My friends and I visiting from SF over the long weekend came to Abbott Square Market for dinner…read moreafter our day at the beach before driving back to the city. I spent a while circling the market trying to decide what looked good. I finally decided Pizzeria la Bufala was the best choice, and when the pizza arrived fresh out of the oven, it was confirmed. The D'A Calabria pizza was quite savory, and the crust wasn't floppy at all. Some of my friends wished they got the pizza too.

A veggie pizza featuring Brussel sprouts? I happened to be at the Santa Cruz History museum for a…read moreconference so I decided to check out the Abbot Market Square. There's plenty of options but nothing beats a great slice of freshly made pizza. The traditional offerings smelled and looked amazing but I'm a sucker for a vegetarian pizza. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it all came together. The crust was so good I ate every last bite. This location is a hip, busy food hall so there are lots of small tables as well as roomy outdoor booths.

10/10 One of the…read morebest spots in Santa Cruz! The pizza here is to die for. They have flavors that range from classic to more complex, and I really think these is something for everyone at Bookies! The beer is good and the vibes are super mellow. The Detroit inspired pizza is a little pricey, but it is so dense and rich that a pizza is easy to split and get full fast. A MUST get is the Caesar salad (my favorite salad in the entire world), and the mushroom buffalo wings. I don't know how they nail the fried chicken texture with fried mushrooms, but it is a vegetarian dream. My only complaints is that this place gets so packed that it can be hard to get a table, and since it is first come first serve and order at the counter style joint, this can get a bit hectic when crowded and everyone wants a table on a Friday night. That said, it has never stopped me from camping out with a beer to snatch a table when it opens!

We went to Bookie's Pizza for my son's birthday because he's dairy-free, and my wife is both…read moregluten-free and dairy-free. We were really excited to try it because it came highly reviewed and had been recommended by friends. I was especially looking forward to checking out their beer menu. Unfortunately, we ended up leaving because of the very strict no-substitution policy, which felt surprisingly constricting for a pizza place. Since they already offer vegan cheese, we thought it would be reasonable to substitute dairy-free cheese onto a standard pizza or add meat to one of the vegan pies, but neither was allowed. For families with dietary restrictions, a little flexibility can go a long way. We left disappointed, especially since this was supposed to be a birthday lunch. I'm giving two stars because I genuinely think they probably have good food and a great beer selection. I just think they could have done better in accommodating reasonable requests for guests with dietary restrictions. Maybe it's just not for us, but as a fair warning to others with dietary restrictions, don't assume that menu items can be modified simply because they already carry the ingredients. It may be worth calling ahead before making plans, especially for a special occasion.

Delightful remodel excellent ambience Pizza is unparalleled…read morein this area Great crust, high-quality ingredients And nothing like the usual; so far above! I lived here 20 years and I'm excited about the remodel and trying their entrées in the new setting.

Had dinner here today with friends who wanted to check out my son's newish town (first year at…read moreUCSC).... Pros- flavors of each dish were quite tasty. We had six people in total and all together ordered the short rib ravioli, seafood stew, spaghetti and meatballs, roasted beets, French onion soup, potatoes with dip, a salad and a pizza. My favorite bite was the lasagna. The top had nicely melted and crispy cheese... very good! I also enjoyed the crispy potatoes with dip. The French onion soup didn't have a lot of color, but it still had a very distinct and tasty flavor. Outside of the food, the restaurant has a great outdoor area that's dog friendly! There is also a nice sized private parking lot. Oh, and if you pay in cash, there's a discount! Cons- I was craving spaghetti and meatballs, it just sounded so good to me! This was I think it's the first time I've ever ordered it at a restaurant (usually make it at home!) while I thought the dish had good flavor, I felt the pasta was slightly overcooked. It was not al dente... the meatballs also didn't have a lot of color, so that was disappointing. The seafood stew a friend ordered was small. She said it was good, but we overheard someone at a different table say that the stew used to be huge and it currently is not... Coloring... typically color equals flavor, so it was odd that several dishes had little coloring, but they did still taste good! Some things I didn't care as much for, but we all enjoyed the flavors of each dish...

