The Picnic Basket

Restaurant · Beach Flats

The Picnic Basket

Restaurant · Beach Flats

2

125 Beach St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Photos

The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null
The Picnic Basket by null

Highlights

Just steps from the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, The Picnic Basket serves up elevated American fare with delicious sandwiches and outdoor seating for a perfect beach day.  

Featured in Eater
Placeholder

125 Beach St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Get directions

thepicnicbasketsc.com

$10–20 · Menu

Information

Static Map

125 Beach St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Get directions

+1 831 427 9946
thepicnicbasketsc.com
thepicnicbasketsc

$10–20 · Menu

Features

wifi
payment credit card
Tap to pay
reservations
outdoor seating

Last updated

Mar 14, 2025

Powered By

You might also like

Terms of Use • Privacy Policy • Cookie Policy
 © 2025 Postcard Technologies, Inc.
@eater

"Kendra Baker, who now operates the Penny Ice Creamery and the Picnic Basket in Santa Cruz." - Dianne de Guzman

As Manresa Closes, the Restaurant’s Legacy Endures Through These San Fransico Bay Area Chefs - Eater SF
View Postcard for The Picnic Basket
@travelleisure

"Along Santa Cruz's nostalgia-laced main stretch, I ate a sandwich at The Picnic Basket." - Travel + Leisure Editors

How to Plan the Perfect Solo Road Trip on California's Famed Highway 1
View Postcard for The Picnic Basket

Sandhya Prashant

Google
They have protein bars, sun hats and snacks, good salad boxes. This is right opposite the pier. We were there in a Sunday morning at 10am and it was so quiet and peaceful

Cardiff Brunch

Google
FANTASTIC - A must visit if you’re after a fresh prepped sandwich. After a trawl of local eateries we chose this one based on reviews and so glad we did. They also did salads and gelato which looked great. Highly recommend 🙌🏻

Kate Bizyayev

Google
Had breakfast here. Delicious light food that doesn’t leave your stomach feeling heavy. Great vegan options. The breakfast burrito with feta was amazing. They have gluten free bread options which was amazing. Right next to the pier.

Charlie Elliott

Google
Because the name “The Picnic Basket” was such a turnoff, i had avoided eating here for years. I expected a retirement-paced cafe that was barely passing safety inspection but staying financially afloat due to its tourist-bait location. So when i recently ordered a breakfast burrito with bacon and avocado, my expectations were through the floor. The breakfast burrito left me shook!! There is a dark horse of culinary innovation working in that tiny kitchen and he’s making breakfast burritos on a whole other spectral plane! Someone call France, the Michelin hommes are gonna want to get in on this. Secondary restaurant factors i will happily endure to get another burrito in the future: Service: cashier/food guys, totally great, A+. The drinks area by contrast felt like goodwill donation space for hot drinks. Not well defined, kinda cramped and awkward comparatively. Atmosphere: if you enjoy the 11 minutes of waiting in a regional train station, squeezing past fellow travelers and seeking out a comfortable place to eat, the indoor seating is for you. (Outdoors is lovely tho)

Michael Thurlow

Google
I had the pesto chicken sandwich and it was 11/10 stars. The bread was toasted perfectly. The sun-dried tomatoes, cheese, chicken and a side of pickled carrots were all high quality and in perfect proportions. Food came out fast, great selection of beverages, and the staff was super nice. Usually beach restaurants aren’t good and just benefit from a good location but this place had great sandwiches.

Brad Roldan

Google
This is the spot if you are looking for high quality food in a casual environment. Don’t let the pre-pack service area scare you, the salads are creative and delicious. The Turkey Avocado sandwich is packed with flavor.

