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    Pretty Good Advice

    4.6 (500 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 6:00 pm

    Order Pretty Good Advice Takeout or Delivery

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    PRETTY GOOD ADVICE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
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    Recommended Reviews - Pretty Good Advice

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    Pretty Good Advice in Soquel
    Rachel H.

    Pretty Good Advice in Soquel is a fun, unfussy spot. Think sandwich-shop meets vegetarian cooking. This was our second time here, and it's worth a visit. Located off the freeway in a repurposed fast-food restaurant, all dining here is outdoor only (on picnic tables) so try to visit when the weather is good. Cue up and order the messy vegan delicata squash tostadas with creamy components, a hash brown filled breakfast sandwich, or their vegan burger. We also tried persimmon lemonade. It's quick, funky and laid-back spot.

    The walk up window.
    Ray N.

    " Pretty Good Advice" Soquel is a simple, amazing, dynamite, tasty must stop just 1.4 miles north of the beautiful Capitola village area in Santa Cruz, Ca and 4 hours past Santa Barbara. April - you are a Superstar. You have infinite passion, care, patience, attention to detail and unbelievable multi tasking skills ensuring all 9 customers in line( some with screaming and straying kids) were taken care of in those 5/6 minutes. You came out from behind the counter and viewed the menu board with us making 2 great suggestions. Loved the sunrise tostada and tofu and the spicy boy 2.0 version with the egg. The coffee was lovely. Thank you for making me a fresh special second pot. Love Pretty Good advice. Everyone please make it to this gem any day from 8-6. It is just north of Hwy 1, park your car ( 10 spots) in the private lot; then place your order at the convenient walk up window and pick it up from the other window 5 feet away. Proceed to the lovely patio in the back with seating for 35. Enjoy the lovely fare. Make sure the kids get the fantastic ice cream ( horchata was outstanding) and you finish up with the coconut chia pudding with lemons and strawberries. We will definitely be back on our drive back from San Francisco.

    The High Horse
    Laura L.

    Cute shop with a decently-sized parking lot. There's an outdoor patio to eat your food after you order and pick it up at the counter. No indoor seating! We got a few items to share. The standouts for me were the morning deluxe and cheeseburger, but honestly everything was pretty great. 1. Mike's morning deluxe 5/5 Great tasting sandwich with the egg, hash brown, and house made sauce. 2. High horse 4.5/5 This is a cold sandwich that is packed with veggies. Good flavor and bigger sandwich than the other two! 3. Cheeseburger 5/5 I really liked this one too but it was a tad salty. The party was quite tasty. 4. House fries with garlic rosemary aioli 5/5 The fries had a great seasoning on them. The aioli was the star though! 5. Persimmon lemonade 4.25/5 Very good lemonade but lacking the persimmon flavor! Still a good drink though

    Outside
    Robin M.

    I came here for my first time last weekend during the pride parade. + 1 star for having outdoor seating in the shade + 1 star for gender neutral restrooms + 1 star for clearly marking, which items are vegan on their menu + 1 star for having help yourself water out by the condiment bar I really liked the vegan aïoli that they serve with the french fries and the peanut butter soft serve. The rest was just meh. The banh mi was kinda meh. Save your money and get the vegan banh mi from downtown San Jose. The brussels sprouts were sort of disappointing as well. Everyone I was with who ordered a burger said that the burgers we have at burger patch in Sacramento are better. I'm guessing that the only reason this place is doing well is because Saturn closed and new leaf closed and options are just so limited.

    Eliza W.

    Food 10/10 ambiance 10/10 service 10/10. Loved that I could enjoy foods that are gluten free and taste amazing, and also have vegan options .

    Kayley C.

    Oh man...this was a gem to find. Mostly vegetarian with vegan options was such a win! Not to mention everything is reasonably priced. The house cut fries with the aioli dipping sauce was the winner of the day and enough to have to visit Santa Cruz just for this alone. The crispy brussel sprouts also a must order. We can't wait to come back to try their breakfast options.

    The Big Kimmy
    Andrea Z.

    Visited on a Sunday around 1pm with a friend, there were a few other guests ahead of us but wait wasn't too long maybe a 10 minutes to order. Seating is all outdoors, one large table under the umbrella and some bench seating around the tree. Drink: Iced coconut caramel coffee - sweet, creamy with hints of coconut and caramel, nice but a little bit cloying after a while Food: Big Kimmy - nice punchy kimchi flavor, very saucey and wet sandwich, messy to eat definitely grab a bunch of napkins for this one, a nice fried egg with a bit of runniness, liked the add of the hash browns, taste was good but pretty hard to eat used a fork at the end because it was so messy probably wouldn't order again Brussel Sprouts - good, liked the sweet chili sauce paired with this one, hummus added a nice creamy contast but again very saucey California Burger - okay, lots of fresh lettuce and tomato, patty was a bit lacking luster, wish this was a bit more substantial Service was quick, order at the counter and wait for you order to pick up at the window. Overall had higher expectations for this spot, flavors were good but dishes tended to be too saucey and heavy for my personal taste. Maybe didn't order the right dishes.

    Smashed Cucumber Salad
    Lisa K.

    This is my favorite restaurant to go to whenever I am in the area. I can trust their menu. Items that are vegan are clearly labeled, and the staff are able to answer questions about ingredients if needed. The patio is great, but I did forget to ask if they had heat lamps (per my 2924 review). The chilled corn soup is vegan if you omit the cotija. It would be nice if there was a vegan cotija to substitute, but the soup was fresh and delicious without it. I especially loved having the jicima in the soup...a great addition. The smashed cucumbers with yuzu and ponzo were another new item to try. There was a bit of heat to them as well that wasn't mentioned on the menu. I can't eat spicy items, but everyone else loved them. Hoping that they will have the lemony garlic green beans on my next visit. Had to get the Pretty Good Cheeseburger and the peanut butter soft serve again! Very glad that they always have a vegan soft-serve!

    Kids grilled cheese meal w/ lemonade
    Megan B.

    Another mom mentioned this spot when we were at the park, so we decided to check it out. Really good! Good enough that the small parking lot has a constant rotation of cars coming in and out which makes it challenging to find a spot. Plenty of menu options for breakfast and lunch. All items are vegetarian and most can be made vegan if requested. We were a party of 5 that ordered the Lobstah Roll, Yogurt and Granola, Tostada w/ fried egg, Rainbow Beet Salad, Kids Grilled Cheese meal. I also ordered a Strawberry Hibiscus Lemonade that was tasty. As people that eat meat normally, we really liked this and will be back again. I want to try a burger next time!

    Menu August 2024
    Katie R.

    Had this place bookmarked for a while because I'm a sucker for a good breakfast sandwich. I didn't realize it was vegetarian until taking a closer look at their menu and seeing the plethora of vegan options. Glad to note it is indeed vegetarian too and the eggs are real! I ordered the Mikes deluxe, it was good but nothing life changing. Loved the crispy hashbrown in it, which was very crispy indeed. Kinda wish the sandwich came with 2 eggs so that it was more filling, and also felt like it could've used a little more flavor, maybe some arugula or something. I think next time I'd try to customize my order a little with some addons beaucase they have a lot of fun ingredients on the menu. It's counter ordering through the window, wait to hear your name, then you can enjoy your food on the decent sized patio around the corner.

    California Ranch Burger.

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    Big Mac M.

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    23 days ago

    Love this little spot. Everything is good, fresh, and reasonably priced. Thank you!

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    Great salads and really appreciate the great gluten free options! Will definitely be returning!

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    Ask the Community - Pretty Good Advice

    Is there gluten free bread?

    Yes

    What are the crunchy things in the chopped salad?

    Is the patio dog friendly?

    Yes I believe so

    Anything for the kids, both food wise and in terms of distractions?

    They offered my kids crayons and coloring pages...so you could ask next time!

    What kinds of gluten-free options are available here?

    The Whole Bowl and the Pretty Good Cereal. Sometimes they have a special that is gluten free.

    View All 7 Questions

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    Chunk’s Sandwiches - Toasted Pastrami and Swiss With Bacon. You can taste this photo, can't you?

    Chunk’s Sandwiches

    (131 reviews)

    This place is gold. We stumbled upon it looking for a good sandwhich spot and success! Both had…read moreturkey, bacon, cheese with pesto Mayo. Delicious! The inside is small with a few table, a few tables outside as well. A drink fridge and chip options. The service was wonderful. Very nice and accommodating. My site is terrible and the young lady at the register was very helpful. We will definitely be back!

    Came here the other day after a long work day and hadn't eaten since breakfast. Was sooo hungry and…read moreI was near Chunk's. I had a pastrami sandwich there once before and it was pretty good, so figured this would do. Ordered the burger combo with Lentil soup. Asked for my burger medium and when it came out it was well past that and I'm pretty sure it was a frozen patty. I have frozen patties I cook at home that are great, so guessing it just wasn't very good quality to begin with. The lentil soup was flavorless and I only had a few bites before tossing out. Seasoning, a ham hock, and some aromatics would do a lot for this soup. Left feeling very disappointed as there are a bunch of more satisfying options in the area and I chose the wrong one. As I was sitting in traffic, my stomach started feeling like I ate some broken glass or something. Obviously there wasn't broken glass in the burger, just a fitting analogy. I had stomach pains for the next few hours. This is all I had eaten in like 10 hours, so I'm positive it was the burger. The woman at the counter was friendly and the place was pretty clean. I've got a pretty iron gut and it takes a lot to make it turn. Don't think I will be going back.

    Gayle's Bakery & Rosticceria - Chocolate chunk cookie...TDF!

    Gayle's Bakery & Rosticceria

    (2.2k reviews)

    $$

    Was visiting family and wanted to buy a little something as a gift…read more Called Gayle's the morning of and ordered 4 of their pastries. The process was quick and easy. The menu is available online and they take same day orders via phone. Pickup was a little hectic as there were a lot of people in the bakery. I waited in line for a ticket and then waited for my number to be called, but found out that I could have just walked to the end of the bakery to pickup at the counter in the corner. I would probably add a sign to make it a little more obvious for those new to the bakery, nonetheless the pastries were amazing and nothing else matters. Everything was sweet but balanced with acidity or nuttiness. Great mix of textures and the crust does not fall apart even after a whole day in the fridge and being manhandled into cut portions. I'd highly recommend this place for out-of-towners, as those that live there already know it's the best.

    I need everyone to close their mouth and just read…read more This place is truly a gem Someone cares about every single thing being made here's The consistency and quality of every single piece is a standout. Hubs and I loved both our Mocha and chai- right topped with fresher whipped cream- lovely beverages. Cinnamon roll- one of the best I ever had, I think it's have a bit of cardamom. Brookie- soft and chewy with a nice flavor Marionberry turnover- filling was performed but that dough is flavorful and flakey Old fashioned chocolate cake- moist and milk chocolatey Egg and bacon croissant/ bagel smashed tot breakfast sandwiches- warm and rich Ham and cheese croissant- one of my favorite things it's so good and stuffed with lots of cheese. Key like pie parfait- STFU there is no way it could be better. I have a few more items in my back seat that we have not had and I can't wait to taste them.

    Pointside Meat Shop - Tri tip sandwhich

    Pointside Meat Shop

    (13 reviews)

    This was my first time ever had this particular sandwich spot. I've seen a handful of people sit…read moreoutside or walk along this corner pressure point. I wanted to check out the other stores since they had a little market outside. I ended up ordering the Firebird sandwich with an Izzy and I was surprised on how many different styles of drinks, wine and so does they have inside there? Sandwich shop. They also had deli meat you could buy and stuff you could take home with you. The lady that helped me was incredibly friendly impatient since I had no idea what I wanted to eat. She gave some options since I wanted a hot sandwich and I liked cheese that melts. Lol when I got my fire sandwich, I neglected to ask if there was any condiments or vegetables inside besides the bell peppers. I always like lettuce or something with a crunch. Sandwich was pretty basic, but I think it needed something extra like a spicy aïoli sauce or something added to take it up to a different level of flavor. I usually like different flavors within sandwiches so perhaps I'm just picky. Overall, I thought the sandwich shop itself was incredibly cute and I liked all the drink drinks and glasses or even bottle of wine you could purchase and then walk down the way to the beach! That's exactly what I did after I ate my sandwich.

