26 Best Cafes near Aptos

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

“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.“

“A hidden gem off the main road, and worth seeking out! Great espresso beverages, and a breakfast sandwich that ranks as one of the best I've ever had. Friendly staff, outdoor seating, and some unique Italian food items. If you're cycling down the coast, or visiting Seacliff beach, mark this as a refueling stop.“

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

“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🏄‍♀️“

“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!“

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

“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!“

“I'm a senior citizen and the FEMA Maui fire victim that has diabetes and GERD that's a very good stuff there that's like vegetarian stuff my other friends had good omelets and everything I highly recommend this place I've been here before long time ago and there's still serving great stuff“

“So yummy, very refreshing also addicting.“

“Love this place!“

“Best boba tea in Santa Cruz county!“

“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😁“

“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!“

“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.“

“I saw a food creator claiming to have found the best burger in Watsonville. Honestly, I was skeptical because many influencers get paid to hype things up. However, after seeing a tempting menu online, I decided to check them out anyway. Less than an hour before closing, I called to place my order and headed out for pickup. When I arrived, I realized the cafe was right next to my childhood favorite taqueria. The place was quiet and casual, and it radiated a warmth that instantly took me back to my childhood days of waiting eagerly for food. The owners were incredibly kind and attentive. They even gave me a small box for my carryout, which reminded me of my old favorite spot and how my dad used to carry a whole charola full of tacos. The aroma was absolutely mesmerizing, and I can confidently say that all the rumors are true. Their burgers (especially the King Kong Burger) are truly one of a kind! The bun is soft and pliable, the meat is tender, and the vegetables are very fresh. The cheese melts all the flavors together perfectly. In fact, I’ve never had a burger that pulls off thinly sliced meat better than this. While I had never tried bibimbap before, it will be tough to top the version I had here. Even my dad, who rarely tries international cuisines, was tempted by just the smell. The spicy sauce complemented the other ingredients wonderfully! The yam fries were also outstanding: crispy, sweet, and absolutely delicious. As a big fan of sweet potatoes, I can honestly say they were the best I’ve ever had. I will definitely be returning soon! 😋“

“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.“

“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.“

“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 ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“When visiting from out of town, I rely heavily on reviews when figuring out where to eat. This breakfast burrito was fantastic! It was also HUGE and I got the small! It was a quick walk from the Wharf, watch the sunrise and then grab breakfast. You won't be disappointed.“

“Two kids were working very hard and doing an excellent job!!We ordered popsicles that had previously melted into small squares in the bottom of the bag and then refroze, and were a little frostbitten.But they have a huge menu with coffee, boba, smoothies, fro yo.“