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    SandCastle Cafe

    3.5 (45 reviews)
    Closed 10:30 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 3 months ago

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    Iced Coffee + Coffee Boba
    Jessica T.

    This was the only open coffee shop when I visited Capitola, and it was alright. I just wanted an iced coffee w/ oat milk. They charge an extra $1 for milk alternates, which is a bit expensive. Iced coffee w/ oat milk: 3/5 Pretty average iced coffee and felt like something I could've made at home. They overdid the oat milk, so it tasted more like oat milk than coffee. It wasn't bad and it got me through the day, but it was just kind of expensive for what I got. The shop itself was empty, so we were served pretty quickly. It's not bad, but it's not great either.

    Watermelon & Strawberry 3.443445 stars!
    Jen C.

    This place is trying to be TOO MANY things. On one hand, it's a Coffee place and there are pastries, but it's also a place for Boba. Then it's also a Frozen Yogurt place. I even saw someone's pic of Chicken Enchiladas?!?! What the heck??? I didn't see that on the menu, but maybe I missed it. It's just too much! I guess this place is trying to get as much money as they can! We were ready to pay for the frozen yogurt, and the gal behind the counter was taking a while to make three boba drinks. I was, like, uhhhh, our yogurt is melting.... But I didn't say it out loud (not too loud, I thought) cuz I could tell she was overwhelmed. She was kinda pissy when I asked her if they had more Chocolate Piroulines. I get it she's stressed. More people coming in. Was there no more, or was she just too busy to look for it? I wonder. Or maybe she heard me??? We already had ice cream three days in a row, so we felt like we had to get something different. There are only four or five flavors of frozen yogurt - strawberry, watermelon, chocolate, and vanilla. Yeah. Not exciting. What's hilarious is that it seems as if they just grab a bunch of things from their kitchen and plop it on the counter to be used as toppings. Some were in Tupperwares. They're not even in nice glass containers like you would find in other Froyo places. Well, we got our sweet tooth somewhat satisfied. We'll just stick to ice cream next time. Even if we have it five days in a row. Since they have an extensive menu, this woman needs help behind the counter. Geez! Can you imagine if someone ordered enchiladas, and she had to put it all together, THEN she had to make boba drinks??? Our yogurt would have surely melted!!! Give the woman some help! Please hire another person, especially on weekends or during busy hours.

    Nathan K.

    Best boba ever passion fruit green tea so delicious wanna come here every day!!! Yummy in my tummy

    #1's Original Tart with toppings
    Christina T.

    You tell them what you want and they make it. #3: 17yo - 2 stars Original Tart with toppings Not a lot of topping options Yogurt itself was good #4: 13yo - 1 star Original Tart with toppings Not a lot of topping options Yogurt itself was NOT good #5: 8yo - 3 stars Watermelon with toppings Good (Again, not sure on why she chose this star rating but okay?) Total stars: 3

    a bicycle parked in front of the building
    Tony G.

    Horrible customer service. The lady did not get my order correct. It was a clear miss-understanding but she refused to give me the correct order or a refund. I had ordered oatmeal with blue berries. She gave me a blue berry shake with oat milk. Clearly an innocent miss-understanding on her part but she refused to give the correct ordered and still charged me $8.00 I was very nice through the whole experience, but she can not get away with being so rude. This was my second time there. There's only person working. Orders take forever because of that. She doesn't ask questions or has much of a conversation with customers. If she doesn't understand something or is unsure she should ask. She had no problem communicating me to leave though. Do not go here. Do not support such bad customer service. There are plenty other places that have what they have

    2020-12 menu
    May Y.

    Summary: Cute place with alternative choices ;). I like that it has boba and frozen yogurt. Feedback on the boba. The boba balls were ok to me but my kiddos liked them. Again, it is personal preference. I like them chewy and there are a tiny bit hard. The flavor is good though. The drinks use powder based favor. Flavor was fine but it has some powdery flavors and textures. We would come back.

    I went in and it was a cute shop. The menu had good choices. I ordered a black milk tea with boba and a iced matcha latte. The black milk tea did not tasted good. It was normal and something that isn't worth the money in my opinion. ($5) The matcha latte was still warm and there isn't enough ice. It was too sweet to my liking. ($5) The customer service was not very friendly. The lady was mean.

    Great coffee and tea menue

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    7 years ago

    Yummy banana bread and really sweet woman who made us feel welcome. Hank you!

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    7 years ago

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    Review Highlights - SandCastle Cafe

    its a cute shop with a sitting area that is also cool on a hot day over all love it there and will be going back!

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Coffee Conspiracy

    Coffee Conspiracy

    4.6(59 reviews)
    0.8 mi

    Eddie and the team at Coffee Conspiracy make the highest quality espresso coffees in Santa Cruz…read moreCounty! They use single origin light-medium roast beans at their coffee bar and sell bags for home, too. I only use their beans at home. Their quad-shot latte with whole milk is banger. Ps. If you're a pseudo coffee lover who is more interested in killing the coffee with burnt (dark roast) beans, pumps of vanilla or pumpkin syrups, etc, this is not your jam. This is the areas spot for just extremely good unadulterated espresso coffees, done right. No noobs.

