Matt Moreno and his family had felt that Santa Cruz was missing something—an East Coast-style Italian restaurant. So, in 2007, they opened Lillian’s, named after the family’s Sicilian grandma who was born and raised in Yonkers, New York. Transitioning from working in the golf industry to restaurant owner/GM was a steep learning curve, but Moreno had Grandma Lillian’s recipes to lean on. He defines the menu as “family-friendly comfort food.”

Along with Grandma’s recipes, the fresh local fish specials and housemade black truffle-stuffed gnocchi (with gorgonzola cream sauce) keep the place packed. The char-grilled filet is another staple. Traditional cannoli and tiramisu for dessert accompany authentic New York-style cheesecake.