H-Pop Local Guide

Google
Beautiful Day, beautiful location Delicious Breakfast burrito with avocado & bacon served with large drip Verve coffee & cream. Great service, grab some goodies or a Picnic basket to bring to the beach. Inside seating & outdoor picnic tables tight across from the beach, wharf, volleyball nets & Santa Cruz Boardwalk Very excellent location can get to West Cliff to O’Neill’s or walk on the beach. Easily get to downtown shops on foot or by car. Gorgeous days this spot is very popular

Jason Logan

Google
Highly recommend stopping here if you are ever in Santa Cruz. Across the street from the beach, the Picnic Basket offers high quality food for fair prices. I searched the whole area for an egg salad sandwich, decided on this spot, and was not disappointed. The macaroni and cheese was just amazing too, creamy and crunchy (bread crumbs). Plenty of seating (try to get a seat outside!), and the staff is very helpful, especially for first time visitors. 5 stars!

ava w.

Yelp
The service was good and the restaurant was busy. The portion sizes were large, but over all the contents of each food was relatively healthy . Our food took 15-25 minutes to come out. You order at the cash register then a server brings out your food. Overall a good experience In total the order was 2 breakfast burritos+ avocado, avocado toast, a cappuccino, and earl grey tea. Nothing fancy just a good place to stop in for a quick bite.

Jack E.

Yelp
Not Kid-Friendly and Overpriced We visited this restaurant recently and had a very disappointing experience. I ordered the chicken salad sandwich, and it was far from enjoyable--the bread was ridiculously thick, completely overpowering the sparse filling. For the price, I expected much better, but I suppose that's what you get for being on the Santa Cruz boardwalk. What really soured the experience was the manager's attitude. My son, who hadn't napped, was understandably a bit loud while we were sitting outside to avoid disturbing anyone inside. Instead of showing any understanding or compassion, the manager came out and rudely told us our child was "ruining everyone's vibe." It was completely uncalled for and made us feel very unwelcome. If you have children, be aware that this place is NOT kid-friendly. It seems they expect perfect silence at all times, which is unrealistic for families. Combine that with overpriced, mediocre food, and I can't recommend this place at all.

Jonathan B.

Yelp
Summary: Great location, decent sandwiches, Pennys ice cream Situation) You're at the boardwalk, hanging out on the wharf, or just wandering around west cliff and want decent food without crazy prices. Solution) the picnic basket Chicken Salad & Avo: chicken salad has a little too much mayo for me. Hearty mustard helps balance it out. Francese bread seems like ciabatta to me. Generous portion, middle of the road sando. Turkey, Avo, & Cheese: white cheddar is nice touch. Companion bread. This sando works. Fancy Pants Grilled Cheese: not fancy. Dripped on my pants. That's a no, Chuck. Decent selection of cold drinks and verve coffee. 6 flavors or Penny's ice cream if you have room. Some Yelpers complain about service but all have been polite when I was there. Eat outside if it's a nice day. Inside is a bit cramped:

Anthony D.

Yelp
The Picnic Basket is a beachfront restaurant that is open for breakfast, brunch and lunch. I came in on a chilly Saturday morning for some coffee because it was next door to my hotel. It's a strange little place that feels a bit run down, but since I was only there for coffee, I really didn't care. The service at the coffee counter was quite mediocre...actually, unfriendly. I don't know if they were short-handed that morning, but it seemed that the barista had other duties in between customers and it wasn't that early or even busy. The coffee drink was okay. I ordered the a large latte and was given what, to me was a small. (Think "Tall" at the place with the green logo.) It's a one and done for me for The Picnic Basket.

Patrick P.

Yelp
Food average, chicken pesto sandwich has more cheese than chicken. Chocolate shake was worst I have ever had. Didn't drink it. Left it at the bar Like most restaurants today, you are asked to tip when you order. Glad I only tipped 2.00, service was none existent.

Roozbeh Z.

Yelp
We arrived on a Thursday noon. The reviews are considerably better than neighbor restaurants, si we went there. They have indoor sitting and outdoor as well. The chairs are comfortable, and the indoor area is pretty nice. The sandwiches are tasty, and delicious. The bread is crispy and everything tasted fresh. The mac and cheese that we got for our toddler was not that good. If it wasn't because of that I should have given them 5 stars

Jocelyn L.

