River Cafe

Amazing little café, great for people watching with a beautiful glass ceiling. The food was wonderful, healthy & delicious. Highly recommend the chicken momos. Owner & chef were kind & friendly, loved speaking to them about Tibet. Incredible experience, can't wait to come back !

Absolutely delicious food. I got the vegetarian soup and it had a clean yet flavorful broth, tofu with a deep blackened flavor, fresh veggies, and a robust chili sauce. Small menu but well executed. Friendly service and a casual vibe. We also got some local kombucha. Dog friendly- even brought out some chicken for our dogs!

Great veggie sandwich. One of the best ever. Good prices on food. Drinks much less so. Friendly service, but not particularly communicative or helpful. The seats are mostly outside. Nice atmosphere and interesting plants and decorations. Here too it looks nice, but the tables rock back and forth and don't adjust. They can't give you a printed receipt. The bathroom is clean, modern and on the opposite side of the building. I'll go back, and bring my own soda.

Family oriented business with an emphasis on hospitality and kindness. The food is made with love and fresh ingredients. The owner(s)/staff are welcoming and attentive. The cafe has plenty of shade, adorned with plants and an outdoor patio. Cold brew + Bacon burrito makes the perfect combo to start the day. Thank you for all your hard work.

Best swordfish and risotto in a long time. Excellent meal! Mixed drinks were average. Creme brulee was also excellent.

Best Momos in Santa Cruz! Of course these are the only Momo I've had in Santa Cruz 🤔. Is Momo plural or do I need to add the s? Regardless, these are very good, delicate pastry, good plentiful beefy filling! I left full and happy 🙌🏼. The owner is a good guy, hope the best for him. 🙏🏻 Chill organic atmosphere, felt like home.

Wandered in on a whim, knowing I have wanted to visit, and was SO pleasantly surprised. Very relaxed but lively environment, the owner runs the cash register and makes the dumplings! Which, by the way, were some of the best I’ve had. I ordered the beef Momo dumplings, and they were served with a spicy red sauce, and a side salad with grated carrot and lemon dressing. The dumplings were savory and spiced to perfection. Every ingredient in the meat mix came through uniquely and beautifully. The salad dressing was so bright and delicious that I wanted to drink it, and the spicy red sauce added the perfect extra kick to the dumplings, if you like spice like me, you would definitely enjoy. Got the whole plate for $13 (including tax). I thoroughly enjoyed my experience, and I didn’t even get to the drink menu. But based on the reactions of other customers who got drinks while I was there, their drink menu is also very satisfactory. Highly recommend!

I came across this quaint and unique, family owned cafe while making my way to downtown Santa Cruz, and I was very happy that I stopped in. I was greeted almost immediately and my order was promptly taken soon after. They were very friendly and all food was made to order, cooked to perfection, very delightful flavors, fresh ingredients, and served hot. I ordered the bacon burrito and deliciously refreshing, local, aloha kombucha. They brought me my order where I was sitting, which was another plus, but I noticed my burrito a vegetarian one, filled with tofu, french fries, well melted shredded cheddar cheese, spinach, scrambled egg, and I added avocado. It was delicious, and the chef even said he marinated the tofu himself, so good! However, the burrito had no bacon as I ordered, so I asked for a side instead and they were more than happy to oblige. In fact, they gave me extra bacon! They are very kind restaurant owner who cook and serve well! Also, apparently they are a neighborhood favorite too! As I was waiting for my food I could here a family vehind me saying how they love going there because it feels like home, and I can definitely see that. I am a happy customer who will return and recommend this place to friends and family.

Found this cafe half a mile from Santa Cruz Pier. Found the place calming. We gave it a try. The cage advocates for Tibet awareness. Love their beef momo !!

I had a great experience being in this cafe. Me and my wife tried chicken noodle soup along with chicken momo . Soup was delicious and made our morning feel better and ready to go on our adventures of the day. Chicken momo - juicy, we loved it. The vibe in this cafe was calm, friendly and welcoming. I recommend everyone to go try it in the morning. It's a good place to start your day

Our Nepalese American family planned to visit River Cafe for the Tibetan community's "Day of Joy" on July 6 in honor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's birthday. The Tibetan community and friends would provide food and drink. But, life got in the way, with my adult daughter feeling ill so we ended not going. However, in hearing of our disappointment, her sister-in-law visited the restaurant and brought us two take-out meals that were provided free of charge to patrons on the Day of Joy. Each meal included three vegetarian momos (round steamed dumplings filled with kale, cilantro, garlic, bean noodles, tofu, and potato), a side spring salad (greens, dried cranberries, walnuts, and dressing), dry noodles with spinach, green onion, carrots, and sauce, a wedge of watermelon, and a creamy pie dessert (not sure what it was, but it was yummy). Thank you, River Cafe and the Tibetan community in Santa Cruz. We appreciate your generosity -- and plan to visit River Cafe in person in the near future! Based on how good these meals were, we must try out your chicken and beef momos and chai!

Coffee was decent. Ordered the yogurt parfait which was just verrrrry few blueberries, one banana and a spoonful of granola. Also ordered were the veggie dumplings which lacked tofu and left my tongue so dry from all of the salt. Service was okay.

River Cafe is this small glass-walled cafe with lots of outdoor seating. It has cute decorations inside and is centrally located near shops and close to downtown. I went there for coffee and tea with my family after lunch, but we will definitely be back for the momos (dumplings!) because those look FIRE! The service was super friendly and professional too! River Cafe may have to be in my family's restaurant "rotation" because we love dumplings!

We were excited to try this place. I thought it would be similar to a small diner. It had more of a hole in a wall aesthetic. They had a small panini maker and kitchen. We got some noodles and a panini. Neither was anything to rave about. We felt that for the quality we got it was over priced. Perhaps we should have tried something else from there as many people seem to highly recommend this place.

Great food! It's all outdoor seating, but it's covered - no rain to ruin your breakfast burrito! Dogs are welcome and given water and chicken bits by the owners.

They actually open at 9:00am, which was a pleasant surprise since we wanted to grab a quick bite before heading to the Boardwalk. The veggie panini is delicious. I also got the chai tea with oatmilk. It was not sweetened, which I loved, since most places make it way too sweet. If you want, they have sugar and honey.

My husband and I had breakfast around 11 am PT on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at the River Cafe. We ordered two large coffees, one sausage breakfast burrito and one chicken panini sandwich and one blueberry muffin. The quality of each item was very good and the portions were very good. We came with our service dog ‍ who got a little bit of chicken "on the house". The service was very friendly and we could sit outside on their patio which is nicely decorated with flags (I believe) from Tibet. We will be back!

I was looking for a quick healthy lunch option and found River Cafe. Excellent, fresh and healthy options. 2 thumbs up. Highly recommend. I will come back often.

I ordered the Grilled Veggie Panini and Chai. I loved the veggie panini, me and my friend thought it was very filling and yummy. The chai wasn't to my taste, but it was still pretty good, my personal preference aside. The service was pretty fast. I think the interior is charming, its a bit small. Overall we really enjoyed this place, I hope to come back again to try the Momos.

The service here is so friendly and the food is great. We especially like the chicken momos, chicken apple sausage breakfast burrito, and cappuccinos. I also think the chicken pesto sandwich is really tasty.

Took 20 minutes to make a toast and all the other orders came after me were done. And dinner order the matcha latte. It is green but no matcha taste. Absolutely a disaster

Wonderful service, very tasty food in a nice area to sit outdoors or inside. The chicken sandwich was made with love and the dumplings were delicious and the sauce was !

Yummy tiny spot where the momos and sandwiches are super popular. We had the chicken panini, and it was really yummy The beverages were good too but not as amazing. Staff is super friendly, we recommend!

Incredible food, some of the most delicious vegan food in town, and a great staff! Highly recommend the vegan noodle soup

A darling gem in the rain, old stomping grounds, a favourite pit stop when rolling through my old hometown, all in one. A complete treasure. Joyful noise, but never too overcrowded.

