We've walked by this spot many times and decided to finally try it on a recent Friday morning. We…read moregot an "early" start because we've heard this place fills up and were able to get our choice of outdoor tables at about 9 am. We brought our dog, who was welcome outside, but keep in mind that if you have a large dog or one who likes to sniff everyone in the surrounding area, you might want to leave them at home as it's close quarters there. Coffee was delicious and they kept the refills coming. We ordered the Capitola Chaos after seeing many positive reviews, and The Avenue (eggs scrambled with feta, artichoke, and tomato). The eggs came with hashbrowns - super good - and toast. Portions were really big! Everything was tasty. The staff was friendly and attentive. Check this place out for brunch!

We just finished camping at New Brighton Beach campgrounds over the weekend. Before heading home…read morewe decided to eat breakfast at a local cafe in Capitola about 10-15 minutes away from the campgrounds. We arrived at Avenue Cafe on a Sunday morning for breakfast recently. The cafe is located in a nice area down the street from Capitola Beach in downtown Capitola. Paid parking is accessible along the streets and the parking lot across the street. Avenue Cafe is a small, family friendly, local neighborhood cafe. There is a mom and pops vibe to it. The cafe space looks like it was formally a house. They did a great job transforming the space into a nice cozy cafe. The outdoor patio looks inviting. We ordered a mimosa, coffee, country fried steak with sunny side up eggs, smoked salmon avocado eggs Benedict, and an eggs combo with pancakes & bacon. Everything was delicious. The breakfast definitely hit the spot after a long weekend camping. My country fried steak was scrumptious with every bite. The gravy was hearty. The fried potatoes were crispy and tasty. Our son said his pancakes combo was yummy. Overall we enjoyed our experience at Avenue Cafe. The staff were friendly and accommodating. The bustling local neighborhood environment was wonderful. The price point was fair. We hope to be back to try other food items on the menu.

Food: 5 stars. Service: 3 stars…read more The food was excellent and made the visit worthwhile. The staff, however, came across as a bit cold and unfriendly. I get that it's beach time and things move at a different pace, but being a little nicer to customers and visitors would make a big difference. Hopefully next time the service will be as good as the food. EDITED - Saturday, June 20, 2026 I'm updating my review after reading the owner's response. First, I want to clarify that the response appears to be a copy-and-paste message aimed at people leaving negative reviews. If you had actually read my original review, you would have noticed that I never complained about the food, the wait time, prices, staffing, or anything related to the quality of the business itself. In fact, I enjoyed the food and had no issue waiting. I visited on a Thursday, and the café wasn't packed. The owner was clearly working hard, and I respect that. However, when I walked in and said hello, I was completely ignored. There was no greeting, no acknowledgment, and no sense that my business was appreciated. That was the only reason I left a 3-star review in the first place. The response talks about staffing shortages, minimum wage, food costs, and the challenges of running a small business. I understand all of that. Running a business is difficult. But those challenges don't really address the point I was making. A simple "Hi," "Welcome," or even a quick smile costs nothing and goes a long way. I also don't think customers should be made to feel responsible for business challenges such as labor costs or rent. Those are realities of ownership that every business owner has to navigate. That said, after thinking about it, I'm changing my review from 3 stars to 5 stars because the food was genuinely good, and I do support small businesses. My hope is simply that future customers are greeted with a little more warmth and appreciation when they walk through the door. One final thought: when someone leaves a critical review, it may be worth responding directly to their experience rather than posting a generic response. Sometimes there's valuable feedback hidden inside reviews that aren't really about the food at all. I wish you and your business success, and I genuinely hope you continue serving great food for years to come.

We found this hidden gem by accident while walking. As we walked in, we were greeted by a very…read morefriendly gentleman. I ordered a latte with almond milk, and it was made to perfection--smooth, rich, and nicely strong. My husband had a mocha with almond milk, which he also really enjoyed. He added a poppy seed muffin that was served warm and was very good--a nice touch. The inside of the café is cozy and welcoming. We decided to take our coffee to go and sit by the beach, which is just one block away. We will definitely be back."

Go for the breakfast burritos. Nothing else matters. It's a breakfast burrito joint, kk?…read more There is a convenience store there too, but I swear people just go there for the breakfast burritos.... or maybe an occasional coffee or sandwich.

The place really doesn't disappoint. We come a few times a year and today it really hit! The mexi…read morecali was good, but what was really fantastic was the carne asada in the Cali Breakfast Burrito. Incredible and chock-full of meat and goodness! The tortilla is fresh and toasted warm and the fries were nice and crispy which really makes a difference. Couldn't have been happier and you'll likely need to skip lunch!