Yelp
I heard about this place from Santa Cruz Eater a few years ago, and was eager to try it, as the owners are the same as Penny Ice Creamery. It looked like a really cute spot next to the Boardwalk! The menu was a little disappointing. It was a short list of unexciting breakfast items and sandwiches, neither of which seemed super enticing. It's also a to-go shop with pre-made ready to go salads, beverages, etc. I ended up getting the made to order Roasted Chicken Sandwich, the Roasted Turkey Sandwich, and the Avocado Toast to share. I thought the sandwiches were decent, but nothing special or worth returning for. The bread wasn't even toasted. However, the quality of the meats was good. Avocado toast was okay, but it was the same bread as the sandwiches, so it basically tasted like an open faced sandwich minus the meats. Also there were more toppings on the avocado than the avocado itself. This place seems very kid friendly, but at the same time they were not. They didn't have any high chairs, which was a little annoying. Service was very friendly though. Ambiance was charming with a diner set up, picnic tables, and one booth. Some of the bar seating is facing the Boardwalk too, with great lighting. There's also outdoor seating, which was not covered, and looked hot and too sunny. Just invest in some umbrellas or an awning? Easy metered parking in the area. I did appreciate that at least they had Penny's ice cream right in the same shop, which was a perfect lead in to dessert. I definitely won't return, nor would I recommend this to any friends. I was a bit disappointed too that our one meal in Santa Cruz was at a mediocre place like this.

Clover E.

Yelp
Wide selection of offerings, from coffee and pastries to lunch items. Been a bit hit and miss on our visits. We love Verve coffee, on offer here. Brought friends for lunch and for breakfast (we live in walking distance in Midtown). With the busy summer crowds, the place gets a bit run down and not as clean as I'd like. Service, too, can be friendly at times, and disinterested at others.

Leah Y.

Yelp
This is such a cute little place to grab a quick lunch if you are at the boardwalk and don't want to pay for overpriced food. Everything is reasonably priced and portioned, and the area is clean, welcoming, and vibrant. The staff is also very friendly, and will deliver your food to your table after you have ordered at the counter. I tried one of their ready made Mediterranean Bowls ($14) and it was really good. There were a lot of toppings and I felt like the size was enough to make quite a filling salad. The flavors blended really well together, and the ratio of each topping was just right. My friends got the turkey, avocado and cheese sandwich ($14.50) and they all loved it. They all liked the freshness of the ingredients and the amazing flavor. We all finished our meals and walked out of the restaurant feeling good. I really appreciate how they have good food with quality ingredients for a reasonable price. I recommend coming here if you want a quick light lunch with quality and great taste without having to spend an absurd amount of money at the boardwalk and still get mediocre greasy food.

Sunitha G.

Yelp
I reeeeeally wanted to like this place, but my overall experience just wasn't worth the time and money spent here. I loved the layout of the place and liked that they had cold, ready-made food items available for grab and go, but the hot food is where it was disappointing along with one staff member in the front who didn't seem to be interested in interacting with anyone. It was a slow morning, the place had one other person sitting outside but we weren't greeted and when we asked questions, the response was so vague. The menu doesn't have descriptions of what is included in the food items but I gave it the benefit of the doubt and ordered what I was already very familiar with; a breakfast burrito with bacon and avocado with a hot chai. Also got a smoothie of the day to share, but again, I had no idea what that was going to consist of. Getting my burrito, I was surprised by how it looked. There was mainly red cabbage, beans and I'm assuming it was egg whites? Maybe it was a type of cheese, I honestly couldn't tell and, of course, the added bacon and avocado. It was different but I kept an open mind and tried it. I unfortunately just didn't care much for it. There wasn't much taste and the texture of it just wasn't very pleasant for me. The salsa helped a bit but again, not much flavor there either. The chai was spicyyyyy lol I grew up drinking chai and there just wasn't a balanced taste but maybe others like that extra kick from the spices. The smoothie tasted very chalky and I was expecting to taste something more refreshing. Overall, I think this is a place for someone who might be more interested in health and diet concerns towards food. For the price and taste, I personally wouldn't come here again, maybe for the ready-made food but nothing from their actual menu, unfortunately.

