Very welcoming staff, cozy vibes and good food. Me and my family came in on a Saturday morning. Prices weren't bad at all with big portions of food, will definitely come back. read more

We drove by here last weekend and thought it was such an adorable little cottage cafe. We ended up canceling our breakfast plans in Santa Cruz and came back this way to try this spot. It did not disappoint. Prices were fair and the food was filling and delicious. We ordered: (2) Basic breakfasts A mini pancake meal Kids French toast and eggs. Everyone left will full bellies. Loved how cozy it was and the staff was attentive. Will definitely be returning. read more

Tiny little hole in the wall on the corner of a busy downtown Capitola thoroughfare-but great home style breakfast options and reasonable prices. I'd go back again specifically for the "capitola chaos" which is essentially a packed-with-all-the-best-stuff omelet. read more

Avenue Cafe - Capitola Chaos - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

Hole in the wall, intimate, a neighborhood gem! Came here early morning to beat the crowd. They offer a variety of breakfast dishes at reasonable prices. Our order was pretty mainstream - pancakes, french toast, hashbrowns, bacon, and rancho huevos. Food came out in a timely fashion and it was decent. The coffee, however, was not good. The wait staff was super nice and attentive. Limited seating inside but they also offer outdoor patio seating. I love the vibe of this cafe, simple. read more

Great place for breakfast! Special omelette with spinach, mushrooms and sausage. Florentine omelette, Machaka scramble with beans and tortillas and veggie omelette. Fantastic service. Good parking across the street. We'll be back!! read more

We stopped here for brunch this morning because it was recommended by a friend and we are so happy we did! It was a busy Saturday but we were seated pretty quickly. Their wait staff was very friendly and attentive. We each got a different order of the eggs benny and they were all so good! We tried the hash browns and home fries and like the hash browns more but the potatoes were tasty too. They have a ton of juice options for mimosas and were reasonably priced. I would definitely come back again when in town and would highly recommend! read more

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Found another cute and quaint breakfast/lunch spot in a great little neighborhood because of yelp! I came here with my family (5 total) and were were sat within 15 minutes. They serve fresh and authentic food in traditional breakfast, lunches, and as well as Mexican dishes. The Avenue Cafe Capitola is family owned and you can eat-in or take-out (I did see people taking orders to go). They also have a bar eating area (not and alcohol bar) that has three seats where you can eat if you happen to be by yourself. The restraunt itself is super small but not crammed. It actually looks like it used to be a home. Parking is easy and is available across the street. We had no issues finding parking on a Friday summer morning. We all tried something different and everyone enjoyed their food. Every plate was cleaned and no food left on them....all 5 plates! I took pics of 3 plates and we all started eating and I didn't have a chance to take pics of the other two plates....another scramble and the Capitola Chaos. The food was made with all the freshest ingredients available. You could taste that and also see that the items were super fresh. The service was great, the staff was friendly, and we had someone following up with us consistently. It was a very clean and relaxing restaurant. We didn't feel rushed at all. We all agreed we'd be back when we were in the Santa Cruz/Capitola area again. read more

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Excellent customer service and cute little cafe in Capitola. Open Wednesday- Monday 8:00 -2:00 and closed Tuesday's. Breakfast is served all day. They are known for their eggs Benedict, but we decided we wanted lunch. I had the The Avenue Quesadilla with flour tortilla filled with cheese, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms and lettuce served with a heaping amount of guacamole and sour cream and I added chicken. My husband ordered the grilled chicken sandwich with mayonnaise, lettuce tomatoes and a good size portion of french fries... Very delicious. We also ordered a bloody Mary that was pretty darn good considering we are bloody Mary snobs.. lol.. bravo on the Bloody Mary drinks... great food. Will come for breakfast next time. read more

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Our final meal before leaving Santa Cruz. We picked a good one. Warning: Don't come here on the weekend if you're on a time budget. They seemingly make everything to order. Worth it if you want a relaxing delicious breakfast setting. So, a decent wait time for your food. I ordered the carnitas benedict, and the chocolate chip pancakes on the side based on our server's recommendation. The Carnitas was cooked perfectly, and you could not find a better example of egg poaching. My babe's smoked salmon benedict was just as good...I assume so, as she downed it so quickly she forgot to offer me a bite. Also...they are dog friendly. I enjoyed playing with a bulldog puppy while waiting for my food, and later a husky came. As we love dogs, it added to the atmosphere. Highly recommended, but with wait and fresh food, be prepared to spend close to two hours during weekend breakfast hours read more

