My wife and I decided to go out for lunch on Saturday. We live in Monterey area so we went to Santa Cruz and found this place. It was very nice clean. The people who work there were not all that friendly.I had A mushroom omelette with cheese and onions. Pesto. The taste was not bad I liked it but the real reason why I am writing this is what my wife ended up having a hamburger and the patty was so thin and so small it did not fit the bun and they charge five dollars for a 12 ounce Coke My wife thought fries came with the meal, but it turned out it did not come with the meal just another five dollars and there was only 10 french fries wedgy style. Thank you for your cooperation.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Matthew March
Some places feed you. Some places seduce you. Gabriella Cafe does both, then sends you home a little more in love with the world.
This is not some glossy, over-designed coastal concept chasing trends. This is a small, slightly tucked-away, utterly transportive café in downtown Santa Cruz that feels like it was airlifted from a windswept village in Brittany and dropped gently by the Pacific. The dining room is intimate, almost conspiratorial. Low hum of conversation. Wine glasses catching the light. You lean in when you talk. Outside, the café seating is pure California ease. Sun on your shoulders, a breeze off the ocean, and suddenly lunch becomes an event.
And the food? The food is love, man.
This is French-influenced California cooking that actually means something. Not garnish-as-theater. Not farm names as decoration. Real-deal ingredient worship. You taste it immediately in the produce. Especially the ones coming from Dirty Girl Produce. Those dry-farmed tomatoes? They don’t just taste like tomatoes. They taste like August. Like sunburned fields and salt air and patience. The Tokyo turnips are so delicate they feel like they were handled with white gloves. French green beans that snap with quiet confidence.
Then there’s the supporting cast: Route 1 Farms, Pinnacle Farm, and other amazing, local purveyors. This is not farm-to-table as marketing. This is farm-to-table as religion.
The butternut ravioli? It’s the kind of dish that makes you pause mid-sentence. Silky. Balanced. Rich but never cloying. The kind of thing you close your eyes for. You don’t shovel it in. You respect it.
Seafood is local and sustainable. Poultry from Mary’s and Line 38. Beef raised with care. Rabbit from Devil’s Gulch Ranch. There’s integrity on the plate. You can taste the intention.
And then there’s Paul. The quiet architect behind the curtain. He curates the menu with the steady hand of someone who understands restraint. His wine list? Thoughtful. Democratic. Whether you want something minerally and electric or bold and brooding, he’s got you covered. No ego. Just great hospitality.
Weekend brunch here is a ritual. Lunch feels like you’ve discovered something the tourists haven’t figured out yet. It is, without exaggeration, one of the true hidden gems of Santa Cruz.
Gabriella’s doesn’t shout. It doesn’t need to. It whispers. And if you’re paying attention, it tells you everything you need to know:
Food is connection. Food is place. Food is memory. Food is love. This is Gabriella Cafe.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Phillip
The owner is way too rough around the edges... Untucked shirt Gruff He dropped a notebook on the table next to me, startling us. Then came the pencil... You could tell the nice wait staff was on pins and needles. A bit overpriced.
Norman
Great preparation with attentive service and a creative, locally sourced menu create a wonderful dining experience. Just remember the venue is "intimate" in size. If you habitually sleep in a king sized bed, Gabriella's is a twin. Nothing they can do about it though. It is what it is.
dusty boyd
Excellent lamb, duck and sole. Prob best dish is chicken picatta! Very homey environment and food is 5+.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Susan
Charming European feel in the middle of Santa Cruz! Delicious food every time I dine at Gabriella's Cafe!
Google Google
Food was so good, went and sat on the patio for a morning breakfast with my dog and the street was quiet since it was still Early, the staff could be a bit more attentive but i'll let it be. Other than that def a hidden gem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cece
We're giving it a 4 instead of a 5 because of choices the chef made. I wanted the yellowtail fish, but was told the inside would be essentially uncooked, which seemed unappealing on a cold rainy night . Our server said some of the other diners were sending it back. And the expected croutons on the Caesar were untoasted focaccia. It was still good and we ate it all, but they told us it was supposed to be that way. I'd rather they not be there at all. Others might love these kind of creative twists. Just not our thing.
