VEGAN-FRIENDLY EATERIES: Santa Cruz & Soquel, CA
(updated 050201, by Univegan / WorldVeganOrganization)
LEGEND
Ones with ***’s and **’s are most recommended!
Ones with ?’s have been recommended,but should be properly scrutinized.
Ones with more $’s are generally more expensive.
@UCSC = is located on the campus of University of California Santa Cruz
NOTES
Always remember to declare/verify standards (i.e. vegan/organic/allergies) before ordering!
Some employees of these establishments may not know what vegan means, but you can describe to them what you want and don't want, and they can help you.
LISTINGS (alphabetically)
***$Asian Rose (831)423-7906
1547 Pacific Ave. (831)458 3023
Hrs.: Mon-Sat 11:30am-5pm. Closed Sunday.
Good portions. Get there early, as they sell out everyday!
Really the only microwaved food I’ll eat.
They prepare their food at their other restaurant across town, called the Malabar (see listing)
?(The) Bagelry (Bagel Shop & Juice Bar)
1636 Seabright Av 831 425 8550
320 A Cedar St. 831 429 8049
Hrs: Daily 6:30am-5:30pm
Vegan options: soups, salads, sandwiches, cookies, juices.
Outdoor seating.
?$$Black's Beach Cafe(831)475 2232
2-1490 East Cliff Dr.
Breakfast/lunch Sat-Sun 9a-2p; dinner Tue-Sun 5-9.Closed Mon.
Cafe comfort&veget-leaning cuisine
***$Charlie Hong Kong (831)426 5664
1141 Soquel Ave
M-Sun 11a-11p
If you like peanut sauce, I recommend the Gado Gado. White or brown rice. Add tofu, which is quite chickenlike.
$8-9. Less w/o tofu. Can get to go, and it is serious, hot food. You can even call in your order, if you’re pressed for time. They have plenty of other dishes, but I usually get the same thing here. They also have rice bowls for $3-5, for something lighter.
Nice eat-in santa cruz atmosphere, too. And open fairly late. Can get quite busy. Have free self-serve water inside.
Carpo's
2018 Mission St. 831 427 1800
2400 Porter Soq. 831 476 6260
Has a veggieburger, which is supposedly vegan.
You get to dress your own food with their condiment bar.
***$$ Dharma's (831) 462-1717
4250 Capitola Rd.
Open daily, 8am to 9pm, breakfast until noon. $12-18. Offers organic!
Highly Rec. Best vegan ice cream shake around! Try all the flavors!(and mix them!)
Inexpensive fresh salads.
Also have veggieburgers & soups in a pleasant
& clean environment. Also has a variety of tasty vegan treats on the counter, near where you order. Notably, the vegan brownies.
Rec. breakfast burrito that they serve all day, specify vegan, & yes, swap guacamole for whatever it is that's not vegan.
They have free self-refillable water, and lemon slices to make it nicer.
?Emily's (Bakery)
1129 Misson St., (west Santa Cruz)
831 429 9866
Has at least vegan cakes & cookies
?Engfer Pizza Works
Around Seabright
Supposedly has some vegan options
***Falafel of Santa Cruz
1501 Mission, Santa Cruz,.9506
831459 0486 (west Santa Cruz)
open til 9:30 pm on thurs
inexpensive. half a falafel, specified vegan!, is pretty filling. The fries are greasy but great! Soda, iced teas,… The dark burgundy hot sauce in the squirt bottles goes great with the fries and falafels.
$Falafel House(831)459 9770
113 Walnut Ave
Sun-Th 11a-930p,F-Sat 11a-1030p
***The Food Bin (market w/ outdoor garden seating) & Herb Room
1130 Mission St., (west Santa Cruz)
Hours: daily 9a-12midnite. Much readymade vegan food (see back, right fridges)
831 423-5526
Area’s latest open health/decent food store!
?$$-$$$Gabriella Cafe
(?unsure about vegan dishes)
910 Cedar St.
831 457 1677
Hrs. Sun-Thu: 11:30a-3p & 5:30-9:30. Fri&Sat: 11:30a-3p&5:30p-10p. Weekend brunch.
?Hobee's Restaurant
(Cafe Mare) (Italian)
740 Front St. (Galleria)
831 458 1212
?Jahva House(vegetarian cafe)
120 Union St., at Cedar St.
831 459 9876
Open daily 6:30am-5:30pm.
Cash & local checks only.
Vegan desserts.
