Zelda's on the beach

During our trip to Capitola, we stopped by Zelda’s on the Beach and timed our reservation for 6:30 PM so we could catch the sunset during dinner. The restaurant was not too packed, so a reservation was not even necessary. We had the option to sit inside or outside, and we were lucky enough to get a booth by an open window. It gave us the perfect sunset view while staying comfortable and away from the winds, even on a warm evening.

We started with the coconut shrimp, which ended up being my absolute favorite dish of the night. For entrées, we had the cioppino, a tomato based seafood stew with garlic bread that was flavorful but a little light if you are really hungry, and the sautéed mahi mahi served over coconut white rice. The rice was delicious, though I was not the biggest fan of the sauté on the fish itself. For our daughter, we ordered a milkshake, and that was the winner of the night, so creamy and absolutely amazing.

Overall, Zelda’s is worth visiting just for the location alone. Sitting by the beach with a view of the sunset makes it such a memorable stop. I have heard from others that brunch is even better than dinner, so next time we are in Capitola we will definitely be back to try their morning menu.

100% recommendation! Went here on a Wednesday evening at 07.45 pm. It was neither crowded nor lonely. Got a great spot with amazing seaview. I ordered the Seared Blackened Ahi Salad and was totally amazed. Such a fresh and tasty dish! Among the best I’ve ever had. On top, I was served by the super friendly owner, who gave me some great recommendations. Thank you so much!

Another great meal at Zelda's. Wednesday concert at the Esplanade, with my clam chowder bread bowl. It's one of my favorites in the area. Great flavor. Love the bread. Please don't order the bread bowl and leave the bread, lol. It makes me sad when I see people do that. Their coconut cheesecake is to die for but since I have had it multiple times, decided to try the bread pudding. It was delicious too. Had a great mocha and coffee as well. The views is awesome too. Witnessed a lot of dive bombing birds diving for their dinner in the ocean while I was dive bombing my plate.