Great experience with lip-smacking food and awesome ambiance.
Rex S.
Great little gem in downtown area of Santa Cruz. Laid back vibes with a relaxing ambiance. Nice selection of salads and paninis, very rare in Santa Cruz to find a place for an inexpensive lunch.
kat kovaleff
Took my senior mother to lunch here and got literally yelled at and thrown out by the chef because we were confused about our bill. I was pretty sad that this was part of what was supposed to be a special visit with my mom. It was horrible and bizarre...
Rose G.
I ordered the ham, cheddar, and mustard panino, and it was super yummy. I only ate half and saved the other half for part of my dinner lol, which tasted yummy warmed up again in the oven! The lays chips that came with my panino were expired, but I didn't notice until I ate them all (just a month), so that was fine. I like the outdoor seating, it's pretty, but unfortunately, they do not have umbrellas. So if your spot isn't in the shade, you're just roasting in the sun. My table was in the shade initially, but by the end of lunch, the sun was roasting me, so I went ahead and paid and ate the rest of the first half of my sandwich when I got back home. They have inside seating too, but I'm not eating indoors in restaurants at this time. Service is friendly. The guy that runs the place was very nice and brought out my food in a very timely manner, and also brought my check out quickly when I asked. Will def be back for another panino!
Raquel Robinson
Probably my favorite food place in the world. The BBQ chicken sandwich and salad is THE BEST... I've moved away from Santa Cruz but still think about it often. Owner Farouk is super nice and extremely funny!
Leila S.
I just finished lunch from here, and I just had to give my compliments to this place. Their new menu is very limited now, but for two weeks in a row I have ordered the exact same bagged lunch and I am just so impressed. For $10 you get a very large sandwich, bag of chips, piece of fruit, iced tea, and a little fortune cookie. I am currently pregnant now, and I am a bit of a foodie. I do not care about service or bargain meals and huge potions; I care mostly about how good the food is and it tastes,and the sandwiches I have been getting at Cafe LimeLight are so good! I've been getting the smoked applewood ham sandwich with cheddar, crisp apple slices and grainy Dijon mustard. The bread comes from Kellys bakery and it is fresh, chewy, and crisp making the sandwich just perfect. It reminds me more of a sandwich you would get in a European cafe rather than an American deli. Also, the peach tea is lovely. Not very sweet, which is my preference as I don't care for sugary drinks. I highly recommend anyone downtown looking for a place to grab a sandwich lunch, to go to Cafe LimeLight. Keep delicious food in business in Santa Cruz....because there isn't a ton of it here :(
Cindy MacConnell
One of my favorite places to eat! Super yummy!
Harry M.
Such a wonderful place for a great meal, relaxing environment, and quiet conversation!
Craig Jones
A favorite lunch spot for quality sandwich and salad in a relaxing atmosphere.
S M.
Eclectic decor, masks, film equipment and a massive salt water aquarium, the service was slow but the server was attentive. We had come down all the way from Half Moon Bay to check out the Bad Animal Restaurant and bookstore across the street but because they failed to post they would be closed until after the new year, we headed across the street. Indoor and outdoor dining, dogs welcome. Cafe Limelight is an amazing place to eat. We had the panino, made with FRESH TURKEY, delicious bread, with cheese and tasty tomatoes, grilled to perfection!! The turkey was PILED high and even half a sandwich was almost too much for me. The peeps here are accommodating and wonderful, the aquarium was as wonderful!!! Wonderful chill atmosphere.
I really like the ambiance here, it's mellow, friendly, and made me feel like I was witnessing 20th century Paris. The paninis were food, tapenade was even better. I ordered the salami and pesto panini and, though it was good, the flavor palette seemed a bit too same-y, meaning I got bored of it before I got full. I recommend this spot nonetheless :)
Stefanie Barber
Cafe food and the scene at this location is super good. The service was helpful and kind.
Tom T.
Disgusting that people feed their dogs with the restaurant plates. They can do that all they want at their homes. Like it or not, IT'S a violation of health department code for a good reason.
