the food was so yummy and the menu was small and simple, the chef did such a great job!! the service was great and the waiter was so kind, he made sure that the food was seed oil free for me and made a lot of accommodations for my friend and i it's perfect if u want a more elevated restaurant experience compared to the other places near capitola beach! the vibes r perfect for a romantic night out or taking urself out for a beautiful dinner 10/10!!! i want to come back already x3 read more

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Trestles is outstanding. The service is quite good and the setting is cozy and modern. But the food is outstanding. Everything we had was top notch. We ordered: - The grilled artichoke - local artichokes are great, but this preparation was outstanding. It tasted as though it had been wood roasted, then dressed with citrus and delicious anchovies. This was my wife's favorite dish of the night - The wedge salad - you can get a wedge salad at many places, but theirs is really exceptional. The lettuce is crisp and fresh, the eggs are thinly strained, which make for a wonderful mouthfeel and flavor with the green goddess dressing. The crispy bacon, croutons, and sunflower seeds make for a nice contrast in texture - The brick chicken - this is one of their signature dishes, and for good reason. The chicken is tender and moist (likely brined in advance) and grilled crispy, flattened with a brick. The vegetable and polenta that accompany it are very tasty in their own, and together the rich chicken, slightly bitter green vegetable, and creamy polenta make for a wonderful and deeply flavorful bite. - the smores cup - this was really good. The mousse is a very rich dark chocolate pot de creme and the marshmallow fluff is torched perfectly. The finely ground graham crackers make for an elevated version of the smore in each spoonful - the crème brûlée cheesecake - this was equally excellent. The cheesecake is fluffy and light, the creme brûlée top gives a nice crisp, the crust is crumbly and delicious and there was a fruit sauce on top (maybe rhubarb) that tied the whole dish together read more

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Food was excellent, ***** Service was really poor * Lucy our server after taking food order only returned after we finished our entrees. No checking on drinks, etc. I requested dessert menu, it took so long after receiving menu, I found her chatting in the bar area with co-worker. Gave her credit card and shared no desert for us. Corn Fritters, Peach Toast, Brick Chicken, Halibut ALL WERE EXCELLENT. Service like that for someone who hasn't been there before, will not return. Thank goodness we know that the food is worth the hassle of poor service. read more

Great service. Food and cocktails 5/10. Cocktails did not taste so great (we got moscow mules) all it tasted like was ginger beer. Ordered roasted Cauliflower and salmon entree, had a bitter aftertaste and salmon alright. It was an okay ambience. Small space inside. read more

They have a rotating menu. We found out that it was changed on Saturday, 06/06/2026, as we were seated. Drinks - Hugo Spritz - 5/5: Citrus foward, with a mint finish, and a some bubbles in between. Extremely refreshing. - Paper Plane - 4.5/5: Balanced and smooth. Bourbon up front, not too sweet, and a bright finish. - Trestles Kitchen Beer Fund 10/5: This is to buy a round for the kitchen/staff. I love that management includes this on the menu. Starter - Tuna Tartare Tacos 4/5: The green apple is a nice touch, for which I had to revisit the menu to identify. The heat at the end was welcomed. Entrees - Carmelized Cauliflower 5/5: This dish was deligjtful! It was savory, with the nuttiness of the roasted cauliflower being enriched by the hazlenut and sesame, while the parsley and splashes of citrus added light freshness. The textures were a great mix of creamy with some crunch from whole garbinzo beans. - Brick Chicken 4/5: The chicken was buttery and well seasoned. It was moist, and the skin had a great crispness. The knock would be the polenta, which did not seem to be as seasoned or cheesey. Dessert - House "smore" 5/5: Decadent, rich, and a strike between sweet and savory. Our walk back was mostly a conversation about we should have ordered more. - Tiramisu Causcasian Cocktail 1/5: We would not get this again; it seemed like a lightly whipped creme over ice with a dash of nutmeg. The meal was really great, but the service was on another level. Shout out to Abbie who saw us taking pictures before we were seated and deduced what we were celebrating; it added to our excitement. Cecelia jnocked it out of the park with the recimmendations, and made sure that we were taken care of while letting us also have our personal space and time. The runner was also great, and we saw staff covering for one another. Between that and how the dishes were timed, the managememt and training was on full display. We are far from local, but look forward to returning. read more