    I've been trying to visit this particular coffee shop for quite some time now! Every time I swing…read moreby they were always closed or I just missed them! Lol I would always wing it and never take a picture of their store hours either! So I'm sure it was operator error! I am so happy for this particular brick and mortar because the first time I met the owner was on a bicycle on West Kliff or maybe East not to show I used to walk a whole thing during the pandemic! He was a really cool gentleman selling coffee on a nice looking bike and everything was clean, cut! Their menu items have changed and I'm glad he got more coffee companies to collab with! I loved my Stimulation Theory- it was smooth and had great frothy flavor with the perfect accent of cardamom! Everything within the Cafe is black and there a lot of joint seating areas. Granted when I got there, the individual spots were already taken. I sat an area meant for a larger group. I also enjoy the death metal music, grated it was played at the normal coffee shop volume level. Hee. So I've never actually HEARD that style of music at such a low decimal level, so it actually was quite comedic to me. At the same time, I'm glad it wasn't super loud like other rock shows I've been to! But still very much a vibe!! I can't wait to go back and try other drinks and pour overs that they have!! I can't wait until they get pastries or some sort of pop-up since I love my carbs! Hee

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    Coffee Conspiracy - Take the red pill

    Take the red pill

    Coffee Conspiracy - Love their murals!

    Love their murals!

    Coffee Conspiracy

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    Shrine Coffee - Awesome after ride cappuccino

    Shrine Coffee

    4.7(172 reviews)
    4.2 mi
    $$

    A fabulous coffee house attached to the Catholic Church on Westcliff. The coffee is excellent, the…read moreservice is friendly and doesn't take too long. The pastries are delicious (we loved the ginger raisin scones). It's set back from the road so it feels a little bit hidden but not so hidden that all the tables were occupied on a sunny Sunday morning. There's indoor and outdoor patio seating, next to beautiful gardens, with a gentle ocean breeze and a lovely atmosphere. Grab a coffee and enjoy the walk along the water!

    Such a cool, tucked-away coffee shop. This feels like one of those hidden gems you're happy to…read morestumble upon. The location is unique, set behind a church, which gives it a quieter, slightly off-the-beaten-path feel. It's a great stop if you're walking from nearby hotels or just exploring the area. The space itself is cozy with a relaxed, peaceful vibe. There's indoor seating, and on a nice day the patio is a great option. It's not a huge shop, but there's enough seating to sit and enjoy your drink. Drinks were really well done, my favorite was Our Frother. Everything tasted balanced and thoughtfully made. The atmosphere feels calm and welcoming, perfect for a slow morning coffee. Overall, a charming little spot with great coffee and a unique setting. Definitely worth a visit if you're in Santa Cruz.

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    Shrine Coffee - Cappuccino, cortado, almond croissant, and scone

    Cappuccino, cortado, almond croissant, and scone

    Shrine Coffee - Spinach Quiche, Maple Latte

    Spinach Quiche, Maple Latte

    Shrine Coffee - Main entrance is behind the silver car, just to the right of the statue

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    Main entrance is behind the silver car, just to the right of the statue

    Coffeetopia - Coffeetopia

    Coffeetopia

    3.7(97 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$

    The espresso is hit or miss (maybe depending on who is working that day). The breakfast burritos…read moreand bagels with lox and cream cheese are great.

    I am sharing this review based off my experience working in there, drinking an Italian soda and…read morejust checking in the vibes.... OK, so first off, the customers in here are really nice. You can always appreciate the laid-back being anywhere in Santa Cruz or Capitola. They are right on a main street with parking in the back and they have a cute outside seating area with chairs and umbrellas. It's a pretty large and nice size coffee shop with ample seating and an extended couch/booth area. They have a lot of outlets to do work quietly or to read or charge your phone. I really like that they close at 6 PM too a lot of coffee shops close at three or four. If you're here long enough and haven't eaten, they sell food and snacks. Also a pretty good option of beverages like coconut water, soda, waters, and smoothies, or plain sodas. You can come in and get a soup or some cookies, a protein bar, or, some bagels- they legit have it all. I haven't tried anything food or coffee wise, but my Italian soda is pretty delicious. The two cashiers were really nice and everyone just seems to be on the best chill vibes. I will definitely save this place and return in the future. Their specialty coffees look delicious and are just my vibe and I can't wait to try them when the weather gets colder.

    Photos
    Coffeetopia - Speciality tea and coffee menu

    Speciality tea and coffee menu

    Coffeetopia
    Coffeetopia - Really nice inside area!

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    Really nice inside area!

    SandCastle Cafe - coffee - Updated May 2026

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