I found this place in a search of restaurants in Aptos. My inlaws live there and the family owns a Condo in the area in Capitola on the other side of the freeway. We always go to Shadowbrook and I wanted to find something other than Shadowbrook as we always go there and we are very well familiar with that wonderful place already so when I found Persephone and saw it was fine dining, I thought perfect, we need to check this one out. My first reservation was for inside. And when we got to Capitola the night before, we were not sure we were gonna make it so I had cancelled. then after deciding we were gonna stay, I rescheduled and we ended up getting outside seating for 6:45. Upon arriving, late of course, we still managed to get our seating. It wasn't busy on the outside patio. There was another couple there and then it was my partner and I. We were sat and our server came up and introduced himself. He gave us the wine list and our menus. Said he'd come back for our orders for drinks. I ordered a Wine and my partner a beer. I also asked for Tea as well. after he walked away, we looked at the menu, which is not very large. Appetizers are great looking, but we were thinking well for 7$ which is the cheapest item on the menu period we thought that it looked good. It was a Facaccia bread served with hummus and oil. We thought oh we will get that. But upon the return of our server he had brought us that very item. I thought OH ok, so you don' have to order it they just bring it to you. But the little plates they serve the hummus and oil on are not big at all. And you run out fast. We had asked for more and the server just brought us the bread and not the hummus or the oil. He took our order and then walked off. We never got water. or asked if we had any questions on the menu at all. We had to finally ask for water. So they brought us a bottle. My partner had finished his beer and for a while before food came out we didn't see our server at all. Until food came out. No return in between to check to see if we needed another drink etc. The patio is a nice little side section. But the thing I noticed is the vines to the tree's over the side hill were over growing on the fence and over the side tables which were all empty cause of rain. But still no trimming. There were speakers up above the ceiling, but no music playing so we had the entertainment of the traffic off the road. It was rather quiet in the sense of no one was really outside but two couples us and the other couple. Then when they left, it was just us. Back to the food, the food was amazing. I had the Serloin and my partner the short rib dish. Neither dish disappointed. They were amazing. Flavors were all on target. The wine my partner had asked for was brought out to him before getting our dish. At that time we had to ask for water for our glasses that sat empty the entire 30 minutes being there. It was at least a good 10 minutes before the server came back out to check on us. I didn't mention that when I got my dish, they didn't provide me with a steak knife nor my partner. I was using my butter knife to cut my meat. Then the server came out and noticed and apologized and ran and got me a steak knife. After the meal, we sat and discussed how amazing the food was and waited for the servers to come get our dirty dishes. Then the host came out and gathered, the server came behind and asked if we wanted dessert. I thought we are in this so yes, I want to try the dessert. I had the brownie ala mode and my partner got the Panna Cotta with Kumquats, Olallieberry and chocolate. again both dishes gave a great presentation. Both delish and we were very happy with our choices. Over all, food is by far amazing and worth the visit. I fell that the service lacked in a big way though cause although we were the only one's that ended up out on the side patio, it was like people forgot about us. We had long delays before we got service and our server. when they brought out our dessert, I had also asked for our check. Which I'm glad I did caus
Bianca M.
They didn't have the champagne we ordered( it was our anniversary) nor did they have the meal my husband ordered. Both was disappointing but other than that the meal was pretty good, but I would go somewhere else for a special occasion next time . I didn't love how small the table was we sat at under the tiny little window. I felt like we were like in a cubby and my husband is tall and barely fit without knocking the table .
Karen A.
We just had a fabulous Valentine's day dinner last night. It was a 5 course fixed priced dinner and it didn't disappoint! The service was excellent and the flavors of each of the dishes were outstanding. The restaurant is very cozy and has a great ambiance. Thanks for a great night!
kayla matsuda
This place was fantastic everything was so remarkable. I was not expecting everything to be so delicious.What we ordered1. Beet and artichoke soup2. Fresh delicate Burrata3. Chicken risotto with chantrelles4. Kiwi tartAnd all of them are now my favorite heheCaleb was our server and he was so great:)Cozy atmosphere, perfect date night and cant wait to come back <3
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Burrata with Fuyu Persimmons Prosciutto and Chicories, Beet and Artichoke Soup with Dill Crema
Amy K.
