This place is a small restaurant. While I enjoy places that are quaint, I was not too impressed by the food. I enjoyed the Florentine Benedict as what it should taste like. My partner had omelette chaos but he did not enjoy it because the eggs were too well done and his coffee didn't taste good. He thinks it's probably the water. He had to put creamer which he does not do regularly. Customer service was okay - delayed drinks, delayed check, and server didn't come check on us until the very end. Overall 3 stars due to my eggs Benedict being good and my partners was not good. Perhaps they were having an off day? read more

Stopped here for brunch while staying in the area. The wait time was over an hour (as expected on a Sunday morning) but there was outdoor seating and benches to sit at while we waited. The breakfast food was delicious and reasonably priced. They also have a brunch cocktail menu. I got the sangria and it was absolutely delicious. The waitress we had was absolutely amazing. They didnt have iced coffee on the menu but she did her best to get one made for me. I'll definetly be back! read more

Avenue Cafe - Sangria - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

Great spot. Open early, 7:30 on a Wednesday. Had gluten free toast and great service.

This place is so cute and quaint! It's one of our favorite go-to spots for breakfast/lunch, while we visit Capitola/Santa Cruz area. There's usually a wait, but not very long, usually less than 15 mins. Today, I had a $5 special margarita and half of their classic cheeseburger and half a turkey & avocado sandwich on sourdough bread (I split a plate with my cousin, so I got the best of both worlds). The classic cheeseburger was so amazing! The Sesame bun was soft, the patty was the perfect size and the vegetables were crisp and fresh! The turkey & avocado sandwich was very tasty as well! The turkey wasn't your typical lunch deli meat, it was an actual slice of cooked turkey meat. The sourdough bread was toasted and the vegetables were also fresh and crisp! The fries were seasoned and cooked nicely, firm and evenly seasoned! We had a pleasant experience and the staff was attentive. read more

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Everything tasted reasonably good. Execution could be better. I got an eggs Benedict with avocado, tomato and bacon instead of the traditional Canadian ham. The avocado wasn't underneath the poached eggs. It was on the side, which made things difficult because I had to reassemble the stacks so I could get some of each thing in each bite. Crispy home fries were very good. This place is good but nothing to write home about. read more

Avenue Cafe is the best place to get breakfast in Capitola hands down! They have so many options at such affordable prices. The huevos rancheros with carnitas are soo flavorful and good. 10/10 read more

One of my favorite places to get breakfast! Cute quaint little cafe, very friendly service and food has always been really good! Definitely recommend this spot! read more

Just got a breakfast burrito and "the Avenue". Rockstar service, the meals are well prepared. Favorite breakfast spot; if you like Sunrise cafe, then check this place out. read more

Avenue Cafe - THE AVENUE - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

Delicious delicious -- Quality & quantity were perfect. I was afraid of typical large portions served everywhere. It wasn't here. It was the right quantity for us We ordered the Capitola Chaos, & Dani's Breakfast Sandwich. Very very good. Will definitely come back read more

Grapefruit mimosa and Florentine bene was the perfect way to start my day! Everything was light, but filling, and the staff at Avenue Cafe are extremely sweet and kind. read more

Delicious and good service. Cozy space in a great part of town. I've had a few of the Benedict's and have always been really satisfied. Golden & crispy hash browns. Rich & creamy Benedict sauce. They know what they're doing and they aren't cutting corners. The main waiter was really kind and went out of his way to answer a question about an event happening in the area. I'm becoming a regular. Hooked. read more

Avenue Cafe - Florentine Benedict with hash browns & a coffee. - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

Wonderful quaint little breakfast place. I kick myself for not thinking to go here more frequently. Parking is complicated, so try the public parking across the street. read more

Certainly do not order Dani's Breakfast Sandwich, as i must have ordered the wrong thing on the menu. $10 for a bootleg Egg McMuffin was hard to swallow, literally. Also at the table was the clam chowder that was edible but nothing to really write home about. Service was just ok, and the location also was just ok. All in all if you are thinking this is a place to grab a quick bite away from the hustle of the village like i did, you will prefer to go get something else for your money. Unless you have low expectations. read more

Avenue Cafe - Alley cat egg mcmuffin. Not appealing at all. - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

Wonderful place to go for a breakfast, whether you want a classic American or Mexican dish. If you see something on the menu you don't recognize, try it, I've never yet been disappointed. Delicious food, super friendly staff, great outside dining. read more

LOVE THIS PLACE. I've been living in Santa Cruz for over 10 years and this is my FAVORITE place to eat. The quality of food and service never disappoints! You walk in and feel at home, you're greeted by the warmest hosts (shout out to Sandy!) and coziest environment. I hope this place stays open forever. read more

Huevos Rancheros 10/10. Also, don't forget to add a little hot pepper sauce to your hash browns, you won't regret it.

