Woody’s at the Airport celebrated its grand opening Monday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Watsonville Municipal Airport, marking the arrival of a restaurant that aims to pair locally sourced ingredients with a community-centered approach.
Although the restaurant has already opened its doors, owner Tim Wood said he is taking a gradual approach to building out the menu and operations.
“For once the chefs and myself are taking our time to make sure we do it kind of on our pace,” Wood said.
Rather than launching with a full menu from day one, the restaurant started small with plans to gradually introduce additional offerings.
“As a special rolls out and people are like, ‘Wow, I really like that,’ then it can kind of make its way onto the menu” Wood said.
He is expecting to introduce his full menu on June 17.
Wood said Watsonville’s working-class character and strong sense of community helped convince him to open at the airport.
“Let’s make sure we do a good job and make a nice burger, and introduce things that maybe people haven’t seen up here,” he said.
General Manager Bryce Wiland said the restaurant has already been embraced by local residents.
“It feels like a true community, like everyone knows everybody,” Wiland said. “It’s bigger than I thought it was, but it’s got a small-town feel.”
He added that the staff sees the restaurant as a gathering place for local families.
“We want to be a place where you can bring your kids twice a week, not break the bank, and feel really welcome like it’s your spot,” he said.
The menu focuses on what Wiland described as “Central California fare,” with most ingredients sourced locally. Vegetables come from nearby Swank Farms, seafood is supplied from Monterey, and the restaurant works with regional meat purveyors.
“We’re not a big-box restaurant,” Wiland said. “We want to be a place where you feel like you’re coming in, you’re getting a good value, we take care of you, we’re part of the community.”
For Wood, the goal extends beyond serving meals. He said the restaurant plans to continue supporting local nonprofits, youth sports teams and community groups, a tradition from his other businesses.
“We still say yes to all the little league teams,” he said. “If it’s just effort, then we’re going to make it work.”
Wood says that he gets as many as 20 offers per year from people suggesting he open new restaurants in new locations, most of which he rejects.
“And then you walk into a place like this,” he said “Then I came up and looked at it and I got to drive around town a little bit and every day and like a little more builds on you.
Wood said he hopes Woody’s becomes a place where residents can gather, enjoy a meal and feel at home.
“We cook for people who either don’t want to cook, don’t know how to cook, can’t get what we can get to cook, or maybe they just don’t want to bother,” he said.
Woody’s is the latest iteration of the restaurant, which has changed hands multiple times over the past four decades.
The restaurant began life as The Belly Landing around 1980, and owners Jean Ann Mason and Phil White sold it in 1987 to Linda and Michael Butier who ran it as Michael’s Bar & Grill. It changed hands again when Larry Brindley opened Zuniga’s Mexican Food. Props opened in August 2012 after Zuniga’s closed.
Ella’s at the Airport opened in 2015, and after changing hands in 2022 to Chielo Apac, abruptly closed its doors in 2025.
The restaurant features indoor and outdoor seating and a full bar.
