Vegan
American
Organic
Raw
Beer/Wine
Take-out
Part of a collection of restaurants specializing in vegan raw and cooked cuisines. Uses produce from the owners' farm. As of Nov 2016 no longer uses honey. Previously called Cafe Gratitude. Reported closed October 2023.
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103 Lincoln St (at Pacific Ave), Santa Cruz, California, USA, 95060
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Last update on 21 Oct 2023 by Conniemm
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Added by amarello on 16 Sep 2011
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99 Reviews
First Review by KamrynWilliams
Tubajuba
Points +271
Good Food - Edit
The food was very good and the portions were enough for lunch but not too much. The three stars is because the service was very slow and lunch was expensive. With tip it was over $40 for lunch. We have been traveling through California eating at vegan restaurants. The food was compatible to the other restaurants but the price was much higher.
Read morePros: Good Food, Reasonable portion sizes.
Cons: Price, Slow Service
Guest
Conniemm
Points +1763
Glad I visited again - Edit
I had lunch today at Cafe Gratitude and really enjoyed it. I haven't been for some time and noticed that the menu has some changes from the last time I came.
Read moreI had the Amore Sandwich and it was really, really good. Cashew cheese with pesto and balsamic reduction on locally made bakery bread. It was great and I enjoyed the side salad that came with it. At $12, the price seemed reasonable to me.
I tasted my friend's Whole Bowl and it was also really good and I might choose it the next time I visit. It seemed like a lot of food.
The waitress was attentive but gave us space as we took our time enjoying our meal and talking.
I'm definitely going to come back again soon.
Pros: Good choices, Tasty food, Comfortable surroundings
Guest
Dai4Hay
Points +86
Bit to pricey - Edit
$20+ per person to eat a meal. Amazing tasting food, great atmosphere and friendly staff. I would recommend going here only if you can afford it as I have never left feeling full (this goes for others I have gone with or spoken with). I feel like I always regret coming here when I randomly do (because of the money and small portions). Haven't been though since June 2016.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2015-06-01
Pros: great tasting food , yummy deserts!!, friendly staff/manager
Cons: PRICES , SMALL PORTIONS, feel like I'm getting robbed
erbavore9
Perhaps the owners have looked at the reviews and changed their quantity of food. i'm a big man at 220 pounds, and it over stuffed me. I had the poleta cakes and mushroom gravy sauce.
Read moreGuest
erbavore9
Points +246
Nice Food - Edit
I was impressed with everything about the place.
Read moreLuckily I came after the lunch rush as there were over 40 people in the restaurant when i arrived. Only 2 tables had not eaten.
I did read the reviews and was hesitant to go due to many complaining about small portions. For me, this wasn't the case. Actually, it was too much food and I have a HUGE appetite.
The quality of the service was excellent, and the food was even better. I thought I found the best restaurant in town until I ate at the Malabar in the evening.
Pros: Quality of Food, Quantity of Food, Taste!
Cons: It was a little pricy
Guest
MistedForest
Points +50
One of the better CG - Edit
This used to be my least favorite. Now I love this location. The spices are valanced and the staff is fun.
Read morePros: All vegan not sure why it is labeled Vegetatian.
Conniemm
Cafe Gratitude is labeled vegetarian on Happy Cow because they used honey in a couple of their drinks. It looks like they no longer do so I will ask to have the listing updated.
Read moreConniemm
I now see that the change was already made!
Read moreGuest
Danez
Points +181
Very delicious food - Edit
I haven't done any background research about the restaurant or the owners, as others here did, but the food is really yummy and delicious. The service was also super nice.
Read moreGuest
MaartenC
Points +153
great and original vegan food - Edit
Food and drinks were all very original and very tasty. Read someone's review about small portions; well let's just say I would't want to be (in) his/her shoes... Portions were big enough varying to huge... Loved it! Drinks were on the expensive side though. Would definitely recommend.
Read moreGuest
Betze
Points +185
Delicious - Edit
a nice atmosphere; in love the ceasar salad with cashew cheese dressing, fresh juices and smoothies, almond milk and cakes and desserts.
Read morePros: vegan, glutenfree
Guest
TKoch
Points +579
Delicious vegan food, nice staff - Edit
We ate here as a family last summer before our move out of state. The food was incredible. My husband had the BLT sandwich,I had the taco plate, which they very nicely changed to accommodate my inability for spicy foods, and my son had the pad thai.Everyone raved about what they had ordered.My tacos were incredible,fresh, zesty and really delicious.We tried the ginger lemonade which was terrific and very surprising. The desserts were heavenly. Husband got the strawberry cake, son got the key lime pie and I got the apricot torte. They were all outstanding. Prices are a bit stiff, but I have yet to meet good vegan food that wasn't expensive. Don't mind spending the money as cooking vegan has given me a new appreciation for the incredible amount of time spent producing this labor intensive food.Highly recommend this restaurant and the sister one in San Francisco, Gracias Madre.
Read morePros: Food was delicious, Staff was friendly and helpful, Atmosphere was calming
Cons: Portions could have been larger
Guest
cat1
Points +76
good - Edit
I stopped here for a few mins to pick up a smoothie and desert, Its not quite up to the standards of the LA locations and I have to say I had had pieces of something hard in my smoothie, I think they must have put a dates pip in by mistake.. But the smoothie was actually really good other than that..