Avenue Cafe - Carnitas benedict - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

Lovely place. Small venue in a former house, with an open kitchen and outdoor seating. The breakfast menu has a great mix of dishes, and prices are very reasonable for the area. We tried their chorizo avocado eggs benedict and salmon benedict, and both were prefect portions and great preparations. The eggs were poached very well. We will definitely be back! read more

Came here with my family on a Thursday for brunch and we got outdoor seating right away! We ended up getting the smoked salmon Benedict and I personally really loved the fresh taste of the salmon! The sauce and the avocado also added to the nice taste of the dish, and the hash browns were decent but a little on the less crunchy side. The portion sizes were small but good for one person to be satisfied. The service was a little slow and we didn't get some things unless we asked twice. read more

Avenue Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

I've been coming to this restaurant for several years. During the pandemic this restaurant changed ownership. There were times when they were allowed ' take out only'. Other times take out and patio dining. Lucky for me they've continued on. I was able to get a table without waiting. The menu was has been the same. The food was delicious and the service good. My usual is the Bacon and Avocado Benedict. The other dish was Huevos a la Mexicana: eggs, tomatoes, onions, bell pepper with retried beans , small salad, warm tortillas. read more

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I really liked the Mexican breakfast options here at Avenue cafe. I love chilaquiles and so I ordered that and a Benedict with carnitas. Yum! Such nice fusion. I loved the carnitas Benedict. I wanted the chilaquiles a specific way and the waitress said she could make it that way next time. We changed tables a bunch for our dog, and the waitress was super accommodating. If you're feeling like a Mexican breakfast, I'd highly recommend it. Very fast service! Very efficient. read more

Less than a mile from the beach, Avenue Cafe sits on the corner Capitola Ave and Riverview Drive. First off, there is ZERO parking, so don't you dare try and get takeout without a partner. It is a tiny lot off of a one-lane road and especially on weekends, you shouldn't count on curbside parking anywhere nearby. Breakfast Burrito Scrambled eggs, onions, tomatoes, avocado, sour cream on the side and choice of: bacon, ham, turkey or chorizo. I chose bacon (don't twist my arm) - probably too much egg, which overwhelmes the other ingredients, but the burrito is sizeable too. Also comes with home fries or hash browns so you can probably skip lunch after this (which we did not, see below) Mari's Pesto Chicken Wrap Bulky sized burrito in green tortilla - grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, onion, swiss cheese and bell pepper. On the healthier side, for sure, with good proportions of veggies, meat and cheese, but can be a messy experience too. The breakfast potatoes on the side are crispier than the home fries and compliment the wrap nicely. The Club Bacon, ham, turkey and cheese. Everything is fresh and the bread is nicely toasted - the bacon is a thick cut and its saltiness dominates flavors from the other meats. It's okay, not out of this world. The interior seating space is limited, but filled with natural light, very charming and quaint. This would be a perfect place to stroll to if say, you were already staying in downtown Capitola, but if not, make sure you factor in the logistics into your timeline. read more

My California visits always contain a visit to Capitola. It was a big part of my life growing up and I want my kids to experience some of the fun I did. Avenue Cafe is a great experience with just a short walk off the strip. More than likely you will have to wait a little for a table, but it moves pretty quick. As you wait outside, the crowd is always pleasant and the fresh aroma of wonderful food sneaks out when the door opens. The staff here is incredible, they are attentive and fast. The food here is beyond incredible, it's super incredible. My wife's Eggs Benedict was made to perfection and my order of Carnitas Machaca con Huevos was like magic on a plate. The place is clean, the bathrooms are clean, crowd and ambiance are exactly what you would expect from Capitola. When eating here, its like you're eating at friends house with a bunch of neighbors you don't know. Avenue Cafe is a permanent destination when I visit Capitola and I recommend you give it try if you ever in the area. read more

Avenue Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

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Thankfully on a Sunday morning we didn't have to wait to long to be seated for two. They have outdoor dining and two tables inside to be seated. I got one of the eggs Benedict and hash browns. My boyfriend got I believe an omelette and chose the roasted potatoes. I would definitely pick the potatoes over the hash browns next time. Great place and service! read more

Avenue Cafe - Eggs Benedict and hash browns - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

