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Pretty Good Advice

4.6 (506 reviews)
Closed 8:00 am - 6:00 pm

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PRETTY GOOD ADVICE ATMOSPHERE

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Moderate noise
Hipster
Casual
Trendy

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Recommended Reviews - Pretty Good Advice

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Aswathi C.

this was our stop 2 in Highway 1 roadtrip. HIGHLY RECOMMEND this vegetarian food joint on the way. This place is known for its playful, retro roadside diner vibe, the spot specializes in making incredibly satisfying, affordable vegetarian and vegan versions of classic comfort food. I had the classic cheeseburger, which had a black bean patty, The Absolute best burger I have had in the US. The banh mi we tried was also good; and so was the fries, the coconut caramel coffee and peanut butter ice cream. Pretty Good Advice was founded by chef-owner Matt McNamara, who previously co-owned and was the executive chef of Sons & Daughters, a highly acclaimed fine-dining restaurant in San Francisco that earned a Michelin star in 2012.. After years in the high-end fine dining scene, McNamara chose to step away to live on his family's 83-acre farm in the Santa Cruz Mountains. He opened Pretty Good Advice with the explicit mission to take that same Michelin-level dedication to flavor, technique, and sourcing, but apply it to affordable, casual, $10-and-under vegetarian comfort food for the whole community. A lot of the seasonal produce, herbs, and citrus used to elevate the flavors in their dishes, sauces, and drinks come directly from his local mountain farm. So while the setting is a relaxed roadside counter, the culinary backbone definitely has a Michelin pedigree! Turns out Soquel is one of its hidden gem locations, and it has branched to Santa Cruz as well.

Pretty Good Advice in Soquel
Rachel H.

Pretty Good Advice in Soquel is a fun, unfussy spot. Think sandwich-shop meets vegetarian cooking. This was our second time here, and it's worth a visit. Located off the freeway in a repurposed fast-food restaurant, all dining here is outdoor only (on picnic tables) so try to visit when the weather is good. Cue up and order the messy vegan delicata squash tostadas with creamy components, a hash brown filled breakfast sandwich, or their vegan burger. We also tried persimmon lemonade. It's quick, funky and laid-back spot.

The walk up window.
Ray N.

" Pretty Good Advice" Soquel is a simple, amazing, dynamite, tasty must stop just 1.4 miles north of the beautiful Capitola village area in Santa Cruz, Ca and 4 hours past Santa Barbara. April - you are a Superstar. You have infinite passion, care, patience, attention to detail and unbelievable multi tasking skills ensuring all 9 customers in line( some with screaming and straying kids) were taken care of in those 5/6 minutes. You came out from behind the counter and viewed the menu board with us making 2 great suggestions. Loved the sunrise tostada and tofu and the spicy boy 2.0 version with the egg. The coffee was lovely. Thank you for making me a fresh special second pot. Love Pretty Good advice. Everyone please make it to this gem any day from 8-6. It is just north of Hwy 1, park your car ( 10 spots) in the private lot; then place your order at the convenient walk up window and pick it up from the other window 5 feet away. Proceed to the lovely patio in the back with seating for 35. Enjoy the lovely fare. Make sure the kids get the fantastic ice cream ( horchata was outstanding) and you finish up with the coconut chia pudding with lemons and strawberries. We will definitely be back on our drive back from San Francisco.

Iced Coconut Caramel Coffee
Anna F.

What a treat! Might be my new favorite spot in Santa Cruz. Food is Farm to Table and you can taste it. Everything tastes extremely fresh and flavorful. God the California burger not realizing it was a black bean patty and was very pleasantly surprised. So delicious I might not ever eat a beef patty again. The Mikes Deluxe was so yummy, the egg was cooked to perfection. Coconut coffee was amazing. Sweet but not overwhelming. Employees were kind and patient. The place was so adorable and had an outdoor patio to enjoy the food.

The High Horse
Laura L.

