Stopped in on a Friday evening with my family. We ate out on the patio, the restaurant has a charming ambience, that only comes from a place that's been around for awhile. Highlight was the grilled artichoke and their willingness to accommodate my three year olds request for eggs, at 5:30 on a Friday. They missed the mark on a few things. Appetizers were never cleared nor the dinner plates, long after we were done. Seafood pasta was a bit oily - but otherwise good. Halibut just a touch overdone. Had a nice night -- just wasn't a five star experience. read more

Some places feed you. Some places seduce you. Gabriella Cafe does both, then sends you home a little more in love with the world. This is not some glossy, over-designed coastal concept chasing trends. This is a small, slightly tucked-away, utterly transportive café in downtown Santa Cruz that feels like it was airlifted from a windswept village in Brittany France and dropped gently by the Pacific. The dining room is intimate, almost conspiratorial. Low hum of conversation. Wine glasses catching the light. You lean in when you talk. Outside, the café seating is pure California ease. Sun on your shoulders, a breeze off the ocean, and suddenly lunch becomes an event. And the food? The food is love, man. This is French-influenced California cooking that actually means something. Not garnish-as-theater. Not farm names as decoration. Real-deal ingredient worship. You taste it immediately in the produce. Especially the ones coming from Dirty Girl Produce. Those dry-farmed tomatoes? They don't just taste like tomatoes. They taste like August. Like sunburned fields and salt air and patience. The Tokyo turnips are so delicate they feel like they were handled with white gloves. French green beans that snap with quiet confidence. Then there's the supporting cast: Route 1 Farms, Pinnacle Farm, and other amazing, local purveyors. This is not farm-to-table as marketing. This is farm-to-table as religion. The butternut ravioli? It's the kind of dish that makes you pause mid-sentence. Silky. Balanced. Rich but never cloying. The kind of thing you close your eyes for. You don't shovel it in. You respect it. Seafood is local and sustainable. Poultry from Mary's and Line 38. Beef raised with care. Rabbit from Devil's Gulch Ranch. There's integrity on the plate. You can taste the intention. And then there's Paul. The quiet architect behind the curtain. He curates the menu with the steady hand of someone who understands restraint. His wine list? Thoughtful. Democratic. Whether you want something minerally and electric or bold and brooding, he's got you covered. No ego. Just great hospitality. Weekend brunch here is a ritual. Lunch feels like you've discovered something the tourists haven't figured out yet. It is, without exaggeration, one of the true hidden gems of Santa Cruz. Gabriella's doesn't shout. It doesn't need to. It whispers. And if you're paying attention, it tells you everything you need to know: Food is connection. Food is place. Food is memory. Food is love. This is Gabriella Cafe. read more

A few days ago, I went to Gabriela Café and ordered the eggs Benedict with salmon. I didn't realize the salmon was fresh and uncooked--maybe it wasn't the best combination for me, though that might have been my mistake for not asking. Aside from that, the service was fine. I didn't know we were supposed to check in first, haha, so I ended up waiting for the menu. Still, it's a nice place overall. read more

This place had the most outstanding food I've tasted in Santa Cruz. It's a foodies place for sure. A little hole in the wall and you are super close to other diners but the food is great. read more

A charming little cafe, very Santa Cruz vibe. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. The menu is simple but the food is very flavorful. We got the burger in lettuce wrap with crispy potatoes and the Cesar salad. We ate every bite of food because it was completely delicious but also the serving sizes weren't very big. It's okay for lunch tho. The service was good. We will be returning for sure! read more

Gabriella Cafe - Cesar salad - New American Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Solid brunch spot! We got the waffles and a seasonal veggie scramble that came with some really incredible chicken sausage. Waffles were just okay, no syrup and whipped cream kind of tasted like nothing. Maybe stick to savory if you're stopping by. I can't say this place would be making the top of a must try brunch list in Santa Cruz, but it's definitely worth checking out. I've heard great things about dinner service, maybe we'll come back to try it again :) read more

Gabriella Cafe - Exterior - New American Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

This is a charming restaurant. We sat in their lovely dog-friendly courtyard. There is a parking lot a short walk away with very reasonable prices; we ended up paying $2 to park while we dined. I ordered the roasted beet appetizer, a salad with a citrus dressing and goat cheese. It was excellent, and I scarfed it down before I could take a pic. I ordered one of the specials, Chicken Picatta, with veggies and mashed potatos. It was delicious. My husband had the Gabriella benedict, with focaccia instead of English muffin, and avocado. He loved it. The service was excellent with special attention paid to our dog, Zoey. I would definitely return here! read more

