Guidebook for Santa Cruz
Food Scene
The best hands down Thai food in town! Great service. Ask for Rose the waitress extraordinaire! Tell them that we referred you.
6 Einheimische empfehlen
@ Thai Recipe
2106A Mission StThe best hands down Thai food in town! Great service. Ask for Rose the waitress extraordinaire! Tell them that we referred you.
Best Sushi and Japanese food in town. Sit at the bar. Enjoy the unique flavors (spicy and non). Some lunch specials are very affordable.
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Sushi Totoro
1701 Mission StBest Sushi and Japanese food in town. Sit at the bar. Enjoy the unique flavors (spicy and non). Some lunch specials are very affordable.
Zachary's Restaurant
819 Pacific AveThe Walnut Avenue Cafe
106 Walnut AveGreat place for breakfast.
O'mei
2316 Mission StChinese food. A little expensive but good.
Indian food. Buffet may be available. Plan to be flexible. Service may be flexible too :-)
Aroma India Bistro
810 Pacific AveIndian food. Buffet may be available. Plan to be flexible. Service may be flexible too :-)
Indian Restaurant. Decent buffet. Chai provided. Standard Northern Indian Food. Vegetarian menu.
Maharaja
270 Soquel AveIndian Restaurant. Decent buffet. Chai provided. Standard Northern Indian Food. Vegetarian menu.
Great pizza. May have long lines especially on weekends. Order and pick up is easier!
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Pizza My Heart
209 EsplanadeGreat pizza. May have long lines especially on weekends. Order and pick up is easier!
Probably the best Italian place in town. A little away - you may prefer to drive. Get reservations! and clarify open hours!
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Lillian's Italian Kitchen
1148 Soquel AveProbably the best Italian place in town. A little away - you may prefer to drive. Get reservations! and clarify open hours!
Also a sports bar. Right on Pacific. They have a great show put on by the waiters at night (some nights). Be prepared for the show!
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Kiantis Pizza & Pasta Bar
1100 Pacific AveAlso a sports bar. Right on Pacific. They have a great show put on by the waiters at night (some nights). Be prepared for the show!
Cafe Gratitude
103 Lincoln StVegan Food. Great tasting stuff! Great service!
Marianne's Ice Cream
1020 Ocean StThe best ice cream in town!
Mission Hill Coffee & Creamery
1101 B Pacific AveIce cream. Healthy and natural!
Decadence :-) Chocolate, great meals (sandwiches to quiche to salads to desserts that will melt your heart and quench your appetite!
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Chocolate the Restaurant
1522 Pacific AveDecadence :-) Chocolate, great meals (sandwiches to quiche to salads to desserts that will melt your heart and quench your appetite!
Bagelry
1636 Seabright AveBagels!
Beach Street Cafe
399 Beach StCoffee
Good coffee place. Wireless. Sandwiches and light snacks. Easy Parking. Close by.
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Coffeetopia
Good coffee place. Wireless. Sandwiches and light snacks. Easy Parking. Close by.
Starbucks
21620 E Cliff DrStarbucks on the west side.
Peet's Coffee
214 Mt Hermon RdGood coffee. Good Teas.
Beware. Place has a shop with stuff that women love. This can be dangerous to the wallet :-) Serves snacks, sandwiches and other light fare.
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Farm Bakery & Cafe
6790 Soquel DrBeware. Place has a shop with stuff that women love. This can be dangerous to the wallet :-) Serves snacks, sandwiches and other light fare.
Chinese. Pretty decent. Affordable. Well mannered service. Sometimes hard to understand English.
Shun Feng Restaurant
420 River StChinese. Pretty decent. Affordable. Well mannered service. Sometimes hard to understand English.
Best high level non Asian Restaurant in the area. Reservations must be made! Great burgers through more expensive seafood through more expensive food :-) Bar also present.
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Café Cruz
2621 41st AveBest high level non Asian Restaurant in the area. Reservations must be made! Great burgers through more expensive seafood through more expensive food :-) Bar also present.
Cafe Brasil
1410 Mission StBrazilian Food!
Taqueria La Cabaña
2332 Mission StSelf serve. Quick generally. Okay food.
Rockys Cafe
6560 Hwy 9Brunch and breakfast in a nice location.
Great food for brunch, lunch. Baked goods, sandwiches.. nice location. Can get crowded.
