Guide to the Swift and Ingalls Street Courtyards

Located at 402 Ingalls Street, the Swift Street Courtyard is an oasis of chic yet laid-back hipness.

Opened in 2003 from a converted brussels sprouts packing plant, it now houses a combination of over twenty retail shops and dining and drinking establishments. It has become a destination space, where you can spend an entire day and not be bored.

The sister complex to the Swift Street Courtyard, the Ingalls Street Courtyard, shares the parking lot in front of Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery. Together, they make a pretty good argument for a full day spent shopping, dining and drinking all in one place.

Here’s the lowdown on all the spots that make the Swift and Ingalls Street Courtyards a destination in their own right.

Retail Stores

Cameron Marks carries carefully-selected housewares, paper goods, beauty products, gifts and jewelry from brands such as Deus Ex Machina, Baggu, and Mox Botanicals. Across the courtyard, the companion Cameron Marks boutique carries stylish men’s and womenswear, shoes, and accessories.

The Swift Stitch is a knitter’s dream. With a huge selection of yarns and knitting/crocheting accessories, as well as classes on offer, the store provides all the tools you need to start and continue your knitting (or crochet) addiction.

French Theft is a boutique specializing in tasteful lingerie from labels such as Cosabella, Chantelle, Blush, and Samantha Chang. Stop by to steal a little French style for your bedroom.

Sawyer Land & Sea Supply, purveyor of clothing and gear for the Santa Cruz surfing and outdoor-loving lifestyle, was previously profiled on our blog here.

Illuminée carries a nice selection of modern and contemporary lighting fixtures and lamps, with a good variety of price points. It may seem strange that they also carry jewelry, but the pieces they carry somehow mesh nicely with the lighting designs on display.

Nectar Creations offers comfortable yet flattering, natural-fiber, yoga clothing designed by the store’s owner and made in Bali. The store also carries a wide range of imported, Eastern-inspired gifts, jewelry and accessories.

La Sirena Antiques is packed to the gills with French antiques, imported gifts and jewelry; it’s like stepping right into Paris’ Clignancourt flea market.

Petite Provence specializes in imported French linens, housewares, accessories, toys and soaps. If you’re looking to recreate the French farmhouse spirit in your home, this is the place to go.

Health and Beauty

Le Salon Cruz is a full-service hair and beauty salon that offers haircuts, treatments and styling, facials, professional makeup services, waxing and massage.

Santa Cruz Yoga boasts a schedule offering 50 yoga classes a week, as well as offering workshops and teacher training. The perfect spot to sweat it out before indulging in a delicious breakfast at Kelly’s French Bakery, next door.

Food and Drink

El Salchichero is a butcher specializing in house-cured and smoked meats, sausages and jerkies, house-made pates, and meats butchered in-house, all from local farms. Their wares rotate according to what’s ready to eat from the “curing room”, and what fresh meats they’ve procured from their partner farms.

El Salchichero post a list of what’s available every week here on their website.

Kelly’s French Bakery has an excellent outdoor seating area for people-watching and catching sun. They also make killer pastries, coffee, breads, soups and sandwiches, with lunch specials that change daily.

Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing is an organic brewery featuring a taproom with bar seating and an outdoor beer garden that’s dog-friendly.

With seven flagship ales, a rotating selection of seasonal brews, several non-alcoholic beverage choices (including root beer and kombucha), and food available until 7 pm every day, it’s a great spot to kick back and relax with friends.

West End Tap & Kitchen features a solid gastropub menu, with items such as stout braised short rib and roasted heirloom chicken. On tap, they offer beer from Santa Cruz Aleworks, Uncommon Brewers, Hermitage Brewing and several of their own concoctions.

Wineries

There are no less than six wine tasting rooms located at the Ingalls Street Courtyard: Silver Mountain Vineyards, Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard, Quinta Cruz (the arm of Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard showcasing Iberian-style wines), Sones Cellars, Vino Tabi, and MJA Vineyards are all located within a stone’s throw of each other. With so many wines to try, and live music Fridays through Sundays at Vino Tabi, outings here could be habit-forming.