Best little cafe on the Eastside! Super cute, quaint, wonderful ambiance and the food and drinks always are wonderful. I live fairly close and would stop by much more often if I didn't have to work out of town. Love this place. read more

This is an adorable restaurant woven into a cute little house with an improbable windmill sprouting from its rooftop. The staff was friendly and helpful, the food was outstanding and the pastry offerings were great (and gluten free!). I asked for a large coffee and they brought me the largest mug I've ever seen. Will be a place we return to anytime we're in Santa Cruz! read more

Windmill Cafe - That's not forced perspective...it actually is that big! - Cafes Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

3.5 rating rounded up to 4. The allure of the Windmill Cafe's historic location drew my husband, daughter, 2 dogs, and I for lunch. They have ordering at the counter and outdoor seating. The online menu said they had sodas, but I was told they did not have any :(. I ordered the curry & vegetables with tofu, but they gave me the Asian stir fry. I did not notice this at once, and by the time I did, it did not seem worth it to have them give me what I ordered (though it was offered). The stir fry was okay. I'm told the sandwiches, Turkey, bacon & avocado and Tempeh Bacon, tomato, and avocado, were okay too. When I ordered, I was told the sandwiches came with coleslaw, but they came with nothing. read more

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Pros: The food is great and the people are really nice!! I appreciate this space a lot! Cons: I am writing this review because they are towing people who still have ten minutes before closing and probably walked over to the farmer's market. They also just turned away patrons ten minutes before closing. Huh? (Towing is super expensive and NOT cool. Do it at 2pm when the cars are truly abandoned!) read more

I love Windmill Cafe so very much. This is a special gem near pleasure point that has an extremely clean, fresh, and allergen friendly menu. If you're ever in the area and in need of breakfast or lunch or just a little pastry snack, I'd highly recommend. I absolutely love the garden scramble which has seasonal veggies, the surfs up plate, as well as the gluten-free waffle. For lunch, my goto is the turkey sandwich on gluten-free bread which is BOMB. I could crush one every week. Lastly, they have an array of gluten-free/dairy-free pastries that rotate each week and are very delicious. So yes, go go go! Support local businesses. read more

Windmill Cafe - Surfs up breakfast with a GF waffle and strawberry jam. - Cafes Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

This our third time at the Windmill Cafe- this is one of my favorite breakfast spot in Santa Cruz. Love the ambiance, always a good service and always a pet friendly place. We had their Surf's-up breakfast, Breakfast tacos and gluten-free French toast- we love how their food is not too salty, they're perfectly seasoned and fresh. If you're looking for a relaxing place with healthy food, check out The Windmill Cafe. read more

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For normal food this place is OK, but for vegan and/or gluten free food this place is amazing. The gluten free + vegan muffins, brownies, cakes etc. are the best we have ever had. Most of the other places the gluten free + vegan muffins taste like sawdust, but for this place the gluten free + vegan muffins taste as close to the normal ones as possible. Their gluten free + vegan mexican chocolate cake is to die for, and that is speaking as someone who is not gluten free nor vegan and thus has access to a wider variety of cakes. This is our go to place whenever we come to Santa Cruz and is in our list of favorite places. read more

One morning, while browsing on social media, I stumbled upon a big argument over the use of the word F*ckng to describe how delicious the meal was at the Windmill Cafe. The fact that someone was so adamant to describe the food with such expletives, and someone else was so rudely offended, it peaked my interest. I can now say the use of the word F*cking is completely justified. The croissant was warm, buttery, and flaky. The bacon was thick, crisp, and plentiful. It sat on a generous size of cheddar cheesy well cooked scrambled egg. The egg did not fall out to make it easy to eat with your hands if you chose to do so. I brought mine and my partner's home, even the cat came running, jumped on my lap and tried swiping it out of my hand. As I was waiting for my meal, I noticed some gluten-free goodies looking scrumptious and mini-cinnamon rolls (when an entire cinnamon roll is just much too much). Thank you people who love to argue on social media, here is an example of a positive outcome! read more