Gabriella Cafe - Gabriella Benedict - New American Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Offered discount for takeout orders for people headed to the 'picnic' event beginning the Cabrillo Festival a block and a half away, so as the menu looked appetizing I ordered from here. Lamb osobuco looked like the treat for me. It was made of a lamb neck, which turned out to be a complex bone structure challenging to get the meat out of, but it was tasty especially for the sauce over it. And I liked the polenta it came with, especially for the touch of including little kernels of corn in it. It was the roasted veggies which turned out to be badly cooked and hard to eat. read more

Great service in this quaint restaurant using fresh local ingredients. The space is very nice and reminds me of restaurants in Carmel. There is seating outside so you can people watch. We had the home made pasta with smoked salmon which was excellent and the cauliflower was unique and delicious must try read more

Gabriella Cafe - Must try the cauliflower with pine nuts and raisins a mouth full of flavor. The cauliflower is cooked to perfection - New American Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Location is gorgeous. Beautiful, picturesque, perfect for a brunch date, a first date, or any occasion! The food is incredible!! Homemade focaccia! The service is great as well. Overall such a hands down experience. We ordered the burger with the house made focaccia and the spinach frittata! I need to return from SoCal just for the food!!!! read more

Super super cute little spot, tucked away a block away from the main street. As soon as my daughter and I walked by, we both wanted to dine here. The restaurant is in a cozy house- with indoor, outdoor and alley-way seating. The alley way seating was so cute, like out of a little Italian romance scene. Service was top notch- our server was so super sweet. Huge breakfast/brunch/lunch menu- We had the vegetable hash which was super tasty, and also a simple but refreshing Market salad read more

Gabriella Cafe - Vegetable and Chicken Apple Sausage Hash - New American Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

We got excited when we ate the crab cakes, they were delicious, but then came the Caeser Salad, mediocre, where was the anchovies? Dinner was watery shrimp risotto to the bland polenta.. Our server was polite, but never came back to pour more wine or check on us and when we called her over she didn't offer to pour any wine? Don't all servers pour wine? Apologies we're made, and that was it. We won't be going back. No offer of any compensation. read more

Great atmosphere, food and service! Just a heads-up pretty much nothing under $40 so don't go if you're on a budget. Very much worth the price! read more

The food was very flavorful, and also the amount of meat was so much. They're not stingy at all when it comes to portions! Definitely coming back! read more

Popped into this little place for lunch while going through Santa Cruz...... what an adorable little restaurant....ten food was deliciously paired and the service was GREAT! If you're ever in the area do yourself a favor and visit the Gabriella Cafe!! read more

We went years and years ago and had a memory that it was quite good. Some of the current reviews made me question if my memory was accurate, but after dining there again I still think it was quite good. Small, very cute space. (although for the size they have quite a few tables!). And they have both outdoor and semi-outdoor options. I was surprised how busy it was on a Wednesday evening. Focaccia was delicious (when is it not?). Prosciutto wrapped asparagus was delicious. Loved the arugula and basaltic with it. My truffle mushroom ravioli was quite good. Very rich creamy sauce that the sausage paired with very well. I suppose maybe the only complaint is that the flavor of the mushroom in the ravioli was maybe a little buried. But it was very good. My husband enjoyed his Porcini Gnocchi. Hi sauce wasn't as good as mine, but the Gnocchi themselves were super fresh and tasty. They have a good wine list, as well as good beer on the menu. It did seem they were a little understaffed - food came out in the time frame expected, but we didn't get checked on much - needed to flag someone down for more water. But I can see how it could be hard to prepare for a Wednesday - like I said, it was busier than I would have expected. read more

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The Gabriella Cafe is very cozy and tables are close to one another. Our waitress was fine but she brought bread to other tables and forgot about our table. We ordered seafood risotto, cheese platter, spaghetti bolognese and wine with our food. It took a while for the food to arrive. The risotto was blend, cheese platter was beautiful and bolognese was good. The bill was $170 with tips. Overall, this restaurant gets a 4 star based on food quality, ambiance, service and price. read more

It had been a few years since I last ate at Gabriella Cafe but it had always delivered good food, great service and quaint ambiance. A group of six had a reservation Friday night and we were disappointed on all counts. Our table situated in what looked like an amateur art display of drawing of men's faces- The prices were outrageous, the "famous" Caesar salad was lettuce drenched in a flavorless mayo dressing. The focaccia was expensive, cold, and no better than store bought. Several of our party ordered appetizers to share and when finished had to ask to remove the dirty plates and wait 20 minutes for the three pasta entrees. All of which are bested by Trader Joe's ravioli. I had to ask the server if the crispy cauliflower appetizer was supposed to be chilled- it wasn't. We ordered 7 appetizers and three entres and our bill was $320. We didn't order wine or drinks. Overall, Gabriella Cafe failed on all accounts. We didn't even look at the dessert menu as the food was so bad, service so awkward, we couldn't wait to get out of the restaurant. read more