We walked in on a Wednesday night. Enjoyed dinner here. They have quite an extensive list of wine. I ordered the catch of the day which was a sole with polenta and romanesco. Boyfriend ordered the chicken stuffed with porcini mushrooms. The highlight was the soups! We ordered the chicken with farro soup and the beet artichoke. Loved the soups a lot and the main courses were good but not show stopping. I would eat here again and the service was excellent. You should try it if looking for a fair priced fine dining experience in Aptos.
May Liz T.
Nice quiet place for delicious food with good service. Slightly costly but worth it for luscious food.
Barbara S.
The food was delightful, albeit expensive. The interior was small but so perfectly designed for privacy and beauty. And then there's, Caleb, the incredibly professional and charismatic waiter, who made our night with his smiles. This restaurant is a lovely special night venue, well worth the trip from Aromas.
Angela P.
Delicious food, nice ambiance and great service! I will be dreaming of the burrata and persimmons!
Presley H.
Amazing experience. Wonderful service, extensive wine list, & food was delish. I had the chicken pesto risotto and my boyfriend had the sole. We were both really impressed with the quality of the food. We will be going back to this cute little spot! Such a good find!
Jackson E.
The braised short rib was amazing! So tender and flavorful, melts in your mouth! The chicken risotto was also made well, but could not compete with the short rib!
Gluten Free options are uuhhmazing.... Can't wait to go back. Fall off the bone prime rib. Asian pear and walnut salad best I've ever tasted anywhere. Homemade focaccia bread and housemade hummus according to my husband was so fresh. Braised pork house made Carmel ravioli was to die for according to my foodie husband. Also the Turkey minestrone appetizer!
John Schettino
Monthly wine pairing dinner is outstanding!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Genie Bennett
The chicken pesto risotto was delicious. Very hot, not spicy. The baked ricotta dessert was a little weird, but the butterscotch on it was Delicious.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Glenn Schmidt
Came for a quick nosh and a nice glass of wine. Great selection! Service, food and atmosphere were top notch
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Holland V.
Came here with my family for my 30th bday dinner and it did not disappoint. We made a reservation for inside as I think the ambiance and vibes are better than the rock patio outside. We started with the burrata (not pictured) even tho it was maybe my favorite part of the meal! There were 6 of us so we ordered two and glad we did. The only thing I would have liked better is something to eat the burrata with? It didn't come with any sort of cracker, bread, etc so you just ate it as is. I still enjoyed it. Next we got two bowls of the Beet and Artichoke Soup with Dill Crema and a bowl of the beef and mushroom soup. Both were SO flavorful and delish. Although if I had to choose, I would recommend the beet soup because it was just so unique and full of mixed flavors. The added dill crema ontop was incredible. We all got our own main dishes, pictured in review. They were all very good, with the exception of the daily special which was some sort of mushroom and cheese pasta/lasagna. It came out so dry, with barely any sauce. It looked like it had been sitting for a bit as the pasta was dry/cracking on the edges. When we notified our server he said that it had been a complaint a couple other times in the night so he apologized and agreed. Although they didn't remove it from our bill which was a tad disappointing as it was acknowledged as a mess up on their part. They did add in an additional free bday desert I assume to make up for this. The fish of the day was cooked perfectly but the potatoes to accompany them were still very hard. Everything had good flavor tho. Everyone enjoyed their meals for the most part! Our sever was very patient in our wine tastings. We got a couple bottles for the table, locally made. The hazelnut semmifrado was the better dessert of the two, but both were good. We were seated in the corner with a great view. Really enjoyed the vibes of this place, felt like a little house. Would definitely go back. If you're looking for a quiet date night, this is your spot!
