“The staff really make the spot. They clearly care about the job which speaks volumes to the quality of the restaurant. This is one of the hidden gems of Santa Cruz as far as high quality food, but expect to pay accordingly. Staff is there every day prepping even in their days closed and they receive fresh local ingredient deliveries daily.“
“We LOVE this place, one of our go to's for a luscious Italian meal. We can almost imagine we're in Italy. The staff is stellar too; it was packed and they kept their cool and delivered. ♥️ I can't recommend a favorite dish as everything I've ever had is so good.“
“If you know what's good for you, you'll get the gnocchi. Wonderful, pillowy texture. Service was standard! Waitress was nice. No complaints.Ambiance was a little awkward only because my friend and I were the only ones in the restaurant for our whole dinner and they weren't playing any music. Granted it was a Tuesday, so wasn't expecting weekend crowds!“
“We came here on a rainy day, but the atmosphere inside was very lively and welcoming! We sat in the outdoor enclosed area with heaters! It was nice and super cozy! Service was just impressive and prompt! Food was great! They have vegan options to customize food! Wine selections and food were awesome! Will definitely come back hereDietary restrictions: Vegan substitutions available“
“A favorite go to in Santa Cruz … never disappoints … food is gourmet & delicious … atmosphere & ambiance is inviting, welcoming & well thought out … staff are helpful & on-it … love that you can watch the chef’s do their thing in the open kitchen, such a pleasure to see artists at work ?♂️I go here on average once every 6-8 weeks & anytime I want to bring guests to somewhere I ‘know’ will impress this is my go to.Sitting at the bar for happy hour is also a favorite (2 glasses of good Pinot ?& their yummy bruschetta/caprese starter to share was a very reasonable $28).Awesome place & arguably one of the best restaurants in Santa Cruz area ?“
“?⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’ve found my new favorite restaurant in Santa Cruz. When you walk in, you’re greeted by friendly faces, soft music, mood lighting, and beautiful live flowers on every table. It feels classy and tasteful with modern European vibes. But I think what makes it special is that it retains the coziness and charm of a local hangout spot too. I would happily book one of their tables for a romantic evening out, but I’d just as quickly meet a friend at the bar for a spontaneous glass of wine. It’s clear how much thoughtfulness and TLC has gone into creating the lovely ambiance that keeps me coming back (though I like to pick a day earlier in the week, as it tends to be a bit quieter). The Brussel Sprouts are an absolute MUST-TRY (hands down the best I’ve ever had) and the Chicken Piccata is gorgeously plated and *chefs kiss* just perfect. Their wine and beer list is great too, and I love how they go out of their way to showcase local breweries and vineyards. You should definitely give them a try if you haven’t already…This hidden gem deserves to become a local landmark. ?“
“We have some heavy hitters for good Italian food here in Santa cruz. So it's hard to judge one as my favorite. But honestly, the combination of the friendly at home feeling of this cozy little resturaunt, combined with its authentic Italian dishes, make it my number one spot.You might have to wait if you don't get there early, but the capitola wine bar next door makes that very easy, they will even let you take your unfinished glass of wine next door!Everyone who I have ever brought here has loved it.“
“I was informed about this deli, so I decided to visit there for lunch for the very first time the other day. I ordered one of my favorite sandwiches, which is a bloody red roast beef, with extra meat. It was one of the best sandwiches I've ever had! The meat was great tasting just super delicious. I also included in my order a bag of chips and a large coke, and a small bowl of fruit. The place was crowded, but it did not take long at all for me to place my order and get my sandwiched. Probably 10 minutes max. be returning to order another great tasting roast beef sandwich.“
“We went out to eat with friends at Lago Di Como Ristorante in Santa Cruz. It's a nice Italian place that serves really good food, including pasta they make right there. We started with polenta sticks for an appetizer, and they were really tasty and super crispy. For our main dishes, we had steak cooked medium-rare, which was done just right, and grilled fish that was very fresh and delicious. Everything we had was great, and we enjoyed our dinner.Vegetarian options: Also few good vegan options“
