This list is packed, and the ultra-charming botany vibes at 11th Hour Coffee need a shout-out — a particular favorite for pre-surfing energy — as does the first shop of the now-booming coffee company Verve. But the official pick goes to Cat and Cloud as it’s now synonymous with what Santa Cruz coffee can offer to the region and to the country: a business that touts inclusive practices and well-sourced coffee.

Like the region’s famed surf breaks, craft breweries have become an integral part of the local landscape. Humble Sea stands out with exceptional New England-style IPAs; eye-catching graphics; and a pleasant, olive tree-shaded beer garden situated five blocks from the shore on the westside.

NorCal is no stranger to exquisite doughnuts, but Santa Cruz has known what’s good since Ernest Ferrell opened the first Ferrell’s in 1949. This shop on Mission Street, not the first of the local outposts bearing the same name, is open 24 hours a day, meaning locals have gone to nab one of the 41 varieties before hitting the surf or the mountains for decades. Plus, a bear claw is only $3.50 — outrageous.

Copal opened in summer 2020, delivering chef Ana Mendoza’s homestyle Oaxacan fare to the California coast, most notably in the form of moles — Mendoza is particularly known for her bold mole negro, gaining acclaim prior to Copal at pop-ups and festivals. Get it served with chicken or pork, or in tamales wrapped in banana leaf; and don’t miss the tlayuda, an Oaxacan favorite.

Along with business partner Zachary Davis, former Manresa pastry chef Kendra Baker created a beloved local institution with this ice cream shop that features seasonal scoops made from scratch and served in homemade waffle cones. True to Santa Cruz ethos, Davis and Baker source ingredients from more than 40 local farmers and foragers for flavors such as strawberry pink peppercorn and cardamom coconut blackberry. Just be sure to top it with toasted marshmallow fluff. Find locations in downtown and Pleasure Point.

Zoccoli’s is arguably Santa Cruz’s favorite deli — rightfully so, after 70+ years serving custom-made sandwiches and house hoagies, like everyone’s favorite, the Mediterranean (mortadella, salami, prosciutto, and provolone cheese on a sourdough French roll with Italian dressing, olives and peppers). There’s a surprising number of vegetarian options, and hot and cold sandwiches all go for under $10, another reason to love it.

Parents of teenagers headed to college are already familiar with this cafe, as it seems to always have a few families on their way in or out of the city enjoying diner coffee and an omelet. This downtown restaurant does breakfast and lunch like no one’s business and is still cranking out hits after almost 30 years in business. The vegan scrambles are worth a try.

Having a robust outdoor dining option like this downtown Santa Cruz restaurant is a welcome option. There are more than a dozen seafood options, and the cocktails — such as the fruit punch and rum Hawaii 5-0 — are light and refreshing after a day of romping around the mountains. The jungle tofu bowl with plantains, peanuts, and the housemade “jungle curry sauce” (as eyebrow-raising as that name may be) is difficult to eat slowly.

The Seabreeze Cafe, also known as Linda’s Seabreeze Cafe, is the kind of business with constantly rotating specials written in multiple colored markers on a whiteboard. It’s cash or check only, and dishes range from classics like Denver omelettes and blueberry pancakes to rarer items like a Tex-Mex breakfast and orange poppyseed pancakes.

This Italian restaurant has been a local favorite since it opened in 2011, but in early summer 2023 new partners came on and gave the business a major facelift. A handsome fresh coat of green paint and neon signs in Italian adorn the walls, but it’s the spaghetti with clams and roasted branzino that remain the main attractions.

Fleeing city life to tend to his Santa Cruz Mountain farm, chef Matt McNamara, former co-owner of San Francisco’s Michelin-starred Sons & Daughters, teamed up with other Sons & Daughters alums to open this casual breakfast and lunch spot in Soquel. The seemingly simple menu features homemade bread and ingredients sourced from McNamara’s farm in items such as fried egg sandwiches and sesame cashew brittle yogurt (there are burgers too).