PASATIEMPO, CALIFORNIA
is a community that is found within the county of Santa Cruz, and this beautiful relaxed area is a great place to get away from it all. We'd very highly recommend spending a night or two at The Inn at Pasatiempo, and while you are staying there you can visit several of the wonderful eateries and lounges in nearby Santa Cruz that are listed on this page. We have visited these establishments at least once, but usually several times, and all of them have been recommended highly by many people that we know too. When you're coming into the zip code of 95062, make sure you have this list of bars and restaurants easily accessible! These are the best of the best.
♦ Gabriella Cafe ♦
Gabriella Cafe is a really lovely Italian bistro style restaurant that we have visited many times and have always had a really wonderful time here. Their food is all freshly made and so delicious, and the waitstaff really puts in a lot of effort to make sure that you have a great time. They have a noteworthy wine selection here, with many of the local vineyards highlighted on it. The prices are relatively affordable when you consider the very high quality of the food, and the comfortable yet elegant ambiance is definitely a reason all on its own to visit. You can find Gabriella Cafe on Cedar Street between Church Street and Locust Street in Santa Cruz.
♦ Hula's Island Grill ♦
Hula's Island Grill is the place to go for Hawaiian, American, and Californian favorites. The flaming volcano drink for two is one of our favorite reasons to come in here, and it really is on fire! Literally. It's very fun. As far as the food goes, the sweet potato fries are an essential, and we also really love their shrimp rolls and ceviche. Their mango chicken chop chop caesar salad is another thing that we can't get enough of, and their fish tacos are another highlight that you don't want to miss! The location of Hula's Island Grill is on Cathcart Street between Cedar Street and Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz.
♦ Saturn Cafe ♦
Saturn Cafe is a great option in Santa Cruz for the vegetarian and vegan crowds. Everything here could be considered health food, and yet it is really delicious and very tastefully made. Those old ideas about what health food tastes like have gone out the window here! We love it. They've got a butternut soup that's available at certain times of the year that we really enjoy, and their breakfasts and desserts are also really noteworthy. Their vegetarian burgers are one of their specialties and we would very highly recommend them to you! You'll be able to locate Saturn Cafe on Laurel Street between Pacific Avenue and Front Street in Santa Cruz.
♦ Cafe Brasil ♦
Cafe Brasil is another one of our favorite restaurants in nearby Santa Cruz, particularly for their delicious acai bowl! We love it so much that it's the only thing we get here, but our friends assure us that everything else on the menu is just as exquisite. They've got a nice selection of food and drinks here, definitely a wide variety for everybody's tastes, and best of all the service is so friendly and fast. Brazilian food has never been better than this. If you're anywhere near Pasatiempo and Santa Cruz, you have got to check this place out! You'll be able to locate Cafe Brasil on Misson Street between High Street and Limestone Lane Santa.
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♦ El Palomar Restaurant ♦
El Palomar Restaurant has been our favorite Mexican restaurant in the Santa Cruz area for as long as we can remember, partially because of the high quality of the food, but also because of the wonderful ambiance and service. We've had nothing but positive experiences here and our friends have said the same. Their chips and salsa are the best in town, and we love both their pollo and carne dishes. Their fish tacos are also exceptionally good! And we love the fact that they use cabbage in their tacos and burritos. Matter of fact, we're pretty sure they started the trend. You'll be able to locate El Palomar Restaurant on Pacific Avenue between Soquel Avenue and Walnut Avenue in Santa Cruz.
♦ Red Restaurant and Bar ♦
Red Restaurant and Bar is one of the funkiest and most fun places in the Santa Cruz area to just kick back with a great meal and enjoy some drinks. The drinks are a little bit on the expensive side here, but that's typical when you are going to a bar that's a little better than the rest, you know? We don't mind it and we feel that you get what you pay for here. The flaming shots are great, and that's really the perfect drink to go with their red decor. Many people have called this the best bar in town, and we'd have a very difficult time disagreeing with that! You'll be able to locate Red Restaurant and Bar on Cedar Street between Union Street and Locust Street in Santa Cruz.
♦ Chocolate ♦
Chocolate is an exquisite French restaurant that we have been to many times for those elegant special occasions, and we've enjoyed it every time. You can come in for a casual lunch and enjoy their crisp salads and homemade chicken soup, or you can come in later in the evening for a more upscale dining experience to celebrate something special. Their hot chocolates come in an amazing array of flavors, including Mexican hot chocolate, white hot chocolate, dark hot chocolate, and more. Enough said! We highly recommend this place to you! You can find Chocolate on Pacific Avenue between Locust Street and Front Street in Santa Cruz!
♦ Santa Cruz Diner ♦
Santa Cruz Diner, sometimes referred to by the regulars as simply SCD, is one of the more popular choices in Santa Cruz, and for good reason. They've got really large portions here so you'll have plenty to share with a friend or to take home with you. They've got great pho, sandwiches, spring rolls, and even a large array of vegan options! Some call this a greasy spoon but we just call it a great place to stop after a long day at the beach. You will be able to find Santa Cruz Diner on Ocean Street between Blaine Street and Coloma Street. We love it!
♦ Walnut Avenue Cafe ♦
Walnut Avenue Cafe is one of our top breakfast spots in nearby Santa Cruz, but it's really a great place to stop in any time of day for some fresh food and great casual ambiance. It's true that they're always packed, because you can't keep a place this good a secret! People just love it and so so we. Their blueberry pancakes are our favorite thing, and we also love their sauteed shrimp and tomato eggs benedict! If you've got kids they'll probably want to go for the waffles. And the coffee is just superb! The location of Walnut Avenue Cafe is on Walnut Avenue (of course!) near the intersection with Pacific Avenue.
♦ Ristorante Avanti ♦
Ristorante Avanti is one of the nicer Italian restaurants in the area, with a very impressive wine list and really excellent service. It's a relatively small restaurant, but the flavor here is big, and the Italian pottery makes for very eclectic and interesting atmosphere. We love the eggplant parmigiana, but you can't go wrong with anything on their menu. There are some non-Italian options here too in case anybody in your party is in the mood for something a little more American. Just an all around pleasant dining experience and we'd recommend Ristorante Avanti very highly! You can find it on Mission Street between Palm Street and Olive Street.
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