Chris L.

Yelp
Breakfast burrito with avocado was pretty good. Staff hella friendly. Food takes a little bit to come out but be patient it's worth it. It gets busy with tourists but it's a good spot. Sandwiches sound hella good too. Next time I'll try one.

Summer S.

Yelp
The food was delicious, the location is great, and it's got a unique little vibe to it. Service was great and quick. Love this cute place!

Bobbie Jo D.

Yelp
Good - service. The girl at the counter was super friendly and helped us pick out our meal. They have a ton of snacks for a quick bite on the go. Bad - many of their items and premade (partially or fully) so customization is limited. The amount of meat on the Rueben was very little to the point that you could not even taste it. I would only go back if I was rushing and wanted a quick bite from their ready items in the fridge cases.

Jack S.

Yelp
Love the location of this place. We came here after a morning hike and opted for outdoor seating. The general ambiance is great, and the friendly staff is offering good services. The location is losing stars only because of the quality of the food items. I ordered a breakfast burrito and a smoothie but I feel like both are just bit bland and underwhelming. Maybe that's a taste preference issue, but unless the quality of food improves I don't see myself returning.

Veronica C.

Yelp
We come here anytime we're near the boardwalk, and generally the meals and service have been great. Since the expansion though, things seem more chaotic, and they run out of a lot of menu items. We grabbed a salad from the fridge, ordered a sandwich and a coffee. Service was pretty slow, and even though we got a number, our number was never called out to get our sandwich, and the coffee side kept calling out orders which people were not picking up. It took a while for our order to get called. After we finished our salad, we checked on our sandwich and it had just been sitting on the shelf in the kitchen area in a to-go container, even though we asked it for here. Until they figure out a better system, it may be time for me to check out another lunch spot.

Heather T.

Yelp
Popped in for a quick bite. Kitchen had just closed but they had a nicely stocked grab & go fridge. Ate on the outdoor patio and people watched as we ate. Very friendly staff.

Sarah C.

Yelp
Cleary the location is great. And they do have outdoor seating, which is also always a plus. I got their breakfast burrito and it was ok. I enjoyed that it had cabbage in it, and it was plenty big, but it was a little droopy - like almost felt wet? Anyways, wasn't bad, wasn't life changing. My daughter was very happy that they had Penny Ice Creamery Ice Cream. Who doesn't love ice cream at 11am? I was unimpressed with their service/time management. Seemed like the same person was running the cash register and making drinks so despite the fact that there was only one person ahead of me in line it still took quite a while to order. And then it took over 20 minutes to make my burrito, even though it wasn't particularly busy. I know some people order over the phone, so maybe that's the way to go.

Bob F.

Yelp
A very nice option near the boardwalk, with unique offerings. I have been here a few times and am a little surprised that I have not reviewed it yet. Roasted beet sandwich: 4/5. The last time I was here was pre-pandemic, and this sando was consistently 5/5. It is still very good, just not excellent like it was the last several times. But as with any restaurant the end result can vary based upon who happens to be making it.

Marnie M.

Yelp
Sunny late weekday lunch - parked on the wharf but decided to look for breakfast food. The Frittata sandwich with avocado was so good - very well made, delicious ingredients, fast delivery to our spot outside with a view of the beach. Not a budget lunch, but worth it for the proximity to sun, sand, water and a beautiful day.

Tracy R.

Yelp
This is a order at the counter and they'll bring your food type restaurant. Ambience - typical dingy Santa Cruz boardwalk vibe. A few places to sit inside, a few more outside. Easy enough to take it to go and walk over to the boardwalk. Food - well, better than I expected and probably better than anything on the boardwalk, but - I had the egg salad sandwich and it was crazy salty with a lot going on - had banana peppers in it (why tho) and salad with dressing on the sandwich. Just too much. I could only eat half of it because of the salt and I'm not a health food nut or anything. Bread was good. We also had the avocado toast - avocado was too creamy and it was also fussy - had spinach and seeds or something on it as well as picked onions - and ironically no salt - it was bland. Just too much going on in general. The croissants and coffee were fine.

David D.

Yelp
My partner and I visited on a Saturday mid-morning, having selected this place from Yelp looking for a vegetarian-friendly place near the Boardwalk. The line to order was short and the staff was very friendly. But it took exactly 28 minutes to get half our breakfast -- a burrito. The other half, a yogurt, I had to remind them about 5 minutes later which they produced right away. They were too busy and their tiny kitchen and staff just couldn't handle the rush. At some point the manager, who was there, just needs to say we can't take any more business. The inside dining area was quite small -- enough for maybe three families. Outside was plenty of seating, but it was all in the sun. They installed tarps overhead for shade, but they were all tied up covering only two seats. There were tons of abandoned cups and dishes everywhere and the overflowing trashcan, and neighboring cart, went unattended until we left. With all of that said, the food was absolutely great. If you're going to eat from here, I'd recommend ordering in advance and taking it to go.

Gina M.

Yelp
It's the only option in the boardwalk area that is open at 8am. Went here two times for breakfast. First visit. Ordered the avocado toast, ham and cheese croissant, and toast with jam. Avocado toast had pretty good ingredients but it was a bit overloaded with the pepita and pickled onion. No avocado slices, just guac. Ham and cheese croissant was poorly distributed. Toast that came with the toast and jam was burnt and crispy. Second visit. Ordered frittata breakfast sandwich and plain croissant. Frittata sandwich was pretty tasty. The croissant was burnt, pretty inedible. I guess someone decided toasting the croissant was the same as warming it. I think the food could get better. There were some good flavors, but some of the food wasn't executed very well.

Annabelle R.

Yelp
The setting at this cafe is awesome, it has cute indoor and outdoor seating, and the beach is right across the street. Although, as a result, parking is almost impossible, or expensive, especially on a busy weekend. We ordered food to go, so that we could have a picnic on the beach, and it was perfect. The cafe serves a whole bunch of delectable breakfast items, sandwiches, soups, salads, and desserts, all so tempting that it was hard for me to choose what to get. And they serve the breakfast items in the afternoon as well. They were out of the ham and cheese croissant, so I ordered the fancy pants grilled cheese with added bacon (it was pretty much 3 types of cheese on sourdough). I had to ask what came with a lot of these burritos and sandwiches, because it's not listed on the menu. But the worker was patient and super friendly in explaining and answering our questions and customizing our order as needed. The taste of everything was amazing. The grilled cheese was so flavorful (yes, the perfect combination of cheeses), and the cuts of bacon were thick and crispy with just the right amount of saltiness. It was so satisfying! My friend got the smoked turkey sandwich and the chicken salad sandwich, and those were served with quality ingredients, and phenomenal taste as well.  I would definitely return to try more items on their menu. They put a lot of energy and effort into creating a great experience for customers, and the food we got was top notch. I was really impressed. What a great find!

Kendea A.

Yelp
Sometimes I think back on a "job interview" that I had with these kind folks years ago. I came in, and was immediately encountered with a tone of unprofessionalism. Throughout the entire 2-3 hours that I was there, helping them run their "prep service" the entire team of staff spent their time cracking inappropriate jokes, behaving ridiculously, and simply not, by any means, modeling what would have been considered positive and constructive behavior in the workplace. I recall being goaded, even, into the culture of unprofessionalism that they were purposefully partaking in. I'm sure that there has been overturn of staff, management, who knows, maybe even ownership (though it seems not), by this time. So many years have passed, but with those passing years, gone are the days when rudeness with a smile during service are acceptable, for me, at least. Hire better people. At a certain point during this "interview", I realized that the entire staff simply was not interested in assessing the skill set of me as a potential employee, and was instead interested in having a laugh at my expense. Apologies if this review lacks relevance. By all means, appeal to have it removed. But, to this day, I remember this experience as one of painful rejection during a younger period in my life when interviewing and putting myself out into the world in search of income were daunting tasks. To be met with such a cruel bout of malice was not lost on me, nor has it ever been forgotten. Happy holidays.

Daniel L.

Yelp
A picnic basket was a convenient little stop right below our hotel. Very fast and convenient perfect ambiance right across the street is a beautiful view of the ocean. I actually had the breakfast burrito two days in a row. I really like the purple cabbage and feta. The second day they were out of cabbage and they let me substitute fresh greens which I believe was cilantro,arugula, onions and tomatoes. This is a nice size breakfast burrito perfect for grabbing on the go and hitting the pier or the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. There was a small line early in the morning but it moved fairly fast. The restaurant was cleaning the staff had smiling faces. I've actually been craving this now since I'm gone LOL.

Becki B.

Yelp
Food was good. They put a new spin on classics. Ordered a rueben and to my surprise it came with carrots & spinach on it. Was very good.

Cathe A.

Yelp
Yummy yum yum sandwich in its simple form is good. Does not need any of the fluff just substantial quality ingredients with attentive service. Yelp comes thru again by recommending this place 4.5 stars, I'm giving them 5. We had the Reuben: the carrot slaw, the sourdough bread, grilled to perfection, and the slaw that comes with it, was just what we were looking for after a day in the redwoods! Why the extra 1/3 star, well we ordered the almond butter and jam sandwich for my toddlers. The jam was lemon curd, too tart and mature tasting for my young kids. They were looking for that sweet strawberry jam taste. I gave that feedback to one of the guys, and he whipped up a sweeter jam, but unfortunately the kids still wasn't buying it. But my husband and I loved it!

Ashley K.

Yelp
highs and lows here that i'd overall give a 'good' to. i'm glad we came here for lunch, but they could get a couple things more dialed in. ravenous from a traffic-y drive, we ordered some chips, two sandwiches -- egg salad and smoked turkey -- an iced americano, a macchiato, and a sparkling lemonade. the lemonade had two options, both the same price, either you get a spindrift lemon in a can, or they make you one with mix and sparkling water in a cup. i opted for the in-house option. the person taking our orders was kind, and new. their sandwich board doesn't list all the main ingredients in the sandwiches, fyi, a detail that will be important later... we snarfed our chips while we tried desperately to squeeze into the little bit of shade on the patio. would be awesome if they provided more than the two triangle tarps outside. it's very sunny, and those metal chairs get really hot! the coffee was the most underwhelming part of the experience. the espresso was thin and under-extracted. the milk in my drink was not foamy at all. bit of a bummer there, but i do realize i'm a coffee snob... the sandwiches came and looked great, except, to my surprise, the smoked turkey comes with avocado, which i'm allergic to. because it's an expensive item, i rarely (never?) have had it come unexpectedly. usually, they really want to tell you about it (usually charge you extra) for avocado. but they were super kind about replacing with one without it, and assured me someone would order another soon. the sandwiches were really good, and the light toast on the bread was nice. would recommend! would also love to see the train their barista a little better.

Aidan A.

Yelp
I got a Mediterranean salad over DoorDash, and the whole entire thing was moldy , the whole avocado and the chick peas too, and the lettuce looked like it was a week old , you had to hand pick that out to go for delivery knowing that it had been there at least a week, the sticker was covering the avocado so you couldn't see the mold, yall need to do better

Sabeena B.

Yelp
Love this cute spot down by the boardwalk! The service is always really great with happy and kind staff. I usually get their frittata paninis but this time I got an egg salad sandwich. It was pretty good but they definitely go heavy on the egg salad so be warned! My friend got the BLA with gluten free bread and liked it a lot. He said the gluten free bread was really good compared to others he's tried! Definitely a great lunch spot!

Candise V.

Yelp
Perhaps the nastiest breakfast burrito I've ever had. They forgot the eggs? Or maybe it doesn't come with eggs? The cheese was cold, yet separated like a broken rue. It tasted like vomit. I couldn't get past the second bite, and I'm a veteran who has literally enjoyed fake cheese and crackers as a regular deployment meal. I'm not a picky person. This was inedible.

Henry M.

Yelp
Came in to get wifey a triple shot mocha. They have inside and outside seating and are located across the street from Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk volleyball courts. The service was ok but the prices for my white piece coffee was astronomical at over $7 for a Cup of coffee that wife he described as meh. Nope I will never go back and nope I do not recommend.

Lan T.

Yelp
A beloved Santa Cruz local coffee shop lost its DNA after renovation. Was ownership changed? It has turned into a run of the mill touristy spot with price hike and lowered offering. It is a convenient place to grab something if you don't want to walk far from the Boardwalk area, and the seating by the beach will always be an attraction. But as a local remembering what it was like and knowing so many other better places close by, I would not be interested to visit again.

Tom S.

Yelp
Ultra casual. Not a pretty storefront. Right across from city beach. My sandwich was okay. Tasted fine, bread was good quality. Sloppy construction. Fell apart while I tried valiantly to keep it together. Barbara had a salad. It was quite plain. We were tired and hungry. This light lunch was adequate.

Michael O.

Yelp
Not cheap but worth 100% the money. Came in for a breakfast burrito with bacon and I'm glad I did. The cabbage slaw cilantro mix inside the burrito. Is it tasty twist to a breakfast burrito. Quality ingredients for sure. And polite people to boot. Kind of everything I look for when I'm eating out. I'm really enjoying this. This is definitely one of the if not the best Bfast burrito I've ever had. Thanks.

Robert H.

Yelp
Parking - if you are visiting just for the day then parking will apply, and if you do not arrive early you will likely struggle. You can also look at street parking that uses the ParkMobile app which is friendlier. Service - friendly and outgoing. Food Breakfast burrito - unique take on a breakfast burrito. I think traditional - egg, protein, cheese and potatoes - versus their take which includes cabbage slaw, whole pinto beans, and feta. It is a different flavor profile I would try it because exploring new items is an adventure. Just be warned if you are seeking a traditional burrito Croissants are good Coffee - pretty good but if you want a red eye that is not a term used at the shop. Overall - decent breakfast option when you are on the boardwalk.

melanie l.

Yelp
Seriously hands down, the perfect little spot by the beach. I love that they have organic and vegan options. As a pescatarian/plant-based, this makes me so happy. We arrived on Saturday, placed online order around 10:30 am, and our food was ready within 20-30 minutes. We then brought our food over to the beach, and we all enjoyed it so much. Turkey sandwich for my picky eater. He loved it, compared it to his last chicken sandwich from another place, and he said this is way better 10x more than that chicken sandwich (and cost less). A beet sandwich was my order, and I can't stop dreaming of it. I'm going to try to recreate it this weekend at home. The lemon chickpea spread was terrific!!! The beet is roasted to perfection. Avocado toast is not your average avo toast either. The hubs loved it so much. It looked perfectly seasoned with a bunch of greens and pickled onions. Market salad, so glad this is what we ended up ordering, honestly. Talk about the perfect salad. So refreshing and satisfying!

Lucas P.

Yelp
We ordered the Reuben and the chicken salad sandwich and both were fantastic! Staff was great and we loved the food. We're from New York so seeing a Reuben with pickled carrots and spinach on it was a little surprising but it was a great fresh and elevated take on the classic sandwich. Will definitely be back if I'm in the area!

Frank H.

Yelp
Location 4/5 Ambiance 4/5 Service 5/5 Food 2/5 The flavors on the food were good but the ratio of chicken salad to greens in the chicken salad were thoroughly disappointing. There was a layer of avocado spread which was good then a tiny thin layer of chicken salad and then a heaping pile of greens. When I want a chicken salad sandwich I want to be able to taste the chicken salad but I really just got salad in this sandwich which was disappointing. The yogurt was good and the fruit preserves were really nice but it ended up being really runny and more of a soup than a yogurt parfait. I drank it and it tastes good but I didn't get the consistency or mouth of a yogurt parfait that I wanted. Location, vibe, service are all nice but I came here to eat and the food was kinda lackluster.

Jay P.

