5/5: The rhum baba is excellent 2/5: The pistachio gelato is…read moreway too sweet. All I can taste is sugar. This might be ok for little kids who like super-sweet stuff, but it's cloyinging sweet for anyone over the age of 18. 2/5: The chocolate bomb uses very mild milk chocolate mousse. It is lacking the intense bitter chocolate flavor and complexity that I'm looking for.

We drove an hour to try this Pasticceria and we are glad we did and will be back. We felt like we…read morewere in Italy enjoying the best pastries, pizza and cafe late ever. The owners, two brothers from Italy are professional trained chefs. It is definitely a must visit cafe.

Gayle's has some of my favorite things made of sugar and butter on the menu: quiches, key lime…read morepies, biscuits, tarts, and cookies. So many things looked good. I was pretty restrained. I got a number from the ticket machine. Holiday weekend, so bit of a wait but I think the system worked well. I am curious why it took so long since we had a dedicated worker bagging our stuff. But good things come to those who wait: Garlic twist. 5/5. Would get this again. Simple but amazing taste and texture. Could eat all day. Quiche. 4/5. Not the best quiche I've had ever had but solid. I appreciated it being on the small side since I had so many other things to try. I got tomato and spinach and wish the tomato taste came through a bit more. Would get again. Key lime pie. 4/5. Tasted fresh and had a smooth texture with the right amount of tartness. Strawberry shortcake cookie. 4/5. Like a soft scone. More intense strawberry flavor than expected. Banana tart. 4/5. Could be stronger banana flavor. Maybe if they brûléed a banana on it. Good crust texture. Impressive how everything I tried tasted good considering their extensive menu. Will try the masala chicken salad sandwich, cheddar biscuit, and chive scone next time. I loved how it was old school, well priced, well portioned, and not too precious. Staff make themselves available. There are first come first served tables to nab. Parking spots were not as easy to get when arriving but if you go straight for neighborhood parking you'll find something.

Was visiting family and wanted to buy a little something as a gift…read more Called Gayle's the morning of and ordered 4 of their pastries. The process was quick and easy. The menu is available online and they take same day orders via phone. Pickup was a little hectic as there were a lot of people in the bakery. I waited in line for a ticket and then waited for my number to be called, but found out that I could have just walked to the end of the bakery to pickup at the counter in the corner. I would probably add a sign to make it a little more obvious for those new to the bakery, nonetheless the pastries were amazing and nothing else matters. Everything was sweet but balanced with acidity or nuttiness. Great mix of textures and the crust does not fall apart even after a whole day in the fridge and being manhandled into cut portions. I'd highly recommend this place for out-of-towners, as those that live there already know it's the best.

This is one of the lesser known local bakeries filled with awesomeness…read more Parking is street only. Sometimes there will be a spot open right on front, sometimes not but there is a pay lot more or less right in back of the building that always has room. It's not the largest space inside, but it does have a fair amount of table/booth combos should you chose to lounge on site. The window displays are pure old school European bakery and when the owner feels up to it can be quite creative. They do offer a limited lunch/breakfast menu which looks to be light fare-pasta, egg dishes, salads, sandwiches etc, but in reality is quite substantial. The portions are large, and are just stuffed with ingredients. They can be quite filling. While the food menu is pretty great I don't go to a bakery-which is what this business is-for a sammich, or soup. I go for the pastries, and occasionally when I feel lazy, the breads. The pastry here is outstanding. The baker/owner is an italian baker originally from Milan that got lured to this area and eventually decided that the only way he'd get the super awesome Italian pastries he loved was to open a bakery and do it himself. It goes without saying that any of the Italian stuff is entirely worth your time and expense. The croissants are buttery perfection and yeah if you wanted a rustic tuscan loaf, tiramisu, panetonne, sfogliatell or cannoli this is THE place. Just to mix things up they do some mean bear claws and almond filled thingys as well. The also do some coffee products-american style drip and of course espresso, but they are handicapped by being located right next to what is arguably the best coffee shop in the area. Regardless the coffee is a little bit cheaper and almost as good, and who doesn't want coffee with a bear claw? Pricing is on the higher side (other then the coffee, which is quite reasonable.) as this is very much an artisanal kind of bakery with lots of labor of love put into the product. Bare bones coffee and a sweet can be had for under ten bucks, but lunch/breakfast menu item can get into the ten-fifteen dollar range in a heartbeat. A loaf of bread and a couple of croissants will be in the ten ish range. Less for basic croissants, more if you go for the millionaire bacon stuffed option. Service is usually solid, but at times they have trouble getting good people for the front counter role which leads to new teen employee levels of confusion about the products. All in all this is an excellent lesser known bakery choice, very much worth the time, parking and expense for the sheer luxurious treats they offer.

I miss this store being open so much. It was such a community treasure. I'm hoping that they have…read morekept their yelp account active because they will open again.

Stumbled upon this place on the last day of our trip. Bummer as I would have come back for another…read moremeal. Don't wait! Come check out this place for a very satisfying and delicious meal! The broccoli quiche and the lemon tart are our winners! My daughter loved her cheesecake too! Service was great!

Oh la la. This place is absolutely amazing at producing outstandingly delicious traditional…read moredesserts. The berry cobbler is insane. Their lemon meringue tart is so good. The bread is fantastic. We love Companion but this place may supersede them for our family. Wow wow wow.

