31 Best Cafes near Aptos

“Stopped into Companion Bakeshop Aptos and had a much-needed experience. The staff were friendly, and the barista who made my flat white did an amazing job — absolutely nailed the espresso pull. The coffee had rich notes of chocolate (my favorite), and the milk froth was smooth, silky, and perfectly balanced.

The pastries looked incredible — and it’s clear why this place is known for them. I wasn’t in the mood for one this time, but I’ll definitely be back to try them out. The space is quaint and inviting, with both indoor and outdoor seating, and I loved being able to watch the pastries being made in the back corner of the shop.

If I’m ever in Aptos again, this will be my go-to spot for a morning flat white.“

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

“Love this place. Great menu and service. We were welcomed with a bright smile and a positive attitude. So many great things to choose from. A wide beverage selection as well as some amazing cannoli! Definitely recommend a stop here. If you are headed to the beach it is very conveniently located.“

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

“I would definitely recommend grabbing coffee here! The atmosphere of the coffee shop is cozy and a great place to study or hang out. I have a class discussion here once a week, and always look forward to it. The staff are also super friendly and welcome.“

“Best breakfast and ambience 🥰“

“I might recommend this place for its pies & pastries, but not their coffee offerings. I guess they don’t get many requests for mochas because what I got was mostly milk with a splash of coffee & zero chocolate. Getting it iced costs another 50¢, which I’ve never seen before. They really don’t promote their coffee beverages, so…. Hopefully your experience will be better.“

“Great tacos and great view🏄‍♀️“

“Every time we drive over from San Jose we eat there.“

“11th hour coffee is the best in town! Small batch quality direct trade coffee roasted with love. Happy to support a local growing business in the community.“

“Highly recommend Cowboys Corner Cafe. Great customer service. Friendly atmosphere! Comfort food served here!“

“Best food ever. Friendly owners and staff. Great location and views. Love!“

“We are grateful to have had Flower Bar Design Studio provide flowers for our wedding. Sharon promptly responded to our emails, making us feel at ease with our choices. When it came to the flowers, my husband and I were completely stress-free leading up to our wedding day. Everything was perfect!“

“This is our first time visiting Sunrise Cafe, based on reviews we read online. There is a nice selection of breakfast and lunch options. We were really impressed by the food. The ingredients were fresh and genuine, and the prices were quite affordable.

We both ordered breakfast: I had eggs, potatoes, and bacon, while my companion chose French Toast with a side of bacon. Everything was fresh and hot, which means it was freshly made. We plan to keep coming back whenever we visit the Soquel/Aptos/Capitola area.“

“Love this place!“

“Best boba tea in Santa Cruz county!“

“So yummy, very refreshing also addicting.“

“No complaints! Nice and clean, washed and dried a huge load of clothes for less than $10 including detergent in just over an hour. They have a restroom for customers and lots of tables to sit and work or read or whatever. No parking lot, but free street parking is easy enough to find nearby.“

“Had the Castroville Scramble (3 eggs, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, onions, with home fried potatoes and Rye toast) and it was VERY VERY good! The service was great and food delivered promptly. there's a small outdoor dining area tgat was very nice even though it's in a very commercial/industrial part of town. A very pleasant dining surprise for hungry travellers!“

“My Favorite place downtown❣️❣️❣️ Best Scones I’ve ever had!!! Super sweet staff💜 and breakfast sandwiches that keep you coming back every day😁“

“We live just up the street and finally came in for the first time. My Son and I had the chicken pesto and the chicken apple Brie Sandos. Food was BOMB delicious. The vibe is super family oriented and welcoming. The spot is super quaint and comfortable. The staff is so friendly, u know ur neighbors.“

“Good breakfast place. Plenty of parking, in front and back lots. Good food, above average but not fantastic. Excellent coffee. Lots of servers, so service was good. Less expensive than comparable coffeeshops.\nBathrooms could use a deep cleaning and a brighter light.\nWe'll be back!“

“Our first time here, Mr. Ahn gave us a hard time and proceeded to be the utmost gentleman, emphasizing the lack of chemicals and MSG used in his delicious food!! Can't wait to come back, the plaza it's hidden is why we missed it for the last six years. There's always next time for the breakfast rolls and the actual Korean dish, I had the salmon burger and it was so killer that I told him with my mouth full - when he came outside to check on us and how the food was!! The King Kong Burger got a five star rating too!! We got caramel and mocha coffee too, they also matched in deliciousness. Like I said, can't wait to come back for breakfast rolls!! Thanks Mr. Ahn!!!

EDIT: Our breakfast roll experience was CHEF'S KISS - I never really inhaled my breakfast before this. It was so difficult to not bite my fingers while enjoying the wraps, we have been missing out on this place so much. I'm so glad we can catch up!!“

“I was in town with my daughter for college visits and came across this restaurant in Santa Cruz via google maps. We went on a Sunday morning and were seated immediately after ordering, and the food arrived very quickly. We ordered vegan versions of a couple of their menu items and they were VERY good. Lots of flavor, not heavy sitting. We liked it so much we went back the following morning for breakfast before we took off to another state for another college visit. There were still more vegan items I would have liked to try on their menu. Definitely recommend this quaint little restaurant. Vegan friendly, but also good choices for omnis too.“

“Great food, atmosphere all the waiters are nice. Great location.“

“As a regular customer of this amazing café, I couldn’t be more happy I have a spacial needs kid and this is his favorite place the owner and the staff are super inclusive and treat him like a king when he comes by I highly recommend this place (both for the food and for the treatment and the service that we get) 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“I frequent this coffee shop weekly on my way to work in the morning. The employees are always super friendly even while working fast to get all of us to work on time. When the drive-thru line is long they even send someone out to start taking orders and often it is ready by the time you get to the window. Delicious iced coffee at a very reasonable price as well! I love the cardamom and cardamom rose syrups. I also really love the vegan scones. The coconut scone is my favorite, but I got the pumpkin scone today and it is SOOOOO good. Thank you LuLu's and staff!“

“Good place to grab a coffee only steps away from the beach. They offer fun and inventive coffees, such as thin mint and raspberry truffle mochas, alongside everything else you'd expect. In addition to coffee, they offer bagels, pastries, and other snacks. The staff are friendly, and the drinks are good, but I did have an issue when my mocha wasn't stirred, as well as my friend's on one of the visits. Overall, it's a good place to grab a coffee, and the location is unbeatable.“

“BEST paninis and coffee I've had and in a super foodie!!!! ❤ I would eat all meals here!!!!“

“Today we tried this place for the first time. We had a Barrel burrito and two Cali burrito. They where so good freshly made. I heard my eggs crack and sizzling on the pan smelled great. Burrito where hands down 5 stars great flavor down to the carne asada the sour cream fresh guacamole. So good... great customer service will recommend this place to everyone. A++++“

“Just had breakfast at this gem of a cafe. The food was excellent. The staff was sweet and hospitable. Seriously, put this charming spot on your breakfast list. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟“