pizza

pizza my heart
greasy new york style. delivers. 426-2511.
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tony & alba's pizza
good thin crust pizza, get a sandwich and salad for $6.50, delivers. 817 Soquel Ave, 425-8669.
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metro review
upper crust pizza
very good sicilian style. 476-2333.
joe's pizza & subs
joe's has gotten better and better ever since they took over the old KFC location. recommended: club, meatball, "joe's special", sausage sandwiches. lentil soup, onion rings, meatballs. 426-5955.

thai

sabieng
sabieng is our other favorite thai restaurant in SC. the food is always fresh and delicious and the staff friendly. recommended: spring rolls, tom kha soup w/ tofu, sweet potatoes, red peanut curry, yellow curry. 1218 Mission, 425-1020.
metro review
thai house
we're not sure why it took us so long to warm up to thai house, but we're glad we finally did. the appetizers, while not quite as yummy as sabieng, are all delicious and plentiful and the main dishes are consistently choice. we love the unusual architecture of the building (it's like eating in an upside down boat) and the two large aquariums always entertain our 2 year old. unfortunately, they lost their liquor license over a year ago and apparently haven't gotten it back! we have a hard time eating thai food without thai beer to wash it down with. 353 Soquel Ave, 458-3546.
metro review

chinese

tam's
it kills us to say this, but tam's is not what it once was. at one time, one of the best $8 plates of food in santa cruz could be had here: the General Tofu, but these days it's hit and miss. recommended: General Tofu, egg rolls, hot & sour soup, orange chicken. 2403 Mission, 423-7878.
o'mei
provincial chinese. a little pricey but VERY tasty, with good sized portions. recommended: chili fried rice, chinese pumpkin dishes, mongolian beef (tell them to tone down the onions), lemon chicken, lichee "pipa" tofu balls, ma la corn w/ tofu, lemon pipa tofu balls, spring rools. one tip: they will parade a tray of overpriced starters in front of you right after you sit down. as mouth-watering as the $5 candied cashews might look, don't give in! save your money and get a tsing tao with dinner instead. 2316 Mission (across from Tam's), 425-8458.
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metro review

italian

kianti's
large festive restaurant in downtown santa cruz. hands down our daughter's favorite restaurant, if for no other reason then because they give the kids some pizza dough to play with before the meal (and during, and after...). they put on something of a show twice a night on fridays and saturdays where the waitstaff dances the can can. lots of fun. we like the calzone and the salads (which are humongous). beware the cream-based pasta dishes. more often then not they have a punitive effect about two hours after the meal. entreés are $8-9. 1100 Pacific Ave, 469-4400.
merc review
la bruschetta
we've only been here once and we enjoyed it immensely. as far as authenticity goes, this is probably as close to a sicilian l'osteria as you're going to find in the area. 5447 Highway 9, Felton, 335-3337.
sentinel review
il trullo
we were big fans of the previous restaurant in this location, Cafe Bella Napoli, so the new Il Trullo has some big shoes to fill. we're happy to say that Il Trullo did not disappoint. we were told that the food here is styled after the Puglia region of Italy, but the menu seemed weighted more towards the heavier "secondi piatti" that you'd expect from a Southern Italian ristorante. the restaurant itself is VERY small, having only 10 tables or so in a cramped space, so consider the noise factor before bringing the youngins. 503 Water St, 427-0998. BTW, wondering what a trullo is?
star bene
i'm still not sure how we missed out on this place for so incredibly long, especially with it being a favorite of some friends. the waiter obviously spoke Italian as his first language, a very good sign. unlike Il Trullo, the atmosphere here is festive, the restaurant fairly large, and definitely accommodating for children. john had the cannelloni di carne and jen had the ravioli giardino. both dishes were good, but the ravioli in particular was not really as flavorful as most others who serve the same dish. several of our companions raved about the gnocchi alla tele with pesto. luckily the menu here is expansive, so we're looking forward to trying again. 2-1245 East Cliff Drive, 479-4307.
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metro review
sestri
the buzz has been building around this new east-side italian restaurant and we finally made it over. we found the staff to be super-friendly and the atmosphere playful yet sophisticated. but surprisingly, the menu seemed to fall a little flat. not only was it slim in choices with no lasagne, cannelloni, or ravioli, but the dishes we did land on (meatballs for john and sausage bow-tie for jen) were good but not great. in the end, however, we left satiated and with smiles on our faces so it's definitely worth a second look. UPDATE: we did give sestri a second try and left with the same overall impression, that menu lacks choices and the food lacks flavor, but that the atmosphere does take up some of the slack. we continue to recommend sestri with those caviots, but for similarly styled italian food we favor Il Trullo on Water (see review). 655 Capitola Road, 479-0200.
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sentinel review
carniglia's
italian seafood on the santa cruz wharf with the best calamari we've ever had. 458-3600.
metro review