Windmill Cafe - Breakfast Croissant with scrambled egg, cheese, and bacon. (pears not included) - Cafes Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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We loved it here! Came here for a quick and cute breakfast and they delivered! I had the smoked salmon with goat cheese on wheat and it was incredible! The staff was attentive and kind! Please don't forget going here on your visit in the area ! read more

Windmill Cafe - Smoked Salmon & Goat Cream Cheese - Cafes Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

So sorry to see a cute place with good breakfast, go so down hill We used to eat here a while back when we lived in Santa Cruz, so visiting this weekend we of course went back to the Windmill before we left. Wow I mean Wow, I think it goes down as the worst breakfast in my life, and I'm 52. I ordered French toast and crispy bacon. The French toast was uncooked in the middle and burnt black on the sides the bacon wasn't crispy it was pork jerky couldn't even chew it. Left the whole plate uneaten. It should be ZERO STARS for food and ambience, it literally looks like the building was about to fall down and had tarps all over it. The only saving grace was that every person at the restaurant was super friendly and efficient at taking our orders and serving our food. The kitchen staff needs to be fired. This was the end of our vacation. We drove home after breakfast. Bad choice for food to end a lovely weekend. No Pics because we just drank our coffee and left read more

Average food. Confusing way to order, no real table service. No ambience. No salsa for my Burrito.

Food here is great. Easy, simple and healthy and centrally located on E Cliff Dr. You order at counter and sit down with number and wait for food. Really a quaint, home cooked cottage vibe of an establishment. Breakfast comes with a side of greens and their potatoes are delicious. Their smoothies are amazing too! read more

Scrambled eggs with fresh greens from the garden in the back was delicious. Plenty of gluten free options such as waffles, toast, bagels, homemade pastries, and soups. Will definitely be coming here again. Say hi to Paula & Mary if stop by! read more

Windmill Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

We came here out of curiosity, since we do not know anyone who has been to this cafe after 20 years in Santa Cruz. We drive by it all the time on our way to other restaurants. Well, we understand why not a single friend or neighbor has ever been or recommended this place. The staff, if you can get them to make eye contact with you, are not friendly. Sadly, the food did not make up for their poor behavior. Ordered a scramble, the eggs were burnt and there was just no taste to it. Scroll through the reviews - none of the 4+ star reviews are from residents of Santa Cruz. Most are "Elite" Yelpers. These reviews are ushering in customers who will no doubt find the experience to be a waste. There is so much good food in Santa Cruz, don't ruin your day with this place. read more

An absolute Santa Cruz gem. I've been coming to Windmill for almost a decade and every time I'm here I can count on DELICIOUS healthy food with vegetarian and vegan options, super sweet staff, iconic adorable ambience (a windmill next to the ocean!?), and super fair prices. The little details like the flowery patio, them adding fresh herbs and flowers to my meal from their little back garden, and the home made baked goods makes the Windmill one of the sweetest spots in town. 10/10 recommend! read more

This spot wasn't good but I'm also not GF. I feel like this place caters to those with GF dietary needs. But personally it wasn't for me. Plain scrambled eggs, the only way you can get them here (scrambled). GF toast. GF muffins were very dense and not good. Again. Prob someone GF will enjoy this place. Pros: Fair pricing. Good bacon. Good homemade Jam Cons: plain eggs, small menu, all breads cater to GF. Burnt French toast while being soggy inside still. No S&P Covid-19 related: Pros: outside seating, plexiglass shield while ordering Cons: no wipe downs of tables between people. Tables not 6ft apart read more

Windmill Cafe - French toast - Cafes Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Love. This. Place. The environment is so peaceful with lots of different plants and flowers blooming. It has a wonderful homey vibe and the breakfast follows in these footsteps. The food is fresh and delicious at a reasonable price point. Additionally, I am gluten and dairy free and they had a variety of baked goods that accommodated my needs. I will be coming back thank you for a wonderful experience Windmill Cafe! read more

