Companion Bakeshop Westside Santa Cruz

companion is a comfy place to relax or study. they have a much bigger selection of fresh breads & pastries compared to other cafes nearby. they also have kitchen goods, books, artisan ingredients for sale. the flat white is delicious and pairs well with their huge chocolate chip cookie. my one complaint is serious and it’s with their kouign amann. it’s hands down one of the worst pastries i’ve eaten in my entire life. in my opinion it fails in every aspect of a kouign amann- it’s chewy like regular bread. the sugar isn’t caramelised enough. it’s not buttery enough. & it’s unjustifiably expensive. it’s okay with the coffee though.

It was my first time visiting this bakery, and I tried the bacon & egg galette, garlic cheese twist, and plain croissant. I had the staff warm them up, and they tasted even better that way! Friendly staffs and great atmosphere.

Great looking place, with good atmosphere but: They did not have any toast to sell before noon? And you call yourself bake shop… So we had the only thing they had left, Their croissants chocolate was good though, Coffee was just ok,

There was a small line when we visited on the weekend but the staff quickly managed it and took orders attentively. Friendly service. Nice bread. We had hot sandwiches—ham & cheddar, and turkey & avocado. Both were incredibly delicious, especially served hot, straight from the counter. We were super satisfied. They also offer brewed coffee with options of light or medium roast. Overall it’s a pleasant spot to enjoy fresh bread and pastries.

If you want to take some time, relax and treat yourself to some truly amazing comfort food, this is the place. Relaxed family-friendly atmosphere and comfortable seating both inside and out of the bakery itself. I came early, and it looks like this place may get quite busy. If you are in a hurry, come when the place opens or just be prepared to wait. It is worth the wait.

Beautiful location. Very popular. Many delicious-looking items to choose from. All of the food was yummy. The sticky roll was a bit too sweet for my taste. The buckwheat scone was unique and tasty. The butter croissant was fresh and light.

Great spot on the west side for coffee, chai and the best pastries. We love the bacon, egg and cheese galettes. Today they had French toast which looked amazing. Bread and pastries are always fresh. Staff moved through the line quickly.

Whenever I travel I have to sniff out the best local coffee/croissant place in town. This was at the top of my list. I got a ham and Gruyère croissant which was pretty good but it only had once slice of ham and the cheese was sparse. I got a yogurt granola thing which was unspectacular. Scone was also just okay but was a nice size. COFFEE WAS GREAT. Vibes are excellent, love that you can see them rolling out the dough from the glass wall.

Quick take: cute shop I ordered the vegetarian frittata and it was delicious. I really liked the matcha latte with oat milk as well. Super cute shop with a lot of pastries and fresh bread. Nice flower arrangements for sale.

Tough love time: CB is a Santa Cruz institution. They introduced world-class baked goods to the scruffy, surf-oriented west side of Santa Cruz, and it's been a go-to spot for me from the beginning and one of those places that's a joy to introduce to visitors. The last several years, however, have been characterized with a slow slide towards...well, I'm hard-pressed to distill things to a word or phrase, but here are the primary issues I have with CB today: - over-priced - indifferent service (or worse) - declining quality I'll admit that I don't know the details of the economics that might conceivably justify charging $9 for a loaf of sourdough. I'm aware that prices for everything have gone up (who isn't?), but to this extent? It doesn't help that the quality of what used to be one of the best baguettes I've had _anywhere_ has fallen while the price is up to $6. Service is hit-or-miss: There is nearly always a cheerful person behind the counter, but they're usually outnumbered 2 or 3 to 1. Couple that with the relentless questing for tips[1] and the joy we used to feel in coming here is pretty hard to find. This morning, my wife and I came in for a coffee and a pastry. My croissant was under-baked, the interior a thick, chewy mass. I hesitated to return it because the place was packed, but felt that the bakery should at least know that something was off today. At the service counter, I showed the girl my croissant and explained that it wasn't baked properly. She looked at me, expressionless, for a moment and then said, "well, can you throw it away for us?" WTF I didn't necessarily need a refund, but, at a minimum, acknowledge that the product you sold did not meet basic standards. I'll go back later when they aren't so busy and talk to the manager, but this was really disappointing. [1]"What used to be a gesture of gratitude or a reward for good service, [feels] increasingly like a surcharge." NYT 11/17/2023

This is one of the best bakeries in town and a great place to grab breakfast. The biggest issue that has made our experience negative more than once is the barista. This poor girl has the worst attitude and gets the drinks wrong even though the cashier gives her the correct order (we heard!) When asked to do the order correctly this girl hates on you. Like literally she fumed and dumped the drink and when she redid the drink then she did it in a smaller size. Decided not to have her redo it to avoid more attitude.