We didn't dine in, we delivered to our room during a recent getaway, so I cannot attest to the…read moreambience of the establishment, nor the service. My review is strictly about the food. The first night, we ordered wings and a Pleasure Point pizza. It was all delicious. We snarfled it all and could not believe how great it was. The pizza was fresh, the crust was chewy, the sauce was vibrant. The wings were crispy on the outside and not overcooked or dry. The next day, we wanted lunch, & ordered TWO pizzas. This time it was a Chicken Joe and the Linda Mar with more wings. Again, everything was delicious and cooked perfectly! We are annoyed the nearest restaurant to our city is an hour and a half away. Hopefully they have more plans for expansion. We would 200% welcome them! Such good food!

A "so-so" first experience…read more The good: the pizza is fantastic and it is a nice large venue. The not so good: during our visit on a busy Friday evening, the place seemed to be run almost entirely by college kids who just don't "get" customer service. The customer line starts with the store selling clothes(!) to the customers, which completely slows the food line down because the young kids can't figure out how to wave people around the clothes shoppers. Then at the cash register the next kid handed us the wrong food. Finally, although the place has 3 or 4 large screen TVs and even though the USA team was playing World Cup soccer, only one TV was set to the game and when we inquired with a teenager about switching one of the other units to the game, the young gal said, "uh, yeah, I will check", apprently with a non-existent "adult" manager, which never happened. In the future, I would avoid coming here when it's busy.

Buzzos is an absolute staple. If you haven't eaten here…read morePLEASE DO. My husband and I eat here weekly. Appetizers are a must! I say with my whole chest that their Caesar is the best I've ever had. EVER. Cauliflower AMAZING and potato pizza... idk what they put in that but we crave it everyday. Best pizza in Santa Cruz- best restaurant in town!!

4% credit card fee. Parking can be difficult on Fri/Sat…read more 4.8: Crispy cauliflower: great crunch. Leftovers heat up in an air fryer. 4.8: Potato bacon pizza: This topping combo could have used more grease/protein. But the crust is exceptional; soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. Leftovers heat up great.

Isabel check in here to give nothing but good words to Engfers! Very cozy place to grab a bite to…read moreeat and a drink. Fun to bring family, friends or any group of people looking to have a good time. Games, drinks and great ambiance 10/10 recommend checking it out on your next Santa Cruz trip! We order pizza, bread sticks and grab some drinks from their wide array of beverages- we even had a lobster phone table marker... not sure what that is? Looks like you'll have to find out for yourself!

Tasty pizza spot with a fun games to play while you wait. Ping pong balls can be purchased for a…read morecouple quarters through a vending machine - there's also chess to play. We got the chicken bacon and caramelized onion pizza - super tasty with great chewy thin crust. We got here later in the evening around 9pm. The place was pretty empty but we got served quickly. We ordered at the counter and waited for our pizza for just a couple minutes! The pizza oven smells so good!

Get the fig pizza and thank me later. Great servers who are attentive and nice :) thank youread more

We drove in for our son's graduation and stumbled upon this pizzeria!…read more Pro- Great wait staff Plenty of parking Great for big and small parties Generous menus The pizzas are delicious The garlic bread perfect The salmon cakes fresh and full of flavor Everything we tried was above and beyond our expectations! No cons to report!

So AMAZING!!!! The square Sicilian pizza is where it's at! Love the crust and no matter what…read moretopping you choose it's all good! Pizza reminds me of what my family cooked growing up. Make sure to try the Nutella dessert pizza! The young man serving tonight was extremely polite and prompt with his service. After not coming in here in about 15 years, we are glad we came tonight.

Pretty decent overall. The pasta was nice and saucy, but the noodles themselves weren't great. For…read morethe price, I thought it was just okay value. They seem to host a lot of weekly events and specials, including all-you-can-eat promotions, which looked pretty fun and could be a good reason to check the place out.