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It's been a while since we've visited Trestles. Our past experiences have been all over the map. However, tonight's dinner was a delight and I feel the need to update my review from a few years ago. We ordered... * Crab Stuffed Squash Blossoms -- Very yummy blossoms stuffed with a bit of crab, lightly battered and fried. Served over a potato and leek puree. * Brick Chicken -- A traditional Trestles favorite. The first time we had it here it was dry and somewhat bland. Tonight it was perfection. Tender, juicy, deboned half chicken with a nice crisp on the skin and drizzle of some caper salsa Verde topping. Served over a bed of pea shoots and polenta -- perfectly cooked. Everything about this dish was elevated and satisfying. * Wild Caught Local Salmon -- nicely grilled, served with romesco, corn, cherry tomatoes and arugula. Modest cut of fish, but perfectly prepared. Matt took great care of us. Friendly and attentive service. We look forward to coming back. read more

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Absolutely delicious and great menu. I had a vegan meal despite not being vegan and it was amazing!

Dinner with a friend last night was amazing! Great wait server, vibrant atmosphere and overall amazing! The Halibut dish was excellent, so delicious and beautiful presentation! The s'mores dessert topped it off with an incredible flavor! Love this place, the food and staff! Bravo! read more

Great food, wine & drinks. One of our favorite restaurants in town. It's normally packed, so reservations are a good idea.

Perfect fine dining dinner spot off the main road to the cozy Capitola Corridor, worthwhile to enjoy a warmer summer and fall dinner with outdoor and indoor seating options. We came in off the recommendation of a local patron and it did not disappoint. Reservation recommended but we were able to get a walk in rez with about a 20 minute wait on a Saturday night. Our server Matt was super informative, suggested to ask for specials of the day to go off menu although the menu options are also great. We tried the fried green tomatoes (delicious), the eggplant labneh starter (so good) and shared the wagyu NY strip (wow - *off menu special). Presentation for everything was spectacular and very tasty with a variety of flavor. The desserts were also incredibly delectable. The s'mores cup was our favorite but don't sleep on the New York cheesecake with creme brûlée drizzle on top that added a welcomed texture to the classic dish. We wouldn't hesitate to come back read more

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It's been a couple of years since I wrote my first review and I thought I'd update it, although not much has changed (and that's a positive thing!) The staff continues to be so warm and kind. I recommend a reservation, always, but particularly here as the space is small. We had a protein-heavy dinner most recently and it was seriously the bomb. The hamachi appetizer was so freaking buttery smooth and tasty. That dish is perfection. We then had the melon and prosciutto and again, so tasty. I LOVE seeing that combination on menus. From there, we both ordered the red meat dishes (both different cuts of steak). I was delighted by the portion sizing as we can throw meat down, which we did. This continues to be one of my top favorite restaurants in the county. read more

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The service was very good. Appetizers were great although small amounts and expensive. Brick Chicken, their specialty, was excellent. My steak was not a tender prime piece of meat. It was overpriced and not cooked to my medium rare request. It's fun place to go but it's noisy and overpriced. Portions are small so there's no need for take home boxes. read more

Trestles located in adorable Capitola was a delicious meal and staff couldn't be nicer! Our dinner was done perfectly, nice wine selection, and everything was a pleasant dining experience. Would recommend! read more

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simply stated, trestles is the best restaurant on the central coast. Food is fresh and interesting.

Amazing appetizers and nice environment. The 48 oz Tomahawk steak left a lot to be desired. The pasta and sides were excellent.