sushi

shogun
the best. recommended: karaoke, edamame, miso soup, unagi, katana roll, hawaiian roll. they take reservations for four or more, which is a good idea on friday or saturday. Open 12-2:30/5-9 weekdays, 3-10 saturday, closed sunday. 1123 Pacific Ave, 469-4477.
metro review
aqua bleu
we're not even sure what category this belongs in, but they have a sushi bar and some damn good sushi, so sushi it is. then again they also serve burgers, korean beef, salads, tenderloin, and even gumbo. the food here never disappoints and this is one of our favorite restaurants in santa cruz, however, the service is hit and miss. they are often short-staffed and delays are common. recommended: green monster sushi roll, crab cakes, tofu sautee, chowder. 1108 Pacific Ave, 423-6999.
sentinel review
mobo sushi
very decent sushi, perhaps runner up to shogun. recommended: "the corruptor". 105 South River St, 425-1700.
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metro review
takara sushi bar
fun atmosphere and pretty decent sushi. when the others are too crowded, come here. 3775 Capitola Rd, 464-1818.
metro review

middle eastern

asian rose / malabar
these used to be two separate restaurants with the same owners, but when they moved to Front street they couldn't decide which name to keep so they used both. apparently during the day it's Asian Rose and at night it's Malabar. either way, the food is delicious (and, by the way, all vegetarian). 514B Front St, 423-7906.
metro review
sri
taking up the space that joe's left when they moved into the old KFC, sri is YASLR (yet another sri lankan restaurant). the interior is casual with ordering at the counter and dishes costing $5-$10. most dishes are vegetarian and vegan however they also offer some chicken curries. 736 Water St, 457-2350.
metro review
falafel house
primo falafel and fries! good burgers too. 113 Walnut Ave, 459-9770.
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vasili's
teriffic greek selection with fun greek decor (including the requisite pictures of the owner balancing a table on his chin). recommended: moussaka, souvlaki. 1501 Mission, 458-9808.
metro review

mexican

cafe el palomar
near the santa cruz harbor, right next to the crow's nest and with the same great view. very good authentic mexican dishes. recommended: fish tacos, enchiladas, margaritas. 2222 East Cliff Drive, 477-0371
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sofia's taqueria
an incredible gem! there's so much bang for your buck here that we may finally stop whining about not living near the Tamale House in Austin. for $5 you can get chips & salsa, an overflowing carne asada taco, AND a plate of nachos! FIVE DOLLARS PEOPLE! and, it's REALLY good! the only catch is that you have to drive to Aptos to get it. 140 Rancho Del Mar Shopping Center, 688-1417.
el toro bravo
one of the best traditional mexican restaurants we've found in the SC area (but not veggie friendly) recommended: tamales, fajitas (uniquely prepared in a wine sauce), enchiladas. open daily at 11:30am. 123 Monterey Ave (in Capitola By The Sea, across from the theater), 476-1553.
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tortilla flats
original mexican selection and great margaritas (custom mix and lots of prima tequila). recommended: all the "flatland" dishes (vegan with rice and nuts), cheese enchiladas, chile relleno. 4616 Soquel Dr, 476-1754
metro review
el palomar
stronghold of the downtown mexican scene, you can choose from the slightly pricey main restaurant or the cheap taco bar next door. recommended: fajitas for two ($16), flan (the best!). 1336 Pacific Ave, 425-7575
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metro review
tacos moreno
nobody comes here any more, it's too crowded. the line extends out the door nearly all day, so try calling your order in ahead of time. they probably won't have it ready (i don't think they even write it down), but you can at least cut to the front where the "phone orders here" sign is. recommended: flour quesadillas, carne asada tacos. open 7 days till 8pm. 1050 Water St, 429-6095.
metro review
olitas (formerly las olas)
sea-mexican, tasty ritas, wharf view. recommended: all the lobster dishes (although pricey - $17 tacos!), crab cakes. avoid: the calamari (minute portions). the end of santa cruz wharf, 458-9393.
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taqueria cancun
traditional yucatan style, very tasty. recommended: chile relleno, fajitas. 528 Seabright Ave, 423-2261.

