This place has the 3 Cs: Cute, Charming, and a whole lot o' CHOCOLATE!!!!!…read more Chocolate pies, cakes, gelato, sundaes, cocoas, cocktails, cafes, pastries... Chocolate in downtown Santa Cruz is the place to go. There is a charming outdoor patio with flower beds and striped awnings, reminiscent of old Paris. Or you can opt to sit indoors for a moody, romantic vibe. Since I was there for a dessert date with my little one, we chose to sit outside. Water was served in a wine bottle (cute detail) and little shapely glasses. The Parisian feel continued with the round tables and small chairs as well as the neon-lit signs. The menu was vast with savory dinner and lunch items, wines, cocktails, an entire page of hot cocoas and mochas.... and of course an entire section dedicated to chocolate desserts! My daughter and I shared 2 desserts: a chocolate soufflé layered with chocolate cake and cherries and dulce de leche cake. The service was swift and friendly, and most importantly, the cakes were decadent! They were perfectly moist and weren't too sweet. We both thought the Dulce de Leche cake was our favorite because we could taste the cake more and the subtle vanilla hints were nice. It paired well with my tea. What a great addition to Downtown Santa Cruz! [Beware: I noticed only one of our two menus denoted food allergens! So if you have food allergies, make sure you ask before you order.]

Pros: Service was friendly, the setting was very romantic…read more Cons: I don't mind paying for a nice dinner, but (and I really hate to say this) the food was quite disappointing. We ordered: - pasta pork bolognese: Large portion but it was just ok. - miso salmon fillet: my SO enjoyed this. Wasn't overcooked so still nice and buttery. Nice flavor. Might just be me but rather small portion for around $30? With sides come out to about $40. I may be unfair to the here given the outrageous rent they most likely pay here. - broccoli entree: regular broccoli, no char (streamed?) and sauce was meh and didn't come with the fried garlic topping as mentioned. Honestly came off as (some) sauce and frozen broccoli for $13. Again, maybe it's the rent driving the prices up but I truly think they could do at least a bit better. - chocolate orange tequila, glass of wine: admittedly we are out of our depth to comment on these. Overall, we enjoyed ourselves and I don't regret going, but unfortunately most likely won't be returning. We've been so excited to go too :/

Amazing chocolate! They hosted a vendor booth at our quilt show this weekend and I am sold. I am…read morea die hard lover of Fran's dark chocolate salted caramels and I bought the same from Ashby's for a side by side comparison. Ashby's held their own and I will buy local from now on! The Dubai chocolate bar was also phenomenal.

Mediocre chocolate priced for royalty…read more Stopped here with a young child a few months ago; man behind the counter was visibly impatient while we decided, even though we were the only customers. Left with a small box of chocolates priced at $75, plus a seemingly mandatory tip for the gruff worker who collected the pieces from the display case. Chocolates were of mixed quality (this is no doubt subjective, but I've sampled many chocolatiers); certainly not special enough to justify the extravagant premium. I get that running a small business is really challenging, but the price to quality ratio was not justifiable.

Cute lil shop In downtown. I got a large cone with bitter Carmel and dark chocolate with…read moremarshmallow fluff. Yummm very rich the Carmel was super good though still thinking about it ha. The fluff is worth it cause you know vacation! The service was fast and they were very kind. A must stop if in town yum Can't wait to go back I wish I got a picture sadly I didn't

I got mint chocolate chip mini scoop in a cup. It was definitely more minty than i expected. Strong…read moremint flavor and not much chocolate chip. Still worth it. Such a good vibe in there. Staff were friendly. They have various flavors/special flavors each day.

My only regret is not knowing about this location sooner! See's Candies is my go-to gift because,…read more"when you don't have the words, chocolate can speak volumes!" Thanks to the friendly & helpful lady in the store I came home with a ton of delicious chocolate!

I recently heard this business was popping up and as I was a big fan of mutari chocolate a few…read moreyears back I knew I had to stop in immediately. This is the place to satisfy your sweet sweet chocolate cravings. Be it sipping chocolate or truffles or croissants or mochas! This is an indulgence you don't want to miss. Highly recommend the mocha and love the comfy couches. Would probably benefit from more seating but it is a pretty small space so I'm not sure how that would work. Apparently beer and wine to come! Sweet!

This place is awesome! The owner is super fun and chatty. The chocolate bars are top notch! (I'm a…read morehuge single origin chocolate nerd). The European sipping chocolate is thick and delicious. And the salads are delightful!