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Kelly's French Bakery
402 Ingalls StGreat food for brunch, lunch. Baked goods, sandwiches.. nice location. Can get crowded.
Lovely ocean views from the pier. Night or day.. it is very nice and romantic. Bar area and dining. Excellent food. Try the lobster quesadilla.
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Olitas Cantina & Grille
49 Municipal WharfLovely ocean views from the pier. Night or day.. it is very nice and romantic. Bar area and dining. Excellent food. Try the lobster quesadilla.
Coffee, teas. Right next to the Del Mar Theater on Pacific Ave. Sit outside when it is sunny and people watch. Sandwiches, cookies and snacks. Bathroom available.
6 Einheimische empfehlen
Cafe Delmarette
1126 Pacific AveCoffee, teas. Right next to the Del Mar Theater on Pacific Ave. Sit outside when it is sunny and people watch. Sandwiches, cookies and snacks. Bathroom available.
Featured in a reality TV show. Restaurant Impossible. It has become much better ! :-) Nice jazz on some nights. Bar, breakfast, brunch, dinner.
6 Einheimische empfehlen
Hoffman's Downtown
1102 Pacific AveFeatured in a reality TV show. Restaurant Impossible. It has become much better ! :-) Nice jazz on some nights. Bar, breakfast, brunch, dinner.
Chinese and fine teas and small snacks. Quiet - no electronics - phones and smart devices must be turned off inside. Lovely to be in peace here.
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Hidden Peak Teahouse
1541 Pacific AveChinese and fine teas and small snacks. Quiet - no electronics - phones and smart devices must be turned off inside. Lovely to be in peace here.
Vegetarian Sri Lankan (close to Indian but not quite Indian) food. Owner can be very generous - very wonderful man.
Asian Rose Cafe
Vegetarian Sri Lankan (close to Indian but not quite Indian) food. Owner can be very generous - very wonderful man.
Stagnaro Bros.
59 Municipal WharfGreat seafood. Nice location with views of the ocean.
Gilda's
37 Municipal WharfGreat seafood.
View of ocean. Bar and restaurant. Decent Thai. @ThaiRecipe on Mission Street is the best Thai in town.
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Sawasdee By The Sea
101 Main StView of ocean. Bar and restaurant. Decent Thai. @ThaiRecipe on Mission Street is the best Thai in town.
Falafel Hut محل فلافل حاره
309 Beach StSanta Cruz has okay Falafel to be honest :-)
Bar, Restaurant. Great views! Especially in day time. Upstairs for locals and cheaper food (still decent). Below overpriced and pretty good food. Not excellent.. but the scenery is what you go for unless you go upstairs for the decent food at lower prices.
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Crow's Nest Restaurant
2218 E Cliff DrBar, Restaurant. Great views! Especially in day time. Upstairs for locals and cheaper food (still decent). Below overpriced and pretty good food. Not excellent.. but the scenery is what you go for unless you go upstairs for the decent food at lower prices.
Great breakfast with stunning views. Parking a little bit challenging but not bad - may have to park and walk a bit. Good Decent food.
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Aldo's Harbor Restaurant
790 Mariner Park WayGreat breakfast with stunning views. Parking a little bit challenging but not bad - may have to park and walk a bit. Good Decent food.
Pick up food and eat on the wharf as you hear the seals and sea-lions etc. barking underneath. Decent clam chowder.
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The Picnic Basket
125 Beach StPick up food and eat on the wharf as you hear the seals and sea-lions etc. barking underneath. Decent clam chowder.
Essentials
New Leaf Community Markets
1101 Fair AveHealthy organic food ala Whole Foods.
Safeway
2203 Mission StTypical Safeway.
CVS
1700 Mission StPharmacy and some essentials.
CVS
1700 Mission StPharmacy. They are supposed to be 24 hours. Please call to verify.
Whole Foods Market
911 Soquel AveHealthy whole foods! Organic!
Drinks & Nightlife
Very close by. Enjoy a drink and then a short walk home. Also a n excellent menu for early breakfast, lunch and dinner. They have an attached cafe serving coffee and snacks as well. Right on the beach next to the pier entrance.
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Ideal Bar & Grill
106 Beach StVery close by. Enjoy a drink and then a short walk home. Also a n excellent menu for early breakfast, lunch and dinner. They have an attached cafe serving coffee and snacks as well. Right on the beach next to the pier entrance.
Also serves lunch and dinner. Very close by. Have a drink and then a short walk to your room. View of the ocean.
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Aquarius
175 W Cliff DrAlso serves lunch and dinner. Very close by. Have a drink and then a short walk to your room. View of the ocean.
