50 Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Santa Cruz

“California in general is a reasonably easy place to find vegan food, but it often comes with a hefty price and either options that are extremely esoteric or copied from the menu of the last page you visited.

While not gourmet by any means, Pretty Good Advice was a perfect merger of almost healthy fare and comfort food, and it didn't break the wallet to eat there.

The seating is pretty limited, and half of the bar-style stools have you looking at a wall close-up, but the atmosphere was just quirky enough to not be pretentious. Although they were reasonably busy, the cooks gave off the impression that they actually might not hate their jobs. The bathroom had arty stickers that meant I stayed in there probably a little longer than the person waiting outside would have wanted me to.

Looking for a quick and no-nonsense tasty vegan meal? I can offer some pretty good advice on a place to try.“

“We arrived early on a Saturday morning - from what we heard, this was a good way to avoid the rush and larger parties. We were greeted immediately by Patricia with a warm welcome and a brief history of the multiple vineyards and the family. We were also excited to hear that there were oysters being served out on the deck.

This is a gem of a spot. The rustic tasting room with maps of the surrounding areas, history of the family, history of Bonny Doon and all of this set in the foothills amongst the redwoods. I would highly recommend making this a stop along your travels or taking an extra day to explore Beauregard Vineyards and the beautiful woods and coast.

Now to the reason why we really stopped in - VINO. We had their tasting flight which was perfect for someone who is unfamiliar with their production. All of the wines we tasted were well structured, balanced and exciting. Their effervescent Pinot Noir won, with the sun and oysters to pair making it the perfect mid day sipper. Right behind and equally as tasty is their unoaked Chardonnay and Syrah-Grenache were easily added to our list of favorites.

Stop by and check it out for yourself.“

“Great tacos and great view🏄‍♀️“

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

“We were greeted with smile right when we walked in. Served glasses and a pitcher of water. The coffee was great, needed that pick me up to start my day. The food is handmade, hand baked with lots of love. Fresh produce and meat and you can tell the difference in freshness here. Will definitely be coming back to the beautiful smiles and home atmosphere.“

“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.“

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

“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 🍕“

“MY NEW FAV RESTAURANT IN SANTA CRUZ! Staff was so friendly and they answered allll my questions with a smile. Genuinely the most authentic delicious yummy poke you can get within a 50 mile radius. They have so many options and I can’t wait to go back.“

“the star ingredient here is eggs & they’ll taste good no matter what you order. i got the mad chick, the fried chicken has never failed me- taste & texture wise it’s taiwanese fried chicken. the other ingredients like the aioli & of course the fried egg made it a very hearty sandwich. the lilikoi green was tart & refreshing.“

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

“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.“

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

“Delicious food Love eating here …“

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

“Incredibly delicious, friendly and attentive staff without being intrusive. They seem to know many of the patrons who I assume are regulars. A little loud for conversation but it's impolite to talk with your mouth full anyway. Neat old world industrial decor. Finally, it may very well be the best lasagna I've ever had. House salad with creamy pesto and cheesy garlic bread were all generous portions (we got boxes for leftovers - and a canoli and tiramisu to go!)“

“Great service, great food“

“Good food really good vibe“

“Friendly service and excellent food!“

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

“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.“

“Really great sushi, so many good rolls to choose from!! I will definitely be back to explore the menu some more. Service was great too, the owner served us and was so welcoming and friendly, I'd go back just for the vibe even if the sushi was only standard quality.“

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

“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 !!!!“

“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“

“This place is hands down the best Tacos in All of Santa Cruz. I have been to pretty much every mexcian restraunt and food truck in Santa Cruz multiple times and this place delivers the tacos with the highest quality meats, cooked in the cleanest oil, with the freshest veggies prepared to the highest standard. This is my #1 spot.“

“Honestly one of the best places I've been to the food was great the food was well made and seasoned a little expensive but it was well worth it I Will definitely be coming back to eat here I highly recommend this place one of the best here in Santa Cruz!😋“

“We had such a wonderful experience at MJA thanks to Ron! We were a bit overwhelmed by the size of the wine list and thankful that Ron guided us through our tasting. It felt like we were at the tasting with an old friend! We were very impressed with each wine we tasted. And highly recommend stopping in!“

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Went for the first time for my birthday breakfast. Service was great, they were attentive without hovering which I appreciated. Food and portion sizes were surprisingly better than I expected. 10/10 recommend and will definitely be back 😊“

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

“Delicious flame grilled burgers! Fantastic fries and it was a down home burger place atmosphere. Only knock I'll give them is that they don't have restrooms, I had to use a port-o-potty across the street and there was no hand sanitizer or way to wash my hands.“

“Traveling with friends and found this amazing please. The food is fresh with amazing flavors. A definite “must try” restaurant“

“Awesome tasting here! Recommend sitting at the bar, John was really great to chat with and really passionate about his wines. Came on a Wednesday when the market was on right outside and he was cool with me bringing oysters in. Such a fun space, full of personality, so would be nice for a glass or a catch up as well. 10/10 experience :)“

“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“

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

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

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

“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.“

“So yummy, very refreshing also addicting.“

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

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

“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!“