The Kresge Café
@UCSC, at Kresge College,
(Kresge Proper, at the Town Hall)
Has good breakfast burritos. Be very explicit about the food being vegan. They have tasty and convenient food, but they have been known to occasionally prepare vegan orders incorrectly, and nonveganly.
The Kresge Coop
@UCSC, at Kresge College,
(Kresge Proper)
Has locally made, ready-to-go food, organic produce, fresh tofu, bagels, bulk bins, and a small, friendly atmosphere. Has outdoor seating, and since it’s a little store, you can get away with spending little money. Students can have prepaid accounts, and not have to deal with cash every visit. Non-students are welcome as customers.
Merrill Taqueria
@UCSC, at Merill College
Has a bean burrito that is pretty good, and inexpensive, and some chips and salsa, too. They also have some pickled salsa veggies, at their mini salsa bar, which were unique and filling. This food is more convenient and inexpensive, than it is quality or tasty, honestly.
?Linda's Seabreeze Cafe
542 Seabright Ave., east side of Santa Cruz
Hours: Mon-Sat 6am-2pm. Sun 7a-2p
(busy on Sundays). Cash/check only. No credit/atm cards
Little Shaghai
Cedar St., across from planet fresh.
(vegan can be done here)
***$Malabar Cafe (aka Asian Rose #2)
1116 Soquel Ave
open for lunch&dinner
lunch m-f 11:30a-2:30p
dinner: m-sat 5:30p-close
No credit/atm cards - cash & local checks only.
Small, romantic atmosphere. Any attire ok.
Sri Lankan platter is a good way to taste a variety of their dishes, and could be the best dish in the city. Randomly enough, you are allowed to bring your own wine and drink it at your table. They’ve never even charged to use their corkscrew.
$Mobo Sushi
(specify vegan. Tempura is not vegan. ) Try to talk to chef Kevin, for reservations & specific dishes for vegan. Can get quite busy.
New Beet: see New Leaf @41st
***New Leaf (deli, juice bar, & market )
open 7 days
www.newleaf.com
1134 Pacific Av. (has sm. dining area)
2351 Mission
Begonia Plaza, 1210 41st Ave (831)479 7987 Store: Daily 8a-9p (New Beet )Cafe: Daily 7a -9p
Recommend the deli sandwiches, like the avo jack, no cheese, but anything else vegan $4~5
?Pizza My Heart /crust&sauce ingredients?
***$Planet Fresh(831)423 9799
1003 Cedar St.
M-Sat 11:15-9p, Sun 11a-8p
Great huge burritos (here called wraps), for 3.95. You have to choose the kind of beans (black/pinto), and also white kind of rice (brown, white, spanish). For vegan, don’t get the Spanish rice (brown and white are fine)
Awesome salsa bar.
Although most of the food comes with chips, don’t forget to order an extra side order of chips, because that’s how you can really take advantage of the otherwise free salsa bar.
$$Royal Taj(India)(831)427 2400
210 Soquel Ave
Daily:1130a-230p&530p-10p
$-$$Sabieng (Thai Cuisine)
Nice restaurant. Be careful to ask for vegan dishes.
They had a really good soup, with tofu in it.
1218 Mission St
831 425 1020
***$ Saturn Cafe
145 Laurel
831 429 8505
Vegan nachos! Hot soy Chai!
Plenty else. Fun art atmosphere.
***Staff of Life (BEST MARKET IN CITY! TONS OF EVERYDAY SPECIALS)(deli, salad bar & market - but no seating)
great, quick, inexpensive special-order sandwiches, and all kinds of good food. They even have a noodle bar.
deli 831 423 8041
groceries 831 423 8632
vitamins-cosmetics 831 423 8535 (next door)
Rec. at Deli: (@deli) avo jack, no cheese, but anything else vegan ~$4-5
They have really good tahini dressing in their really good salad bar.
m-f: 8a-9a
sun: 9a-9p
***Pizza Shop at Santa Cruz Metro
has vegan pizza, & you can pay a bit extra & have them put extra sauce on top b4 they put it in the oven, which makes it even better, some would argue. Fairly inexpensive, and convenient.
Thai Basil
210 Monterey Ave. #3
Capitola, Ca 95010
phone (408) 479 8985
fax (408) 479 8950
Really, really small, cute restaurant, in a fun end of town.
Vegan dishes are good, but the pan-fried noodles aren't that great.
**The Walnut Avenue Cafe
106 Walnut Ave.
831 457 2307
(tofu scramble)
serves breakfast til 4pm
?418 Front St.
**The 418 Organic Cafe
418 Front St.
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
818 466 9770
Living foods cuisine, vegan meals, fresh juices.
Also does catering.