This adorable French bakery in Scotts Valley feels like a little slice of Provence tucked away in…read moretown. The cozy atmosphere and charming details make it a perfect spot to slow down and savor something special. The cinnamon vanilla croissant is a standout--perfectly flaky on the outside, soft and buttery inside, with just the right balance of warm spice and sweetness. It's indulgent without being heavy and pairs beautifully with a cup of coffee. The tarte provençale is equally impressive, featuring a crisp, delicate crust topped with savory, well-seasoned vegetables that taste fresh and thoughtfully prepared. Whether you're stopping in for a pastry or a light meal, this bakery delivers authentic flavors and undeniable charm. It's a must-visit for anyone in Scotts Valley who appreciates classic French baking done right.

Recently tried this bakery for the second time. Last time I bought a croissant and it was WAY over…read morebaked and I couldn't even bite off a piece. I had to rip it and then couldn't really chew it either. All the pastries looked too over baked and I figured it was just what happened that day. This time was the same but I ordered a Kouign Aman because it's a favorite and I thought I'd just rip it apart if necessary. I was asked if I wanted it reheated, yes please, but the result? All the sweet buttery goodness ended up on the bottom and hardened. I flipped it over, gently peeled back the paper and broke it up cause I paid $7.00 for it and I was not giving up(and $6.00 for the latte). It took work and strong teeth but the mission was accomplished. They have a wide selection of other types of food so I may return and give it another go with a non pastry item. The latte was great and the ambience is nice. I am still scratching my head about the dark, crunchy and almost burnt treatment these pastries receive. What am I missing?

This spot captures the Santa Cruz beach vibes. Just blocks…read morefrom Natural Bridges and the Light House surf spot the morning customers have their shorts and hooded sweaters and wet hair baptized from surfing in the waves. The service is fast and chill. The food and drinks are made with care. The seating area has shade but some of it gets the morning sun so you can warm up as you sip your coffee.

SUPER CUTE CUPS! Coffee is okay. I forgot I've been here in the past, so wanted to write a review…read moreto jog my memory in the future. They now change $0.25 for to-go cups, which I guess is a Santa Cruz ordinance. Can you imagine them doing that elsewhere? Oooooh my city would make a killing off that! Husband got his usual cold brew ($6.25 inc cup fee). No complaints except they don't fill it to the brim even if you don't want room for milk/cream. I got a tiramisu latte ($8.25 inc cup fee). I could see why they call it a tiramisu latte because of the mascarpone foam and the lady finger. It was decent, but I think I would have enjoyed a standard vanilla latte more. I also personally didn't like how the cold foam dripped down the side of the cup because it got all over my hands! As a former barista, I always made sure my drinks were clean before handing them out.

Lots of Candy, yet came for the Chocolate! The Ambiance of the shop is Small & Intimate with the…read moreChocolates near the checkout counter. Was in town visiting and now will make the time to come and get more Chocolate! Service was straightforward as you mostly select the Candy yourself, yet the Chocolate must be served by a Worker. Highly Recommended if you are a Chocolate lover! Crème Brûlée & Pistachio were my beautiful selections!

Cute candy shop in Capitola. Small storefront with candy bins to self serve on each side when you…read morewalk in. They also had a fridge with various sugary sodas and additional shelving with box and bar candies. By the cash register there was a nice chocolate display case with lots of truffles and other chocolate candies to choose from. The staff were friendly and helpful.

My family and I have tried lots of cookies from all over the Monterey and South Bay Area…read more We happened to stumble upon this place yesterday and will never eat another cookie brand again. They are the best. Oatmeal raisin, peanut butter, and the chocolate chip were outstanding Well with the trip and don't forget to look for the day old bags of 6 cookies for $7.50

I've come here multiple times to get ice cream, which is absolutely delicious. This time I decided…read moreto try the peanut butter chip cookie and was a little disappointed. The cookie was pretty dry and crumbly, which I think is their style, but I personally didn't really like it too much. It also didn't have too much peanut butter flavor. Good amount of chocolate chips though.

Salad was out of this world! The food quality here beats anything I've had in Jersey growing up!read more

UPDATED REVIEW: I'm happy to report that after a number of visits to Shadowbrook, where my dinner…read moreoptions were wearing thin, they've recently updated their menu... with some very nice additions. I had the yummy Tagliatelle w/ Meatballs; my wife enjoyed the Prime Rib w/ Mashed Potatoes and Creamed Spinach, while my sons wolfed down the Shrimp Scampi. Unlike my last visit, the server and busser were both friendly and attentive, which made for a refreshing reboot of our Shadowbrook experience. I look forward to going back now that there are new menu options to explore.