50 Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Santa Cruz

“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“

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

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

“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.“

“Easy 5 star. Staff so pleasant and happy and inviting. My kids were like I wish all restaurants were this nice to you! The food was great! The omelet, the Mikes's Mess!, the waffles and pancakes to die for! We loved it all! Thanks for the starter! My wife is obsessed and the Twins say Hi!“

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

“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.“

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

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

“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.“

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

“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.“

“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“

“Great service, great food“

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

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

“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.“

“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 !!!!“

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

“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 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.“

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

“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.“

“Enjoyed the beers, #3 #5 and #11. The wings were delicious. Tried the “up the hill” sauce and We really liked the spicy flavor. Also had their grilled sandwich which was the one with turkey, mushroom, avacado and would highly recommend trying it with the BBQ fries. The atmosphere was chill and the waitress was adorable . We started by sitting out but it was getting a bit chilly, she readily moved us in with a smile. Overall a wonderful place and friendly ambience.“

“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!“

“Delicious food Love eating here …“

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

“I’m from Tennessee- I ate at this restaurant once, 13 years ago when they were an unassuming restaurant in a tiny yet charming, building down the street. You had to walk through the kitchen to use the bathroom! But food was so crazy incredible that I had to look it up and come back again on my next trip to Santa Cruz 13 years later.

They have upgraded their venue, but the charm is still there for sure. The service was stellar and the food was just as good as I remembered.
Possibly the best lasagna that I have ever had. Better than my mothers’. Lol.
All of the apps we had were amazing. The pesto primavera was sooo good- love the broccoli in it. And the chocolate pot de crème was an outstanding finish. Ugh. Wish you guys would open a branch in Nashville. :)
Thanks!“

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

“★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“

“There were two young people at the front greeting guests. There were plenty of seats available for two, but we had to wait while one of them greeted their family, while the other just stood there. Once we were finally seated, the two waiters (POC- possibly the owners?) were very sweet and welcoming.

The coffee was delicious. The steak was good but could’ve used more seasoning, and the potatoes were tasty. Overall, a nice spot with great coffee and friendly service once seated.“

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

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

“They make a good burger. It’s simple. Like it was done right, at the best backyard spot. That person you want grilling your burger, they got them. And then they got the people who know how to put it together so it doesn’t get messy. This sounds like a ridiculous review but I feel like if you know you know. None of us took pictures - we ate it too fast. I feel like that’s the best kind of review.“

“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“

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

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

“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!“

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

“Great atmosphere . Great food. Great servicev“

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

“Great scone mixes - even my BIL now likes scones! Very fast delivery (I live out of state) for mixes. The Lemon Curd is delicious - on top of scones or licked off of a spoon.“

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

“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“

“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 Hindquarter! Been going for many years mostly for dinner/drinks but am now also loving their delicious lunch specials which change daily. You can enjoy lunch specials until dinner menu starts at 4 pm! Deserts are great and the 3 berry cobbler with vanilla icecream is incredible! Highly recommend!“