Restaurants in Aptos

“Churchills is amazing.”

“I had an amazing birthday here. The staff are so friendly and right there when you need them. The food….omg the food. I had lamb shank with mashed potatoes and sautéd veggies. Everything was cooked to perfection! I live 4 hours away. I can’t wait to come back.”

“I had lunch with a friend today and I wanted to try Soul Salad I was not disappointed. Fresh, flavorful and the customer service was top notch The owner offered to make me something special: he grilled me sesame crusted tofu and put it on the Wasabi salad. That was so cool and I appreciated it too. btw it was delicious I ate every bite I was also able to customize a salad for my husband. Thank you Team Soul Salad for an amazing lunch 🥰🙏🏻🥗”

“Wonderful family deli. The Cali sandwich is my go-to. The pastries are also a must try. Lunch is busy during the summer. You can order ahead. Great place for lunch if you're heading to the beach in Aptos.”

“My husband and I decided to check out the restaurant for lunch and it exceeded our expectations. We order the empanadas as a starter and they were absolutely delicious. The tocos we ordered were so yummy. They had such flavor, texture had depth. The wait staff were wonderful; professional, responsive, and always attending to our needs. We can't wait to return.”

“Honestly, this is one of the best BBQ places in the Bay Area. Their meats definitely have that WOW factor! I love how welcoming the staff is here. It feels like they genuinely want you to feel comfortable and enjoy some great BBQ. We’ve ordered takeout and dined in many times, and I’ve always appreciated the consistency of the food. The quality of the meat is top-notch, with a perfect smoky flavor and tenderness. Their brisket is the best — a great balance of lean and fatty cuts, crispy edges, and juicy, flavorful meat that falls apart beautifully. The tri-tip is also moist and cooked to perfection, though you can definitely notice the difference in tenderness between the two cuts of beef. The ribs are meaty, perfectly cooked, and have a wonderful smoky flavor. They shouldn't fall off the bone on their own, but they come off easily — exactly how ribs should be. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. The pulled BBQ pork melts in your mouth, incredibly moist and perfectly smoked. One thing to note: items tend to run out early, so it’s a good idea to call or order ahead!”

“Been enjoying Manuels since 1966. Love the red snapper, the salad, flautas with guacamole...great food always! Hopefully coming to dinner tonight! ♥️”

“Every time I go, spot in with the food. This is what I look for in a restaurant. Think out of the box menu with consistency every time I go with every item I order. I keep working down the menu to try everything. They obviously make their own sauce, the ranch, super bomb diggity. Fries, onion rings, salad all fresh and crisp. Mac and Gouda cheese bites, Yes! Chop cheese, you gotta have one of these! Mushroom cap “burger “ something you will crave, Parish pie, goodness wrapped up in one dish. Salmon fish & chips, fantastic. And I forgot to mention beer, beer, beer, they also have beer and mixed drinks. There is always specials on the screens. Last time I noticed something about tenderloin and bacon …… can’t wait to go back and find out!”

“Love the Atmosphere, food was delicious.”

“This is MY go-to pizzeria. I like Pizza My Heart & I like Mountain Mike's & I like the other chains, but this one is good all the time, & it's right here in Aptos & it's super good. I like it very much. It's MY favorite.”

“Fourth time here and still left impressed. Pizza, gnocchi, ragu, and sole dishes were fantastic. Didn leave room for desert but tried the strawberry and cream and lemon curd, anyway. Glad we did. Drinks were great too. Nice enough for a date night. Casual enough to be a great neighborhood hang. 10/10.”

“We’ve always loved Akira, but recently their chefs have been taking their sushi game to a whole new level. Very delicious with big portions of food & we have yet to have a roll that we didn’t like. Highly recommend!”

“Excellent atmosphere! Do yourself a favor, stop by.”

“I recently visited this Indian restaurant for their buffet service, and it was truly a wonderful experience! The food was absolutely delicious — rich in flavor, fresh, and with a great variety of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. Every dish was thoughtfully prepared and felt like true home-style Indian cooking.

The ambience was clean, calm, and welcoming. Tables were well-maintained, and the whole place had a cozy yet classy feel, perfect for a relaxed meal with family or friends.

One thing that really stood out was the visible family involvement in the restaurant. that warmth shows in the service. The staff were friendly, attentive, and genuinely cared about the guests’ experience.