Read morePros: tasty, great staff , good location
Cons: not the best vibe
Guest
johnevoice
Points +16
Great Food AND Service - Edit
This has to be one of the best dining experience I've ever had. 1st of all - we were greeted by someone at the counter was more than multitasking but yet still had a very friendly disposition and was able to give us menus and told us to choose our table. Our waiter Mark was as perfect as a waiter can be..
Read moreThe food (cleverly titled with positive affirmations) was sublime, clever, tasty and ohhhhhh so fresh. If anyone had an experience less than five stars I would pay for them to go back myself - that's how much I believe in this place. I wish them many years of great and healthy success.
Pros: healthy, fresh organic vegan food, clean restaurant and bathroom, friendly happy environment
Cons: none
Guest
amped
Points +144
yum!! - Edit
Just enjoying my breakfast take out. As always the order was ready when promised and everything tastes wonderful! I am Peace, I am Home!
Read morePros: amazing value, outstanding quality, informed staff
Guest
robivore
Points +329
Great food; Great People - Edit
Try the home style potatoes with the spicy cashew "cheese" sauce, oh, and the BLT - amazing. If you're looking for something a bit more healthy, try the beans, rice and kale. I love this place.
Read morePros: Great food, Healthy food
Cons: Slightly pricy, Somewhat difficult to get to (if not downtown)
Guest
mslacey
Points +81
Well Worth The Drive - Edit
I have always heard wonderful things about this location but never made the time to drive over the Santa Cruz mountain until now... wish I had no waited! The food was delicious, atmosphere very welcoming, and the staff very happy. Will be making this trip again soon. And just. So happens to be a farmer's market next door.
Read morePros: Very Reasonably Priced, Options, Large Portions
Cons: Limited Street Parking
Guest
TataVislevskaya
Points +123
Rude service - Edit
This place has really rude staff with high ambitions. We ordered two tacos and the waitress heard me very well, but she bring just 1 dish without apologies. Even more she said to my husband: "She can shares her food with you". Black bean tacos were truly heavy and greasy. I can't recommend this place and will be avoid it next time in Santa Cruz.
Read moreCons: Rude staff, Heavy and greasy dishes
Guest
harry the taoist
Points +28
Best vegan in town - Edit
It's been described as "pricey", but it has high quality organic food and an interesting selection of raw dishes. It's menu is creative and portions are large, so given the prices of other good restaurants in the area I would say the cost of eating here is fair. Also it has a dish that is "FREE" for anyone who can't afford it. This may seem like a cultural gimmick for proudly progressive Santa Cruz but i saw a man come in and say he couldnt afford the menu and asked for the free meal. He was treated with dignity and just like any customer. I've eaten here 10 - 12 times and have always been pleased.
Read morePros: Creative, All vegan, Local produce
Guest
Meggie and Ben
Points +1786
Too expensive, food not worth it - Edit
My husband and I have been to the Cafe Gratitude in Berkley a few years ago and recently went back while were in Santa Cruz.
Read moreI had remembered liking the food from our first time there, but all my husband could remember was it being expensive. After visiting again I tend to be more on my husband's side. The food was decent and I liked everything we got, but for the prices I would have liked to get a LOT more food and top notch quality. I understand high prices with raw items because of the time they take to prepare, but my husband's sandwich (he got the BLT with coconut 'bacon') served with a small salad was $12! I think that's a ripoff.
I got the raw enchilada with sprouted seed filling, spicy mole, cashew sour cream and scallions served with a spicy Mexican coleslaw and salad. It was pretty dang good but, again, for $14 I don't think it was worth it at all. ONE enchilada, a cheap coleslaw and then mixed greens with a dressing filling up almost half my plate? I don't think so.
ALSO the service was horrible and they were out of half of the things on their menu. So, even though their food is good and they are 100% vegan I can really only give them a 3/5. I honestly wouldn't go there again if I had another option, and there are so many better options in Santa Cruz and Berkley!
Pros: All vegan, Raw
Cons: Expensive, Food isn't good, Terrible service
Guest
KamrynWilliams
Points +35
Don't waste your time!!!! - Edit
I was so excited to find out that we had a new vegan restaurant in SC. I came in about a week or two ago, and it was a terrible experience. The food is overpriced for what they give you. I ordered a raw "pizza"- it was a very small piece of "dough" with a white creamy blob on one side and a red blob on the other. It tasted exactly like cheap bruschetta in a very sickingly way. The "pizza" was very small, smaller than a CD, and it cost ~10. They put a "salad" on the side (spinach with almost no dressing). They never got us our water even though we asked three times. The waiters did not pay us any attention which was odd since there were a few of them and its a very small place. The cooks forgot to make my "pizza" so we waited about 45 minutes for our food!! My friend said her food was "ok", nothing to come back for.
Read moreTerrible service and terrible food. I'll stick with Saturn Cafe and Dharmas!
Pros: All vegan
Cons: Small portion, Bad service, Not delicious
Guest
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