Cute shop with a decently-sized parking lot. There's an outdoor patio to eat your food after you order and pick it up at the counter. No indoor seating! We got a few items to share. The standouts for me were the morning deluxe and cheeseburger, but honestly everything was pretty great. 1. Mike's morning deluxe 5/5 Great tasting sandwich with the egg, hash brown, and house made sauce. 2. High horse 4.5/5 This is a cold sandwich that is packed with veggies. Good flavor and bigger sandwich than the other two! 3. Cheeseburger 5/5 I really liked this one too but it was a tad salty. The party was quite tasty. 4. House fries with garlic rosemary aioli 5/5 The fries had a great seasoning on them. The aioli was the star though! 5. Persimmon lemonade 4.25/5 Very good lemonade but lacking the persimmon flavor! Still a good drink though

Outside
Robin M.

I came here for my first time last weekend during the pride parade. + 1 star for having outdoor seating in the shade + 1 star for gender neutral restrooms + 1 star for clearly marking, which items are vegan on their menu + 1 star for having help yourself water out by the condiment bar I really liked the vegan aïoli that they serve with the french fries and the peanut butter soft serve. The rest was just meh. The banh mi was kinda meh. Save your money and get the vegan banh mi from downtown San Jose. The brussels sprouts were sort of disappointing as well. Everyone I was with who ordered a burger said that the burgers we have at burger patch in Sacramento are better. I'm guessing that the only reason this place is doing well is because Saturn closed and new leaf closed and options are just so limited.

Kayley C.

Oh man...this was a gem to find. Mostly vegetarian with vegan options was such a win! Not to mention everything is reasonably priced. The house cut fries with the aioli dipping sauce was the winner of the day and enough to have to visit Santa Cruz just for this alone. The crispy brussel sprouts also a must order. We can't wait to come back to try their breakfast options.

Eliza W.

Food 10/10 ambiance 10/10 service 10/10. Loved that I could enjoy foods that are gluten free and taste amazing, and also have vegan options .

The Big Kimmy
Andrea Z.

Visited on a Sunday around 1pm with a friend, there were a few other guests ahead of us but wait wasn't too long maybe a 10 minutes to order. Seating is all outdoors, one large table under the umbrella and some bench seating around the tree. Drink: Iced coconut caramel coffee - sweet, creamy with hints of coconut and caramel, nice but a little bit cloying after a while Food: Big Kimmy - nice punchy kimchi flavor, very saucey and wet sandwich, messy to eat definitely grab a bunch of napkins for this one, a nice fried egg with a bit of runniness, liked the add of the hash browns, taste was good but pretty hard to eat used a fork at the end because it was so messy probably wouldn't order again Brussel Sprouts - good, liked the sweet chili sauce paired with this one, hummus added a nice creamy contast but again very saucey California Burger - okay, lots of fresh lettuce and tomato, patty was a bit lacking luster, wish this was a bit more substantial Service was quick, order at the counter and wait for you order to pick up at the window. Overall had higher expectations for this spot, flavors were good but dishes tended to be too saucey and heavy for my personal taste. Maybe didn't order the right dishes.

Smashed Cucumber Salad

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5 years ago

Incredible food for an unbeatable price. Even if you're not vegetarian it's fantastic. I rave to everyone about this place!

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7 years ago

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5 years ago

A frequent stop, especially when veggie friends and family are in town. Delicious sammies, amazing soft serve, BEST fries, casual vibe.

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7 years ago

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5 years ago

I have some pretty good advice for you-EAT HERE. These people know what's up and that's all I've gotta say about that. ‍

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3 years ago

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5 years ago

Mushroom sandwich was to die for. That's my pretty good advice. Outside dinning available so the hot food could be enjoyed right away.

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5 years ago

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6 years ago

Business owner information

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Matt M.

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7 years ago

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6 years ago

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Matt M.

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7 years ago

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3 years ago

Best vegan burger I have had. Only place in USA I love burgers( as I am a vegetarian)

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7 years ago

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5 years ago

Great little vegan friendly spot. The horchata ice cream made with oat milk with crunchy churro topping was amazing. Wish I was a local!

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5 years ago

A nice place to grab something off of summit road. Small lot but good food. Eaten here a few times but the lemonade was a hit!