Love this place! Great menu, very decent prices, and the staff is wonderful. Just a small but appreciated touch: they must have noticed my wife was holding a bottle of aspirin when we ordered, because when they brought out the coffees we ordered for breakfast, they also brought her a glass of water. Super dog friendly too. read more

I wish I could rate this place better but the food was not good. I personally got the breakfast tacos. The pallet made no sense and picked out the cabbage, it could've been done a lot better made at home. Plates are small, the dollar amount you're not really saving anything because you don't get toast or anything on the side so would still say it's $$. The servers were nice but took forever to come out with our food. I think we got there first thing when they opened and our outside table was filthy with dirt. But nice patio area, kinda cute place. I'll just never go back and probably my mistake getting the tacos. read more

Very sweet breakfast spot and charming location. There is a small outdoor patio with nice foliage & several tables and picnic tables to enjoy your food after ordering at the door. Our food was good, smoothies were fresh and the lattes were great! read more

What a wonderful find!!! I was staying at the Bella Notte and needed a spot for breakfast. The gentleman at the front desk suggested the Windmill because I told him I was looking for a place that had gluten-free options. Oh my goodness, I was in HEAVEN! They have the most delicious gluten-free waffle, they have gluten-free plum ginger muffins, they have so many other good choices too - and of course plenty of 'regular' breakfast food too. The bacon was crispy and delicious. My server was lovely. I sat out in the garden. It was perfect. So grateful! read more

Seevice was bad everyone working seemed like they were in bad mood and the food tastes terrible. Got elsewhere read more

Windmill Cafe - Cabbage with eggs? What kind of taco is this? - Cafes Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

has great parking, quick service, great patio to hang out and sit. there is no indoor seating at the moment. wasn't my favorite coffee in the world, the mocha wasn't as flavorful as i hoped it would be. tasted more like a regular iced coffee. i got the blt sandwich on sourdough and it was amazing!!! Spent about $20 after the tip. also, there is NO wifi.. although the website says there is. read more

Windmill Cafe - Website screenshot - Cafes Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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What a disappointing experience. Walking in, the place was pretty charming. We placed our order, paid and tipped, ordered a coffee and chai and sat down. And I kept sitting for nearly an hour. Eventually, when they decided to bring us our smoked salmon bagel and french toast, we were greeted with a very hard and cold hockey puck of a bagel with deep pink salmon slapped on top of a thin layer of cream cheese. The french toast is probably what took them so long to make, but that's not because it was a big serving or anything fancy. It was just three prices of toast grilled like a grilled cheese with the clearest syrup I've ever seen sadly sitting beside it. Powdered sugar? Eh, give it a pinch, why not. We waited for this for almost an hour. The watered down chai didn't help. The place wasn't packed half way through our waiting period. At least the coffee was ok. read more

Windmill Cafe - Smoked salmon bagel and "french toast" - Cafes Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

This place is super cute! It's a counter service style brunch spot. Our server was friendly and patient with my questions on the menu as I have some food allergies. The food was FANTASTIC and tastes like the kind of thing you'd eat at home. They have a great selection of vegan friendly food. I will definitely be back for more! read more

We got the breakfast tacos and the breakfast burrito. Both were mostly chunks of potato and soggy cabbage on this flavorless paste. Inside is still closed, so it's outdoor dining only. The tables were sticky and don't appear to ever be wiped down. Won't go back. read more

This is a cute little place near the beach on east cliff. It was actually really good and the variety herbs on the bagel were definitely a pleasant surprise. "Living the fairy fantasy" as my friend described it haha. The breakfast tacos were delicious and filling. read more

