Really delicious couple sandwiches from Bottega del Lago! We weren't able to get our first choices,…read moreas these were the last two sandwiches left. But both were really solid, particularly the meat one with the pepper spread. The eggplant one was quite good, though I think it would have been just as good with just the mozzarella and pesto! Really excellent overall, would recommend

Seriously good sandwiches and great Italian grocery items! This spot is complete bomb food and it…read moretastes homemade! The meatballs are massive and it's so filling without feeling heavy! It's also near the beach so perfect spot to grab before heading beach side!

5/5: The rhum baba is excellent 2/5: The pistachio gelato is…read moreway too sweet. All I can taste is sugar. This might be ok for little kids who like super-sweet stuff, but it's cloyinging sweet for anyone over the age of 18. 2/5: The chocolate bomb uses very mild milk chocolate mousse. It is lacking the intense bitter chocolate flavor and complexity that I'm looking for.

We drove an hour to try this Pasticceria and we are glad we did and will be back. We felt like we…read morewere in Italy enjoying the best pastries, pizza and cafe late ever. The owners, two brothers from Italy are professional trained chefs. It is definitely a must visit cafe.

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.

Found Marianne's by accident. It reminded me of Bud's Ice Cream and Mitchell's Ice Cream in San…read moreFrancisco. Very crowded...packed parking lot...long line outside the door that moves very quickly. We grabbed a number and waited our turn...just a few minutes. Looked over the menu of flavors while we waited. So many flavors to choose from...the flavors we choose were very tasty. By the time we ordered, got, and paid for our ice cream, seats had opened up. Everything you want in an ice cream...rich, creamy, flavorful. We enjoyed every bit our scoops.

Love Marianne's from the grocery store, an even better experience is visiting their brick & mortar…read moreshop. My visit took place on a warm and sunny afternoon, lots of guests waiting to taste delicious ice cream. Lines moved fairly quickly. Remember to grab a number upon entering. Shoutout to Sophia (in training according to her name tag). She provided the best service I've had in a long time as she patiently explained their vast menu selection and exchanged genuine interactions. The double junior was the perfect size with 2 different flavors. I opted for the pistachio cardimon and the Oregon blackberry. I had a few bites of caramel/mocha flavors, which were slightly too sweet for me. Regardless, I feel you can't go wrong with any of their flavors and they provide samples. The inside is pretty cute with its retro flooring and wall decor. Plenty of tables to sit and enjoy. Small parking lot, but ample street parking around the shop. Looking forward to visiting Marianne's again next time I'm in Santa Cruz. #12/2026

I was craving ice cream and so glad The Penny Ice Creamery had a vegan flavor. I had the vegan dark…read morechocolate ice cream and it was delish! They have both indoor and outdoor seating.

Fantastic location and good vibes here! The dark choc dairy free option was SO good! My husband and…read moreI each had one scoop w the toasted almonds. Such a yummy treat on a chill Sunday eve spent strolling along the downtown streets!

Donnie Darko!! This…read moreis what makes the surrounding towns/ Santa Cruz unique. Living in SF we wanted to find something different and unique. We appreciated this corner coffee shop and the vibes. We even came back the next day just for Donnie Darko - if you enjoy iced coffee this is it! One of the cons of this drink is it comes only in one size; apparently a specific formula or proportion of ingredients. Would come back to this town just for this amazing coffee!

An OK place to get coffee and a pastry here in the Santa Cruz area. Definitely a bit dingier and…read moredarker than most coffeeshops, with some concerns about cleanliness - tables were sticky and there was food and crumbs on the floor around my chair before I sat down. Coffee and pastries are decent, although the pastries are priced pretty expensive. Lots of activism and messaging by the coffeeshop, which can be a plus or minus depending on your proclivities.

Went here with my husband for walking in the neighborhood and had the ice cream was delicious! Good…read morecustomer service and even people in general are friendly here in Santa Cruz. We got peach flavor which had real peach pieces, wasn't too sweet and we had popcorn (A pick from my husband) I was reluctant to have it but it ended up being one of my favorites! Highly recommend. Very good quality ice cream, Good Prices and Good Customer service. Do it.

We were walking down the main street when a downpour came, we found this place to wait for the rain…read moreto let up and I was glad we did! I'm not a big sorbet fan, but the mango sorbet was very good. I had an americano to go and that blew a lot of the other coffee I had away. This is a great place to refuel!

This review needs updating. I am now confident in saying that these ice cream bars ARE the best in…read morethe world and would love to be proven wrong (hey, IF a better ice cream bar exists it would have to be mind-blowingly good). It starts by them using quality ingredients. They use Marianne's vanilla ice cream, and Valrhona chocolate (a French chocolate used by gourmet chefs). You can choose milk chocolate or dark. They have a bunch of options for what you can include in your bar, including chopped almonds, caramel, and marshmallow. My favorite is #4: dark chocolate with caramel and marshmallow. It is insanely good. After each bite I am thinking "oh my god this is good." Frankly I am glad it is in Santa Cruz (and not in my town) or I might be 50 lbs heavier. I just had one yesterday and the experience is still vivid. Oh, and their chocolates (which also use Valrhona chocolate) are also damn good. And if you like brownies they've got you covered too. The guys running this place could not be nicer, which makes this place a joy to visit. This is really an exceptional place to come to and we are lucky to have it in our area. I am now a regular almost every time I am in Santa Cruz (and I come here often).

This place is amazing, which is a family owned business and amazing different chocolate experience…read more Freshly made chocolates. Very down to earth family. They also started selling Dubai Chocolate, which I felt amazing because they are all out. Have to comeback again to try that. The brownie and Milk chocolate ice-creams are must try (#9 and #10). Dark Chocolate must try are #1 and #2. Parking is behind the chocolate store and is easy to park. The service is quick and very helpful with the suggestions.

After a long day at the beach, we stopped in about 10 minutes before closing, and the staff were…read morestill friendly and helpful. My husband and I both ordered the almond fudge on a sugar cone, and it did not disappoint. It was creamy, flavorful, and full of nuts. We will definitely be back!

After a horrible dinner, we decided we deserved a sweet treat. Polar Bear Ice Cream did not…read moredisappoint! Our server was happy to explain all the unique flavors. (100% recommend the Otter flavor! Tastes like a churro!) She made us a very nice brownie sundae and also made sure to give us two spoons. Fast, clean, and great options!