Beer, Great food. Ask for Virginia as your server - She is awesome! Burgers are great.
20 Einheimische empfehlen
99 Bottles Of Beer On The Wall
110 Walnut AveBeer, Great food. Ask for Virginia as your server - She is awesome! Burgers are great.
Vino Prima Wine Bar
55 Municipal WharfWine - we have not been here ! :-)
Soif
105 Walnut AveWine food.
KC's Sports Bar & Lounge
711 Pacific AveSports bar : Good place to watch games!
Everything Else
Roller Coasters, Amusement arcade, Hot Dogs. By the beach. Enjoy!
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Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Amusement Park
400 Beach StRoller Coasters, Amusement arcade, Hot Dogs. By the beach. Enjoy!
The Beach. Can get crowded. But close .. very close to us - five minute walk. Also close to food etc.
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Cowell Beach
Front StThe Beach. Can get crowded. But close .. very close to us - five minute walk. Also close to food etc.
Beach: within driving distance at the end of West Cliff Drive.
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Natural Bridges State Beach
2531 W Cliff DrBeach: within driving distance at the end of West Cliff Drive.
Relatively quieter beach. Fire pits at certain times of the year. Must be reserved way in advance by showing up early and staking a 'claim' over the pit by sitting around and shooing off everyone else who tries to grab the spot. :-)
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Twin Lakes Beach
995 Live Oak AvenueRelatively quieter beach. Fire pits at certain times of the year. Must be reserved way in advance by showing up early and staking a 'claim' over the pit by sitting around and shooing off everyone else who tries to grab the spot. :-)
Valero
Gas Station
Rotten Robbie
4200 Williams RdGas for your car
Modest museum. Art and History like it says :-) Quiet. Wonderful place to relax at the top floor outside.
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Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
705 Front StModest museum. Art and History like it says :-) Quiet. Wonderful place to relax at the top floor outside.
Staff of Life
1266 Soquel AveGrocery store with healthy organic food. Ala Whole Foods.
Yogurtland
2117 Mission StYogurt!
Hot tubs to rent and massages! Hot tubs are fairly affordable. Massages can be on the expensive side but the masseuses are very good generally!
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Tea House Spa
112 Elm StHot tubs to rent and massages! Hot tubs are fairly affordable. Massages can be on the expensive side but the masseuses are very good generally!
Hot tubs to rent. Massages. Competes well with Tea House spa: see their description as well.
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Well Within Spa
417 Cedar StHot tubs to rent. Massages. Competes well with Tea House spa: see their description as well.
Clothing optional inside. Hot tubs for rent privately. You can rent the use of the public hot tubs as well. Massages available. Decent and can be badly organized on bad days :-)
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Kiva Retreat
702 Water StClothing optional inside. Hot tubs for rent privately. You can rent the use of the public hot tubs as well. Massages available. Decent and can be badly organized on bad days :-)
University of California
Arboretum RoadThe University.
Sightseeing
Silly for some. Serious for others. Place has mysterious magnetic properties that has you see some crazy things occur in front of your eyes.
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Der Mystery Spot
465 Mystery Spot RdSilly for some. Serious for others. Place has mysterious magnetic properties that has you see some crazy things occur in front of your eyes.
Parks & Nature
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park Campground
2591 Graham Hill RdHiking, Walking.
Entertainment & Activities
Civic Auditorium
307 Church StTheater: Shows, Entertainment.
Regal Santa Cruz 9
1405 Pacific AveStandard Popular Movie faire.
Classy movies - foreign, artistic, classic good stuff for the intellect and artistic stimulation.
51 Einheimische empfehlen
Del Mar Theater
1124 Pacific AveClassy movies - foreign, artistic, classic good stuff for the intellect and artistic stimulation.
Boardwalk Bowl
115 Cliff StBowling! and Karoake!
Great artsy movies - foreign, intellectually stimulating. etc.
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Landmark's Nickelodeon Theatre
210 Lincoln StGreat artsy movies - foreign, intellectually stimulating. etc.
Regal Cinemas Riverfront 2
155 River St SSuper comfy chairs. Great movies.
Great for the kid in you and the creative in your kids. Create your own ceramic masterpiece with simple to use paints and ideas from the friendly staff.
Petroglyph Ceramic Lounge
125 Walnut AveGreat for the kid in you and the creative in your kids. Create your own ceramic masterpiece with simple to use paints and ideas from the friendly staff.