Highly recommended for anyone looking to enjoy authentic Indian cuisine in a clean, family-friendly setting. I’ll definitely be back!”

“They make a great latte, and I can always find a few familiar faces on the patio”

“They make the best ice cream in town, with over 100 flavors to choose from”

“Favorite roaster around! Haven't had a bag of beans I don't like. Currently on a kick of pulling shots and making lattes with After Party. Super thick crema and great tasting notes. Don't see myself changing up from Cat & Cloud anytime soon!”

“I have been coming here pretty much since they opened. They have a great atmosphere, lots of coffee choices and food choices. Also, the staff is super friendly. Deven, Donny, Scully, Jake and the others really care about the customers and put a smile on your face ! I highly recommend Loft Coffee, I'm there every week! 🐳”

“Best breakfast and ambience 🥰”

“It’s one of those places where you can’t go inside you have to order at the window.if it’s cold outside that is the down side you can’t enjoy your ice cream there. I ordered a turtle Sunday and my only complaint is it would of been nice to actually get a brownie in my Sunday since that’s what turtle Sunday’s are known for and it’s was pricey still with out one so yeah.The location is good though.”

“Have been coming here for 20+ years (yes, I know, it was Surf City before). Today’s experience was probably the best ever. The staff is super friendly. The quality of the food is great. Love the choice of cheese for the dawners. And the eggs were perfect. Unfortunately we aren’t locals or we would be back more often. But, we do come back to the area, it’s on our “must go” list.”

“The best coffee in aptos homemade muffins and pastries , cozy warm atmosphere”

“Companion bakeshop is the best bakery!! I’ve been to bakeries around the country as well as here in Santa cruz. As a baker myself who’s tried about half the baked goods they offer there was only one item I wouldn’t buy again.

All their bread is wild yeast. And they offer 100% whole grain loaves! The pistachio dream is ridiculously good. I literally dream about it and I’m not a meringue or nut person. The quality of ingredients shows in everything and their thoughtfulness about healthier options is also evident. As in their almond croissant which features a non traditional whole meal “marzipan”.
Can’t wait for them to make a cookbook!!”

“First time there … loved the vibe will be back”

“This restaurant deserves all the business. The Pad Thai is my favorite, it’s the best I’ve had in the area. The Tom kha soup is deliciously creamy and tangy. I can taste the heat of ginger in the ginger tea. George Ow curry is another great dish. The place is cozy and full of interesting decorations. The staff is kind and is always checking on water refills etc. Never have been disappointed, always leave happy. Wonderful place.”

“Pizza is very good. Friendly people work their. Staff is very good and help you rite away. Price is good and lot of space. Love to visit again”

“This past weekend, we decided to visit Lester Estate Wines. The property is beautiful, with spaces for events and parties. Following the signs to the tasting room, you enter and see a long room decorated with all kinds of different woodsy/nature themed items. The staff greeted us and led us to a nice outdoor seating area. I tried the new Pinot Noir reds and she tried a mix of sparkling and still whites. Overall, it was a pleasant time and there is plenty to see! Another good wine tasting experience in the mountains north of Aptos!”

“Wonderful lunch for about 28 people. the food was delicious and healthy. the service was impressive”

“This was a great find! I loved the courtyard in the back. I had the veggie burrito without dairy (vegan). The fajita style veggies, black beans, ride and guacamole wrapped up in a grilled spinach tortilla was super fresh and tasty. I’ll be back!”

“After dropping off the 7 Winklesticks and two boxes of Bluehanker Gobblygoons to Uutaacuss Coombaba the Sea Urchin diver from Uganda I was whipped. I think he's going to use those things to scrape the barnacles off his trawler, and I told him that's not what they're designed for, but he just mumbled and made some popping noises like the Bantu tribesmen do. He paid me and I couldn't get out any faster. I made a beeline straight for Eric's DeliCafe they're the best on the coast.5 stars all day long. ☆☆☆☆☆”

“I wrote a detailed review on 831 Best and Worst Facebook page and this was definitely the BEST category ! Cannot go wrong IMO !”

“This club has been such a blessing in my life. For the past 18 years I have relished the physical and social uplift from my very regular visits there. Swimming by the ocean year round is the highlight of my day however I have taken advantage of many classes that Seascape Sports club offers. Re-opening after the lock down was such a relief! A daily dose of sanity.”