I found this place in a search of restaurants in Aptos. My inlaws live there and the family owns a Condo in the area in Capitola on the other side of the freeway. We always go to Shadowbrook and I wanted to find something other than Shadowbrook as we always go there and we are very well familiar with that wonderful place already so when I found Persephone and saw it was fine dining, I thought perfect, we need to check this one out. My first reservation was for inside. And when we got to Capitola the night before, we were not sure we were gonna make it so I had cancelled. then after deciding we were gonna stay, I rescheduled and we ended up getting outside seating for 6:45. Upon arriving, late of course, we still managed to get our seating. It wasn't busy on the outside patio. There was another couple there and then it was my partner and I. We were sat and our server came up and introduced himself. He gave us the wine list and our menus. Said he'd come back for our orders for drinks. I ordered a Wine and my partner a beer. I also asked for Tea as well. after he walked away, we looked at the menu, which is not very large. Appetizers are great looking, but we were thinking well for 7$ which is the cheapest item on the menu period we thought that it looked good. It was a Facaccia bread served with hummus and oil. We thought oh we will get that. But upon the return of our server he had brought us that very item. I thought OH ok, so you don' have to order it they just bring it to you. But the little plates they serve the hummus and oil on are not big at all. And you run out fast. We had asked for more and the server just brought us the bread and not the hummus or the oil. He took our order and then walked off. We never got water. or asked if we had any questions on the menu at all. We had to finally ask for water. So they brought us a bottle. My partner had finished his beer and for a while before food came out we didn't see our server at all. Until food came out. No return in between to check to see if we needed another drink etc. The patio is a nice little side section. But the thing I noticed is the vines to the tree's over the side hill were over growing on the fence and over the side tables which were all empty cause of rain. But still no trimming. There were speakers up above the ceiling, but no music playing so we had the entertainment of the traffic off the road. It was rather quiet in the sense of no one was really outside but two couples us and the other couple. Then when they left, it was just us. Back to the food, the food was amazing. I had the Serloin and my partner the short rib dish. Neither dish disappointed. They were amazing. Flavors were all on target. The wine my partner had asked for was brought out to him before getting our dish. At that time we had to ask for water for our glasses that sat empty the entire 30 minutes being there. It was at least a good 10 minutes before the server came back out to check on us. I didn't mention that when I got my dish, they didn't provide me with a steak knife nor my partner. I was using my butter knife to cut my meat. Then the server came out and noticed and apologized and ran and got me a steak knife. After the meal, we sat and discussed how amazing the food was and waited for the servers to come get our dirty dishes. Then the host came out and gathered, the server came behind and asked if we wanted dessert. I thought we are in this so yes, I want to try the dessert. I had the brownie ala mode and my partner got the Panna Cotta with Kumquats, Olallieberry and chocolate. again both dishes gave a great presentation. Both delish and we were very happy with our choices. Over all, food is by far amazing and worth the visit. I fell that the service lacked in a big way though cause although we were the only one's that ended up out on the side patio, it was like people forgot about us. We had long delays before we got service and our server. when they brought out our dessert, I had also asked for our check. Which I'm glad I did caus
They didn't have the champagne we ordered( it was our anniversary) nor did they have the meal my husband ordered. Both was disappointing but other than that the meal was pretty good, but I would go somewhere else for a special occasion next time . I didn't love how small the table was we sat at under the tiny little window. I felt like we were like in a cubby and my husband is tall and barely fit without knocking the table .
We just had a fabulous Valentine's day dinner last night. It was a 5 course fixed priced dinner and it didn't disappoint! The service was excellent and the flavors of each of the dishes were outstanding. The restaurant is very cozy and has a great ambiance. Thanks for a great night!