breakfast

zachary's
the slacker's breakfast destination-- greasy, plentiful, and delicious. recommended: mike's mess, eggs benedict, french toast. open till 230. 819 Pacific Ave (south side), 427-0646.
metro review
walnut avenue cafe
cozy, tasty, and guaranteed to be packed on a weekend afternoon. recommended: pancakes, french toast. 106 Walnut Ave, 457-2307.
metro review
beach street cafe
best traditional pancakes in SC, but only served until noon. 399 Beach (across from boardwalk arcade), 426-7621.
metro review

veggie

dharma's
diverse and dynamic selection of veggie and vegan dishes. recommended: tempeh reuben, breakfast burrito, shakes (especially the dairy variety), nachos. 4250 Capitola Rd, 462-1717
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metro review
new leaf cafe
on 41st. great veggies! hummus wrap or veggie rice plate both good.
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seafood

crow's nest
The Red Lobster's more respectable and hygenic uncle. good for out-of-towners looking for a seafood and harbor view fix. recommended: australian lobster, scallops, prime rib. 2218 E. Cliff Dr, 476-4560.
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metro review
zelda's
popular people-watching spot on the capitola esplanade. you'll find the normal complement of mexican and seafood dishes here, along with a full bar. recommended: fish & chips. 203 Esplanade, 475-4900.
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metro review
paradise beach grille
located just a couple doors down from zelda's on the capitola esplanade, we find this to be a nice alternative to zelda's. the bar scene isn't as crazy and the outside tables are cozier with a better view. the menu offers everything you'd expect from an american-flavored steak and seafood restaurant. 215 Esplanade, (831) 476-4900.
metro review

other

black china cafe
Black China actually strikes us as quite another category with their unusual selections. the favorite for both of us is the pear and goat cheese sandwich, but everything else we've had there has been very very good. cakes and desserts are great here, coming from the Black China Bakery which has been a favorite in Santa Cruz for many years. the soups are also excellent. prices are on the high side for a lunch sandwich, around $7.50 on average. the atmosphere is colorful and serene with seating both outside and inside. 1121 Soquel Ave, 460-1600.
metro review
the buttery
the sandwiches are good but smallish. they have a relaxing outdoor area and plenty of room for the dog. in addition to the sandwiches, the pastries and cakes are first-rate. recommended: blt avo, turkey basil. 702 Soquel Ave, 458-3020.
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metro review
chocolate
next to bookshop santa cruz with indoor and outdoor tables, it's surprisingly yummy for a bookshop cafe, and the desserts are out of this world (the chocolate is reportedly from the "world famous" donnely's chocolate on mission). they also serve the best gelato we've found outside of italy. recommended: italian rosettes, tortas, gelato, hot chocolate, chocolate fudge sundae. 1522 Pacific Ave (next to Bookshop Santa Cruz), 427-9900.
shadowbrook
stunning scenery, stunning prices, decent food. good for anniversaries and birthdays. 1750 Wharf Rd, 475-1511.
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metro review
the farm bakery and cafe
tasty quiches, sandwiches, breads, desserts. GREAT gift shop. 6790 Soquel Dr (Aptos), 684-0266.
metro review
jack's hamburgers
best burgers and fries in town. too bad they're only open weekdays till 4pm, fri & sat till 8pm, and closed sunday. 202 Lincoln, 423-4421.
armadillo willy's
most folks around these parts disdain willly's for its franchise-ness, but let us make this clear- we're both from Texas and know a little about good bbq. willy's may not be stubb's or the salt lick, but they do a dang good job of trying and we've found the quality to be going up consistently over the last year. 2180 41st Ave, 479-RIBB.
the bagelry
good bagel sandwiches of every conceivable permutation. outside deck is perfect for fido. 320 Cedar, 429-8049.
meto review
oswald
amazing French bistro with seasonal dishes. recommended: endive salad, anything with sauce. warning: this place is popular and cramped, so make reservations and come prepared to wait. 1547 Pacific Ave, 423-7427.
metro review