I don't understand why this place is rated so high. My wife and I came here after visiting Aptos and thought we'd give it a shot. We got seated and were immediately asked what we wanted to drink. I said "cappuccino" but didn't realize they didn't have an espresso machine. My bad! I think they must have thought I was a pretentious prick for trying to order that, but it was an honest mistake. I then proceeded to clearly ordered "Classic Benedict w/hash browns" and when my food came the hash browns were missing. I asked the server where my hash browns were and she said: "You didn't specify that you wanted hash browns or country potatoes". I shouldn't have even asked for them since they weren't crispy at all. Didn't even look like they used oil to fry them. We felt rushed the whole time and the wait staff had an overall bad attitude. Food was also subpar and the Benedict lacked the lemony taste you expect from hollandaise. read more

Went for breakfast/brunch and ordered the Southern Benedict. Found a piece of yarn in my egg benedict. Ruined my appetite.

I just love local places. Especially ones that are walking distance from my home, and family-owned. we just bought a little place off Riverview and were so excited to try all of the local restaurants. So far, most of our experiences have been fabulous. I so wanted to love this place. Gave it a star for being clean and a star for politeness. It breaks my heart that this place can't figure out their service model during Covid times. I've heard such great things, but I also heard that it may be under new ownership? That might explain it. First, my husband and I ordered tea. We got hot water, but the wrong tea. By the time they brought the right tea, our hot water was cold. That's OK, that happens. But my son never got his lemonade. And the server never came to check on us, so it felt a little weird having to debate if we break their written rule of not getting up from your table once seated. We finally decided to let my nine-year-old son break that rule because after 10 minutes, they still hadn't brought the butter and syrup for his pancake. He had to go on a scavenger hunt for some syrup. I was finally able to flag down a bus boy and ask for some butter. It came cold, and his pancakes had become cold, too, so it was a bit disappointing. But the pancakes themselves were totally decent. We were also finally able to get one cup of water for the three of us. It was a small cup, only half full, and it tasted kind of funny, like dishwater. We decided that we could just get something to drink on the walk home. I asked if the huevos rancheros were good. The server said they were excellent. Well, I would give them a 5 out of 10. Mostly salsa on a tortilla, and 60% of the plate was refried beans. But totally edible with some salt and Tapatillo. My husband's Every Day Special chicken fried steak was small and not properly prepared (not pounded out) but he said it was fine. Home fries were also OK. But his over easy egg was raw, and he couldn't eat a lot of his dish because it was covered in raw egg whites. There was a long line of people outside waiting by the time we finished our meal. We sat for quite a few minutes hoping that someone would bring us a bill. We hate to leave people waiting. My husband had to finally get up and go to the register and asked to pay. I noticed that, except for one other table, the restaurant was empty. So, it struck me as sort of strange that they would let all those people line up around the corner outside and not make an effort to prep any tables. Perhaps they were missing half of their staff? Please take my review as pandemic-specific, and give this place another shot when things return to normal. We are all struggling together during this time. I just think that if a business is going to open for service, they should offer something that is within their ability to fulfill. I feel like we're taking a risk every time we venture out, and many businesses have done an amazing job of making it work and giving struggling, hard-working people a paycheck. We are still looking for a good breakfast place close to our new home. read more

Avenue Cafe - What we got when offered earl grey - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

Small place, good food, fast service. You walk right in to the seating area. There were tables open so we sat right down. Once tables were full, people signed the waitlist and waited outside. I ordered French Toast and eggs, my husband goth the biscuits & gravy. My husband commented that the gravy was thinner than he was used to, (more like hollandaise sauce), but overall tasty. He loved the coffee and drank 3 cups! The sever rounded quite often to fill his cup. My husband likes coffee stronger than most and usually complains that restaurant coffee is weak, so he was pleased. I would definitely come back and try one of their Mexican breakfasts. I have my eye on the chiliquiles verde, yum! I definitely recommend! read more

Avenue Cafe - Biscuits and Gravy - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