Tucked away in an unassuming strip mall, this bakery is a hidden gem for anyone in search of freshly baked delights and a relaxed, no-fuss dining experience. While the location might not scream "charming," the outdoor seating area more than makes up for it, offering a cozy spot to enjoy your meal al fresco. Their selection of fresh bread is impressive, with a variety that caters to both classic and more adventurous tastes. I opted for a European-style sandwich loaded with prosciutto and arugula, and it hit all the right notes--simple, flavorful, and undeniably fresh. One thing to keep in mind: this place is no secret, and it shows in the somewhat long lines that form as soon as the doors open. If you want to avoid disappointment, I'd suggest getting there early because they do run out of popular items fast. Despite the wait, the quality of the food makes it all worth it. It's the kind of spot where you can grab a quick bite or linger over a sandwich and coffee, savoring the casual yet satisfying vibe.

As you walk by you can smell the fresh baked breads and it sucks you inside. Nice selection of baked goods. We bought the daily special, which was a chocolate bread and the family reviews were mixed. Most liked it, but not everyone. Same with the seed bread. They have something for everyone, just gotta find your like.

Food (3.6/5): I had the banana date walnut bread and it was just okay. Not very moist but not dry either - the flavor was a bit underwhelming as well. It was an unmemorable banana bread for me. Service (4.3/5): The staff seemed very nice! I was torn between the coffee cake and banana bread--I asked which one was less sweet and they recommended the banana bread over the coffee cake for less sweet. I'm glad I chose the banana bread because even that tasted a little sweet to me. Ambiance (4.5/5): It's a cute little shop and next door it seems like workshops and activities are hosted. Good vibe to the place.

The shop is so cute and spacious. I love the light color scheme as well as the layout of the shop! Service here was friendly and helpful. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived it seems like most of the pastry stock was sold out, but at least there were still a good amount to try. The bacon egg galette looked very promising, and I enjoyed the buttery flakiness of it; however, I felt that the pastry was much too dense. While the richness is wonderful, it felt like the pastry was lacking in an area that bumped it to perfection. Aside from this, most of the regular pastries seem to be priced reasonably.

Local bakery shop. Freshly backed bread and sweets. They serve breakfast menu a little later if you go there early. Hot tasty coffee and tea. Service is great. Has inside and outside sitting area. Must see.

Delicious food! Garlic cheese twist was buttery and soft with a light crispy exterior, and I enjoyed the salt flakes on top. Pesto goat cheese baguette was amazing. The walnut pesto was slightly sweet and flavorful, and the veggie ingredients were fresh with a delightful crunch.

Lovely spot in Aptos worth checking out! Their baked goods looked devine. I ordered the Avo Toast and an Iced Vanilla Oat Milk Latte. Everything tasted delicious. I liked how they had some community goods to purchase as well. Parking lot is shared among other businesses, I was able to find a spot early morning but curious how it looks throughout the day. If you want to work remotely while getting a view of their bakers making their bread in house, this is the spot!

My favorite spot for pastries in Santa Cruz! Always a great selection of sweet and savory pastries, along with bread loaves, drinks, and sandwiches offered. Whenever I visit, there's usually quite a long line but it goes quickly, and is so worth it. There's limited overall seating- some outdoor tables and one indoor table that's normally taken. Fun ambiance though! Definitely try the scones, they're huge and so satisfying! I also enjoyed the ham and cheese croissant, although I thought that it was more on the doughy/bready side inside instead of flakey layers. Try a latte with the almond anise syrup! I've never tasted anything like it, the flavor is so rich.

