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831-427-9583
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103 Lincoln St (at Pacific Ave), Santa Cruz, California, USA, 95060
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. Open Mon-Sun 11:00am-9:00pm.
Categories: Vegan, American, Organic, Raw, Beer/Wine, Take-out
32 Reviews
First Review by KamrynWilliams
Contributions +34
Love this place. Great foods and service - Edit
My family visited Santa Cruz over Easter weekend. We were happy that Cafe Gratitude was open as we had never tried it before.
The cauliflower wings are superb, better than any vegan wings I’ve ever tried. My wife ended up ordering second one.
I love the Whole (macrobiotic dish) and Amore sandwich.
The drinks for my kids were Eternal with coffee and a lemonade. Both were excellent and enough for family of four.
Service was very friendly and speedy.
We will definitely want to visit Cafe Gratitude every time we come to Santa Cruz.
Pros: great foods, great service
Contributions +16
Decent - Edit
It's decent and needs an update.
Pros: shakes, salads, murals
Cons: price points are high, service inconsistent, mission and vision need updating
Contributions +47
Sweet cafe downtown - Edit
Its a bit small and tucked away from the main street, so if you're not local to the area I'd recommend mapping it. Everything I've had here so far is really good. I really enjoy how they call each mean things such as "I am Nourished" ect. It's a really nice aspect of the cafe. The atmosphere is cool and artistic. All vegan which is a plus. Smoothies are a good size and good taste for the price (which is standard for the majority of the food). I'd recommend getting the potatoes with the spicy cheeze on it, or the Two Taco breakfast plate.
Pros: All vegan, Decently priced for the portions, Cool atmosphere
Cons: A little tucked away
Contributions +18
Good food but plastic straws - Edit
Our food was pretty good and surprisingly filling, but I was annoyed that our drinks came with plastic, disposable straws already in them. So if plastic going to the landfill/ocean annoys you too, don’t forget to ask for no straw when ordering drinks.
Contributions +20
Delicious food - Edit
Really nice place with yammi food.
Contributions +1576
Delicious, big portions - Edit
I loved the warm hearted polenta with extra sauteed kale. The portion was big, dish was fresh and vibrant
Pros: Vegan
Cons: Expensive
Contributions +2331
Nice vegan restaurant with nice raw options! - Edit
A raw food place anywhere in the world should for me personally always deserve 5 star's, now it's of course not the goal of a review, it should provide some more objective inside for future visitors.
The location was great, the staff lovely and the food is amazing.
They propose a lot of raw food options, lunch, dinner, desserts...
Pros: Amazing raw food choice, Great taste
Cons: Paid parking around
Contributions +895
Good quality food - Edit
All vegan restaurant right in the center of downtown area (parking is available nearby but you may have to pay and/or circle). Has a hippy vibe but they've toned that down more recently (each dish is named "beautiful" "brave" etc., but before they asked you to order by saying "I am x", and now you can just say "x please"). About half the clientele were a bit out of the mainstream, but half were, so it seems they've been able to attract a mix. We enjoyed our food; quality healthful ingredients, good portions, nice flavors. Food is a mostly healthy-ish American basics menu, with salads, soups, bowls, and plated dishes, along with juices and smoothies. Waitress was nice but food came out too slowly.
Pros: Good food
Cons: Slow
Contributions +16
yummy new place for my Whole Foods plant based dining - Edit
Black bean burger and turmeric milk with a shot of coffee, even the fig balsamic side salad was crazy good.
Thank happy cow app, I now have a go-to place in my neighborhood!
Contributions +26
Best vegan food in Santa Cruz! - Edit
I got some sort of potato appetizer which was really yummy! I got the black bean burger with spicy cashew Chipotle which was AMAZING and then a strawberry cheesecake for dessert and I love it. Second time back and coming back many more times!
Pros: ALL vegan ❤
Contributions +13
cafe gratitude? more like cafe attitude - Edit
If this app would let me I'd give this place a one star review.
Cafe gratitude of Santa Cruz California needs to change their name to cafe attitude.
Day I went 4/19/17 at 6 pm left at 6:18 and was served my Samantha M. The rudest waitress I've met. How much money I spent getting treated like shit 17.17.
So when I first got there she seated everyone except for me (there were tons of seats) and then got mad at me when I asked if I could choose a seat since she was pretending to clean a counter while I was waiting. She kept sighing when I didn't know what to order then when I got my food and was going to ask for more tortillas but she dropped my plate on the table and turned around fast to get away from me. So I go up to the front to ask the gentleman for tortillas and she gets up from relaxing at a table with another employee with tons of attitude because I asked for tortillas. Then she was giving me a look at the register when she was adding it to my tab. So when she dropped my tortilla holder on the table and I saw her treat the other customers nicely I got offended and started crying because I felt like it was because they were white and she thought they would tip so she was kissing their ass but treating me like shit because I'm hispanic? When it was time to pay she asked if I needed change and I said yes and then she sighed and walked away super fast then dropped my receipt holder on the table and walked away.
I'll never be going to this restraunt again because I was having a really hard week and I don't need to pay a server to treat me bad to at a place that's about gratitude. I think she should be reprimanded or just fired since she made me feel that uncomfortable. I'll be leaving this review everywhere and when I do go to a cafe gratitude it will be 6 hours away in LA so I can get good service.
The food was good.
Pros: good vegan food
Cons: worst service.
Contributions +75
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.
Pros: Good Food, Reasonable portion sizes.
Cons: Price, Slow Service
Contributions +639
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.
I 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
Contributions +78
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.
Updated 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
1 Response
erbavore9 03 Nov 2016 - 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.
Contributions +204
Nice Food - Edit
I was impressed with everything about the place.
Luckily 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
Contributions +49
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.
Pros: All vegan not sure why it is labeled Vegetatian.
2 Responses
Conniemm 12 Nov 2016 - 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.
Conniemm 12 Nov 2016 - I now see that the change was already made!
Contributions +23
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.
Contributions +21
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.
Contributions +72
Delicious - Edit
a nice atmosphere; in love the ceasar salad with cashew cheese dressing, fresh juices and smoothies, almond milk and cakes and desserts.
Pros: vegan, glutenfree
Contributions +118
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.
Pros: Food was delicious, Staff was friendly and helpful, Atmosphere was calming
Cons: Portions could have been larger
Fabulous Restaurant - Edit
Friendly staff, remarkable food, great prices and incredible desserts. Will be searching out their other locations in Berkeley and Los Angeles.
Contributions +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..
Pros: tasty, great staff , good location
Cons: not the best vibe
Contributions +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..
The 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
Contributions +90
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!
Pros: amazing value, outstanding quality, informed staff
Contributions +307
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.
Pros: Great food, Healthy food
Cons: Slightly pricy, Somewhat difficult to get to (if not downtown)
Contributions +83
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.
Pros: Very Reasonably Priced, Options, Large Portions
Cons: Limited Street Parking
Contributions +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.
Cons: Rude staff, Heavy and greasy dishes
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