“Couldn't reserve on Valentine's day, so we ate there on the 15th. The Val-day menu was still available, so we shared the last black truffle pizza, w. a cheese base flecked with small bits of truffle. Then the server shredded truffle slices over the top--OMG--$65 and worth every penny! (Regular pizzas range from $17 to $26.) For starters, we split an arugula salad and a vegetable side (brown butter braised cabbage--even if you hate cabbage, you'll love this). For dessert, we shared the affogato. The chocolate was molded and formed against the side and bottom of the cup, then they poured espresso into the cup. Superb. I said to my husband, "This tastes like Valrhona." You know you have an outstanding server when you ask which brand of chocolate was used. Zach answered, "Valrhona." I use this superb variety for every chocolate dessert I make.“
“The employees are efficient, kind, and nice. Sadly, the pizza was not really good. It's not horrible, I just don't see me needing it again. Naturally, I didn't try every possibility, so maybe there is one that would be a huge success. The 'runny' cheese on my kids' pizza was a turnoff. They didn't enjoy the thicker pizza crust or the fact that it was served in squares because they were still children. But you know, that's just kids. Excellent location for a quick and filling piece of pizza, but if flavor is your first priority, you might want to explore a bit more.“
“I had the Pesto Gnocchi. Now I know why people like gnocchi. Amazing! They were so light, little clouds of potato and ricotta in a cream sauce. The sauce was delicious and not too heavy. I also got their simple green salad. It was very simple but the olive oil in the dressing was very nice. Whenever I eat something rich I like the freshness of something green and this worked perfectly! I will be back!“
“Solid pizza and pasta restaurant! Ask for Pablo! He went about and beyond with our party of nine and was very attentive to our children's needs as well as ours! Great variety of wines and cocktail selection. Reasonably priced appetizers, entrees and pizzas! All of our dishes were scrumptious, fresh and extremely filling.“
“Amazing place at the Santa Cruz harbor. We got the recommendation by a local during our whale watching tour which departs right next to Aldo’s. I saw it already when we arrived and it looked quite ordinary but smelled really good.This is a snack place but with outstanding food. I have had fish and chips at multiple places but none tasted as good as the one from Aldo and the Cioppino that my wife had was so rich of flavor and had a lot of seafood on it. Love this place. Simplicity at its best!!“
“Excellent food, amazing service. The duck served three ways was the light bulb and the accompanying salad was the perfect counter to the richness of the duck. The fried chicken as always was amazing with a wonderful stack of fluffy potatoes.The only challenge is parking, however, the service from walking in the door through the entire meal will make you come back just to say hi“
“The Open Table process was easy and simple. I received both a confirmation and reminder of the date and time of my reservation. Gabriella Cafe continues to provide excellent meals. Their menu is not static. It's always interesting to see what changes they've made to their menu. I've been here for both lunches and dinners unless than 5 times. They've never disappointed me. Try it if you've not had the opportunity.“
“First time at the Scott's valley location. I love Casa Nostra!! It's never disappointed me. The Bolognese is my dinner favorite and this Italian Sausage and Spinach Panini Sandwich on the lunch menu is awesome! They have a really awesome pink haired busser working too. She's really sweet. Our waitress Makayla is another awesomeness!“
“I love olive garden. I have been coming here for years. Today I got my favorite lunch special.The spaghetti with meat sauce.And it came with the bottomless salad bowl with ranch dressing and their very yummy and heavily addicting breadsticks .Plus a diet coke Everything was very good.The service was awesome I recommend this place..“
“Stopped by on a Tuesday night for dinner at this local brewery. Tucked behind some other buildings with plenty of parking, Discretion Brewing is worth a visit. They have a great selection of beers, two ciders, and kombucha, plus a food menu with daily specials. We sat outside in their beer garden, where other visitors had dogs and were participating in Hivemind Trivia. The host was lively and funny, and everyone was having a great time. I recommend checking out their location for some refreshing drinks.“