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The family came for breakfast here on Thursday morning, mostly because we needed to leave early and it was the only place open before 9, so we tried something new. This place is definitely a case for not trying new things. The only one of us who enjoyed their food was my picky teen, who usually sticks to chicken strips or french toast. So honestly, I'm not surprised she liked the breakfast sandwich, as it was worse than something I could make at home. Store bought english muffin, bacon, overcooked egg. That's the whole thing. The spouse and I both gave their Mexican breakfast a try. And were promptly disappointed. My spouse said his chorizo breakfast burrito was completely bland except for the bottled hot sauce he had to add to it. My chilaquiles were also disappointingly bland. Even with the addition of carnitas, the salsa verde was just so meh. And it was heavy on the eggs, light on the chips, so it had almost no crunch left by the time it got to me. The beans were pretty ok. In addition to the lackluster food, the service was pretty awful. Very polite, but extremely slow. Like water cups sitting empty for 60% of the meal slow. Lastly, what kind of highway robbery is allowed when they can charge $2.99 for a single can of soda, no refills, no warning on the menu that they are going to rob you that way. At least my coffee came with refills. We didn't even bother asking about the hot chocolate after learning about the soda. Unless they are buying their cans straight from the Safeway, there is no justification for a $2.99 can of soda. And if they are, they need to get smarter about their business. My impression while we were there is that people come for the alcoholic breakfast beverages and then fail to notice how terrible everything else is. The next time we need to grab breakfast before 9am, I am definitely not coming back here. For $50, we got the calories needed to start the day, and literally nothing else. read more

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I don't normally review places after only one visit but Avenue Cafe is just so charming... Based on Yelp reviews, we had the Capitola Chaos and Smoked Salmon Avocado Benedict. We weren't disappointed -- yum. The Capitola Chaos is scrambled eggs with bacon, mushrooms and fries inside (yes, fries!) It's served with sour cream, tomatoes, green onions, and avocado. The hollandaise sauce on the benedict was perfect; creamy with just a hint of lemon. The smoked salmon was tasty but maybe a tad salty. I would definitely get it again but I'd like to try the Carnitas Benedict as well. Avenue Cafe doesn't take reservations and is packed on the weekend but you can get in without too long of a wait on weekdays. It's open for breakfast and lunch on Wed through Mon but not on Tues. One more thing: everyone working there is really conscientious and very nice. read more

Avenue Cafe - Smoked salmon benedict - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

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We always pass by this quaint cottage looking cafe but never got to try until last weekend. There's also always a huge line so we weren't able to try it. We ordered the famous smoked salmon Benedict and a veggie scramble. The veggie scramble was good and had lots of vegetables! The Benedict turned out a little smaller than pictured posted on yelp. We wished there was more cause it was so delicious! We also ordered a cup of clam chowder which was super creamy and flavorful! read more

Avenue Cafe - Veggie scramble and Benedict - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

Good service - we ordered the Capitola Craze ( omelette ) and it was good. I like that there's free street parking as well. Place is small and cute. Will def come back read more

Avenue Cafe - a christmas tree in the corner of the room - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

Avenue cafe was a gem of a find with a breakfast craving and the fully came thru for a group of four people they had something for everyone. They server has Sandy and she was amazing with the best recommendations that did not disappoint. From the carnitas egg Benedict, country fried steak and traditional steak. Everything was awesome! read more

April 2, 2023. I had heard that the Avenue Cafe in Capitola by the Police station had improved since they changed hands. So went back. When they changed hands about 2 1/2 years ago, we gave them 3 tries, and decided never to go back again. They were amazing, then they were awful. So the good news is that service is way better, main parts of meals is mostly better. I ordered smoked salmon and avo eggs Benedict. My wife ordered scrambled eggs and a sausage patty. I took one bite of the hash browns and immediately sent them back expecting to get something edible. Both my wife's and my hasbrowns were basically mush. Like fried mashed potatoes. I poked into my eggs and the yolks were entirely cooked. I summoned a server and she had the audacity to say they are supposed to be like that. Now that is OMG frustrating. Fortunately they came back immediately with properly cooked eggs and the entire dish was delicious. As far as the hash browns, they came back just as bad or worse than before. I talked to the guy who seemed to be in charge and showed him the potatoes, and he apologized and said they should never be like that ever. I was a bit surprised he didn't knock a penny off the bill, but whatever. Just surveying around the establishment, the plates with hashbrowns seemed to have basically uneaten hashbrowns. I don't like home fries, so I try not to go to places that don't do good hashbrowns for breakfast. read more

Avenue Cafe - Amazingly awful hashbrowns. Can't even call them that. Even the bit way in the back is mushy. - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

Service is fantastic here even when they're super busy. It's a very homey feeling place, and you can tell the employees care. The food was absolutely delicious, better than I was expecting as a first time customer. I'll definitely be back! read more

Cute little breakfast and brunch place on the street heading to the beach. Service and food quality were excellent. Would definitely recommend. read more

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Excellent food and service, the cafe is adorable and quite quaint. Staff was very attentive and just a few minutes away from the beach.