“The service was great. The food is good and portions are large. Moderate pricing, but dog friendly!”

“I've been eating pizza for decades, all over the country, I know a good pie when I eat one. This place is legit. The crust is just the right crisp, the slice holds shape and the toppings stay where you want them. These factors add up to a delicious and satisfying bite for bite experience. The combination pizza is oof the charts. The online ordering process is streamlined and intuitive. The pizzas are always ready when they say they are and the staff take pride in their cooking. Order up, my friend. Choose your toppings wisely and walk away a winner.”

“The clam chowder is worth the trip.”

“Service was wonderful, food was excellent. Special deal if it’s your birthday! Don’t worry, they don’t sing to you😂”

“First time golfing, the staff was great! The course was great!”

“I am a die hard Starbucks fan, and this was my first time having Peets coffee, they are amazing and way better than Starbucks! :)”

“Love the fresh, healthy ingredients and the warm smiles on the faces of staff! The Clean Juice app is a great way to order ahead.”

“Best pizza in Aptos! Friendly staff greet you as you walk in! Reasonable prices for the food and quality of food is great! Dinning room very big and kept clean! Definitely coming back here!”

“I ordered the vegan mendocino. You can't order it by the slice, you have to pay for the whole pie. It only took about 10-15 minutes for them to make. Although, it was kinda pricey about $30 for a 12". It was super garlicky and delicious, the cheese had a nice flavor and texture, but I felt like it needed just a tad bit of salt. I really enjoyed the fresh tomato sauce and fresh basil on top. Anyway, I'm super stoked that there's vegan pizza available near my home. There's 2 more vegan pizzas, so I'll be back to try those too. Updated from previous review on 2025-01-09”

“It's an old fashioned burger joint right by the beach. For some it is a traditional stop when leaving the nearby beach.”

“Food is delicious. Service was top notch. Staff is extremely friendly.”

“Always good place to eat. Staff is super nice”

“Owner was very nice and friendly food was also exceptionally good

Kid-friendliness: Owner came by and interacted with our baby and made sure we had everything we needed for him”

“Great food and coffee and my wife and I will be back again and again.”

“Excellent ice cream with vegan options. Gluten free waffle cone too”

“I’ve been eating at Gordos for 22 plus years now. Favorite taqueria of all time. Always recommend it to friends, only leaving this review because the burrito I had last night was literally the most perfect burrito they’ve ever made for me. It blew my mind. I’ve literally ordered the same thing for 22 years almost weekly 😂 love this place. Thank you Gordos!”

“Wonderful food $. Affordable Fresh Fish. Wishing success in Aptos, try Poki Bowl Aptos!”

“Friendly staff & great location.”

“We wanted Chinese Food while staying at the Seascape Resort. This small, husband (Chef), wife (everything else) was a find and went back two days in a row. Great Chinese food, like pizza, must be Awesome when freshly cooked and then on warming up later! This place truly checked off those two qualties. Met a patron who has been coming to this place 15 years on our first visit (both time we had take out). He could not say enough beautiful platitudes about this couple and the food! We must agree and will be back when visiting again! The restaurant itself is nothing fancy in the least. The owners and Food sdo All the apeaking!”

“Great manager now and great checkers ....Wendy”

“We three had an EXCELLENT brunch there today. We all opted for the California Eggs Benedict. Absolutely Delicious!! Service was impeccable, Atmosphere delightful with the nice Aptos sun ? out. We all just raved about the good food and service. Highly Recommend !!

Wheelchair accessibility: Need someone to help you with your wheelchair - two small steps. Go to the right (not main entrance) toward the outdoor seating. I was on crutches and had No problem.”

“Strawberry walnut salad was great and the feta fries OMG so good”

“I ordered the vegan mendocino. You can't order it by the slice, you have to pay for the whole pie. It only took about 10-15 minutes for them to make. Although, it was kinda pricey about $30 for a 12". It was super garlicky and delicious, the cheese had a nice flavor and texture, but I felt like it needed just a tad bit of salt. I really enjoyed the fresh tomato sauce and fresh basil on top. Anyway, I'm super stoked that there's vegan pizza available near my home. There's 2 more vegan pizzas, so I'll be back to try those too. Updated from previous review on 2025-01-09”

“Good food very friendly staff.”