Letha Welch
Delicious lavash panini (lower carb). Great atmosphere!
Great experience with lip-smacking food and awesome ambiance.
Great little gem in downtown area of Santa Cruz. Laid back vibes with a relaxing ambiance. Nice selection of salads and paninis, very rare in Santa Cruz to find a place for an inexpensive lunch.
Took my senior mother to lunch here and got literally yelled at and thrown out by the chef because we were confused about our bill. I was pretty sad that this was part of what was supposed to be a special visit with my mom. It was horrible and bizarre...
I ordered the ham, cheddar, and mustard panino, and it was super yummy. I only ate half and saved the other half for part of my dinner lol, which tasted yummy warmed up again in the oven! The lays chips that came with my panino were expired, but I didn't notice until I ate them all (just a month), so that was fine. I like the outdoor seating, it's pretty, but unfortunately, they do not have umbrellas. So if your spot isn't in the shade, you're just roasting in the sun. My table was in the shade initially, but by the end of lunch, the sun was roasting me, so I went ahead and paid and ate the rest of the first half of my sandwich when I got back home. They have inside seating too, but I'm not eating indoors in restaurants at this time. Service is friendly. The guy that runs the place was very nice and brought out my food in a very timely manner, and also brought my check out quickly when I asked. Will def be back for another panino!
Probably my favorite food place in the world. The BBQ chicken sandwich and salad is THE BEST... I've moved away from Santa Cruz but still think about it often. Owner Farouk is super nice and extremely funny!
I just finished lunch from here, and I just had to give my compliments to this place. Their new menu is very limited now, but for two weeks in a row I have ordered the exact same bagged lunch and I am just so impressed. For $10 you get a very large sandwich, bag of chips, piece of fruit, iced tea, and a little fortune cookie. I am currently pregnant now, and I am a bit of a foodie. I do not care about service or bargain meals and huge potions; I care mostly about how good the food is and it tastes,and the sandwiches I have been getting at Cafe LimeLight are so good! I've been getting the smoked applewood ham sandwich with cheddar, crisp apple slices and grainy Dijon mustard. The bread comes from Kellys bakery and it is fresh, chewy, and crisp making the sandwich just perfect. It reminds me more of a sandwich you would get in a European cafe rather than an American deli. Also, the peach tea is lovely. Not very sweet, which is my preference as I don't care for sugary drinks. I highly recommend anyone downtown looking for a place to grab a sandwich lunch, to go to Cafe LimeLight. Keep delicious food in business in Santa Cruz....because there isn't a ton of it here :(
One of my favorite places to eat! Super yummy!
Such a wonderful place for a great meal, relaxing environment, and quiet conversation!
A favorite lunch spot for quality sandwich and salad in a relaxing atmosphere.
Eclectic decor, masks, film equipment and a massive salt water aquarium, the service was slow but the server was attentive. We had come down all the way from Half Moon Bay to check out the Bad Animal Restaurant and bookstore across the street but because they failed to post they would be closed until after the new year, we headed across the street. Indoor and outdoor dining, dogs welcome. Cafe Limelight is an amazing place to eat. We had the panino, made with FRESH TURKEY, delicious bread, with cheese and tasty tomatoes, grilled to perfection!! The turkey was PILED high and even half a sandwich was almost too much for me. The peeps here are accommodating and wonderful, the aquarium was as wonderful!!! Wonderful chill atmosphere.
Restaurantji Recommends
I really like the ambiance here, it's mellow, friendly, and made me feel like I was witnessing 20th century Paris. The paninis were food, tapenade was even better. I ordered the salami and pesto panini and, though it was good, the flavor palette seemed a bit too same-y, meaning I got bored of it before I got full. I recommend this spot nonetheless :)
Cafe food and the scene at this location is super good. The service was helpful and kind.
Disgusting that people feed their dogs with the restaurant plates. They can do that all they want at their homes. Like it or not, IT'S a violation of health department code for a good reason.
Delicious lavash panini (lower carb). Great atmosphere!
Great soup salads and sandwiches