We had a disappointing dinner at Cafe Gabriella on 12/23. By way of background, I am a longtime Santa Cruz resident and both of my dinner mates have worked restaurants as both host and server, so we have experience on what good service looks like. We were seated quickly, but then were apparently forgotten about, because we weren't greeted by our server for at least 20 minutes, and it was well over 45 minutes before we received our appetizer and drinks. The main course took much longer to be delivered, and I was about 30 seconds from walking out when it finally arrived. In fairness, the food was quite good, and it was obvious that our server was overburdened with an excessive number of tables. What I found completely unacceptable was the attitude of the owner/manager, who offered no explanation or regrets about the extremely slow service, and evinced a real "I don't give a sh*t" attitude when asked him if the restaurant was short-staffed that evening, going to far as to say he wished he wasn't working that night. Nice. We won't be going back anytime soon, if ever. read more

On July 30th around 12:45 PM, we placed a DoorDash order for four items, including two burgers. The order was delivered at 1:15 PM--missing one of the burgers. When we called the café around 1:30 PM, the male employee we spoke with was completely nonchalant about the mistake. He even hung up on me without explaining whether or how the issue would be resolved. Later, we were told the missing burger had already been refunded--but that wasn't true. Instead, they (or DoorDash) refunded a less expensive item: the salad. Calling DoorDash didn't help either. So here we are--still hungry and $9 short. If that sounds like a good experience to you, go ahead and order from Gabriella via DoorDash. read more

Be careful and make sure to double check your bill. Our bill came out to be higher than expected, and when we reviewed each item, we saw that the prices were drastically different than those listed on the menu. The staff only apologized after we pointed it out. read more

A beautiful and cozy spot! Perfect date night restaurant with some nice wines on the menu. Our server was very warm and inviting. Would love to visit again! read more

The restaurant is super cute and cozy. Similar to what you see in Europe. Staff were friendly. We went there for lunch on Saturday they only had their brunch menu which was fine but i do say their seasonal food is a bit over priced. Butternut squash ravioli is $32 on a brunch menu! We got burgers and lemon mint iced tea which was really refreshing. I like to go back there for dinner to only experience it at night. read more

Gabriella Cafe - Patio sitting - New American Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Everything we had tonight was amazing other than the porcini gnocchi. Service was normal Santa Cruz service. Slow but friendly.. But the gnocchi was absolutely rancid! I've had this multiple times in the past and it tasted nothing like tonight. My friend and I took one bite each and then inspected it because the rancid taste was lingering.. something was way off. Told the server and he apologized and said he was going to the kitchen to taste it. Came back and offered a comped dessert. We asked for 2 to-go desserts. Check came and 1 dessert was charged and the gnocchi was still charged. If a customer literally can't eat the food because it was that off maybe you should be smart and take the dish off the bill.. no wonder you are all slowly loosing this gem we used to patronize monthly 4 years ago.. so sad, this restaurant will clearly not last and they don't care.. steak was amazing! Paul had this place so well run.. Gema is now ruining it because she thinks everything she cooks is perfection. Open ur eyes and listen to ur customers! Appreciate all your precious hospitality Paul. You had such a special place for so long read more

Gabriella Cafe - New American Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Beautiful intimate setting, delightful food... felt like we took a short vacation to a European cafe when we visited. Loved it, will be back! read more

So I absolutely love the beet salad and pan amore. I order both nearly every time I go here (usually get a to go order - can easily order on the phone or through the DoorDash pickup app). The beet salad is probably my favorite beet salad I've ever had. The combination of goat cheese, honey lemon vinaigrette with pistachio puree, candied lemon zest, golden and regular beets, and arugula is absolutely delicious. The pan amore changes, but usually has goat cheese and yummy salty and fluffy focaccia bread, and then something else. I've had it with duck pate, rabbit pate, pesto, or some tomato combo. The duck pate and rabbit pate ones are my favorite though! Super delicious. Their desserts are usually super yummy too, but those also change. Their entrees, however, are not my favorite. I've gotten the mushroom risotto - which was just okay, but did not taste like risotto at all (more like a veggie rice type of thing). I've gotten the quail, which was super dried out and overcooked - not a lot of flavor either. I've also gotten the duck which is also just okay, again not a lot of flavor - the candied gastrique and mashed potatoes are pretty good though. This is a place that I order food to go. I've eaten at the restaurant before and the service is meh - also they're not very dog friendly. Technically, the patio does allow dogs, but you can tell they don't like it. They also try to rush you out when you're just a table of one, so don't recommend this place for solo people coming with their pupper. read more