Yelp
OK spot for breakfast, the best thing is convenient location and early hours. They are open at 7 am and I arrived around 7:14, they were still setting up so if I would wait until 7:20 when they are more prepped and ready to go. House Chai: House made from ingredients from Penny Ice Creamery. Had a rich, impactful flavor. I want to say there was a nice heavy hit of cloves. I'm not sure what options I didn't click on right but the drink I got didn't have the nice appearance that matched the menu picture. Roasted chicken sandwich: Roasted chicken salad, avocado, turmeric pickled onions, homemade mayo, grainy dijon, dressed lettuces and toasted Companion Bakeshop bread. My wife loved this, she likes a lot of vegetables and this was packed. My critique is it was so big you couldn't eat it properly, you either have to smash it and get soggy bread or bite into it and have half of it fall out. Tasted good but eat it with a fork and knife. Almond Butter and Jelly sandwich: For the kids, may have read the menu wrong but it was almond butter mostly, didn't taste any jelly with it. My wife also enjoyed this but my kids weren't used to the taste and we had to force them to eat it. We had a yogurt parfait as well that wasn't included, my wife was upset I didn't check the bag before I left but it was stapled shut and felt heavy enough to have all of our items.

Sake C.

Yelp
Ordered the breakfast burrito and ham & cheese on baguette sandwich. The burrito was good, even though it was a vegetarian burrito with beans instead of meat. You can add meat for an additional charge if you would like. The salsa that came with the burrito was a great complement. Also ordered a mocha and latte drink, both coffee drinks were just mediocre. Nice outdoor seating facing the beach and wharf.

Nerissa D.

Yelp
This restaurant is right downstairs from our hotel and was very convenient. While we waited for our order we soaked in the sun and the awesome view. Staffs: were friendly, helpful and very knowledgeable of their menu Food: avocado toast for me. It was delicious and such a huge portion. I can only eat one slice my daughter ordered the frittata panini and added avocado slices. She said it was cooked just right and it was delish. Price: just right for the view and portions. If there's a table available outside, you can eat there and enjoy the view or go to across. Thank you to the staff!

Joe B.

Yelp
They used to be very tasty, what happened?! They now put Dijon mustard on their pesto panini....wtf? So gross, who does that? Also, bathroom was completely out of soap...I guess I know why I got diarrhea 2 hours after eating here. Avoid.

Matthew T.

Yelp
My wife and I stopped in here for a late lunch while in SC. There was no line. It's an order up front and they bring you your food. My wife got the salad and it was fine. Picture attached. I got the chicken salad sandwich. I like it. They did have beer and wine. The seating is in the sun, shade in several spots too, which is nice.The place is no frills. They were very nice. But not sure I'd go out of my way to go back. But if I was in the area it seems like a quick easy safe bet.

Cecilia M.

Yelp
Always busy! But worth the wait. You're going to be paying more than it's worth, but that's expected for being right next to the boardwalk. It's nice to have some healthy options after a day of amusement park treats.

Joi S.

Yelp
Great vegetarian sandwich, they were fast, outdoor shade, good customer service AND great ice cream.

Kevin L.

Yelp
Terrible service. Ordered Togo and I came 5 minutes early according to the "ready" time. I let the hostess know my order number and who it's for and was told it wasn't ready. 25 minutes later after people coming into the restaurant and ordering we're receiving their food I proceeded to ask about mine again. Apparently it was ready for 15 minutes prior with no name being called. The hostess saw me sitting in front of the window right next to the ordering station the whole time I was there and made eye contact with me numerous times. The staff cared about upcoming dates and what party they were going to later rather than helping me with my order. My food was cold and children were upset I had to order from another establishment close by. Wast

Amy E.

Yelp
Delicious food. Was grateful to have high quality, fresh & healthy food options near the boardwalk!

Christine C.

Yelp
This place was okay. For a restaurant so close to the boardwalk, you'd imagine a few more kid friendly options. The adults in our group wanted salads and the kids ordered grilled cheeses which .... Were weird. It almost was like cheese curds on bread. My eight year old promptly rejected it. The beer sandwich was... interesting. The Reuben was good. Salads were fine. Definitely healthier than other places but not good enough to come back. The service was excellent though!