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Pretty Good Advice

4.6 (517 reviews)
Closed • 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Updated 1 month ago

Order Pretty Good Advice Takeout or Delivery

Pretty Good Advice Photos

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PRETTY GOOD ADVICE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Hipster
Casual
Trendy
Moderate noise

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Recommended Reviews - Pretty Good Advice

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Brussel sprouts
Erica S.

Came for the burger, stayed for the crispy brussel sprouts! Everything was tasty, but the brussel sprouts were especially divine. Easily the best we've ever had.

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.

Aswathi C.

this was our stop 2 in Highway 1 roadtrip. HIGHLY RECOMMEND this vegetarian food joint on the way. This place is known for its playful, retro roadside diner vibe, the spot specializes in making incredibly satisfying, affordable vegetarian and vegan versions of classic comfort food. I had the classic cheeseburger, which had a black bean patty, The Absolute best burger I have had in the US. The banh mi we tried was also good; and so was the fries, the coconut caramel coffee and peanut butter ice cream. Pretty Good Advice was founded by chef-owner Matt McNamara, who previously co-owned and was the executive chef of Sons & Daughters, a highly acclaimed fine-dining restaurant in San Francisco that earned a Michelin star in 2012.. After years in the high-end fine dining scene, McNamara chose to step away to live on his family's 83-acre farm in the Santa Cruz Mountains. He opened Pretty Good Advice with the explicit mission to take that same Michelin-level dedication to flavor, technique, and sourcing, but apply it to affordable, casual, $10-and-under vegetarian comfort food for the whole community. A lot of the seasonal produce, herbs, and citrus used to elevate the flavors in their dishes, sauces, and drinks come directly from his local mountain farm. So while the setting is a relaxed roadside counter, the culinary backbone definitely has a Michelin pedigree! Turns out Soquel is one of its hidden gem locations, and it has branched to Santa Cruz as well.

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

Fried Green Tomatoes
Wen S.

I'm a first timer going to Pretty Good Advice. They did not disappoint! I ordered The Pesto and also some Fried Green Tomatoes. Both were amazing. I enjoyed my pesto sandwich and it really satisfied. But the Fried Green Tomatoes were over the top delicious and came with a yummy zesty dipping sauce. I can now confidently say eating here is Pretty good advice!

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.

Iced Coconut Caramel Coffee

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Reviews are largely positive. People praise the fresh, flavorful food, creative vegetarian options, and friendly staff. The outdoor patio seating is also a draw.

Read the full review summary in the app

2 years ago

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9 months ago

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

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7 months ago

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

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1 year ago

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11 months ago

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5 years ago

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3 years ago

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1 year ago

Great! We ordered breakfast several times. The taste is delicious and fresh. Highly recommend

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3 years ago

Business owner information

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Matt M.

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10 months ago

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Page 2 of 13

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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Julia's Vegetarian Restaurant

4.6(1.3k reviews)
26.6 mi
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There were no seats inside when we arrived, but sitting outside under a heat lamp felt delightful…read more A chill in the air but warm food and helpful service. We shared cauliflower and artichokes to start. A pizza for the main dish. A brownie smothered in some kind of unique sauce with coconut ice cream. All of the food was delicious and the atmosphere charming. There was live music and I would definitely go back.

Those BEANS. I dream about them. So luscious and creamy. I wish I could have ordered a whole bowl…read moreof them instead of just eating the portion that came with the tamale pie. Okay, where to start? The fried mushroom platter was huge, and I do wish there was another sauce or two to mix things up a bit. There were many textures, but the actual mushroom flavor isn't very strong, so the sauce is doing a lot of the heavy-hitting there. I thought the fried oyster sandwich was just okay, but my sister was a fan. It's crazy they even offer that dish here (an impossible veggie find). I got the taco salad and really enjoyed it! So many flavors and textures. I needed some vegetables that day. The tamales were very appreciated to add some bulk to the dish. My friend got the iris salad and really enjoyed her dish too. Almost everyone had to take home leftovers for the next day. I'm glad the portions were huge, because the prices run a little steep. Service was fast and friendly. The interior of the restaurant was far too warm to be comfortable. I'm glad I made reservations for outside. I've heard the bathrooms are a must-see, which is insane advice, but I did go into one of them (you have a choice of...a prehistoric cave? or acid trip garden) and enjoyed how wacky it was. The cave makes you feel like you're in line to get on the Indiana Jones ride. The paintings of fat horses were delightful.