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I always go here for Thanksgiving dinner. I went again this year. Food was great. Only criticism is that I agreed to sit on the patio where people came in and out and the server brought our appetizers and our salads at the same time. Other than that, I will always eat here. The food is great. I just won't choose the Patio next time - especially right next to the gate. I am also sure the waiter was overwhelmed because it was Thanksgiving. I had asked for all white meat, but I got mostly dark meat. Next year I will be more specific. read more

the food is great but menu prices are incredibly over priced and in my opinion quite unreasonable. customer service is so so but it's a very cute lowkey spot. i got the butternut squash ravioli and it was delicious. i would not say this is a go to spot for me but can appreciate the ambiance which is somewhat artsy and unique read more

Gabriella Cafe - New American Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Still wonderful, maybe even better than before? My husband and I have been going to Gabriella's for over 25 years. It's always been quaint and adorable and had fantastic food. That hasn't changed, but lately it seems like the service is better and the food is even more beautifully prepared. We showed up for our reservation at 6:00 on a Friday night right before Christmas and took over a four top with old friends. We ended up closing the restaurant and everyone was so nice and accommodating! Our waiter, Wyatt, was simply wonderful! The food was exceptional, and the abundance of vegetarian options made me so happy. Gabriella Cafe remains our favorite restaurant in Santa Cruz and I hope they're there another 25 years read more

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Gabriella Cafe is my go-to spot for an elegant meal with ambience! Entering the cafe is like stepping in a charming cafe in Europe, whether you choose inside or outside dining. Service has always been excellent (very warm and helpful), and the food is beautifuly presented and really delicious. The brussel sprout appetizer with apple and hazelnuts and roasted beat salad were particularly great! There is an extensive wine list, and the pours were generous. Main entrees are $30+ but for any special occasion, it is hard to beat Gabriella Cafe. read more

Gabriella Cafe - Great food & atmosphere with generous pours of wine - New American Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Very cute inside, pretty nice service, but the food wasn't very good. I got the panko crusted sole, which just tasted like a big bland fish stick. My boyfriend's pasta was alright. Quality of the food doesn't match up with the price imo. read more

The ambiance and service are 4 stars. The host who welcomed us in looked like he just rolled out of bed, two of us were happy with the food - hamburger, and risotto dish. One of us felt the dish of petrale sole with butter beans could have been a bit more elevated in flavors and style. The sole was good but it was topped with a sauce that was very cold, thereby making the fish on the too cool side. The butter beans were undercooked, the polenta was gritty and could have had some parm or something added to make it creamier. I really like this place and often take guests when they are visiting. This is the first time I actually felt negative about my meal. I will try again and hope they take some constructive feedback, especially given the current prices of restaurant meals. read more

Very cute and cozy little cafe. The food was delicious. Our waiter was very knowledgeable about all the items on the menu as well as the daily specials. And she was friendly and funny. read more

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The BEST restaurant in Santa Cruz and maybe our planet. We couldn't finish the ample portion of our amazing, delicious dinner, took it home and had two great dinners from that, each one better than the last. We are very lucky to have such talented, kind and friendly people at Gabriella Cafe. The best! read more

We were headed to Jack's for a burger and decided to try Gabriella's instead. Loved the cauliflower appetizer and we shared the burger! It was the best burger! Nice spot outside in the shade and they are dog friendly! read more

So Romantic and Beautiful Food was excellent Service by Kara Awesome Definitely coming back it's a destination now read more

Such great food! This place is an absolute must try! The waitstaff were perfect and very attentive. The ambience is very classy with local art and fresh flowers. read more

Dinner on Friday evening, by reservation: the grilled peaches with burrata and basil in balsamic reduction were nothing short of transcendent! Focaccia good as ever. All portions were large. The quail I had for entree was perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious- the best I've ever eaten. Thank you Gemma Cruz for feeding us so well! Service was attentive and efficient. read more

Amazing, fresh and delicious farm to table cuisine. Some of the best focaccia bread I've ever had. Healthy sized portions. Excellent wine selection! Fantastic service. read more

As always, we love this place! Chef Gema is very talented, and the food and service are always on point! read more