If there's one thing Santa Cruz should be known for, it should be the abundance of locally owned French style bakery and pastry shops. The saturation, freshness, and quality of these shops make it difficult to resist especially since I'm trying to get that Hot Girl Summer Body where I'll be wearing bikinis 24/7 enjoying the warm fresh ocean breeze at the beach. What really caught my attention at the Companion was their croissants. Freshly baked, super flakey outside and a moist inside with a light essence of butter. Not skipping out on quality of ingredients to the baking methods you can tell that no corners would ever have been cut here. Usually, after the pastries age the crispy and flakey outside begins to absorb the moisture in the air no longer retaining its flakey texture and the inside would goes soggy.However, the pastries from Companion somehow do a great job of withholding their shelf life and staying fresh for a few days longer which surprised me. I love the unique creativity and well thought out passion that each of the pastries have to offer. This place is honestly the best bakery In Santa Cruz that I've tried which says a lot. I guess my summer body goal can wait till next year.

Update: Finally tried the Kouign Amann, as well as the Chocolate Chip Demi-Baguette, the Strawberry Danish, and the Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookie. I wasn't super impressed with the Kouign Amann personally; it had a great sugary glaze on the outside, but the inside was a little dry for my tastes. The pastry tasted like it was made with whole wheat flour and didn't have a custardy center. The Chocolate Chip Demi-Baguette was pleasant; it was light and fluffy, and the chocolate was delicious. I thought the strawberries on the danish were a little on the sour side, and the pastry was a little too soft for my tastes, but it was beautiful as a whole. The lemon lavender cookie was exactly as described - a full lavender flavor with lemon peel pieces inside. Definitely try that! Of course, will still be back to try more.

I hate this place!! Resorted to having to come here even though I've reviewed how terrible they were previously. This is what you get when you order quiche "For Here." I had to ask for a plate so I could give a piece to my granddaughter, doesn't it come with toast?!! Not this time!! NEVER EVER will I come here again!! Terrible and had to give one star or it would be ZERO Stars!! Get it together, teach your employees how to listen and give customer service and take care of your customers!! Blech!

Companion is such a great bakery to have in town. All their breads are made with sourdough. I love the picnic, goat horn, chocolate baguette, regular baguette, and local. The local has good flavor and roasts nicely but sometimes comes out pretty flat. I still have more loaves to try though! They have an amazing gluten free scone and muffin as well. The goat cheese baguette is super tasty, as is the quiche. They typically serve cat & cloud coffee which is always great. I like the cold brew and drip. Tip: don't ask for room for cream even if you're going to add some. They seem to leave too much room.

We came by to kill time and the wife found this place before our reservations at Mystery Spot. For today, they didn't have any sandwiches and were left with the bakery goods. We got the walnut brownie and like a lemon tea cake. The customer service was helpful and friendly but my cons for my visit. 1). No sandwiches 2). The brownie walnut was good but it was WAY too sweet for me and I have a sweet tooth. 3). The lemon tea cake tasted different. It had a distinct initial taste and an after taste. I wasn't fond of it and neither were the kids. 4). Ordered a machiotto however they didn't say it was a small shot. Regardless, thinking it would be like a Starbucks drink it was good and caffeinated.

I love their bread, but I don't understand why they can't slice it for you anymore. I would not go back ‍

Hubby and I decided to stop into this fresh organic bakery for breakfast. I ordered the Cinnamon Roll. It was SO good! It taste like a caramel apple and really hit the spot!! 5/5 Stars! I would highly recommend this small business that opened it's doors in 2011! The staff were so sweet and they have a 2nd location in Aptos! You can also find them at several farmer's markets which is where they got their start back in 2006! We're definitely looking forward to returning our next trip out to Santa Cruz! SYOY! :-)

I stopped by this place a little after opening on Sunday morning. It has a really awesome vibe. It feels like a hole in the wall but is really clean and cozy. Their baked goods are amazing. The morning roll is melt in your mouth, sweet cinnamon goodness. I finally got to taste the infamous Goat Horn, a loaf of bread with goat cheese folded into the dough before it is baked. It lived up to the hype, and I ended up munching on it for the rest of the day. Cool little spot to check out if you are in the area. Make sure you get there early if you want the Goat Horn, they sell out quickly.

Asked for a macchiato and two espressos con pana this is what we got not to mention how rude they were and the cold chocolate croissant and butter croissant 30 bucks for wrong coffee rude service and cold bread

I love this Bakeshop. They have delicious bread (I usually get sourdough) and coffee. Everyone who works there is always super nice and even if the line is long, everyone is taken good care of. Baked god are yummy: croissants and bread. Definitely a good stop if you're on the west side. If you are buying a full loaf of bread, they can slice it for you too.