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Julia's Vegetarian Restaurant - Fried mushrooms and buffalo cauliflower wings. Both are vegan & GF, each served with vegan garlic aioli.

Fried mushrooms and buffalo cauliflower wings. Both are vegan & GF, each served with vegan garlic aioli.

Julia's Vegetarian Restaurant - Brunch bowl with crispy paprika potatoes, regular or vegan egg and salad

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Jeju Kitchen - Kimchi fried rice arancini

Jeju Kitchen

4.0(439 reviews)
30.2 mi

My wife and I just wanted a quick snack so we shared the chili oil wontons and cacio pepe with pork…read morebelly. Both were amazing! Nicole gave us great service and had super helpful recommendations for our trip to Carmel!

Husband and I were spending a long weekend in Carmel with our dog. We were able to make a…read morereservation ahead of time online- the system only does indoor reservations, so make sure you email them to let them know if you are bringing a pup and need a patio seat! The restaurant is located on the lowest level of the Carmel Plaza, I really loved the location because there are plenty of places to park right around there. Between the two of us, we shared: - Miso cacio e pepe: we came specifically for this! It's one of their most well known dishes, and I highly highly recommend! So creamy and savory, and the mafaldine pasta has such a nice texture, the ruffled edges hold on to sauce perfectly. We also added a bit of gochujang that came with the bibimbap and it was so good with some spice. - Dolsot bibimbap: my husband's favorite Korean dish so of course we had to get it! An excellent variety of veggies, which was nice since we barely got any veg on vacation. The kalbi beef was so juicy and delicious, and not overcooked. - Matcha Tiramisu: absolute must get, so unique. The cake layers were soaked in matcha, and topped off with some fresh fruit. - Grapefruit sake spritz: I was on the fence between this cocktail and the yuzu champagne spritz. Our waitress said that the grapefruit spritz was much less sweet, and I am so glad I decided to go with that option! It was the perfect amount of sweetness, not overwhelming. Overall, my husband and I agreed that the matcha tiramisu was the best bite either of us had all weekend!

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Jeju Kitchen - Inside dining area - 1/2/2024

Inside dining area - 1/2/2024

Jeju Kitchen - Gangnam Tots

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Jeju Kitchen - Korean bbq beef ribs

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Wildseed - BANANA FRITTERS

Wildseed

4.3(1.1k reviews)
32.9 mi
•$$

Wildseed was surprisingly impressive. We've been interested in going, but something new always…read morepopped up so we kept putting off Wildseed. At a recent Yelp event, we were given coupons to redeem for a complimentary app or drink, so we finally decided to put it to good use. Amanda was our server and she was attentive without being overbearing. She also brought out a little water bowl for our dog without being asked and just in the nick of time as the pup was quite thirsty. We ordered the beet poke ($16), mushroom bao ($15), and a spicy sausage pizza ($26) to share. We tried the beet poke at the Yelp event, so knew what to expect. We honestly just wanted a lighter, healthier dish to combat the other two. The mushroom bao should actually be plural because we were given a duo. I guess it makes sense to give two portions as it's an app and for $15, it would be a bit wild for just one bao. In my mind, I guess I thought it would be presented as one massive bun? The spicy sausage pizza though, oh my lord. I am NOT a pizza fan by any means, but I actually really enjoyed this pizza. It comes sliced up in 6 pieces and was so incredibly creamy which complemented the spicy notes perfectly. I restrained myself from eating more than one slice, but it's definitely a winner. There's also a 4% surcharge for employee benefits. Again, does this really go to the employees?? Some people say yes, some say it goes straight into the owner's pockets. Idk. Either way, the fee is clearly written out on the menu so no surprises.