They have dumplings. Small place with a fantastic assortment of food for a quick stop. Noodles, sandwiches and breakfast. They have my espressos too. Yesssss

This small cafe blow my mind. I tried two sandwiches last time, and I definitely not a sandwich person, but I love them. One tri tip and one ham and cheese. Both are great. Their ham and cheese sandwich is the best ever. Grilled ham steak, bri cheese and crispy apple plus greens??? Which genius invented this. No other ham sandwich could beat this. This time I tried the momo and dry noodle. Momo is decent but the noodle is so yummy with the chili paste coming with it. The cafe also offer good espresso. If there is a problem, it will be you have to be patient. It tends to be slow. But you can make the time to visit Patagonia outlet next door.

We really enjoyed eating our Nepalese momos and noodle soup outside at picnic tables under the trees on a sunny afternoon! The cafe owner was nice and friendly. Service was quite quick. The chai isn't very sweet, but you can add honey, and it's nice and hot and flavorful with various spices, as it should be! There are sandwiches and burritos if you would like something more traditionally western. It's all good!

Wow !! What a great find!! We just got back from the Himalayas and was hankering momos! Momos are Tibetan dumplings served in Nepal, Bhutan or Tibet! This was such a friendly welcoming little cafe with owner Rabjee. We had the beef and veggies momos that are served with fresh salad! They were yummy! The chai was super delicious!! We just loved everything about the restaurant! If you are looking for a new experience- very inexpensive - 9 momos for $12 And super filling or just a fun place to go , I recommend you going to meet Rabjee! He's got lots of locals that love him too! Can't wait to try everything on the menu!

My 1st time here I had the chicken momos and an iced matcha 10/10 fresh food the momos had so much flavor by far the best I've had. The sauce they added on the side was amazing.

This little cafe is a hidden gem! Conveniently located to World Market and a couple of other great stores. Great for a quick bite to eat/lunch! The dumplings and beef noodle soup had so much flavor and were delicious! They have a little outdoor seating area you can have your dogs at. And the workers there were so kind!!

The place smelled good when I walked by. I was hungry, and thought I'd give them a try. They immediately got some points with me as they seemed concerned with cleaning an already clean counters. I ordered a few Paninis for my wife and I. It took a short wait, but the food was incredible. When I went to pick the food up at the counter, the chef quizzed me on what I needed. It seemed like he may have been the owner. He was committed to making sure I left happy. Very friendly, and wanted me to be a return customer. You can't ask for more from a restaurant. Super good food, cleanliness a priority and friendly service. 5 star from me all around. If I took time to write a review, it's gotta be good.

Great Guys! Great food! Love this place... and there is Patagonia Outlet beside River Cafe.. ...Rabjee is Awesome...

Great, cute, local spot. They have breakfast and lunch. They have coffee, tea, beer on draft, and canned and bottled beers and other drinks. We ordered a breakfast burrito and the momos (we got a sampler). We got draft beers, today they were both blondes. Several outdoor tables to eat here, very little indoor seating. Super nice folks!

Nice place good homemade food. Friendly, kind and clean. Worth you stopping by. Also good food for potlucks or parties.

If I could give 10 stars I would! I cannot describe how good this place is and this was such an accidental discovery. This is an unassuming Tibetan restaurant which makes incredibly delicious momos and coffee amongst other things! The owner was genuinely kind hearted to give us more amounts of food and beverages than we had paid for. Plus the sitting area makes the food even more worth it eating there. Can't recommend highly enough.

Coffee shop had no pastries at 9:50am. Leftover cookies and dirty pastry display from yesterday. All windows in the coffee shop are dirty and flies flying on our food. The floors are stained dirty as well. They don't provide any receipts but they can email you one if request. I order the Yogurt $9 served with granola and seasonal fruit. What I received was completely different than the picture provided. On the picture it was showing a beautiful bowl of granola and fruit. What I received was a sag cup of nasty looking room temperature yogurt and some blueberries. I took a spoonful and It was completely disgusting and I almost vomit. The yogurt wasn't fresh or cold. I had 3 spoonfuls and couldn't force myself to finish. It had tons of syrup and it ruin the appetite. Never again! I hate lazy owners not taking pride on their place. Clean windows, tables, floors are just essentials.

Highly recommend this place. Heard amazing things about this place and finally got to try it. The food and service both great! I had the chicken momos and oh my!!!!! I can't wait to go back and try the veggie momos and other items on the menu!

