I recently left a pretty scathing review of Capitola Produce Market near Gayles Bakery because the…read moreexperience there was genuinely disappointing. But right afterward we came to Sunnyside Produce and the difference was night and day. That contrast made me realize how important it is to give credit where it's due, especially after calling out bad service somewhere else. Sunnyside absolutely deserves praise. From the moment we walked in we were met with kind helpful people who were actually attentive and happy to assist. There was no attitude or indifference, just friendly efficient service. The team here clearly cares about what they do and about the customers walking through the door. The produce is fresh vibrant and well-organized, with a great mix of organic and local options that are thoughtfully stocked. Everything looked clean and cared for from the shelves to the displays, and it made shopping here feel relaxed and enjoyable. The prices are solid too, better than most other local places when you factor in the quality. It does not feel overpriced, and you actually leave with the sense that you got value for your money. What stood out the most to me is the atmosphere. This place has a soul. You are not just shopping, you are being welcomed. That is rare. After our visit I felt like this review needed to be written not just to balance out a negative one, but because Sunnyside Produce genuinely deserves recognition for doing things right. If you are looking for a place with real service, real food, and real people, this is it.

Excellent produce market in Soquel .They have a very nice assortment of fruits and veggies.Plus an…read moreassortment of other items like dip chips ect.The employees here a very helpful.They have a nice parking lot

IMHO Such a…read morebeautiful produce market! We had just finished having breakfast at The Cook House and my friend needed to buy a bunch of green onions, so across the street we go! The first thing I noticed before entering the market, was the freezer compartment chock full of Marianne's Ice Cream! Unfortunately, we didn't have a cooler in our trunk to keep any frozen goods cold, so we had to forgo buying Marianne's. The market is bright, clean, and full of beautiful produce and other staples. Cashier was friendly.

what would improve Capitola Village produce is to have organic fruit and vegetables? I stopped…read morethere once and they did not have any organic apples at all. I have not been back because I do not like to have fruit with pesticides because not only is it on the outside. It can go into the inside. And you can't wash off the inside, especially the berries.

Always the best quality and freshest produce with amazing prices---especially for the low income…read moreseniors.

OMG! I just bought their strawberries down at a grocery in Long Beach. THE BEST STRAWBERRIES IVE…read moreHAD IN A LOOOONG TIME! They are sweet juicy deep red and so lovely to eat. I will buy you whenever I see them available!

I guess I'm going to be reviewing all of my favorites first…read more... How do I love thee Santa Cruz Local Foods, let me count the ways... first off I love the CSA model but am allergic to too many common foods to be able to be in one without either inconveniencing them or sacrificing a lot of the items in my basket. This is completely flexible and lets me decide from week to week exactly what I want. They will even deliver to my door by bicycle if I want, though since they've added a delivery location within walking distance I no longer use that. I used it before they added that location, though, and thought it was great. If you do a pickup, either bring your own bags or remember to bring back their sturdy waxed boxes next week so they can reuse them. They'll also take back egg cartons and milk bottles, etc. (Mark anything with a deposit on it so you get credited.) Prices are often a little above going to the farmers market, which seems perfectly reasonable to me because of the convenience. We go to the farmers market too; I just love being able to order heavy staple items like potatoes, Claravale milk, brown rice, onions, and winter squash through here. (Hopefully not all at once; I AM walking with it, though I've had a few occasions where I waddled home with several shopping bags full, milk bottles clinking, and a half flat of something.) The selection is a little more limited than most of the local farmers markets but it's no-brainer local (they clearly mark anything that's not local), and they will leave something off your order (and not charge you for it) if it's not up to their standards, which I really appreciate. It's also rare for them to leave something off an order and always for good reasons like bad weather that made a crop unexpectedly not work out. They generally have extra things that you can buy a la carte at their Mission pickup, too, which is very handy for picking up an extra bunch of greens or pound of potatoes or something. Oh, and bulk local olive oil? Yes, please! Also I love their orange-yolked eggs, and just wait until strawberry season... I often get strawberries from all of their farmers and have a strawberry-off and it's hard to choose which I like best. Last year they had wonderful obscure varieties of citrus like rangpur limes; I'm very excitedly waiting for this year's selection. They usually have some special somethings that I can't find at the local stores or farmers market. The avocados I get through them are always wonderful no matter which farmer I pick, too. They also usually carry ice cream and sorbet from places like Mission Hill Creamery and Scream Sorbet (I am addicted to the nut sorbets, personally.) The raw almond milk is also great; I get it every now and then though I also drink the super-delicious Claravale because it is delicious in its own right. If they don't include the ingredients on the website they'll find them for me when I ask. Because of celiac disease and multiple food allergies, I have to be super careful with what I eat so this is very helpful. Also, the people who run it are SUPER friendly and incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about their food.

We recently signed up via the Groupon offer that they did. Loved loved loved the sampler box that…read morethey gave us - enough to ask if they would do such a box every week. They did! They now have an Abundance box, which is a pre-made box of veggies. We are looking forward to buying that every week and supplementing with other locally sourced offerings. Things we like: - Like a CSA, but far more convenient. We have no commitment; order each week. - You can order pre-made boxes or a la carte. Think of it like an online Farmers Market (but more convenient) - They have more than veggies. - Convenient pick-up locations, including one in Los Gatos. We are fans! Looking forward to the next box.

