50 Best Vegan Restaurants in Santa Cruz

“The food was absolutely incredible! I’ll definitely be back!!!“

“Great tacos and great view🏄‍♀️“

“This is my favorite booth at SAP when I go to Sharks games. You can see the arepas being grilled fresh and the fillings are so flavorful. The owners are very welcoming. I’m looking forward to the opening of their San Jose location since I haven’t been able to make it to Santa Cruz.“

“Sampa is a charming place with high-quality food.
The warmth of the customer service is impeccable. The food is abundant, delicious, and has a characteristic, traditional Brazilian flavor. The place is very cozy and clean. A great experience overall.“

“great service! delicious, authentic Oaxacan food. We will go back!“

“Amazing! That’s all that needs to be said. See you next visit!“

“Always so good and the owners are really nice to my dog and I. I have no problem suggesting this place to anyone. Every time I have the person has been very thankful“

“Somehow one of the most perfect falafel sandwiches. Fluffy pita is house-made, plump filled with freshly chopped purple cabbage, a few pink pickled onions, freshly fried falafel that’s bright green inside. And both the creamy and mildly spicy sauce.“

“The food was delicious, the service was excellent. We went on mother's day weekend and it was packed but for good reason. Even with it being packed our service was excellent and speedy the food was delicious and brought to us quickly. Highly recommend to anyone who hasn't tried it.“

“This restaurant is amazing. Definitely worth visiting. Small and romantic. And the food..... Fantastic. I visited from out of town, had a late lunch. This is a place worth going to. The staff is warm and welcoming. I would definitely come back.“

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

“The best Taqueria in town! Definitely overall service and the food 20/10 ! The team is beyond the amazing. The ambiance is chill and good for family too! This is one of my fav. Un taco crispy al pastor con aguacate y no habichuelas ! Enjoy! Thanks Guys“

“Wow, had the beef with plantans and avo sauce. Bring an appetite!“

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

“We rented bikes from specialized and needed a quick meal. This place is amazing. The sandwiches, the momos, the muffins, the chai tea .... everything was amazing. The owner couldn't have been nicer. We loved it so much we ate there the next day too when we rented bikes.“

“My husband and I had a great breakfast I got a breakfast burrito and a frittata. Both were very good and big great food for a great price and the customer service was amazing.“

“Nice grab and go sandwich place that’s family run since 1948. I opted for the avocado special sandwich, which is a vegetarian option, and have the bread toasted.

The bread was nicely made, the vegetables are fresh. An easy healthy quick bite.“

“It’s the best, most authentic Italian food restaurant in Santa Cruz, and the ambience is so comfortable and inviting.“

“During our 2 night mini vacation in Monterey this week, Feb 2 & 3, 2023, we bought a package of these cookies from a liquor store, on Lighthouse Avenue and now consider them to be our all-time favorite cookie.“

“My wife and I had a great time. The pizza was awesome! Highly recommend 🍕“

“This place has some really delicious drinks and great food. I also love how dog friendly it is. I came back twice in a weekend.“

“The staff is amazing! The food is amazingly fresh and flavorful. Hands down this Restaurant was a huge highlight of our vacation. Thank you for an awesome dinner, and making us feel right at home!“

“Delicious food Love eating here …“

“We went there last week and it was a great experience. We came in just in time because it wasn’t busy yet. We got the only table by the window and it made it special for our occasion. The drink I had ordered wasn’t available so they suggested another one which was ginger beer and I liked it! It was a refreshing drink. The charcuterie board was delicious too! Everything was amazing. My girl and I had a great time and the waitress gave us a complimentary drink with our dinner. Thank you. We will surely go back again!“

“The vegan options were awesome! They were understaffed and couldn’t remember our two drinks we ordered. Which took a while had to go remind them, Just two coffees. The food was very good though. Probably need to hire more people though to handle the amount of traffic and remember the orders. Updated from previous review on 2026-02-27“

“Great fresh food and quick friendly service. Had the Beef-Teki combo with a salad & drink. Yum!“

“The food was fantastic and the service was on point!“

“Absolutely fantastic Italian restaurant! The food was fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with high-quality ingredients. Every dish we tried — from the pasta to the desserts — was delicious and perfectly prepared. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the service was attentive without being overwhelming. Great wine selection and authentic flavors that made the whole experience memorable. Highly recommend for anyone looking for amazing Italian food, and I’ll definitely be coming back!“

“tea tea tea puer puer puer puer real deal, no electronic devices human devices. analog music.“

“Good food really good vibe“

“Nice beer selection

Fried mytaki mushrooms were ridiculous!! Worth the trip just for that! I'm not a ranch lover but their version was between ranch and blue cheese. The mild was excellent!