The food is gorgeous, imaginative and excellently prepared. It has a great vibe and staff who are attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. Wonderful restaurant for a fun, classy night out. read more

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Great experience at Trestles Restaurant. The staff were friendly, the food was outstanding, atmosphere was awesome. The portions is something that I would like to see improvement on, -1 otherwise, will be visiting again soon. read more

This place is awesome! Highly recommend reservations as the dining area is small. But the food is fabulous and the service is just as good as the food. FOOD: We started with the pork belly which was honestly the best pork belly I've ever had and I've had quite a bit and I make it myself. Both crispy AND tender it was amazing served on a shallow bed of greens. I had the braised short rib with potato gnocchi and it literally fell apart it was so tender. The gnocchi was also the best ever and whatever reduction they served it with was so packed with flavor. My wife had the braised duck and again... amazing. Polenta was delicious too. And then dessert? You can already guess. SERVICE: Was out of this world. Our server was amazing and the hostess was terrific. The portions were terrific. And the plating was perfect. COST: Pricey but not for what you get. Very reasonable for a nice romantic dinner especially considering the quality of the food! read more

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We are outside, they had the heaters on so it was nice and comfortable as we got to people watch. The staff was attentive and so sweet! Get the corn if they still have it, that was so darn good. I tend to enjoy vodka drinks but I switch it for tequila. They ended up making exactly what I wanted and working with me. GO HERE! read more

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We love this restaurant because of the complexity of the flavor profiles of their dishes. While inside is too loud for our liking, sitting at the table outside is perfection. We celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary here! The Borba Farms Potatoes & Trumpet Mushrooms, and the Pork Belly & Scallops were phenomenal. We also had the House Made Strozzapreti Pasta which was nice but it did not wow us. The staff was sweet for congratulating us on our anniversary and complimenting us with some champagne. read more

Trestles Restaurant - New American Near Me - Capitola, California

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This is my favorite restaurant, and the only place that I've returned to 10+ times. We drive there from the Peninsula every few months just for it. The kitchen always delivers - every dish, especially the use of sauces, is full of creativity. This place reminds me that creativity doesn't only belong to restaurants with Michelin stars. read more

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Met my friend's brother and his wife for dinner and it was simply lovely. The food was tasty and exactly as described, the surroundings were warm and inviting, and the service stellar! read more

Trestles Restaurant - A fun evening in a lovely dinner spot - New American Near Me - Capitola, California

This is the second time we have been here, and like the 1st, we had an excellent experience. Both our host and our waiter were very friendly. No matter what you get, the food here is always consistently good. Looking around the room, we could see that the dishes we didn't order also looked fresh and tasty, giving us a reason to come back again. The space feels very cozy, and has a small town feel to it. We will be back again! read more

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Restaurant was closed on a Wed during posted "open" hours. No signs, no notes. Not sure whats going on here. read more

Great thoughtful menu and service. Very pleasant dinner. One of the best restaurants in Santa Cruz read more

GREAT DATE NIGHT SPOT! best quality seafood cocktails were very good. excellent service Lucy was an excellent server, best dinner we had in a long time . read more

Trestles is one of our favorite restaurants because the food is consistently excellent, atmosphere is fantastic, service and staff are wonderful, and it's conveniently located to take a stroll after our meal to help with digestion and to enjoy all that the Village has to offer. We are going to return on Wedneday Neighbors Night for the fixed menu and a cocktail. We hope to see you there!! read more

Trestles Restaurant - Overlooking Capitola Village from the top of the stairs after having dinner at Trestles. - New American Near Me - Capitola, California

I really loved this meal! In fact, every meal I've had there has been outstanding. Trestles also provided very good service in a comfortable atmosphere. I ordered the halibut and it was delicious- one of the best I've ever had. I highly recommend this restaurant read more