Really kind customer service great food bread was delicious I really liked the options they had in…read morethe store not only Mexicana food but other ethnic food

This place was badly needed in Santa Cruz, we waited too long for a good place to get Harris Ranch…read moremeats. The staff is always so helpful and of course love placing my order with the mostly Spanish speaking meat department. Tomahawks are a must! The best service without the "shoppers corner" prices. Product is always on point and fresh, I love exotic fruit and I don't have to drive to Watsonville.

We live in Bonny Doon, and have patronized this market and those on the West Side, the Sunday…read moremarket on the east side, and in Felton. The downtown market, while a long drive from us in Bonny Doon, is our favorite, by far. My primary objective at farmers' markets is the produce; vendors of meat and fish are convenience, and there are good ones both in Felton and Downtown. I rarely buy prepared food at markets. The downtown market is our favorite for the quality and greater variety of the produce. Parking can be a PITA, but I can usually find a spot within two blocks, often closer. I don't patronize markets for "the scene," or because it's cute, only for stuff to cook -- produce and raw meat and fish. All those folks wandering around, not watching where they're going, getting in the way when I'm dragging 20 lb of food around are a nuisance! :)

This is located downtown Santa Cruz on a Weds.. Zig zag 2 blocks. Quite a crowd. Found parking two…read moreblocks away in residential. Where I parked, I found broken glass. I guess, park at your own risk. The selection is the usual. Interesting, they had ice cream and yogurt bars. Good thing, it was a hot day. There were fruit samples and bakery items. Eateries. Kids running around.

My husband and I came to the Scotts Valley Farmer's Market for the first time last weekend. It was…read moresmall, but so lovely! It had amazing produce vendors with beautiful fresh spreads, including the best plums I've ever had! The ambiance was lovely with the backdrop of the mountains and a band playing Irish music (I think they were called Mountain Lark). There were food vendors, including pastries, pizza, and salami. It was a wonderful way to spend a morning and we will be back. Bonus, if you have kids, there is an area for them to run around and play and plenty of seating.

Awesome pastries, coffee, cookies and crepes. We went to have breakfast as we were staying at a…read morenearby hotel. It was pricey but every thing was yummy!

Went this past Sunday (06-12) at 10:30 am and there were SOO many strawberries!…read more So glad I found this place because so many other farms in the Bay Area are RSVP only OR are out of strawberries!! The strawberries at Crystal Bay Farm were the sweetest and yummiest strawberries ever! My friends and I bought 4lbs worth, but we are definitely coming back for more! $2 entrance fee + $5 per lb Open: Sundays & Wednesdays Instagram: crystalbayfarm We walked to the worker's stand by the entrance to get our boxes, and we paid our fees after the picking (Cash & card is OK). Everyone was tasting their strawberries when I went, so I'm sure it is ok :) Just bring water to risk & don't taste too much. As long as it's red, it should be sweet! (I promise)

Very nice proprietors. The farm is kid-friendly with chickens, goose, goats, and bunnies. The…read morestrawberry fields are spacious with lavenders and other flowers framing them. No overwhelming crowds and parking is along the road. We spent about an hour and half picking berries and wandering around.

After trying several CSAs and not getting any love from the waiting list for other CSAs with drop…read morepoints in my neighborhood - I nearly gave up til I discovered Mariquita. Andy & Julia offer a traditional CSA process of drop offs and have established bi-weekly "Mystery Box" nights at different meeting points around the city of San Francisco. For the Mystery Box - you never know what you'll get - but you'll definitely get far above your $25 worth! You can also sign up for updates from the "Ladybug Buying Club" - notices about veggies and fruit that are available in bulk for pickup at Mystery Box locations. Recently, I have brought home a giant Musquee de Provence pumpkin for $6, a flat of organic fall strawberries for $24, 25# of Braeburn apples for $26 and over the summer - basil for $1 for a generous bunch (I got 12!). Mariquita also hosts "U-Pick" events for tomatoes in the fall - and at fifty cents a pound, you'll find it hard to resist going home with less than 50# of tomatoes... I personally brought home 150# of tomatoes and now have tomato sauce for the rest of the year. Mariquita always has the best produce - unlike other CSAs, it doesn't just go bad in the fridge from being picked too ripe and hanging out in a hot warehouse or truck for too many days. What are you waiting for? Sign up for the Ladybug Buying Club newsletter now!

I've been getting produce from Mariquita Farms for at least the last four years. The mystery boxes…read moreare a blast, with tons of unusual produce that test my creativity and a great value at just $25 each (going up to $30 next month--still a great value). It may be a little pricey compared to your local Asian market, but for the quality and the focus on sustainability rather than the bottom line, it's worth it to me. The farm also sends out a newsletter alerting you to what's predicted to be in the box, recipe ideas, and happenings on the farm, which is great for planning what to do with the haul (because it is a haul!) and learning about where our food is coming from.

What a great experience! First, they have lots of free parking available. Dogs are not allowed due…read moreto food safety. They had lots of different booths to choose from. Mostly food but there are some booths that sold other goods. The booths all seemed stocked well and fair prices. Vendors were friendly and greeted me as I walked along. I recommend to bring cash but it seemed like most vendors offered some type of digital payment as well. They did have some options to get food to eat there. Not a bad way to kick off a Saturday morning.

Ten year update! I still like this one. It's just the right…read moresize. The vendors are welcoming and their choices are good. Love to stop and enjoy the bluegrass band playing, they're so talented. Last words...when I'm in town.