Cristine
It was New Year's Eve and the restaurant was full. The owner and staff were very accommodating and we were well taken care of. I love their local farm to table menu and the size of the entree is always more than we can eat. There is definitely value for your dollar. The crab cakes were delish and the handmade cheese raviolis were wonderful.
G E
Gabriella is a cozy, cute cafe with excellent food. Our lunch was delicious and generous. Service was a little mixed. I would have liked the bacon and roasted potatoes that could have come with my bun-free burger, but whether that was confusion on my part or our servers, I can't be completely sure.
This is a lovely restaurant that serves very good food mostly using local ingredients. Intimate space. Very friendly staff.
Gregor
Gabriella is a small gem in Santa Cruz. It has a menu that adapts to local ingredients and everything we tried was delicious. The staff is very friendly, the atmosphere is cozy and welcoming. It's one of my favorites in town whether for dinner or weekend brunch.
Carrie
Incredible food, especially for a vegetarian meal. Exquisite!!! Fresh, creatively & thoughtfully prepared. Just superb all around!
Ruth
When I made the reservation. The website had the fall a la carte menu, which I would have preferred. Thanksgiving dinner was not up to the normal standards of Gabriela's. The kitchen was overwhelmed. My husband had steak which he said was tasty but a bit tough. I had seared sea bass on lentils with vegetables. The half piece of a carrot was undercooked. The one piece of rapini was overcooked as was the lentils. The seared sea bass was not consistently seared. Two pieces were almost raw and tough. The presentation was lacking as well. Bread and olive oil came after dinner. I did not complain because comments from other customers were not well received and the waitress said the kitchen was slammed. Additions or changes were not being made because the cashier system did not allow for changes. My husband thought the chocolate pecan pie was tastey. The serving seemed rather small. The apple cobbler was less a cobbler and more of an open face cold galette. People near us were loud and coughing. It was not as pleasant as I had hoped or expected. I would not judge Gabriela's by this holiday experience. Due to the holiday it was overwhelmed. I hope the staff gets to rest and the kitchen staff has the opportunity to recover.
Michele
We booked a 5pm dinner thru Open Table for Thanksgiving. We didn't realize it was $75 a person (excluding drinks/service) for a preset menu but we were okay with it when we arrived. 5:00pm - we were seated. 5:15pm - I had to go get someone's attention after sitting for 15min with no one coming over. She came over after and we put our order in. 5:30pm- another 15min passed and we hadn't gotten our glass of wine or the bread (it was a 5 course meal), so I had to go back inside again and tell them “we're feeling a little forgotten out here.” We also hadn't gotten a heater yet and it was really cold outside and we were told they'd get a heat for us when we arrived. 5:30pm - after I asked, we got the wine and (cold) bread. 6:00pm - we finally got a heater after asking 4 times for it (it was sitting unused 10 ft away from us). 6:15pm - another 45min passed with no sign of any of the courses. We had to let them know that we have a movie we are supposed to be at by 7:00pm, and asked if we could please get our food soon. We also asked for our dessert to be served in to-go boxes for when we leave because of the time. We had budgeted 2hrs for dinner, with a reservation. 6:20p - our dessert was brought out by another staff, on plates, and we had to tell them we haven't even gotten our food yet. 6:30pm - We got our entrees (an hour and a half after being seated), and oddly we got them before our second course, which was brought out 5min later. We had 10min to scarf our food down, request the bill and go. We honestly were pretty shocked to be charged full price. There were a few more mixups I left out. The amount of times we had to point out “hey we're here” was so uncomfortable, but certainly prompted by the set price of the evening. We remained very polite throughout the evening too, I'll add. It was really, really disappointing to pay $200 for an experience like that.