Really enjoyed the fava bean pizza. Amazing crispy crust.

Being vegan most of the time, we tried the vegan pizza. For reference, I make a cauliflower crust vegan pizza. Their vegan pizza was very good...not exceptional. Probably not have again.

Will be back for sure.“

“It turns out this restaurant is at the site of the sushi restaurant formerly located here called “Buzz”, and since Buzz is listed as a restaurant that’s participating in the 30 day “Vegan Chef Challenge Of Santa Cruz County”. I came here to try the two rolls listed they have listed on line. Instead found that a Japanese Peruvian couple began their own restaurant, Oyuki here, and they have created a number of plant-based roles showcasing deliciousness from both culinary cultures! I had “Vegan Pot Stickers” (you can get them boiled or fried and I tried fried) , “The Warrior Special” roll , and the Peruvian drink made of sweet purple corn, apple, pear and pineapple called “Chicha Morada”. All delicious! I would very happily take a date here—Not necessarily a ‘fancy dress-up’ date, but still a very nice date!  Updated from previous review on 2026-04-25“

“Great service, great food“

“I initially went here with my family not know how many vegan options they have! I ordered the fried udon with tofu and it was delicious. The service was great as well, but it went over our heads at first that we had to pay at the counter. Just a heads up for those who end up waiting for their check to get picked up! Definitely going to come back here as a vegan staple.“

“very good and Shelby s sunny disposition makes it even better. definitely our new favorite place for breakfast.“

“A very delicious but reasonable price Chinese Restaurant. The regional flavor is mainly Cantonese taste that is what we prefer. Recommended.“

“Best sushi in Santa Cruz. Most innovative rolls we have had in a long long time. We opted for the real seafood rolls as opposed to the vegan fish this time but I can't wait to go back and try those next. Great service, food and price. We will definitely go back for more...“

“Just about perfect. Bagels prepared traditionally and the quality is obvious. Coffee the top notch. Staff is friendly enough, potentially overworked but courteous. (I think that's fine, I don't need therapy, just give me the food.) The low prices really make this place dominate. Can't think of a complaint. Get a bag of day olds while you're there, supercheap.“

“Nice atmosphere and great food. I got the regular al pastor burrito and it was soooo good, and really nice big portion. Even though I was stuffed after eating it, I wanted another because it was so good. Also, the food came out quickly so I would recommend even if you don’t have time to dine in.“

“Awesome tacos and I love the salsa selections- so much to choose from. Everything is fresh, delicious, and authentic. The corn tortillas are super fresh, and I love the crispy tacos! Make the street taco vegan with beyond and you will thank me. Mmmmm!!!!!“

“their meats are out of this world good. some of the best I've been going to tons of taquerias for years. tacos are legit. burritos are huge and balanced perfectly. my new spot! ORALÉ !!!!“

“very friendly staff, clean restaurant and delicious food.“

“Overall, a decent place. We stopped in after lunchtime so it was quiet. We both ordered the fish and chips (yeah, I know it's a Mexican restaurant). The shrimp and fish were very good. The fries could have been crispier. I'd visit again if I was in the area.“

“I love Canton Restaurant. The food is delicious and the service is great!👍“

“Love the fish and chips along with a new favorite… chicken pozole soup. Need some radish and cabbage to top it off!“

“My husband and I love coming in for the lunch buffet. It's so delicious!“

“Staff is always friendly and the food is great! Thank you“

“My go-to ice cream fix anytime I’m in Santa Cruz! Organic, delicious, home made flavors. Burnt cinnamon, dark chocolate sorbet and salted caramel toffee are among my favorites!“

“Cafe Brazil is definitely my favorite place in Santa Cruz!
Rafael was amazing , fast , friendly, and super helpful with my American husband that does not speak Portuguese yet.
I super recommend this place if you are looking for a delicious Brazilian food. Great location, great people and a delicious food!
5 ⭐️ for real! 🇧🇷“

“Best falafel wraps, bowls, and salads I've had anywhere. Everywhere else is now a disappointment. All the toppings make a full flavor explosion, and the falafels are tender, fresh, and plentiful. The servings are generous (we often share between 2 people). The options allow extensive customization. The owner and staff are great. All in all, a favorite stop for us locals.“