Persephone Restaurant in Aptos

A Culinary Gem is found in our Midst

By Noel Smith

Sometimes something very special is so close to us that we fail to recognize it. So it is with a fine restaurant in Aptos on Soquel Drive called “Persephone.”

According to Greek Myth, Persephone was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter (Mother Earth). Persephone, along with her mother kept the earth bountiful. However as Persephone was also the wife of Hades, God of the Underworld, she had to go to him after the harvest causing winter. When she returned to earth in spring, everything again began to grow and bloom in its rejoicing.

The restaurant’s name echoes its purpose in providing the freshest in vegetables and fruits alongside the best in wine, meat, fish, seafood and pasta to bring pleasure back into our lives.

Persephone is also a family affair. Brother and sister Alex and Cori are the center of Persephone – Alex as the front man and Cori as the chef. They also collaborate on amazing wine pairings and Alex is getting ready for his test to become a Certified Sommelier.

“We love having multi-course Winemaker’s Dinners,” said Alex, “where we pair a vintner’s wines to the courses that Cori creates. We have so many fine winemakers here in the Santa Cruz Mountains and on our Central Coast that this is a real special occasion for all of us, both the diners and the restaurateurs.”

Alex and Cori’s mother and father are also part of the team as well as Alex’s wife Brittnii, who is busy raising the next generation while working from home as the social media, reservation and PR planner.

Mother Karen’s art covers the walls and her daily contributions are as the dessert chef the wonderful desserts that conclude a marvelous culinary experience. Father Miles is the accountant and the businessman that put together the business plan that created Persephone.

Cori graduated from the Cabrillo College Culinary School which, according to her mother, “Inspired her passion for cooking and confirming her decision to pursue it as her career.”

She then attended the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco where she then had the opportunity to work under some brilliant chefs at restaurants such as Acquerello in San Francisco, Au Midi in Aptos, Laili in Santa Cruz (where many of her dishes remain on their menu) and others.

Alex, who graduated from Santa Cruz High School, and his wife, Brittnii moved back to the area after working in the restaurant business in Los Gatos. Alex expressed an interest in running the front and dealing with the patrons while Cori’s only wish was to rule the kitchen as Chef. Alex is also overseeing the wine cellar (as a soon-to-be Master Sommelier), which has one of the largest selections locally with over 250 (He specializes in local and Italian) wines to choose from.

The restaurant is a small and intimate setting and is a great location for private parties. When you look out the windows overlooking the lush and green Aptos Creek Ravine (Sounds better than “gulch”) it’s like being far from the hustle and bustle of our lives. Here you can take the time to enjoy being with family and friends.

The menu varies because it’s seasonal as Cori selects from only from that which is local and fresh whether it’s berries, vegetables, or freshly caught fish from Monterey Bay or the Pacific. The pasta is handmade, and if you wish a multi-course meal, the wines can be properly paired by Alex.

Persephone has been open here in Aptos for two years and we hope that this family’s culinary creation continues to be the place people recognize as “special.”

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Persephone, 7945 Soquel Drive, Aptos. Dinners, Wednesday-Sunday 4:30-9:00 p.m.

Reservations Advised: Tel#: 831-612-6511 or Website: http://persephonerestaurant.com