I'm all about brunch and the beach, so this place already earned bonus points before my first visit. That and the fact that it had great reviews on Yelp already! Avenue Cafe has a great local feel, is set away from the typical beach/tourist crowds, but is just a short walk from the heart of Capitola. They serve breakfast until 2pm Wed-Mon, which is perfect since I love brekkie at all hours, and sleeping in on weekends. FYI it's cash only as well. My favorite here is the Smoked Salmon Avocado Benedict, and I rarely ever like benedicts by the way since I'm usually more an omelette or scramble kind of girl, but I love their fluffy poached eggs with what seems like a more slow-cooked smoked salmon versus the more salty/fishy cured type. I've also tried their scrambles and French toast, which were also good! Service is friendly and prompt, and I love the bright, charming decor. A great country cottage vibe with great brunch! Mimosas for all! read more

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Everything about my meal was gross. I ordered the steak and eggs. Roughly 16 bucks for the plate. The meat came out smelling rancid. I of course gave them the benefit of the doubt and tried it... yep bad meat. Not cooked medium well like ordered but more on the rare side and my eggs are cold and runny whites. They bring out my sourdough toast. It's cold. Not buttered. No buttered offered I had to go ask for some at the counter. Also had to ask for a knife and was brought a butter knife.... for steak. I just wanted an edible meal. COVID should not change quality or lower your prices to match? Was a bummer because I looked specifically on Yelp for best breakfast spot. For sure this isn't it. read more

Avenue Cafe - Steak and eggs. Rancid meat. Dry/cold toast. So much liquid from that steak. - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

Smoked salmon benedict and it was DELICIOUS!

NOMZ.. why haven't I gone here before? I have always passed this place when going to the shortest and longest parade... big mistake. The site itself has been a lot of things but right now... loving the breakfast. Their breakfast burrito is awesome but what I love is the chiliquiles... soooooo good!! I opted for the salsa verde this morning and I am coming back. They come with either corn or flour tortillas and the most amazing beans. The tortilla chips are still slightly crispy and it is soooo good. Those are the first chiliquiles in a while that are totally gone from my plate..... The coffee was consistently filled and EVERYTHING I saw looked amazing. Currently they also offer: Cranberry mimosas Some kind of caramel waffle... Craziness.... Bring your quarters or a CC, street parking! read more

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Traveling through town and saw their Yelp reviews. Great place for breakfast with a nice patio outside, food and service were both excellent. Denver omelette is what I ordered. Highly recommend this place. read more

Top quality breakfast in Capitola. Always fresh and home made breakfast items from simple bacon and Benedict to creative hot dishes like Capitola chaos and traditional Mexican breakfast plates, authentically done within minutes FOR YOU daily, As restaurant manager and local resident I highly recommend this little cafe for breakfast. read more

The worst food and cafe ever. Chicken fried steak plate was not good. We were in the middle of our food and the server came and brought our check without asking if we would like anything else and she said no rush. The other server came and took our plate which before we were finished and he said can I take it and we were like SURE!!!You feel that they want to get rid of the customer as quick as possible and just get paid. Awful customer service, cheap quality food and cheap and small cafe. read more

When in Capitola add this pocket-sized café to your list of "to go" places for a scrumptious breakfast or brunch! This is a family owned, clean design and welcoming atmosphere café that is sure to indulge your tastebuds. Yes, you may have a wait, but honestly it's worth it! We have visited Avenue Cafe now for the last several times we've visited our son and DIL here in Santa Cruz. The first time here I ordered the Eggs Benedict with Avocado and Turkey. SOOO good. Anyone ordering eggs benedict knows it's all about the sauce that makes or breaks this dish. The eggs are done to perfection and the sauce does not taste of mayonnaise. On our most recent visit, I ordered the French Toast (side order). Although, I would have preferred it to be warmer I totally enjoyed this egg dipped bread covered in powdered sugar with a smidgen of syrup (you control that, lol). I wasn't served any butter with my order, but really didn't miss it ~ and saved on some calories to boot! So enjoy the coffee as you sit and soak in the open view from their large front window. Think "people watching"! Service is quick and very friendly. After brunch, take a stroll down Capitola Ave. to browse the many shops/boutiques! P.S. I would totally love a tour of that adorable yellow house across the street! read more

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Excellent coffee to go! Nice people. The guy who helped me was friendly and coffee was tasty!