Visited Wildseed on a Sunday evening for dinner. Parking lot was a bit crowded but managed to find…read morea spot. We had a reservation and were seated promptly. I ordered the spicy tofu curry and then my friend got the rigatoni pomodoro. At the end, we also ordered the cast iron chocolate chip cookie. Spicy tofu curry (3/5): Portion size is massive but so is the price ($26). The broth was very flavorful, but I was looking forward to the spice and it turned out to not be spicy at all. The ancient grains were unique! However, I felt that there were way too many vegetables+rice and barely any broth - it didn't feel balanced and seemed more like a salad. My friend said the rigatoni pomodoro was average - could have been more flavorful. Cast iron chocolate chip cookie (4/5): Pretty good! However, there weren't really any chocolate chips and I would say the texture was more like a cake rather than a cookie. Otherwise it satisfied my sweet craving! I really appreciate the vegan restaurants in the Bay Area. Service was great and the ambiance feels upscale, but the food was just ok - I was a bit underwhelmed. It is also rather pricey so I don't think I would return

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Wildseed - Interior during a midday lull

Interior during a midday lull

Wildseed - BEET TOSTADAS

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Wildseed - Probiotic bowl with neat balls

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Veggie Garden - Scallion pancake

Veggie Garden

4.4(678 reviews)
29.5 mi
•$$

I've been wanting to try this restaurant for a while as someone told me it was decently good. So I…read moredecided to give it try when I was in the area. I ordered General Tso "chicken", Chow Mein with "meat" and Eggplant Tofu with Basil to go. I was so surprised that less than 5 minutes, all 3 dishes were ready. General Tso Chickn was greasy and chewy. Both the batter coating and the soy protein were difficult to chew: not good at all. Chowmein was also greasy. "Meat" was thin rods of soy protein that lack of taste. The eggplant was also oily but was the best of all three. Overall, the dishes were well seasoned but the way they were cooked/prepped was not that great.

Nice little vegetarian lunch spot that I keep forgetting is out there! I came with my veg coworker…read moreand we both enjoyed what we got. I got their ja jang mien, and I really liked it--especially the thick, chewy noodles! My coworker got General Tso's, and we also got some veggie dumplings to share. The dumplings were a bit on the bland side, but otherwise good. Service was relatively quick. The interior is clean and well kept (I guess more than you'd think looking at the little strip it is part of), and the wait staff are friendly. The parking lot for the strip mall this is in is on the small side, though, and may be tough to find parking during the lunch rush if you don't arrive early (and I would highly suggest carpooling). Tasty and friendly, I need to remember to suggest this place for lunch more often over the closer places we tend to think of first! I will definitely be back!

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Veggie Garden - Inside restaurant

Inside restaurant

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Avenue Cafe - Burrito chorizo may plain for other but perfect for us

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4.4(508 reviews)
1.0 mi
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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!

I don't leave many bad reviews, but our experience tested the limits of grace so much I felt the…read moreneed to at least share the real feelings we had and didn't let out at this popular restaurant. First, we waited 40 minutes for a table and watched 2 couples, who arrived after us, get seated first. As we looked in the windows, we and other people waiting could see there were 4 empty tables waiting to be bussed for probably 20 minutes or so. When our name was finally called (we were a party of 4, 3 adults and 1 toddler) we were seated and then seemingly forgotten about for another 10 minutes while the party of 7 who arrived just 20 minutes ago and seated right after us had their orders taken first. We were not even brought any water until then. Then after we finally placed our orders, the incorrect drinks were brought to the table. Thankfully, the food was cooked up quickly and was so good we were able to be pleasant to the staff as we left. The short stack of pancakes was fluffy and delicious and the coffee fresh. The country fried steak was really good though the gravy needed more seasoning. I wish it had been a better experience to start our visit to this awesome small town.

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Avenue Cafe
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Pretty Good Advice - sandwiches - Updated November 2026

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