My wife and I decided to go out for lunch on Saturday. We live in Monterey area so we went to Santa Cruz and found this place. It was very nice clean. The people who work there were not all that friendly.I had A mushroom omelette with cheese and onions. Pesto. The taste was not bad I liked it but the real reason why I am writing this is what my wife ended up having a hamburger and the patty was so thin and so small it did not fit the bun and they charge five dollars for a 12 ounce Coke My wife thought fries came with the meal, but it turned out it did not come with the meal just another five dollars and there was only 10 french fries wedgy style. Thank you for your cooperation.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Some places feed you. Some places seduce you. Gabriella Cafe does both, then sends you home a little more in love with the world.
This is not some glossy, over-designed coastal concept chasing trends. This is a small, slightly tucked-away, utterly transportive café in downtown Santa Cruz that feels like it was airlifted from a windswept village in Brittany and dropped gently by the Pacific. The dining room is intimate, almost conspiratorial. Low hum of conversation. Wine glasses catching the light. You lean in when you talk. Outside, the café seating is pure California ease. Sun on your shoulders, a breeze off the ocean, and suddenly lunch becomes an event.
And the food? The food is love, man.
This is French-influenced California cooking that actually means something. Not garnish-as-theater. Not farm names as decoration. Real-deal ingredient worship. You taste it immediately in the produce. Especially the ones coming from Dirty Girl Produce. Those dry-farmed tomatoes? They don’t just taste like tomatoes. They taste like August. Like sunburned fields and salt air and patience. The Tokyo turnips are so delicate they feel like they were handled with white gloves. French green beans that snap with quiet confidence.
Then there’s the supporting cast: Route 1 Farms, Pinnacle Farm, and other amazing, local purveyors. This is not farm-to-table as marketing. This is farm-to-table as religion.
The butternut ravioli? It’s the kind of dish that makes you pause mid-sentence. Silky. Balanced. Rich but never cloying. The kind of thing you close your eyes for. You don’t shovel it in. You respect it.
Seafood is local and sustainable. Poultry from Mary’s and Line 38. Beef raised with care. Rabbit from Devil’s Gulch Ranch. There’s integrity on the plate. You can taste the intention.
And then there’s Paul. The quiet architect behind the curtain. He curates the menu with the steady hand of someone who understands restraint. His wine list? Thoughtful. Democratic. Whether you want something minerally and electric or bold and brooding, he’s got you covered. No ego. Just great hospitality.
Weekend brunch here is a ritual. Lunch feels like you’ve discovered something the tourists haven’t figured out yet. It is, without exaggeration, one of the true hidden gems of Santa Cruz.
Gabriella’s doesn’t shout. It doesn’t need to. It whispers. And if you’re paying attention, it tells you everything you need to know:
Food is connection. Food is place. Food is memory. Food is love. This is Gabriella Cafe.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The owner is way too rough around the edges... Untucked shirt Gruff He dropped a notebook on the table next to me, startling us. Then came the pencil... You could tell the nice wait staff was on pins and needles. A bit overpriced.
Great preparation with attentive service and a creative, locally sourced menu create a wonderful dining experience. Just remember the venue is "intimate" in size. If you habitually sleep in a king sized bed, Gabriella's is a twin. Nothing they can do about it though. It is what it is.
Excellent lamb, duck and sole. Prob best dish is chicken picatta!
Very homey environment and food is 5+.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Charming European feel in the middle of Santa Cruz! Delicious food every time I dine at Gabriella's Cafe!
Food was so good, went and sat on the patio for a morning breakfast with my dog and the street was quiet since it was still Early, the staff could be a bit more attentive but i'll let it be. Other than that def a hidden gem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We're giving it a 4 instead of a 5 because of choices the chef made. I wanted the yellowtail fish, but was told the inside would be essentially uncooked, which seemed unappealing on a cold rainy night . Our server said some of the other diners were sending it back. And the expected croutons on the Caesar were untoasted focaccia. It was still good and we ate it all, but they told us it was supposed to be that way. I'd rather they not be there at all. Others might love these kind of creative twists. Just not our thing.