When you have a German friend who is particular about bread and she recommended this place, you know you have to check it out! We visited on New Year's Eve, with plans to get coffee, a pastry, and bread. That they had sold out of bread by late morning tells how good the bread was, and how I'll have to return. We loved our blueberry scone and brownie. The coffee was also strong and smooth. Additionally, this place felt cozy without being crowded. Lights give some cool vibes, and service was friendly. I also appreciate how they kept the door open for ventilation, and how they source so much locally. Will definitely be back! I want to try the matcha latte and sandwiches next time.

Dropped by on a Monday morning for some drip coffee and a snack. Apparently on Mondays they serve syllable coffee and not cat and cloud. We ordered the drip coffee and a pesto goat cheese baguette. The coffee was $ 3 and the baguette was $8.50. The drip coffee is light, but nothing special. The baguette was pricey but good, however, I wish it was toasted. The staff was friendly and welcoming. Surprisingly, it wasn't busy and there were a good variety of breads and pasties still available at 11 am.

Imaginative, solid baking -- in a relaxing setting. They've become a regular stop whenever we're in La Jolla.

Difficult to choose, so many wonderful looking breads and pastries. We settled on a loaf of the sourdough bread and a very flaky pastry, I don't remember what it's called but so delicious. We were there on a Thursday Morning, it was very busy. We will definitely be back. They said they also sell at the local farmers markets, so I'll check there next time too.

Well actually I need 2 reviews. Their croissants are fabulous. But, I just bought the 'picinic' bread and it is tasty but so dense I'm having a hard time figuring out what to do with it. The rye flour is overwhelming for my taste. Next: Scones. I am not sure how you call something laden with oatmeal? a scone. I guess trying to make it 'healthy' but why? a scone is a thing of mouth watering delight. This one took 2 cups of coffee to wash down. So, like I said, 2 reviews for me.

Like what most people shared, this is definitely an amazing bakery. Companion bakeshop has a wide selection of pastries and coffee. For pastries, we wanted to order everything, but our stomachs could only fit 3. We ordered the kouign-amann, hazelnut seasonal palmier, and chocolate croissant -- all well made and perfect with a cup of hot coffee. Next time we come we'll try their sandwiches and loaves of bread. Whenever we are in Santa Cruz we will make an effort to drop by Companion. Go buy coffee/pastries and head over to a nearby beach. Plenty of parking and outdoor seats. Also, there is a single public gender-neutral bathroom on the right side of the bakery.

Great bakery. Loved the cookies and the morning buns. Looking for food to take to the beach ? Perfect spot for goodies.

The service here is always quick and super friendly. The pastries are ALL amazing, I haven't had one disappointing one. The coffees are also delicious, I usually get the iced mocha which is one of my favorite places to get an iced mocha. Their strawberry danish is the perfect amount of sweet and their cinnamon bun pastry is so soft and flavorful. Also a really good spot to get some work done, they have WiFi available and clean tables.

Wow, customer service here is awful. They all look miserable and make you feel you're a burden for coming into their establishment. Definitely don't recommend, If you're looking for a welcoming, warm neighborhood coffee shop.

Great bakery! A great selection of fresh pastries baked daily from crossiants, danishes to cheesy twists, koiuge amann. They also serve really good coffee and espresso drinks. You can also find them at local farmer's markets in Santa Cruz, and the place we happened to eat lunch at later in the day also used their bread! No indoor seating at the moment, but tons of seating outside. They also have a baking summer kids' camp and monthly baking workshops which sound fun!

Really wonderful bread and croissants! Delicious! Reminds me of bakeries in France. We're going to try their sandwiches on our next visit.

Such a cute little bakery! The make everything in house! You can literally see them making the bread in the morning. We ended up getting a cinnamon bun which was huge and perfectly made, it wasn't overly sweet which was nice. They also had a lavender honey tea, which was surprisingly light and had well balanced flavor wise. They also have gluten free pastries, brownies, a peach tart and bread!

Stopped in after passing Emily's Bakery that was closed on Sunday. It was a nice experience in this bakery which offers fresh baked goods with good coffees of your choice. I am glad this place was open.