This place was fantastic everything was so remarkable. I was not expecting everything to be so delicious.What we ordered1. Beet and artichoke soup2. Fresh delicate Burrata3. Chicken risotto with chantrelles4. Kiwi tartAnd all of them are now my favorite heheCaleb was our server and he was so great:)Cozy atmosphere, perfect date night and cant wait to come back <3
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Burrata with Fuyu Persimmons Prosciutto and Chicories, Beet and Artichoke Soup with Dill Crema
We walked in on a Wednesday night. Enjoyed dinner here. They have quite an extensive list of wine. I ordered the catch of the day which was a sole with polenta and romanesco. Boyfriend ordered the chicken stuffed with porcini mushrooms. The highlight was the soups! We ordered the chicken with farro soup and the beet artichoke. Loved the soups a lot and the main courses were good but not show stopping. I would eat here again and the service was excellent. You should try it if looking for a fair priced fine dining experience in Aptos.
Nice quiet place for delicious food with good service. Slightly costly but worth it for luscious food.
The food was delightful, albeit expensive. The interior was small but so perfectly designed for privacy and beauty. And then there's, Caleb, the incredibly professional and charismatic waiter, who made our night with his smiles. This restaurant is a lovely special night venue, well worth the trip from Aromas.
Delicious food, nice ambiance and great service! I will be dreaming of the burrata and persimmons!
Amazing experience. Wonderful service, extensive wine list, & food was delish. I had the chicken pesto risotto and my boyfriend had the sole. We were both really impressed with the quality of the food. We will be going back to this cute little spot! Such a good find!
The braised short rib was amazing! So tender and flavorful, melts in your mouth! The chicken risotto was also made well, but could not compete with the short rib!
Restaurantji Recommends
Gluten Free options are uuhhmazing.... Can't wait to go back. Fall off the bone prime rib. Asian pear and walnut salad best I've ever tasted anywhere. Homemade focaccia bread and housemade hummus according to my husband was so fresh. Braised pork house made Carmel ravioli was to die for according to my foodie husband. Also the Turkey minestrone appetizer!
Monthly wine pairing dinner is outstanding!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The chicken pesto risotto was delicious. Very hot, not spicy. The baked ricotta dessert was a little weird, but the butterscotch on it was Delicious.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Came for a quick nosh and a nice glass of wine. Great selection! Service, food and atmosphere were top notch
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Came here with my family for my 30th bday dinner and it did not disappoint. We made a reservation for inside as I think the ambiance and vibes are better than the rock patio outside. We started with the burrata (not pictured) even tho it was maybe my favorite part of the meal! There were 6 of us so we ordered two and glad we did. The only thing I would have liked better is something to eat the burrata with? It didn't come with any sort of cracker, bread, etc so you just ate it as is. I still enjoyed it. Next we got two bowls of the Beet and Artichoke Soup with Dill Crema and a bowl of the beef and mushroom soup. Both were SO flavorful and delish. Although if I had to choose, I would recommend the beet soup because it was just so unique and full of mixed flavors. The added dill crema ontop was incredible. We all got our own main dishes, pictured in review. They were all very good, with the exception of the daily special which was some sort of mushroom and cheese pasta/lasagna. It came out so dry, with barely any sauce. It looked like it had been sitting for a bit as the pasta was dry/cracking on the edges. When we notified our server he said that it had been a complaint a couple other times in the night so he apologized and agreed. Although they didn't remove it from our bill which was a tad disappointing as it was acknowledged as a mess up on their part. They did add in an additional free bday desert I assume to make up for this. The fish of the day was cooked perfectly but the potatoes to accompany them were still very hard. Everything had good flavor tho. Everyone enjoyed their meals for the most part! Our sever was very patient in our wine tastings. We got a couple bottles for the table, locally made. The hazelnut semmifrado was the better dessert of the two, but both were good. We were seated in the corner with a great view. Really enjoyed the vibes of this place, felt like a little house. Would definitely go back. If you're looking for a quiet date night, this is your spot!