    We shared both the Tri-Tip & Chimi and the Hot Bird, and the tri-tip really knocked it out of the…read morepark. The arugula and chimichurri packed an exquisite punch, and the meat was thinly cut (but thickly piled on) and soft. The flavor combo of rich steak and intense herbs on top of fresh ciabatta with some sort of subtle creamy garlic sauce? Perfection. The Hot Bird is thermally hot, not spicy, and very rich and creamy. The meat had a subtle smokey flavor and the roasted peppers were almost tangy, but it sort of melted away into the richness of the mayo and turkey. It was tasty, but the chimichurri really "wowed" me. I don't think I'd order the Hot Bird next time, but I'd drop the $14+tip on the chimichurri again in a heartbeat.

    Pete's Capitola - Iberico Pork Skirt "Steak"

    Pete's Capitola

    (93 reviews)

    My boyfriend and I had an amazing experience at Pete's Capitola. The food and ambience was great!…read moreMy fav was the fresh pasta in lobster cream sauce. This is going to be our new favorite restaurant in the area

    Pete's is in Capitola Village and can be easy to miss because it's right at the curve of Esplanade,…read moreand you need to look up and step up into the entrance. (I have, no joke, walked by it dozens of times without realizing it!) I found it from seeing it on a list of restaurant participants for Burger Week. Overall, I give Pete's 3.5 stars, and here's why... **Ambiance: 5 stars** With the bright and tastefully-decorated dining room along with the multiple windows overlooking the spectacular beach, you really can't beat this ambiance! Pete's has the fine-dining vibe that's perfect for that first date, anniversary or other special dining occasion when you want some quiet and mood lighting. **Service: 4 stars** We were seated right away, even without reservations. It was a Sunday, and there was no wait or crowd. Service was quick and friendly. Mid-dinner, a server broke some glassware right behind my seat and needed us to move so they could sweep under our table and feet. They ended up moving us to a better table (next to the window) instead of having us stand there to watch them sweep. Accidents happen, and I felt they handled that well. **Food: 3 stars** Every item we ordered was delicious and fresh, and all arrived quickly. However, the menu was fairly compact, and the amount of food is even more compact. I was excited Pete's had lobster rolls (one of my all-time favorite food items EVER; $28) on their menu, so I didn't hesitate to order that along with a lychee martini. My partner ordered the bolognese ($30) and an old fashioned. We ordered the polenta as an appetizer. All of it was tasty, but oh-so-small. The cheddar polenta was like a taste test size (maybe 4 TBs), and the lobster roll was the smallest I had ever seen in my life. I didn't want to be rude, but I wanted to laugh when it arrived at our table! The lobster roll was smaller than my hand. It looked like circus food with all super tiny sizes. **Price/Value: 2 stars** You don't come to Pete's for the value because the portions are.... micro. TIP: If you have a big appetite or skipped a meal that day, I suggest going elsewhere or be ready to turn over a paycheck because you'll need to order a lot to fill up. It is worth it, however, if you fancy a light-filled room with views of the sparkling ocean and sounds of the waves crashing on the golden sands of Capitola!

    Garden Liquors & Deli - Reuben

    Garden Liquors & Deli

    (356 reviews)

    $

    My first visit! Sandwich was very tasty! Maybe this is just my internal old person, but dang did…read moreeverything get expensive! Nearly $20 after tax for one sandwich with no additions. I was hungry and one sandwich was just a lot right to feel full. Be aware for first timers the process to get your food is a bit confusing. You'll head into the back right hand side of the store to place your order verbally with a staff member. Then, get in line at the regular register to pay. No one told me what to do after that, so I spent a long time waiting in front of the staff member I had placed my order with. This was wrong. You're actually supposed to stand in the area between the register and the liquor section and they'll call your name there. Hopefully this will save anyone reading this the same confusion I had :)

    Frequently mentioned as the best sandwiches in the Santa Cruz area. True? Difficult to say but…read morethese are very good sandwiches. It all starts with the bread: the sweet French roll is airy, soft, and fluffy inside with a crisp but not hard crust. A touch sweet. The sourdough is also strong but the French roll is better. In my opinion the two best sandwiches are the Italian sub and the Italian special. Despite the similar names, they are completely different sandwiches. The former has ham, salami & mortadella while the latter is roast beef and pesto. Confusing, right? The ordering and paying is slightly confusing, and it's cramped inside while you're waiting for your sandwich.

    Pretty Good Advice - sandwiches - Updated May 2026

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