My friend and I had dinner here last night and sat at the bar. I was so excited because I haven't been here in about a year and I remembered how great it was the first time I tried it! The service and drinks were excellent and our food came out fast. We were a little disappointed with the food however. We got the artichoke and the beans with squash blossoms. The artichoke was okay; a little cold and not a whole lot of flavor. The squash blossoms were delicious but beans were a little hard/undercooked. I'll be back because I love the vibe here so much, but I will say that food wise we were a bit underwhelmed. read more

Trestles Restaurant - New American Near Me - Capitola, California

Food was delicious and well portioned. Servers and staff are friendly and welcoming. Ambiance of the restaurant was great, friendly, inviting and intimate. read more

Cute, tiny restaurant with good food. We had reservations but because they were unusually busy on a weeknight, we had to wait over 21 mins before we got seated. The young lady who greeted and seated us told us initially it would be an additional 10 mins wait. She was apologetic and they comp us 2 tiny tuna tartare tacos which were delicious. This is a great place to come with friends to share the plates. The items are a bit pricier for quality ingredients. The staff works hard with the exception of our greeter, who was cheerful and friendly, the waitstaff seemed serious and less buoyant. We started off with Little Gem salad, Kung Pao Brussel Sprouts. Both were tasty dishes. Hubby ordered the smoked pork belly with scallops. The pork belly (3 pieces) was delicious, nice and crispy and the scallops cooked just right. They ran out of the duck so Hubby tried the Patagonian salmon filet which was cooked to perfection. I liked my wild mushroom pasta with truffle butter with great flavor but a tad too salty for my taste. I couldn't taste much truffle flavor and it was drenched in yummy butter. We ordered too much food and I had to take the pasta back and heated it up the next day and I got to savor each delicious bite. Definitely a place we'd come back to. read more

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The food was excellent, the service attentive, a nice atmosphere, and it was reasonably priced.

We came here for a birthday dinner and it did not disappoint. Right away after being sat and settled, our waiter let us know that the food may take awhile considering it was a busy weekend, Valentines day weekend. I appreciated this and we felt like the timing was fine. The place was somewhat small but cozy and has a outside porch/counter. We sat near the hallway to the restroom across from the kitchen which was a fun experience. Noise level of the restaurant was a-bit noisy though. Our food though - amazing. The appetizer: pork belly had an even amount of crunch yet richness from the fat. The scallops were also cooked well and the garnishes were good pallets cleansers from the two. Mains: Our waiter sold us on the special options for the weekend. He also let us know what steaks they still had in stock. The salmon was perfectly cooked inside and skin was crispy. The roast fell apart in your mouth and the sauce made it just that much better We were too full for dessert, but would definitely love to come back and try more dishes! read more

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From the moment we stepped into Trestles, a bustling bistro type restaurant, we were welcomed like old friends. Blixa got us some bubbles as we selected our choice for dinner. James helped guide us through the night along with Matt. Amazing choices from the mushroom toast and ahi starter to the absolute amazing halibut special to the gnocchi. Pretty darn close to a perfect dinner. James recommended the Pinot which perfectly pared w both main dishes. All throughout the meal, James, Matt and Blixa made certain that that all of our flavors were just right. James made a great recommendation for a wine paring. What a great place, staff and meal to celebrate our anniversary. Thanks Blixa, James and Matt for making this special occasion special for us! read more

Trestles Restaurant - Perfect paring for both the gnocchi and the halibut. Thanks James for the recommendation! - New American Near Me - Capitola, California