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3 years ago

Pretty good chicken sandwich- their coffee is very cheap and not great but for three dollars who cares. Cute quiet spot too.

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Matt M.

We love this post. Thanks Amy, we agree.

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

My advice is check this place out. Everything is super delicious and high quality. Fresh and tasty and healthy. Love this spot

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4 years ago

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Page 9 of 13

Ask the Community - Pretty Good Advice

Is there gluten free bread?

Yes

What are the crunchy things in the chopped salad?

Is the patio dog friendly?

Yes I believe so

Anything for the kids, both food wise and in terms of distractions?

They offered my kids crayons and coloring pages...so you could ask next time!

What kinds of gluten-free options are available here?

The Whole Bowl and the Pretty Good Cereal. Sometimes they have a special that is gluten free.

View All 7 Questions

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Chunk’s Sandwiches

Chunk’s Sandwiches

4.4
(135 reviews)
1.0 mi
Locally owned & operated
Family-owned & operated

This place is gold. We stumbled upon it looking for a good sandwhich spot and success! Both had…read moreturkey, bacon, cheese with pesto Mayo. Delicious! The inside is small with a few table, a few tables outside as well. A drink fridge and chip options. The service was wonderful. Very nice and accommodating. My site is terrible and the young lady at the register was very helpful. We will definitely be back!

Came here the other day after a long work day and hadn't eaten since breakfast. Was sooo hungry and…read moreI was near Chunk's. I had a pastrami sandwich there once before and it was pretty good, so figured this would do. Ordered the burger combo with Lentil soup. Asked for my burger medium and when it came out it was well past that and I'm pretty sure it was a frozen patty. I have frozen patties I cook at home that are great, so guessing it just wasn't very good quality to begin with. The lentil soup was flavorless and I only had a few bites before tossing out. Seasoning, a ham hock, and some aromatics would do a lot for this soup. Left feeling very disappointed as there are a bunch of more satisfying options in the area and I chose the wrong one. As I was sitting in traffic, my stomach started feeling like I ate some broken glass or something. Obviously there wasn't broken glass in the burger, just a fitting analogy. I had stomach pains for the next few hours. This is all I had eaten in like 10 hours, so I'm positive it was the burger. The woman at the counter was friendly and the place was pretty clean. I've got a pretty iron gut and it takes a lot to make it turn. Don't think I will be going back.

Photos
This grilled chicken salad  is serious business.
This grilled chicken salad is serious business.
The Reuben of your dreams...
The Reuben of your dreams...
The Drayton. Freshly grilled chicken breast, shaved ham, grilled pineapple, Swiss cheese, and red onion all nestled in a toasted baguette.

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The Drayton. Freshly grilled chicken breast, shaved ham, grilled pineapple, Swiss cheese, and red onion all nestled in a toasted baguette.
Pointside Meat Shop

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4.6
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This was my first time ever had this particular sandwich spot. I've seen a handful of people sit…read moreoutside or walk along this corner pressure point. I wanted to check out the other stores since they had a little market outside. I ended up ordering the Firebird sandwich with an Izzy and I was surprised on how many different styles of drinks, wine and so does they have inside there? Sandwich shop. They also had deli meat you could buy and stuff you could take home with you. The lady that helped me was incredibly friendly impatient since I had no idea what I wanted to eat. She gave some options since I wanted a hot sandwich and I liked cheese that melts. Lol when I got my fire sandwich, I neglected to ask if there was any condiments or vegetables inside besides the bell peppers. I always like lettuce or something with a crunch. Sandwich was pretty basic, but I think it needed something extra like a spicy aïoli sauce or something added to take it up to a different level of flavor. I usually like different flavors within sandwiches so perhaps I'm just picky. Overall, I thought the sandwich shop itself was incredibly cute and I liked all the drink drinks and glasses or even bottle of wine you could purchase and then walk down the way to the beach! That's exactly what I did after I ate my sandwich.

We got the smoked tritip chimichuri; it was good, the meat was camper smokey, but we thought the…read morebread should be toasted and the meat hot. (the the panini side of the menu probably does that...)