Such a cute spot! They have a wonderful selection of pastries and baked goods as well as drinks and…read moresandwiches. I got the tomato pesto croissant, almond croissant, chocolate croissant, and the cinnamon roll. Everything was so tasty and the croissants live up to the name! So buttery and flaky!! I'd love to come back and try some of the drinks and sandwiches. Note: One single gender neutral restroom is available

First, I'd like to say Emma at the counter was awesome. She was very helpful and kind. And Kenneth…read moreon the phone, who took my original order was also nice. Go Emma and Kenneth! Solid 5 stars for these two. Now, on to the pastries... I purchased a French baguette, an apple tart and chocolate chip cookies. The French baguette was flat, soft, and didn't have any flavor. There was no crust to it, no crackling. Nothing against plain white bread, but it was like plain white bread... when I wanted a baguette. Maybe it was an off day, but I would pass on the baguette. 1 star. The apple pear tart was pretty sweet. And the crust was dense without any layers. It was alright, but nothing special. 1 star. The chocolate chip cookies were the best part of my purchase. Although not a full rant, these were your basic chocolate chip cookie. Slightly better than what you would get in a package, but not the cookie you would come back to. 2 stars.

I just ate a piece of Beckmanns Cherry Pie! OMG the Crust!!!…read more Its the best crust ive ever had. I love it and want everyone to know that they should give it a try. Yummy

Beckmann's pies are World class! I've eaten so many flavors, and I finally figured out my…read morefavorite: it's blueberry pie! It's not too sweet, and the whole blueberries inside are plump and juicy. Apple pie is great heated and à la mode, and pecan pie is FABULOUS during the Fall holidays (though a tad sweet, but soooo crunchy and the crust is buttery perfection). I also love the humor and friendliness of the man who is always at the Beckmann's stall at the farmer's markets! He is such a hoot. Once we were having such a good time hootin' and hollerin' that we garnered a crowd, and they didn't know what was going on. The crowd thought he must be doing a giveaway or performance or something -- haha! I wish I had photos to attach to this review, but no Beckmann's baked goods survives long enough for a photo.

Donnie Darko!! This…read moreis what makes the surrounding towns/ Santa Cruz unique. Living in SF we wanted to find something different and unique. We appreciated this corner coffee shop and the vibes. We even came back the next day just for Donnie Darko - if you enjoy iced coffee this is it! One of the cons of this drink is it comes only in one size; apparently a specific formula or proportion of ingredients. Would come back to this town just for this amazing coffee!

An OK place to get coffee and a pastry here in the Santa Cruz area. Definitely a bit dingier and…read moredarker than most coffeeshops, with some concerns about cleanliness - tables were sticky and there was food and crumbs on the floor around my chair before I sat down. Coffee and pastries are decent, although the pastries are priced pretty expensive. Lots of activism and messaging by the coffeeshop, which can be a plus or minus depending on your proclivities.

Review time!!! Is there nothing this fabulous cafe can't do?…read morePizza!!! Hot fresh dough,full of flavor with the tastiest ingredients and toppings. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes!!! 5 Stars We ordered two types of pizza and both tasted uniquely different.

We found this hidden gem by accident while walking. As we walked in, we were greeted by a very…read morefriendly gentleman. I ordered a latte with almond milk, and it was made to perfection--smooth, rich, and nicely strong. My husband had a mocha with almond milk, which he also really enjoyed. He added a poppy seed muffin that was served warm and was very good--a nice touch. The inside of the café is cozy and welcoming. We decided to take our coffee to go and sit by the beach, which is just one block away. We will definitely be back."

On our way home, we had pre ordered 2 dozen tamales to take home. They only make it fresh, no…read morefrozen. We enjoyed the chicken green sauce (the favorite) and pork red sauce over the next few days and froze a 1/2 dozen for another time. You should ask for them in a tray if you order that many, otherwise you have to take 4 plastic bags home. The cost came to $100+ with the tax but they're big and delicious.

Best tamales in town and not to mention the bakery is on fire. Find me somewhere Better in SC and…read moreyour tab is on me.

I came here with my mom on a Fri and Sat morning. Fri it was not too crowded and Sat it was very…read morebusy. The pastries were delicious and I love the vibe here, it's very comfortable and everything is made fresh in house. I got their fritatta which was yummy. I also purchased their lemon meringue pastry which was yummy. I did not try their coffee. My mom got a morning bun which she said was very good and she also tried their bread and butter.

Yes originally began for sourdough bread but now a variety of styles (all with sourdough starters),…read morepastries, coffee, breakfast and lunch. The line can get long on weekends but unlike neighboring coffee shops, it seems to move quickly and food comes out faster. Order pastries and bread at the glass case and coffee and breakfast at the registers. Coffee comes out by exit door while food comes out from the kitchen in the middle. The coffee is well balanced. Not sure whose they use but syrups are made in house. Breakfast sandwich looks small but is quite hearty and filling. You can add avocado, bacon, and aioli. This is a go to. West side avocado toast: adds garlic aioli, avocado, and poached egg to the Aptos version. Defn better Pesto goat cheese baguette: three letter review -- OMG Kouign Amann: this one is square, rather than classic round, and a little denser but still layered and not overly sweet. GF brownie: quite good for gluten free but sweeter than I like. Bacon egg galette: the puff pastry is nicely flaky with onions and crispy bacon. Messy but good. The premade sandwiches are all tasty and much better than you get in a grocery store. Customer service is a little hit and miss, based on personalities. There's plenty of seating inside and out.