Incredible food with well-thought out flavors, in a beautifully decorated, and often bustling, bar/restaurant. We were able to make same-day dinner reservations on a Sunday at 5:30. It was starting to get full when we arrived. The tables inside are somewhat close to each other, so the very boisterous party next to us sometimes made it hard for us to hear each other. The patio area looked cozy and had free throw blankets to use, so that might be a better choice in nice weather. We started with the crispy pork belly, crispy Brussels sprouts, and the halibut tail (daily special, not pictured). All were expertly cooked: the pork belly had a slight crispiness that offset the natural fattiness from the pork belly, and made for a wonderfully savory appetizer. The Brussels sprouts were roasted to perfection, with a sweet glaze that paired perfectly with the tangy pickled onions. The halibut tail was also moist and flaky. One complaint: they only serve the tiny 8 oz. bottles of Diet Coke. Afterward, we ordered 2 mains: a halibut daily special with fava bean puree, and the house ricotta gnocchi. My friend loved the halibut and said it was beautifully cooked. The gnocchi, though, may have been my favorite gnocchi ever: pillowy doesn't even begin to describe it, and the mix of flavor from the super-rich mushroom fondue and texture from the smoked hen of the woods mushrooms was outstanding. I would honestly come again just for this dish! All in all, a wonderful place to dine and have some drinks in Capitola. read more

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Visited Capitola for the weekend and tried Trestle for the first time -- absolutely loved it! The oysters were fresh, and both the steak and chicken entrées were beautifully presented and full of flavor. The space feels cozy yet elevated, and the service was great. We'll definitely be back next time we're in town! read more

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We went a couple of weeks later, on a weekday and the food and service were much better. I believe it was a Thursday evening. It was a beautiful day and the weather was great so we sat outside overlooking the street and people watched while we ate and talked. The waitstaff was attentive without being overbearing. The food was original and very good. Definitely a great improvement over the last visit. I would say that the reservation piece, from our last visit needs work. If you are too close to people coming for that ensure that seats are saved so not to have people wait over 30 minutes and leave as there seems to be no end in sight. Hope to visit again and see if the reservation thing has been resolved or is at least better or, since we are local, stop by on a weekday evening for a beautiful meal. read more

Very cozy ambiance, great central location and setting, friendly staff and service. Reservation required a card and will charge a fee if late cancellation. Foods were pretty good and small portions. We tried the fish, pork belly scallops and cheesecake. Check it out when you near by. read more

I see why this place was so hyped up, excellent food here. The service was great, and the food came out quickly. We particularly loved the Brussel sprouts and the pork belly, some of the best versions of those foods we've ever had. I probably wouldn't get the gnocchi or the dessert again, both of those were a bit disappointing, but as a whole massively impressed with this place. read more

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Key Point: - Classy interior with cozy outdoor option - Efficient and Friendly service - Food was excellent. Worth the price. The Fam plus extended Fam and I dined at Trestles during a weekend outing after taking the Little One to Thomas and Percy's Halloween Party. We were looking for a fine dining experience that could accommodate young children, like the Little One, who was a little over 2 years old at the time. We found some last minute availability at Trestle and were glad we did. The ambiance captured our attention with its classy decor and inviting atmosphere. However, we opted to dine outdoors in their single cozy outdoor table equipped with heat lamps. The outdoor seating area provided a delightful backdrop for our family gathering, allowing us to enjoy the coastal breeze and scenic views. additionally, The little One and The In-Laws prefer outdoor seating. The Food: Seared Ahi Tuna - Each bite was a symphony of flavors and textures. Succulent, tender, seared to perfection with a crispy crust. As one can see in my photo, a beautiful pink colored interior Prime New York strip - juicy, mouth watering. Although you can't see it, likely a well marbled piece, worthy of the designation "prime". It had a nice seared exterior crust. Cooked medium rare. Although not perfect edge to edge, few restaurant steaks are. Mac n' Cheese - looked plain, but don't let the looks deceive you. This creamy, comforting classic made with restaurant style flare was enjoyed not just by the Little One, but by us adults alike. Moreover, the service was impeccable. The servers were not only attentive but also friendly, willing to engage in small talk, adding a warm touch to our dining experience. Their genuine hospitality made us feel right at home. In summary, Trestles restaurant offers an exceptional dining experience that caters to both palate and comfort. Whether you're looking for a romantic dinner or a family outing, Trestles is sure to leave a lasting impression with its impeccable cuisine, classy ambiance, and top-notch service. read more

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