A Day of Food in Rio Del Mar

School is out. Summer will officially be here by mid-week. The temperature is already up. Every beach in town has been packed, even on weekday mornings lately. That means planning for beach days.

If you're checking out Rio Del Mar Beach in fron of the Esplanade in Aptos, your food options are limited, but they're perfect. Lunch is Pixie Deli and dinner is Cafe Rio.

Lunch at Pixie Deli

If you get to the beach in the late morning, walk over to Pixie Deli any time in the afternoon for a sandwich. Most meat options are on the menu, but the seafood tastes especially fresh. Check out the open-face shrimp salad sandwich with dill and celery, if that's up your alley. The fries are cut thin, almost like at In-N-Out Burger. 

The atmosphere is ideal for a beach day. There is nothing pretentious about Pixie Deli. The front door of the shack-like building even boasts a "No shoes, no shirt, no problem" sign and the outdoor patio is dog-friendly. The beer selection is decent too.

Dinner at Cafe Rio

You have to be ready to switch gears slightly for dinner at Cafe Rio. The food at the year-old eatery is upscale — an adjustment from Pixie Deli — but the scene is not uptight. Especially on the huge, outdoor, heated, dog-friendly patio, beach attire is welcome.

The dinner menu isn't huge. There are no more than a dozen entrees. But the appetizer list is the shining star. Don't miss the calamari, beet salad with goat cheese and soy-chile chicken wings. The oyster options are simple but classic. End your beach day with something from the well-executed beer/wine/bar list.

Any Pixie Deli or Cafe Rio fans out there? What are your favorite dishes? Tell us in the comments!