50 Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Santa Cruz

“It’s always nice to have an abundance of options on a menu, and Pretty Good Advice delivered here. I got one of the vegan breakfast sandwiches and a friend and I shared the Brussels sprouts and the cucumber sides. All good! Updated from previous review on 2026-09-05“

“Lovely experience at Beauregard for my friend’s bachelorette party. We dressed in an “old folks” theme and were greeted with enthusiasm. The picnic tables were absolutely lovely to sit and drink our wine at. The wine was absolutely delicious, and I think our favorite ended up being the Syrah-Grenache.“

“Great tacos and great view🏄‍♀️“

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

“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.“

“Love Zachary‘s I get my vegan plate the tofu scramble by far. I think one of my most favorite. It’s also nice that they do offer dairy free butter for the bread and soy milk for the coffee. That’s a win for me.“

“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.“

“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 🍕“

“The food here is simply amazing, with fantastic Japanese flavors and generous portions for the price. The seasoning was perfect! While the service was good, a little more cheerfulness from the staff would elevate the experience. 😊“

“My absolute FAV poke place in Santa Cruz! I worked at a poke restaurant throughout highschool so I have pretty high standards when it comes to poke, and The Curl checks all my boxes. Their poke is so fresh, delicious, and easy to order. The owner is such a sweetheart everytime I come in. I take all my friends here any chance I get. Give them a try, you won’t regret it!!“

“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“

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

“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!“

“Lillian's Italian Kitchen is an absolute treasure! The authentic Italian dishes are made with love, and every bite is a burst of flavor. From the homemade pasta to the rich sauces, you can taste the quality of ingredients. The ambiance is warm and inviting, perfect for a cozy dinner or a special celebration. The staff is incredibly friendly and attentive, making your dining experience truly memorable. I can't recommend this place enough—definitely a must-visit!“

“Good food really good vibe“

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

“Great service, great food“

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

“Friendly service and excellent food!“

“I cannot recommend Chloe’s Kitchen enough. Fantastic food, exceptional service, and people who clearly care about their customers. Huge shout-out to the employee who went the extra mile for our family... You deserve 10 stars!

Here's why! I recently had an incredible experience at Chloe’s Kitchen in Santa Cruz.

We placed an order later in the evening and mentioned to the staff that my family and I were planning to have our meal at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. After picking up our food and arriving there, I received a call from the restaurant letting me know they had accidentally left one of our bags behind.

What happened next completely blew me away. The staff member immediately offered to bring the missing bag directly to us at the Boardwalk, and she arrived in less than 10 minutes!

That level of care and customer service is incredibly rare. She went above and beyond to make sure our family had everything we ordered, and it genuinely turned a small mistake into one of the best customer service experiences I’ve ever had.

And to top it all off, the food was absolutely amazing.“

“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 !!!!“

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

“Hidden gem! Be sure to do their 5-pounder burritos challenge, I thought it's either a typo or I was in Vegas. But it's a real thing, I was shock by the size of it (that's what she said), and If you can eat it in 10 mins then it's free!

Also shout out to Jonny what a great guy, 10/10 recommend this place“

“This is a fantastic neighborhood Mexican restaurant. It is family-owned, and everybody is very friendly and helpful.
The food is great! Wonderful dishes like machete taco or the super burritos.
They serve wine and beer.
We live in the area so we go to either dine in or take home. Always delicious!“

“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!“

“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!“

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

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

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

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

“We had a very enjoyable brunch at Cafe Brasil… we loved their eggs Benedict and the rancheros!
Both were delicious and very satisfying.
The place has been around forever and the staff is very friendly and welcoming.
Parking is tight, but it’s worth it.“

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

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

“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.“

“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“

“Where do I begin!? Favorite burrito spot since I was a child. The house sauce is literally the best in the world. I’ve yet to ever find somewhere else that has it. Everytime I come home to visit I go here multiple times. 12/10

Would recommend the pastor burrito it’s my favorite 🤩“

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

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

“great service and awesome views. happy hour was great, margaritas. the fish and chips were delicious 😋“

“Secret's out, kids. Best tamales anywhere. Lots of meat vs masa. Grab some Mexican sour cream while you are there. We've been doing this nearly every trip for years. You won't be disappointed. Will run out on heavy tourist days, so get them 1PM or so.“