35 Best Coffee Shops in Santa Cruz

“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.“

“Coffee conspiracy is by far my favorite roaster (and now cafe) in Santa Cruz. Eddie is genuinely kind, hard-working and determined, and I’d definitely recommend stopping in to give his coffee a shot!“

“Soo near our ocean your family will love the vibe of Shrine Coffee. Laid-back atmosphere with real cups and plates! No matter your background &c your welcomed with LOVE & LIGHT! Oh, no matter your denomination &c stop on bye for Sunday services &c "Come As You Are"! Be yourself! You will certainly Depart smiling aswellas energized!

Parking: Great Coffee aswell friendly staff aswell guests...

Kid-friendliness: Yes!

Wheelchair accessibility: Yes!“

“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.“

“This is the place to be for your mornings! The coffees and eats are Vietnamese or Cuban inspired, which really sets them apart from other standard coffee shops (and more delicious too). Their atmosphere is second to none; every inch is covered with style and locally sourced art, even the floor itself. To top it off, it's a female-owned small business, so come support your community here!“

“I don’t understand how an amazing coffee shop can, at there discretion, close there coffee shop at any time they want? Why would u treat loyal customers this way. Sometimes posted in Instagram, sometimes not. So inconsiderate of daily customers. Very disappointing to walk all the way there, excited for my greeting from the staff and my great latte, only to find a note on the door, closed at 11:30? How can u feel good about people showing up and not open and it isn’t even close to 3:00? Confusing to me how everything else but this one issue can be perfect?“

“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!“

“Wandered in on a whim, knowing I have wanted to visit, and was SO pleasantly surprised. Very relaxed but lively environment, the owner runs the cash register and makes the dumplings!Which, by the way, were some of the best I’ve had. I ordered the beef Momo dumplings, and they were served with a spicy red sauce, and a side salad with grated carrot and lemon dressing.The dumplings were savory and spiced to perfection. Every ingredient in the meat mix came through uniquely and beautifully. The salad dressing was so bright and delicious that I wanted to drink it, and the spicy red sauce added the perfect extra kick to the dumplings, if you like spice like me, you would definitely enjoy. Got the whole plate for $13 (including tax).I thoroughly enjoyed my experience, and I didn’t even get to the drink menu. But based on the reactions of other customers who got drinks while I was there, their drink menu is also very satisfactory. Highly recommend!“

“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!“

“This is always my goto coffee shop when in Santa Cruz. The Americano (or any other coffee we get) is always on point. The bagels... Ohhhhh the bagels. You have to try for yourself but they are always fresh and amazing. Go check it out! You will not regret it.“

“This is always my goto coffee shop when in Santa Cruz. The Americano (or any other coffee we get) is always on point. The bagels... Ohhhhh the bagels. You have to try for yourself but they are always fresh and amazing. Go check it out! You will not regret it.“

“I consider myself a connoisseur of coffee shops and this place hits all the marks for me. I spent 10 days in Santa Cruz and visited The Abbey about 7 times. Each of the staff members were nice and friendly. There are at least 15 outlets so you can usually plug in and get some work done or you might have to wait 15 minutes for someone to leaves. The coffee is a great locally roasted bean. All the food I tried was good. I never tried their avocado toast but it really looks delicious. It has avocado and what looks like a medium soft boiled egg on top. Bathrooms were clean and parking was easy in their lot. Never had to look for a space to park. This place hit every mark for me.“

“A nice coffee place as well as they sell their roasts. They selecrion of their coffee (beans) are quite wide.
They have single origins as well as blends.

Service was attentive. I got answers for the beanse they were selling. And, got enough time to decide prior to purchase“

“Try the breakfast sandwich. 😋“

“Wonderful coffee shop by the beach in Santa Cruz :) The baristas were very knowledgeable and were able to answer our questions about different coffee beans. Overall we had a great experience!“

“This is my favorite coffee spot in Santa Cruz county. Peoples coffee has a Friendly staff and great atmosphere. The baristas here won’t let you down.“

“100%
I have been a coffee snob for about 15 years now. It all started with the original verve in capitola. I very much appreciate good coffee and enjoy it.
Today after taking my daughter to get her driver's permit, we sat down at The roaster location and enjoyed a fresh Honduras pour over.