2? 1? Does it make much of a difference? Any place on Yelp not getting 4 or 5 is really not worth it. This place was not worth it. Arrived about 10 on a Monday morning. Only a handful of customers with 2-3 waitresses working. We saw our waitress exactly four times. First to seat us. Second to take our order. Third to drop off food. Fourth to bring the check. That's it. Never came to refill water or coffee. Never to ask how the food was or anything like that. Never came back to collect the check. I had to take it inside to get my change. Usually I can see why a place would get 4.5 stars even when I don't like it, but I honestly don't see it. If this place is 4.5 stars, I can't imagine how bad the other places in Capitola are that have 3-4 stars. Yikes! The food was fine. Just fine. read more

This is a tiny very popular local breakfast spot just a tiny walk away from the capitola esplande/main beach. Parking is street only which means there is no parking. Just across the street however is a massive public parking lot. Inside the space is tiny. If you are by yourself, or there's just two of you the odds are you'll be by the front door which never gets closed, otherwise you'll be farther in which reduces the odds of getting constant elbows to the head as the closer to the door you are, the greater the jostling. There will be waits at times. Service is spot on, lush even. The staff are pros and work seamlessly as a team, but the real high point is the food. This is an excellent full breakfast spot. I had country fried steak and eggs. the spouse went with hard fried eggs, grilled onions with cheese and an extra order of toast heavily buttered (I know, I know. I married a crazy person.). The orders came out without any real delay, and were impeccable in every way. Very well made and exceptionally tasty.The gravy unusually for the area, was extraordinarily good. Pricing -depending on choices made is well within the area standard of fifteen to twenty dollars a plate depending on choices made, and has good verging on great veg options. So. A tiny, cozy, busy spot with full on heavy breakfasts impeccably made. Not worth it if you are in a hurry, but for a luxurious breakfasts near the beach it's impossible to beat. read more

Was told to call Antonio to set up large order for my hotel guests. I called and he was very rude to me, then hung up. I would steer clear of this restaurant. Does not look good for the organization I represent. read more

First time trying this spot. Overall, it was pretty good. The service especially was attentive and helpful. The poached eggs for the eggs Benedict were over cooked and the home fried were over cooked and lacked seasoning. The hollandaise sauce was spot on! And, the scrambled eggs were good. read more

Delicious delicious -- Quality & quantity were perfect. I was afraid of typical large portions served everywhere. It wasn't here. It was the right quantity for us We ordered the Capitola Chaos, & Dani's Breakfast Sandwich. Very very good. Will definitely come back read more

Great spot. Open early, 7:30 on a Wednesday. Had gluten free toast and great service.

One of my favorite places to get breakfast! Cute quaint little cafe, very friendly service and food has always been really good! Definitely recommend this spot! read more

Avenue Cafe is the best place to get breakfast in Capitola hands down! They have so many options at such affordable prices. The huevos rancheros with carnitas are soo flavorful and good. 10/10 read more

Coffee, spicy Bloody Mary, Bacon Avocado Eggs Benedict, all delicious. Came early 8:30 and sat right down! If you're in town give this place a try! read more

Avenue Cafe - Bacon Avocado Eggs Benedict- some of the best I've ever had! - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

Stopped here for brunch while staying in the area. The wait time was over an hour (as expected on a Sunday morning) but there was outdoor seating and benches to sit at while we waited. The breakfast food was delicious and reasonably priced. They also have a brunch cocktail menu. I got the sangria and it was absolutely delicious. The waitress we had was absolutely amazing. They didnt have iced coffee on the menu but she did her best to get one made for me. I'll definetly be back! read more

Avenue Cafe - Sangria - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

This place is a small restaurant. While I enjoy places that are quaint, I was not too impressed by the food. I enjoyed the Florentine Benedict as what it should taste like. My partner had omelette chaos but he did not enjoy it because the eggs were too well done and his coffee didn't taste good. He thinks it's probably the water. He had to put creamer which he does not do regularly. Customer service was okay - delayed drinks, delayed check, and server didn't come check on us until the very end. Overall 3 stars due to my eggs Benedict being good and my partners was not good. Perhaps they were having an off day? read more