Highest-rated cafes in the Santa Cruz area by diners
From the first coffee houses in the Ottoman Empire to Boston's famed London Coffee House, cafes have always been an egalitarian place to gather, sip, and share ideas, many of which have changed the world.
During the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, cafes regularly entertained the likes of Voltaire, Rousseau, Thomas Jefferson, and Isaac Newton. Later, Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre would spend hours in cafes, pondering their works and holding court alongside other intellectuals.
Needless to say, coffee and cafes beget some revolutionary ideas; sipping a cup may even be a political act. When settlers dumped tea into the Boston Harbor to send a message to the British in 1773, tea became a British loyalist's drink, and coffee became a popular substitute.
Boston's London Coffee House, which had opened nearly 85 years earlier, was soon renamed the American Coffee House. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Merchants' Coffee House hosted the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Paul Revere.
Many other coffee shops steeped in history abound in the United States, including New York City's Caffe Reggio. Founded in 1927, it was the first to serve cappuccino in the country. New Orleans' Cafe du Monde, founded in 1862, is a fixture in the French Quarter for its coffee and beignets.
Whether it's for a cup of Joe, a heady conversation, or simply a place to start the day, cafes have become landmarks of our daily lives. But where's the best one to find refuge and that perfect caffeinated cup near you?
compiled a list of the highest-rated cafes in the Santa Cruz area based on diners' reviews on as of February 2025. Cafes with at least 20 reviews tagged as "coffee" on Yelp within a 10-kilometer radius of Santa Cruz were included. As a result, some cafes featured may primarily serve other items besides coffee and tea. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than 25 locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.
Keep reading to see if your favorite cafe made the list!
#30. Gayle's Bakery & Rosticceria
- Rating: 4.2/5 (2091 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 504 Bay Ave. Capitola, California
- Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
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#29. Stevenson Coffee House
- Rating: 4.2/5 (34 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1156 High St. Stevenson College Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Internet Cafes
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#28. Mr Toots Coffeehouse
- Rating: 4.2/5 (466 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 231 Esplanade Capitola, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#27. Verve Coffee Roasters
- Rating: 4.3/5 (257 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 104 Bronson St. Ste 19 Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries
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#26. The Abbey
- Rating: 4.3/5 (439 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 350 Mission St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Music Venues
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#25. 11th Hour Coffee
- Rating: 4.3/5 (70 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 402 Ingalls St. Ste 19 Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#24. Firefly Coffee House
- Rating: 4.3/5 (630 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 131 Front St. Ste A Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Bagels
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#23. People's Coffee
- Rating: 4.3/5 (136 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1200 17th Ave. Unit 130 Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Empanadas
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#22. Cafe Delmarette
- Rating: 4.3/5 (372 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1126 Pacific Ave. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
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#21. Cat & Cloud
- Rating: 4.3/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 10 Parade St. Ste A Aptos, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#20. Hidden Peak Teahouse
- Rating: 4.4/5 (168 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1541 Pacific Ave. Ste C Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Tea Rooms, Coffee & Tea, Vegan
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#19. Cat & Cloud Coffee
- Rating: 4.4/5 (187 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 719 Swift St. Ste 56 Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#18. Castelli's Caffe & Deli
- Rating: 4.4/5 (63 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 236 Santa Cruz Ave. Ste A Aptos, California
- Categories: Sandwiches, Delis, Coffee & Tea
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#17. Firefly Coffee House
- Rating: 4.4/5 (62 reviews)
- Address: 1700 Commercial Way Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#16. The Ugly Mug
- Rating: 4.4/5 (261 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4640 Soquel Drive Soquel, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Bakeries
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#15. 11th Hour Coffee
- Rating: 4.4/5 (535 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1001 Center St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries, Cafes
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#14. Mission Hill Creamery
- Rating: 4.4/5 (494 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1101 Pacific Ave. Ste B Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Coffee & Tea, Bakeries
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#13. Felton Donuts & Pastries
- Rating: 4.4/5 (56 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6259 Graham Hill Road Felton, California
- Categories: Bakeries, Donuts, Coffee & Tea
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#12. iCrave
- Rating: 4.5/5 (231 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1601 41st Ave. Ste Q Capitola, California
- Categories: Creperies, Coffee & Tea, Bubble Tea
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#11. Cruise Coffee Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (79 reviews)
- Address: 246 King Village Road Scotts Valley, California
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Bakeries
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#10. Zizzo's Coffeehouse
- Rating: 4.5/5 (164 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3555 Clares St. Ste PP Capitola, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bagels
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#9. Cat & Cloud
- Rating: 4.5/5 (174 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 118 Cooper St. Abbott Square Market Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#8. Cruise Coffee Company
- Rating: 4.6/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 75 Mt Herman Scotts Valley, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#7. Loft Coffee
- Rating: 4.6/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2701 Cabrillo College Drive Bldg 9000 Aptos, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#6. Dunlap's Donuts
- Rating: 4.6/5 (174 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3791 Portola Drive Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea
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#5. Mariposa Coffee Bar
- Rating: 4.7/5 (98 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1010 Pacific Ave. Ste East Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cuban, Vietnamese
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#4. Shrine Coffee
- Rating: 4.7/5 (130 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 544 West Cliff Drive Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Community Service/Non-Profit
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#3. Whisk Cake Creations
- Rating: 4.7/5 (187 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1216 Lincoln Ave. Alameda, California
- Categories: Bakeries, Custom Cakes, Coffee & Tea
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#2. Coffee Conspiracy
- Rating: 4.8/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 1855 41st Ave. Ste F01 Capitola, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries
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#1. Capitola Tap House
- Rating: 4.9/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: 401 Capitola Ave. Capitola, California
- Categories: Kombucha, Coffee & Tea, Breweries
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Rasha Aly and Carren Jao, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 313 metros.
