50 Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Santa Cruz

“I really enjoyed this place. as a long time strict vegan, they answered questions kindly, and in ways I felt good to eat here. I had a lovely little chop salad, that really hit right as I was in need of vegetables.😄Followed it up with Tom’s Bright Eyes Surprise that was nice.“

“My family and I enjoyed a wonderful wine tasting at the Beauregard Vineyards. Patricia was very helpful and knowledgeable. She made the experience very fun and memorable. We loved sitting outside after the tasting underneath the redwoods. Many picnic tables. I’d bring a charcuterie board with you, if that’s something you enjoy. I know I will next time. I enjoyed that we could order wine to be shipped home even without becoming members of the wine subscription. The membership sign up is no cost but a commitment to purchase bimonthly“

“Great tacos and great view🏄‍♀️“

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

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

“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.“

“Delicious and fast service. Coffee wasn't the best but the free refills were great.
The real standout was the Sourdough pancakes. I got them with seasonal fruit and whipped cream (bananas and walnuts this week) and splurged on real maple syrup. Super delicious and reasonably priced.“

“This is a cozy cute place with delicious café de olla, and Mexican dishes, live music and kind owners, convenient location to have food before walking to the beach.“

“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.“

“Even though there is a Mad Yolks is San Jose I took drive to Santa Cruz to try it out. There was plenty of metered parking nearby. About 20 people waiting for food or in line to place order. Even with the crown the team there cranked out 3 to 5 orders every few minutes. A good performance from the staff. I ordered the Mad Chick to go. It was about $19 with tip just for that. No beverage. Inside tables were all full so I took it outside and ate it leaning against my old VW. It was fantastic! Great flavors and textures. Large portions and the chicken was very crispy and loaded with flavor. A little gooey and dripping while biting bet that made it even better. I recommend it. Im going to the San Jose location next to try the tots and a standard egg sando.“

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

“Fun place …..also has a taco truck for food.“

“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.“

“Great service, great food“

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

“Our family returned to Santa Cruz for a visit and we found Lilian's kitchen! We enjoyed a delicious meal(we are 6) our kids enjoyed their meals and we enjoyed a lovely glass of wine and a perfect atmosphere. The staff was kind and attentive, prompt service and there details on our food that are often overlooked on other tourist town restaurants...not Lillian's! A must was the tiramisu with coffee after dinner....I am in love❤️❤️“

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

“We decided to venture out from our usual noodle spot to Chloe's Kitchen and weren't disappointed! The Spicy Beef Noodle Soup was delicious, with a flavorful, savory broth and tender shank meat. Would prefer a bit spicier though, or some Szechuan peppercorn. We also tried the vegetable dumplings in chili oil, which were also very tasty! Only downside is the price is pretty steep ($18 noodles, $13 dumplings) compared to noodle and dumpling places in SF ($13-$15 noodles, $7-$10 dumplings). Kind of takes the fun out of dumplings when they are so pricey.“

“Food and beer or beer and food Both sooo good, as always 💝🍺🍕“

“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 !!!!“

“Best service and food in Santa Cruz county!!!!!!“

“If you're looking for the best poke in town with none of the BS, then congrats--this is it. This is a family-owned restaurant serving up generous portions at a fair price. Tuna and scallops are my go-to, and they're always high quality, along with the rest of the ingredients. Good, sticky rice; fresh greens; smooth sauces. The ordering system in-store is simple and quick: just fill out a card, hand it to the staff at the register, and wait for your tasty meal. This place is a regular stop for my partner and me, and we're just happy to see them succeed.“

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

“I ordered two crispy carne asada tacos rice and beans. It was really good and put together well. The crane asada was tender and of course it was all delicious. I go often and I do recommend Salsas to fam and friends. Five Star every time I go.“

“Been there couple times now. Food is very good & staff friendly. View at sunset is amazing & constantly changing from the rotating floor. Will definitely choose Makai again!“

“First time there. By far the best pizza I’ve had in a long time. I highly recommend it.“

“Delicious food, kind servers, true authentic Mexican food. No hassle, no frills - so far, I've had the Siete Mares and Pescado Fritos and both were the best I've tasted in all of Santa Cruz County. I got my order as To Go so the atmosphere I didn't really get into but there were people there enjoying their food and sports on TV. A nice surprise.“

“I live around the corner from here and like to recommend this spot to friends whenever they're visiting my neighborhood. The vibes are great.