I appreciate the upgrades that have been done in the past couple years to make it more inviting to sit down.
I've known many operators and baristas through the years they have gone on to do great things in coffee, and it all started with verve.
Thanks again guys. I wish you continued success in the coffee industry“

“Best Philly Cheesesteak west of the Mississippi! They rock!!! Try an Apple Fritter too. They are killer!!!“

“Great coffee and great vibe. Bought a pound of their Santa Cruz Dark beans to take home to Tahoe“

“the baristas always go beyond there’s duty’s, they are so friendly , And the place always clean.“

“i have only drank a cup of coffee made from your beans. enjoyed it and would recommend it to others. looking forward to visiting warehoue“

“Apple fritter- Very average fritter. Nothing at all wrong with it besides just not being as good as others. It has the right amount of crisp edge and soft center. The glaze is good. There is a good amount of apple filling but it doesn't really carry much flavor. The fritter itself could use more cinnamon. For most people they would probably say this is a really good fritter.
Strawberry mochi- Wow! Absolute standout from everything we got. The donut itself is so soft and fluffy and has an amazing mochi chew. The strawberry frosting is delicious. I would eat lots and lots of these.
Maple cronut- Very good maple glaze. Right thickness and fantastic flavor. The cronut is great. Layers of deliciousness while being airy. Would definitely get again.“

“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A café with soul and excellent flavor ☕✨

Java Junction Coffee is the perfect place to start the day on a good note. The atmosphere is very pleasant, with soft music that sets the mood without being distracting—ideal for relaxing or getting some work done. Their coffee is delicious, carefully prepared, and the pastries… an absolute treat! 🥐😋

What impressed me the most was the kindness and respect of the staff—always willing to help, even considering that my English is not the best. I felt welcome and comfortable here, which I truly appreciate.

If you're looking for a café with a great atmosphere, friendly service, and excellent coffee, this is the place. As long as I’m in the neighborhood, this will be MY café. ☕😊“

“Enjoy chocolate undertones in your coffee bean? Check out the light roast Nicaraguan or the medium roast Moka Java shown in photo here.Staff here are always attentive and helpful. Get the benefits of coffee experts who can speak to the nuances in their beans. They have a great deal of expertise above what you would probably find in a coffee place staffed by students.Oh, and Java Bob's accepts Apple Pay!Pro tips: coffee is best when ground and served between three and 10 days after resting has completed. By small quantities regularly to retain the highest amount of flavor. That's one of the secrets the coffee shops make use of.“

“If only they would hire more folks. I love the coffe, food, and vibe. Every time I come here in the morning, they seem short staffed. One person behind the counter taking the the orders, handling the money, making the drinks, AND the food?!? — because their coworker has to do bean deliveries? — not a great excuse, in my opinion. I love you Lulu’s coffee, let’s do a little better? I want to keep coming.“

“The best period. This cafe never fails to exceed my expectations. A mix of consistency and quality ingredients make Stevenson cafe the best place to eat on campus, possibly in all of santa cruz. Your wallet will also be happy as their signature sandwiches are a little over 5 dollar. I have been going here for almost four years and will continue to be a loyal customer, thank you.“

“The crew is very friendly. It was my first time there but sure it will not be the last 😃“

“tasty coffee, great ambiance, friendly staff and easy to find location 🙃“

“Toasted marshmallow topper 👍🏽“

“This place has changed my life, honestly. I was shown this place when I was quitting smoking and other habits, and this brought me into a whole new mindset. Since finding this gem of a spot, I’ve made my own tea tray, am understanding the intricacies of the ceremony, and have gained a new perspective.

The owner is so kind and always willing to share his story and lessons. The shop itself is filled with authenticity. It’s a must see. A great way to time travel to pre-internet/social media haha. Thank you!!“

“I absolutely despise this place! NOT BECAUSE THE DOZEN GLAZED I GOT WAS BAD.....BUT BECAUSE WE DONT HAVE THIS PLACE BACK EAST AND I WAS RAISED ON DUNKIN DONUTS....I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE BEST! THEY LIED TO ME! I HAD NO IDEA SUCH A GLAZED DONUT EXISTED. WHEN I WALKED IN THERE AT 0544 AND SAW THE DONUTS IN THE DISPLAY CASE THE GATES OF HEAVEN OPENED AND THE ANGELS SANG! THE SERVICE WAS FRIENDLY GENUINELY FRIENDLY NOT THAT SCRIPTED STANDARD FORMALITIES CRAP. 💪🏾🤎🥰“

“The ladies here are running an old school drive-thru with no automated intercom system but that's what makes it so charming. They'll run out and take your order and run back in and make it. Everything is freshly made .It's true that it can get really busy with all the drive-thru customers, but I walk up and I'll always get service with a smile. And the drip coffee is amazing! Support your local businesses!“