest coming with one.Service was super friendly, helpful and attentive. I didn't feel a moment of judgement for pointing to two aperitivos on the wall when asking for wine, and instead I got a great rec, a taste to confirm, and a delightful natural red. The wine list generally is commendable, interesting, and perfectly suited to the kind of cooking going on at The Midway. And on that note: what you're really coming for is the food. The menu is tight at 10 items and 3 desserts, which lets the kitchen give you exactly what is fresh, seasonal and delicious and it shows. Their sourdough is fantastic and I am a full blown bread snob. The smoked eggplant was delicious with crunchy seed crackers to pair. Heirloom tomato salad with just a little basil, al dente green beans, rich beets and some breadcrumb for crunch was the perfect summer sendoff. The pork was fantastic and beyond tender coupled with roast long pepper, fig and jus. Simple food, thoughtfully composed and expertly prepared--exactly how I like to eat. Topped off with a phenomenal ginger pear upside down cake and rich ice cream. I'll be back as soon as the seasons turn if not sooner (with a reservation just in case).

You should eat here. I came in for brunch because the photos of the food looked delicious. I was not disappointed!I came here a few minutes after opening on a Saturday and there were already several people, but I got to sit by the window. I ordered the shakshuka and a coffee. The shakshuka was gorgeous and tasted as good as it looked!

This is pure Santa Cruz cuisine; farm fresh, wholesome, delicate, yummy. Lovely new cafe by the Rio theater. We went for brunch. My favorite thing we tried was the honey yogurt pancakes, wow. Service was excellent. A great new addition to Santa Cruz's restaurant scene.

A small well-curated menu with a range of fresh, delicious flavors sourced locally. Excellent service and a charming, casual yet refined space. We can't wait to come back.

We just had dinner at the Midway. Each time the food was fresh, inventive and somehow still comforting. It's a small restaurant so dinner reservations can be helpful. I'm in love with the interior of this spot, it has this 90s beach cafe vibe, but not too "on the nose", also love the art up on the walls. We have always been able to find street parking, but if you struggle with that there is also a public lot between Charlie Hong Kong and Whole Foods.

First time in and WOW! I was so blown away by how fresh and delicious the food was that I made a reservation for dinner. Finding places like this in a town with few-and-far-between awesome places is like finding a gold ring buried in the sand. I had the miso braised fogline chicken dish w bok choy, brown rice, yuzu-marinated radish and lemme just tell you .... I WANTED TO LICK THE DISH CLEAN it was so good. For dessert I had the lemon cream tart with and sesame brittle and found it to be .... PERFECTION. It was just enough sweet, just enough tangy, very creamy, and the sesame brittle was, well, please give me a box of it so I can have my candy fix As I came for brunch, I also had a cup of coffee to start my eating adventure. It was the smoothest cup of coffee I think I've ever had. All I can say is: this place is legit. Hoping dinner tonight is equally as good because if it is, this may become my go-to dinner place. The service is very friendly too !Ok, so came back for dinner ! Little gem salad was best I've had - the yogurt dill dressing is unmatched. For dinner I had the papperdelle pasta. Again, wanted to lick the bowl. My only question is: why isn't there a line down the street ?

First time visit. Recommended by a friend. Great dinner. Chef/owner on the line preparing each dish. Menu looks like it changes nightly. We tried a bunch of the offerings and each one was a thoughtful assembly of taste, texture and color well prepared and plated. We'll be back. Go for it!

The Midway is a little gem of a spot. Excellent food and service. We will definitely be back!