Friendly and quick. My coffee was delicious. A step above many franchise coffee shops…read more I don't recall the name but it was vanilla cinnamon coffee. Also had the lemonade for my mom and kid. Cute decor. Cozy.

the drinks are actually as good as everyone says. i got the piano man and it was perfectly sweet…read moreonce stirred, and there was good foam and flavor in it. i got an ice cream sandwich but it's not a highlight, there's an actual ice cream shop nearby. the blueberry muffin is like grocery store product. the service is quick and kind. the ambiance is really good here and i love how soft the chairs are!

Love this place -Amazong!! Fresh Delicious meals that…read moreartfully crafted and taste DELICIOUS! The Cupcakes are Delicious and Gigantic!!

This place was a true disappointment. For starters, everything is already super overpriced, and the…read morelunch options are very limited. I ordered a turkey sandwich, which seemed simple enough. The woman at the counter was bland and unwelcoming from the start. It honestly felt like we were bothering her just by being there. Customer service makes a big difference, and this was definitely lacking. When my food came out, the sandwich was literally falling apart because they loaded it with an excessive amount of mayo. It made it messy and unpleasant to eat. Overall, between the high prices, limited menu, poor service, and sloppy food, I won't be coming back.

My husband found this place via a maps search for Breakfast, and oh my did we love it!!…read more It's a cute, locals vibe, cafe- style restaurant with an ample menu. You order at a register, and then they bring your food to your table. We ordered the vegan breakfast tacos, and vegan biscuits and gravy. Both items were SO tasty. Prices were very reasonable. Service was good. Would definitely recommend, and we will for sure add it to our list of spots we enjoy when in Santa Cruz.

Some hits. Some misses. Super friendly and fast service at this cute restaurant with convenient…read moreparking. Menu selection and prices were amazing. My tuna melt sandwich was outstanding -- fresh and well made. The misses: no heaters inside or outside, the coffee cake pastry tasted stale and served cold, and my companion's breakfast potatoes were a bit burnt and greasy.

If you're looking for a tasty and enjoyable breakfast, we highly recommend The Walnut Café on…read moreWalnut Avenue. Easy street parking. Relaxed setting. Great staff and tasty food. We parked nearby and walked to the restaurant. Got seated promptly at a very nice table. Ordered mochas and Eggs Benedict. Mochas were rich and smooth. The Benedict's were great. Perfect hollandaise sauce. Comfortable dining experience. Good atmosphere. Courteous and attentive staff. Excellent food. Overall, a great place for breakfast.

Brunch at 10am and we found a place for nine of us…read more Bae called the restaurant and asked how long the wait currently was for our party and they told him 15-20 minutes. We were less than 5 minutes away walking distance. As soon as we placed our name down, the host said it was gonna be 45 minutes. First of all, the person who answered the call should not had gave us a wait time and kindly ask us to come in to put our name down instead. We waited 45 minutes and probably another 20-25 minutes for our food. Food was great, the only problem was that it wasn't piping hot. As if it was sitting on the counter for a while which should never be the case. As long as the kids were happy and stuffed that's all that matters.

Parking can be a problem on the weekends during the summer, since the beach is right next door…read more Most of the pastries are from Companion Bakeshop. I tried two items: - 5/5: The Machiatto is excellent. They serve 11th hour coffee. - 3/5: The Mexican chocolate pie ($8/slice) is too sweet. All I can taste is sugar.

We came here twice during our stay nearby. The first time was decent. Coffee was good, staff was…read moreok, the food was tasty but inconsistent. (The meat pie and pastry we ordered were not warmed all the way, but the bagel was good) Then inside seating area was also sticky and slightly dirty looking. Our second visit was yesterday 6/20, and it sounds like we weren't the only unhappy customers based on other reviews. I'm not surprised to hear the lady in charge that morning rudely made customers leave because she "needed a reset". We asked about getting pizza around 10:45 am, which we acknowledged was early...but just asking to see what was possible. Instead of a real explanation, we got a snarky look at her watch and just an "um, noooo" with a bad attitude. If there was a real reason, like the dough wasn't ready or the oven wasn't on (it was, we could see the flames) I would understand. However, the lady was complaining to a coworker about an issue with the manager or something while we waited in line so there was already some unprofessional behavior beyond the lack of customer service. We left without getting anything at that point. We won't be back to Venus, The Pixie Deli down the street has good food and friendly service.