Yummy! I had the cinnamon roll, blueberry scone, their picnic bread loaf, and a matcha latte. I would admit that the pastries are too sweet for me, but my friend who has a sweet tooth loved it. The matcha latte definitely needed a lot of sugar. The picnic bread loaf was my favorite. It's really hard when toasted though... but delicious nonetheless

I don't visit often enough, but when I do I'm reminded that Companion Bakeshop is a gem with excellent pastries, coffee, bread, and people. Brian at the counter is awesome, friendly personality, no attitude answering questions- just exactly the guy you want to see first thing in the morning. Thank you Brian for being awesome and for making sure everyone is properly caffeinated!

On the hunt for something sweet after eating a few doors down. Cupanion didn't disappoint we tried the kouign amann which was a new delight. Split four ways it was just enough, sweet, a little dry n chewy

Seriously delicious baked goods produced here. Hands down the best walnut pie ever!!! I love how fresh everything is!! Highly recommend this bakery...worth the drive from the Bay Area!!

I love this bakery. Hands down one of the best places for a delicious variety of breads and pastries plus their coffee is also delicious. They have a few spots inside and mostly outdoor seating. Nice chill environment, friendly speedy service. Parking lot in front of it, plenty of parking available. I say it's a must try if you're ever in Santa Cruz!

Waited in a line for quite some time, so the anticipation of what was to come started to build! I was not disappointed with my mocha and my cinnamon roll and kouign Amman !!

Honestly quite disappointed with this place. We entered and we got pastries and drinks as well. The cashier didn't ask at all if we wanted to dine in or to go at all which will connect later on to the review. We chose a spot to sit in the cafe where we were gonna do work. Unfortunately a man came up to us " For future reference if you're ordering to go you aren't able to sit inside". After that I apologized since we did not know the rule and he just left with not saying anything after. Which was unprofessional since we genuinely did not know the establishment had these rules in place. It made us a bit uncomfortable after that so we decided to leave. The pastries were quite good but the drinks were very diluted. Overall, I don't think I would come back.

Excellent bakery. Vegan options and all the ones I tried were great. The chocolate chip sourdough alone is worth a visit. Gets crowded, go early.

We came a few minutes after opening and they were busy! There was so many selection to choose from, and they were very helpful in their suggestions. We chose a galette & chocolate croissant, both of which were really good. We also got a matcha latte and a hot chocolate that were good.

Great bread! Wish the people who worked here were friendly, it would make me live the place. terrible customer service( rude, too cool for school), not great pastries, cookies not so good, tea cakes good.

So I feel dumb and mad about a recent purchase. While checking out we saw cookie tins for $20. I assumed they had cookies-maybe a post Christmas clearance. I asked the woman checking us out if the cookies were good and she said sure. She put the tin in our bag along with our other purchases. When I got home in San Jose later that day I realized the tin was EMPTY. Who pays $20 for a cheap empty cookie tin with a paper stick on label? I guess it was us because we didn't pay attention to what we were actually buying. We called the place to make sure this wasn't a mistake. Nope,

I've only been to their farmer's market locations in Live Oak and downtown! Love their loafs of bread. The Simple loaf is my favorite which is 60/40 blend of whole and white wheat. The chocolate baguette is a treat-- it is a sourdough baguette with chocolate chips inside! They also have gluten free brownies and scones that are good and I get for my mom, but a little sweet for my taste. I wish they had more dairy free or vegan pastries so I could try them out! They always have a long line and run out of things quickly, so you have to get there early to make sure you get what you want.

Tried potato quiche, almond croissant, avocado toast, pinwheel, buckwheat blueberry scone, avocado hummus sandwich and probably more I'm forgetting. Everything was amazing. Coffee is good, too. And the staff is delightful. Love this place.

Beautiful location. Very popular. Many delicious-looking items to choose from. All of the food was yummy. The sticky roll was a bit too sweet for my taste. The buckwheat scone was unique and tasty. The butter croissant was fresh and light.

Extremely high quality bread and wonderful pastries. The brownie, made with rice flour, is amazing: fudgy and not too sweet. We also love the 4 seed baguette. We buy bread Saturdays at the Mission Street location or at the Westside Farmers Market; Sundays at the Live Oak Farmers Market. Their coffee offerings are also good; the Monday morning Syllable pop up is superb!