Photos
Ready To Drink Cases and deli meats for purchase
Ready To Drink Cases and deli meats for purchase
Hot bird - turkey sandwhich
Hot bird - turkey sandwhich
My Firebird and Izzy lunch

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My Firebird and Izzy lunch
Pete's Capitola

Pete's Capitola

4.4
(95 reviews)
1.2 mi

Service A+! Larry was attentive and warm…read more I had the branzino which was grilled perfectly! Accompanied by the best grits and veggies. A++! My husband had the pasta and clams and raved about the sauce!

Pete's is in Capitola Village and can be easy to miss because it's right at the curve of Esplanade,…read moreand you need to look up and step up into the entrance. (I have, no joke, walked by it dozens of times without realizing it!) I found it from seeing it on a list of restaurant participants for Burger Week. Overall, I give Pete's 3.5 stars, and here's why... **Ambiance: 5 stars** With the bright and tastefully-decorated dining room along with the multiple windows overlooking the spectacular beach, you really can't beat this ambiance! Pete's has the fine-dining vibe that's perfect for that first date, anniversary or other special dining occasion when you want some quiet and mood lighting. **Service: 4 stars** We were seated right away, even without reservations. It was a Sunday, and there was no wait or crowd. Service was quick and friendly. Mid-dinner, a server broke some glassware right behind my seat and needed us to move so they could sweep under our table and feet. They ended up moving us to a better table (next to the window) instead of having us stand there to watch them sweep. Accidents happen, and I felt they handled that well. **Food: 3 stars** Every item we ordered was delicious and fresh, and all arrived quickly. However, the menu was fairly compact, and the amount of food is even more compact. I was excited Pete's had lobster rolls (one of my all-time favorite food items EVER; $28) on their menu, so I didn't hesitate to order that along with a lychee martini. My partner ordered the bolognese ($30) and an old fashioned. We ordered the polenta as an appetizer. All of it was tasty, but oh-so-small. The cheddar polenta was like a taste test size (maybe 4 TBs), and the lobster roll was the smallest I had ever seen in my life. I didn't want to be rude, but I wanted to laugh when it arrived at our table! The lobster roll was smaller than my hand. It looked like circus food with all super tiny sizes. **Price/Value: 2 stars** You don't come to Pete's for the value because the portions are.... micro. TIP: If you have a big appetite or skipped a meal that day, I suggest going elsewhere or be ready to turn over a paycheck because you'll need to order a lot to fill up. It is worth it, however, if you fancy a light-filled room with views of the sparkling ocean and sounds of the waves crashing on the golden sands of Capitola!

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The main dining room is full of light and doors and windows to the beach and ocean
The main dining room is full of light and doors and windows to the beach and ocean
Tiramisu
Tiramisu
Nice view!

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Nice view!
Garden Liquors & Deli

Garden Liquors & Deli

4.5
(359 reviews)
1.3 mi
$

It was my first time trying their deli, you order at the deli counter on the right hand side when…read moreentering and pay at the main checkout. Your name is called out when ready. We tried their salami sandwich and turkey sandwich. Both were very good and would definitely go back. There is some indoor seating available, we decided to eat there and it was perfect. It started getting a bit busy after we ordered, but our sandwiches were ready pretty fast. There is plenty of parking and I would definitely recommend trying it out.

My first visit! Sandwich was very tasty! Maybe this is just my internal old person, but dang did…read moreeverything get expensive! Nearly $20 after tax for one sandwich with no additions. I was hungry and one sandwich was just a lot right to feel full. Be aware for first timers the process to get your food is a bit confusing. You'll head into the back right hand side of the store to place your order verbally with a staff member. Then, get in line at the regular register to pay. No one told me what to do after that, so I spent a long time waiting in front of the staff member I had placed my order with. This was wrong. You're actually supposed to stand in the area between the register and the liquor section and they'll call your name there. Hopefully this will save anyone reading this the same confusion I had :)

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Interior
Interior
Garden Liquors & Deli
Outside the store to avoid if you are a person of color

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Outside the store to avoid if you are a person of color

Pretty Good Advice - sandwiches - Updated June 2026

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