Very fast and friendly service! Very attentive with refilling coffee mugs and water. We ordered 2 different Benedict's (Florentine and Turkey/avocado) both Greta sized portions and delicious hollandaise sauce! Definitely go grab breakfast or lunch here read more

Avenue Cafe - Florentine Benedict - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

Positives: No wait time on a summer weekday around noon Cute place with good ambience Quick, helpful, & nice servers/service Good portion size, good variety on menu, & yummy food Negatives: Food was way too salty & a little oily/greasy. Parking near the place is extremely limited. Location is not very accessible for people with limited mobility (accessible I am sure but not the most convenient) It's expensive: 3 breakfasts, one side of biscuits & gravy, one cup of chowder, & 3 coffees was $76 but that goes with the neighborhood & clientele. read more

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Arrived at 8am, no wait. A small house located across the street from the police department and in a residential area near Capitola. Great service, fast and quick. Had the chiliqitas with tortillas $12.99, hubby had NY steak and eggs for $21.99 which came with crispy has browns and toast. I have never been a fan of chiliqitas, but wanted to give it another try. Not to say that their dish was bad, but I should have ordered another entree. The NY steak was perfectly seasoned, medium rare and tender, just the way my hubby likes it. Also we tried the bowl of clam chowder. It was a little watery, had bits of bacon that were soggy. I would definitely come back here to this cozy establishment, though it was a bit chilly inside. I would come back to support small business, and to try their eggs Benedict next time. Street parking only, but we were able to find parking down the street. Season's Greeting, 3 hours of free parking! read more

We loved coming here since we are locals, but since Sheltering in Place it seems they are struggling and looks like they will have new owners?! Can't believe it, this place was always packed, had great food for breakfast and people always lined up. I hope the owners come back after the pandemic and start a new Avenue Cafe. The restaurant business is very tough, but this place is well loved. Best wishes to you all. read more

A hidden gem of the Capitola experience. Amazing food, nice place, and awesome workers!

Such a great little spot! Option for indoor or outdoor seating, we chose outdoor and had pretty much the whole patio to ourselves. Staff was all super friendly, helped us pick our food, and it came out super quick. We will be back!! Also the mimosas are excellent ;) read more

Avenue Cafe - Huevos Rancheros - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

Slow to no service. No check back; had to get my own water, walk up and ask for syrup, etc. French toast very mushy. Eggs were good. Yes, they were busy, that's why it's 2 stars vs. 1. read more

I finally popped in for breakfast and I'm so glad I did. SOLID breakfast fare. I got the Capitola Chaos and it was delicious. A really great spin on a scramble. My husband got the chicken fried steak and I will say it's pretty much the best chicken fried steak I've ever had. Very solid sausage gravy. Service was absolutely delightful. We were able to go first thing on a weekday, so it was super easy getting a table and food came quickly. Will definitely be back. read more

It's a very small cafe. When I went with a friend on a weekend around 11:30 there were still plenty of tables but once we left there were groups of people waiting outside. We ordered the Capitola Chaos and dani's breakfast sandwich. The latter seemed on par with Mcdonald's. But mostly everything that came out was super dry. My friend's omelet was dry and my hash browns were dry. I wasn't too impressed with the taste, price, portion, or ambience. With the number of people inside the small cafe, the noice was even more unbearable. read more

Our 1st visit this morning, Great place, friendly staff and the extra bonus: the ham in the ham cheez omelette was grilled before it was put in the omellette, Never had a better one ! read more

Had breakfast with some friends visiting from out of town. No wait when we got there but quickly had a line. Wait staff are very friendly and coffee is refilled regularly. Breakfast came fast and everything looked and tasted amazing. Great place for breakfast in Capitola village. read more

Avenue Cafe - Link sausage with eggs breakfast, included toast and home fries. - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

Small but well packed place. Great stop after some time on the beach. We only had to wait ten minutes and the food came quickly too. I loved the chicken steak which had a thick creamy gravy and the chorizo benedict was also very good. Highly recommend read more

Avenue Cafe - Chicken Fried Steak Plate - Cafes Near Me - Capitola, California

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We got breakfast here! The chorizo scramble was absolutely amazing, and the avocado on it was so fresh. I got a side of delicious fresh fruit and my partner got a side of the potatoes, which were seasoned well. We also both got a side of toast with jam and butter. It's a super cute little cafe with amazing food, and was quite affordable. I couldn't have asked for a better breakfast or atmosphere! read more

Yum country fried steak was so good. With a good biscuit and a mushroom gravy that didn't feel too heavy.

The food is ok, but the service is odd. The owners "girlfriend" seems to have a problem with some women? Don't try and sit at the counter, she'll tell you to move. I watched her do this and then call the dishwasher, or whoever he is, to go sit there. I've seen her do it a few times. The guy that serves is very nice and helpful. read more