Such a gem! Tucked in the redwoods within serenity of Aptos with great indoor/outdoor areas for the total cafe experience. Bonus: They have a dog park area, too! read more

I really like this place. They cream cheese your bagel for you, thereby saving you from throwing away another cup and plastic knife like at other places. Their coffee drinks are good and the baristas always seem to be nice young people. The outdoor seating is my favorite. There's a nice fountain, a lovely garden, and some cool redwoods. The Internet takes forever to connect, but once it does it's fine. It's a lovely little Aptos hangout. read more

Coffee was smooth and reasonably strong. People behind the counter were personable & the place was clean. Really liked the patio "oasis" area, but it would a bit small if there was any crowd at all. Fenced-in doggy patio area in case Phaedeaux has had a bit too much caffeine and needs to unwind before he shreds the upholstery. read more

This place is my favorite spot for a great bagel and coffee. The atmosphere is quiet and tranquil if you go in the morning. When I lived in aptos, my mornings often started here. Great service, excellent local coffee brew and comfy couches! Definitely one of the top spots for a cuppa! read more

Pros: Off leash dog patio, top tier coffee (one of my all time favorites), nice decor, good vibe, shirts and other random stuff for sale. Cons: Dog patio was dirty, dirtier than some actual dog parks I've been to, though still usable. I can't really ding um on this though since it's total gravy. Great place to stop on the way to the dog park or beach - whether you use the off leash patio or not. read more

5 bucks for a tiny ham and cheese croissant? What a joke. I miss when Dan owned this place. Better food, better prices, friendlier staff. I have been here 3 times since Dan sold it and everytime i have the same experience; mediocre, tiny, and overpriced breakfast sandwiches. Today was my last visit, they have lost another local's business. read more

California Coffee - 5 bucks for a ham and cheese croissant? What a joke. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Aptos, California

Ok I've known the manager for a long time, as friends, so I'll cut them a break her, especially since my wife works for competition... :P Anywho, I love the atmosphere. I haven't tried the coffee, but I'll say this. There is a reason starbucks hands you a drink with a lid on, sometimes double cupped, and sometimes with a jacket on. Here it is: Hot water burns the F*** out of your hand.... hand me a hot tea, single cupped without a jacket, and I'm sure to scald myself 1-2 times. Add in that I'm taking it to go, and the tea bag doesn't have a string on it, and I'm going to burn the heck out of my fingers fishing it out.... i know its contrived and wasteful the way starbucks does things, but there is a method to the madness (read safety), namely double cupping, tea ... etc. chris is going to hurt me. read more

the coffee was fantastic but the service wasn't too good, if the coffee wasn't such good quality i would probably give this rating 3 stars because the service was meh. good trip for a cup of coffee but not for the service. read more

My favorite coffee place to meet friends or clients. Great friendly service, good coffee drinks, love the interior, free Wi-Fi, (need more indoor seating for cold days), great outdoor seating. Avoid the mobs after 2:00PM when the Jr. High gets out. Kathy K. read more

We used to stop at least 5 times a week on our way home around 4:30pm but quit, because they start moving the floor for closing and it stinks. I understand they want to close up and go home but they can leave earlier now, as we will not go back. read more

Disappointed with the new ownership & less then friendly/ helpful staff that they've hired. This used to be a favorite stop. Coffee was lukewarm & totally blah & they no longer honor the surf city gift cards. Location & patio are great but I want friendly faces & good coffee, I won't be going back. read more

Love the location, but I have to agree with other reviews, service seems to have lost their mojo. Not much, just a little. I loved it when Id come in and they knew exactly what I wanted before I even ordered. read more

I had the most AWFUL experience at this coffee shop, it was late afternoon and it was my turn to pick up my kids (and their friends) from karate class, and decided to take them in for a frosty treat to reward them for their hard work in class. As we were pulling out of the shopping center, me and all of my 7 year old girls saw an employee in the bushes EXPOSING HIMSELF TO THE PUBLIC... he seemed to think it was alright to take a potty break in the bushes and traumatize all of my passengers.... I swore this place off forever but... I was running late to work and had to get my 'espresso mocha java morning fix' and Surf City was all I had time for. I was greeted by a nice girl and a good looking dark haired guy with a big smile.(looks like he had his espresso this morning!) He was so sweet and kind, and personally handed me my drink and winked! Overall, my second experience crushed the memory I had from the first..I'm usually not a yelper but felt compelled to say something nice about this boy and that sweet girl too! read more

The old owners were fantastic, and so is the new one. I can tell the new owner puts a lot of time, and love into this place. Also, Gabe makes the best lattes and mochas and Kristine (the manager) is a very hard worker. This place carries a lot of local goodies such as samboas from Gloria's Pantry and danishes from Kelly's bakery. Be sure to stop by, you'll be happy you did! I always leave happy! read more

Good coffee, nice people, beautiful garden and cool vibes. I get a bag of the Great White organic to bring back home every time I'm in town. They also have excellent very healthy treats made in local bakeries. Not to be missed if you're driving between Santa Cruz and Monterey. read more

I like a fresh brewed cup, not the kind that sits in a container for who knows how long.....I also ordered a bagel with a schmear of cream cheese. The cream cheese was so thin on the bagel, I couldn't even taste it. I had to go up and ask the kid for more. I could tell he had been told to spread the cream cheese thin, because he looked embarrassed. Lastly, and most important, the bathroom was dirty. I was there at 0830, so presumably, there was not enough time for the bathroom to get dirty....... Not a fan..... read more

Place kills it. Sisters are awesome. Gabe too. Great coffee.

The place is really nice looking... but we were not pleased with our coffee or our muffin & scone... they had no flavor & were very dry. Don't know if we would come back. read more

Whenever we come to visit the wifes grandma we come to this place a couple times a year. The coffee and pastries are always awesome. They have a funny assortment of birthday cards and such to purchase. read more

Good coffee and pastries, friendly baristas, and nice atmosphere. What else can you ask for in a coffee shop? Support local!

Pretty good combinations of quick food (bagels, burritos, breakfast sandwiches) and caffeine (espresso, coffee, tea). We stop regularly when we are headed out on the road and don't want to make breakfast/coffee at home. Only 4 stars because occasionally they get the order wrong :( read more

Really enjoy hanging with an afternoon latte. Great service...beverages and atmosphere. Our afternoon " go to" spot!

After a nice bike ride, my wife and I enjoyed one of the best 2 shot small mochas made. Thanks Jason.

I once LOVED Surf City Coffee. Unfortunately, the company is now under new ownership, and are currently charging a rate of $17.99 for a pound of coffee. Genuinely affordable, and locally based roasters I will now source/ recommend include Aptos Coffee Roasting Company, Verve or River View Coffee Roasters. Do yourself a flavor, and avoid this inflated cost!!!! read more

We come here every weekend. The French and Italian roast coffees are delicious and they are the only coffee shop I've found that makes a cinnamon latte -- delicious. We have gotten to know the new owner and enjoy talking to the baristas. They are all friendly and cute! read more

great coffee,great service, easy freeway access - love that they have other snack options besides pastries like trail mixes!!