It was New Year's Eve and the restaurant was full. The owner and staff were very accommodating and we were well taken care of. I love their local farm to table menu and the size of the entree is always more than we can eat. There is definitely value for your dollar. The crab cakes were delish and the handmade cheese raviolis were wonderful.
Gabriella is a cozy, cute cafe with excellent food. Our lunch was delicious and generous. Service was a little mixed. I would have liked the bacon and roasted potatoes that could have come with my bun-free burger, but whether that was confusion on my part or our servers, I can't be completely sure.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
This is a lovely restaurant that serves very good food mostly using local ingredients. Intimate space. Very friendly staff.
Gabriella is a small gem in Santa Cruz. It has a menu that adapts to local ingredients and everything we tried was delicious. The staff is very friendly, the atmosphere is cozy and welcoming. It's one of my favorites in town whether for dinner or weekend brunch.
Incredible food, especially for a vegetarian meal. Exquisite!!! Fresh, creatively & thoughtfully prepared. Just superb all around!
When I made the reservation. The website had the fall a la carte menu, which I would have preferred. Thanksgiving dinner was not up to the normal standards of Gabriela's. The kitchen was overwhelmed. My husband had steak which he said was tasty but a bit tough. I had seared sea bass on lentils with vegetables. The half piece of a carrot was undercooked. The one piece of rapini was overcooked as was the lentils. The seared sea bass was not consistently seared. Two pieces were almost raw and tough. The presentation was lacking as well. Bread and olive oil came after dinner. I did not complain because comments from other customers were not well received and the waitress said the kitchen was slammed. Additions or changes were not being made because the cashier system did not allow for changes. My husband thought the chocolate pecan pie was tastey. The serving seemed rather small. The apple cobbler was less a cobbler and more of an open face cold galette. People near us were loud and coughing. It was not as pleasant as I had hoped or expected. I would not judge Gabriela's by this holiday experience. Due to the holiday it was overwhelmed. I hope the staff gets to rest and the kitchen staff has the opportunity to recover.
We booked a 5pm dinner thru Open Table for Thanksgiving. We didn't realize it was $75 a person (excluding drinks/service) for a preset menu but we were okay with it when we arrived. 5:00pm - we were seated. 5:15pm - I had to go get someone's attention after sitting for 15min with no one coming over. She came over after and we put our order in. 5:30pm- another 15min passed and we hadn't gotten our glass of wine or the bread (it was a 5 course meal), so I had to go back inside again and tell them “we're feeling a little forgotten out here.” We also hadn't gotten a heater yet and it was really cold outside and we were told they'd get a heat for us when we arrived. 5:30pm - after I asked, we got the wine and (cold) bread. 6:00pm - we finally got a heater after asking 4 times for it (it was sitting unused 10 ft away from us). 6:15pm - another 45min passed with no sign of any of the courses. We had to let them know that we have a movie we are supposed to be at by 7:00pm, and asked if we could please get our food soon. We also asked for our dessert to be served in to-go boxes for when we leave because of the time. We had budgeted 2hrs for dinner, with a reservation. 6:20p - our dessert was brought out by another staff, on plates, and we had to tell them we haven't even gotten our food yet. 6:30pm - We got our entrees (an hour and a half after being seated), and oddly we got them before our second course, which was brought out 5min later. We had 10min to scarf our food down, request the bill and go. We honestly were pretty shocked to be charged full price. There were a few more mixups I left out. The amount of times we had to point out “hey we're here” was so uncomfortable, but certainly prompted by the set price of the evening. We remained very polite throughout the evening too, I'll add. It was really, really disappointing to pay $200 for an experience like that.
Loading...