Bittersweet Bistro

Recognized by locals as one of the top restaurants in Aptos and Santa Cruz County, Bittersweet Bistro offers an American Bistro Cuisine style dinner menu with Mediterranean influences. Outstanding dessert menu and an award-winning wine list are served in a casual, relaxed atmosphere. Breakfast, brunch and lunch served daily indoor and on outdoor patio at Café Bittersweet.

Delicious food is a tradition for Bittersweet Bistro Chef and proprietor Thomas Vinolus, raised in the mid-west in a family that celebrated life and love with food every day. His passion for food is apparent in his innovative menu, bright flavors and fresh, high-quality and natural ingredients. His artistry is obvious in the perfect presentation of every plate. Popular specialties include Fire Roasted Mission Fig Salad, Wild Salmon prepared with a strawberry-chipotle glaze and chili-garlic sauce, Chinese Long Beans and Sliders.

Vinolus personally leads his kitchen and runs Bittersweet Bistro restaurant, tavern, catering/banquet facilities and Café Bittersweet, together with his best friend, life and business partner Elizabeth Vinolus. Their active daily management ensures consistent quality and service in every area of the business. Their newly completed remodeling project included a larger outdoor patio featuring elegant landscaping with fountain and Koi pond.

The tavern bar is open daily from 3:00 with nightly food and drink specials. Conveniently located right off the Rio Del Mar exit on Highway 1 in Aptos, the restaurant is open seven days a week with dinner service starting at 5:00 pm.