There is a bartender named Mayonnaise and she's the coolest person in the world.“

“Delicious food Love eating here …“

“Excellent wines, excellent staff, always a pleasure to come to MJA. Marin, John, Ford, all the folks always take the time to really talk about what they are pouring in a way that is unpretentious and always educational. I love the nicknames - Hotflash, Still Horny - the sense of humor and the Aloha spirit is everywhere. These folks work really hard to create an excellent product and an excellent experience. Movie nights are super fun, often there is live music, and we always meet the most interesting and intelligent people. Their tasting room on the summit also rocks!“

“★め★
★★
1 hour ago
So the place is really nice, decent interior and good outdoor seating options. And the staff is really nice. Also the menu is usually Mediterranean options. The portions were HUGE. Very generous hard to finish. I got the chicken shawarma and gyro bowl. It tasted great. The hummus and falafal came as well complementary. I got a chance to ask about the halal meat source: its a mix of 3: restaurant depot, sysco, and santa clara factory and its machine slaughtered. They also sell alcohol here as an fyi. They have turkish desserts as well and turkish coffee, very interesting place and located in santa cruz“

“Ive been working in restaurant as for about 4 years. Cafe Brasil is one of the best brunch/breakfast I’ve ever had! The place is a beautiful Brazil styled Cafe. I started with one of their green smoothies and it was just what I needed after a long night out. Then I ordered one of their chicken plates and it comes with beans,rice and fries or side salad all at a really reasonable price. Everyrthing was delicious and my Brothers and I loved everything. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a good breakfast or smoothie place.“

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

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

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

“My buddy and I spent the day riding Mt Bikes in Santa Cruz. I’m not completely sure where we were riding but it was just above the ocean and we eventually rode past an area growing huge brussell sprouts. And we got to witness another biker crash into a huge puddle so the day was very entertaining. Before driving home we stopped for a bite at Jacks and it’s the perfect local burger joint in Santa Cruz. If I lived here, I’d come to Jacks all the time. The fries are great, the burgers are great and the ambiance is perfect. We sat outside and felt our day could not have gone better.“

“The Service is great !!! Beef taco is wonderful :) Also they do an American breakfast if you desire.Everything iv had is really good !!!“

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

“food, fantastic, service, fantastic, quality, fantastic, you need to experience this place to truly understand how great this place is. thanks Alfredo!!!!“

“We were there for a music event late Jan 2025. HH drink specials were tasty but was disappointed on how cold it was inside the restaurant. Both doors, front & back, were wide open during the entire evening show (48 degrees outside). Even the band mentioned how cold it was before beginning their set. All the customers wore jackets. Also, the harsh lighting was way too bright throughout the restaurant. I wanted my sunglasses on. Please read the room & tone down the lighting & warm the place up, then we’ll be back. Mahalo“

“#bookshop #santacruz #hardcovers #softcovers #goodreads #mustreads“

“Great atmosphere . Great food. Great servicev“

“Over in San Francisco from Perth Australia and popped in for a couple of beers, awesome spot and great beers, staff were super friendly and even grabbed some merch, get yourselves over and support these guys and have a cracking pint or four“

“Engfers is the best Pizza in Santa Cruz - No question about it!!! Great staff as well. My partner is from Brooklyn, she knows pizza - she agrees, it's the best in town!“

“Excellent gyro with lamb and beef. I had a black tea drink with it. Outdoor seating was perfect.“

“Great tasting dough! Fake characters to get to the 25 requirement“

“Best Thai food … we been in so many Thai restaurants but this is way better, small family own they cook everything great and fresh. Need to Come and try it highly recommend“

“Great place for mid week date night or to see live music. a Santa Cruz must“

“I don't really care for the e-ordering and payment platform they utilize. If you're more traditional, cash paying customer this place is not for you. It will not work.
However, I must admit, service was very fast. Your order and it's at your table in 3 to 4 minutes. Furthermore, every dish was delicious. Every single one.
This location has changed ownership two or three times in the last 10 years. This is by far the best one yet, and it shows with the lines outside the door for tables.“

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