Delicious Momo dumplings - so excited this place is under new ownership. I've been by twice in the last month and it's been great both times. I hear the new owner is thinking of changing the name - possibly to reflect his delicious food truck Nomad Momo. It's obvious he puts a lot of care into the food and service. The vibe here has definitely improved. My toddler was dancing heartily to the Tibetan music.

Very nice little cafe with great service and even better food. Perfect for any time of day.

If you find yourself in Santa Cruz, this cute little cafe owned by the nicest Tibetan gentleman is a must try. Noodles, ham/apple panini and dumplings...yes, please!

Such delicious momos and the nicest staff! Was shocked the reviews were so low, I keep coming back and no matter how busy they are I always have excellent service :)

We have come here often and love the food and nice strong coffee! The owner is kind and friendly and we loved the burrito which is crispy on the outside and delicious inside. The Momos and salad are delicious...a wonderful place to support in Santa Cruz! You feel good being there.

Wonderful food! Staff is terrific and friendly. We ordered a veggie burrito and dumplings. Beautiful and tasty!

I love their fresh coffee and momo. Owner is so friendly and nice. I will highly recommend.

Absolutely love this place! I've been coming here for years & am never disappointed. The food always taste very fresh, a bit pricey but worth it. Even the simple menu of drinks, still perfectly made & tasty! I would assume is the owner of the cafe, is very sweet & always up for a good short conversation to make it feel even more cozy!

The momo is amazing, so is the hot sauce that comes with. Service is always timely and the owner is super friendly and accommodating.

Went there today after a Patagonia stop. In fact, helpers at Patagonia recommended them...Delicious, absolutely delicious!!! Plus the owners were very friendly...Coming from high priced Monterey, the prices seemed reasonable. Now, whenever we go to Patagonia or Specialized, we'll be going there too!

Delicious and Rabjee the chef is delightful! My new favorite place with hefty portions of healthy on each plate.

I like everything about this café the people are nice food is good I like sitting outside on the deck I definitely recommend this café.

Ok I have mixed feelings about this place. The food always looks delicious though I've only ordered the avocado toast. You get a a lot of avocado for your money but it's avo on sourdough bread. It was the plainest avocado toast I've ever had. They should do some salt & pepper with olive oil or something. Orders the Cali greens juice which is absolutely delicious. Service is not they friendly. They aren't flat out rude but kind of snobby "hippies" which I find contradicting for what Santa Cruz is supposed to represent. And keep in mind... this is coming from a life long local. ANYWAYS, will keep coming here for the juice and that's about it.

Stopped here for a quick bite. The chicken dumplings and lentil soup were delicious! We would come here again. Also, they are dog friendly.

Sweet little cafe with shady outdoor seating right off hwy 1. Welcoming cafe staff, simple and yummy menu.

On our way home, it's lunchtime, we're hungry, and there on our right is River Cafe. It's been a while since I'd been here. We ordered a large salad, iced teas and chicken momo's. We sat at a small table outside, under a shade tree, sipping tea while lunch was prepared. A very sweet woman cheerfully brought our lunch with napkins & forks after about 10 minutes, and we opened those containers to see a very fresh green salad with garbanzo beans, fennel, shredded carrots, chopped apple, and pickled beets on top of perfect baby spring greens. The dressing was deliciously seasoned. Ok, now about those dumplings My eyes are tearing up- the outer dumpling is so tenderand inside, the chicken with ginger and garlic and cilantro (yum) is somehow surrounded in broth, all kept inside that dumpling! It's outstandingly good!

Vegan momos are delicious! Friendly owner and staff. It is like dining in a greenhouse. And it is next to a Patagonia outlet

Yum! Had the fresh made beef and chicken Tibetan Momo's and they were delicious. Came with a great side salad and house hot sauce. Nice outdoor dog friendly patio. The owner is awesome, he makes food with love and you can feel it!

River cafe was incredible! The staff was so kind and made helpful menu suggestions. The food we ordered was DELICIOUS. Truly one of the best vegetarian breakfast burritos I've had. The vibes at the cafe are the best. I love the plants the fill the cafe and the abundance of natural light inside. Such a great experience!!