Windmill Cafe - Breakfast Tacos - Cafes Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Discovered the quaint, friendly jewel while on vacation in Santa Cruz. Best coffee ever and breakfasts great. Will definitely make this our spot when we return annually! read more

at first the menu looked very appetizing but the food left me wanting, like an unfulfilling lover you've eagerly met in the drunken chaos of a club; i ordered a hot chocolate to warm and sweeten my morning, but the hot chocolate was lukewarm! i ordered a waffle which was pretty darn good 5 stars bc the ppl working there seemed to be in a rush and it probably wasn't their fault so : read more

Epic breakfast tacos and the best variety of fresh baked gluten free muffins. Turkey bacon avo sandwich is crip! I'm baffled at the four star and fewer reviews, probably just Karen's and Chip's with no patience. Bring a friend and enjoy the patio and conversation while you wait for your food. Signed, Local read more

The landmark property was charming. The service was great, friendly staff. I enjoyed the French toast and my husband was happy with his Breakfast burrito. Sustained him all the way to lunch. What I was pleasantly surprised with was the Vanilla latte made with oat milk! The cats meow. read more

Such a cute little gem in Santa Cruz. Great brunch items, cute patio and excellent service. Highly recommend as a stop before heading to the beach. read more

This place is off the beaten path, but is very cute and has a nice little outdoor seating area. They are dog friendly, and even offer doggie treats. I ordered a cappuccino and the veggie croissant and both were delicious. They drizzled a green sauce on the croissant and It was delicious. If you're in the neighborhood and need some breakfast, come here! read more

Windmill Cafe - Sautéed Veggie Croissant - Cafes Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Stopped by for breakfast. Could not believe that this place was still in lockdown mode like it's June 2020. Inside was closed. Order at the counter and sit outside in the rain? No thanks. Walked next door and had an amazing breakfast at Evarista's Comal Restaurant. Will definitely be going back there. Goes to show, every cloud has a silver lining. read more

Stop #1 on our walking adventure yesterday. It was close to 2 miles from the house and w/ nothing to eat yet my daughter and I were starving. I've committed to eating light until my birthday so as I was making my way towards the entrance, I was preparing for torture (I love breakfast food). Delighted to see the prices and when I saw the dishes listed on the menu and billboard, I was stoked! The menu offers healthy and wholesome entrees and side dishes. What I love is the option to order vegan. I noticed gluten-free offerings as well (on the menu and their pastries and sweet treats). If you want a fruit smoothie then this place is it! Love the patio seating but the only table available was near the trash can accompanied w/ some flies so we opted to be seated inside. There is a water dispenser next to an abundance supply of hot sauce. I chose the habanero! Anyhow. I ordered the tofu scramble w/ vegetables. My dish came w/ a dollop of jam and a dollop of vegan spread. My daughter wanted just scrambled eggs w/ toast. Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, the wait took about 20 minutes. I was quite amazed at the wait time... The gentleman that took my order was genuinely sincere and I love the friendly interaction between staff and patrons. When I went up to ask what vegetables were in my scramble, the girl replied honestly that she doesn't know - because it changes based on the availability from their garden. I love that but I stood there for her to recollect. It was Swiss chard, fennel, and kale. I don't know anything about those vegetables listed but I am sure glad I did. First time for everything, right? I wish they offer sweet potatoes! We walked a total of 10 point something miles. We not only saved gas, burned calories, got some tan, and reduced carbon footprint! read more

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I would give this place a zero star, but I couldn't the scrambled eggs, really runny, and the glasses were made for little kids overall this place is sh#t. read more

Windmill Cafe is a really nice and charm place for breakfast and lunch. A cool homey environment with great food, friendly service and easy parking. They have a great menu and several gluten free, vegetarian and vegan options. So if you have dietary restrictions, you will like Windmill. From the things I had so far my favorites are the Sautéed Veggie Croissant and the bagel with cream cheese and fresh herbs. The croissant was amazing and I loved the dill mustard sauce. It was the perfect match for the veggies and eggs. Their lattes are awesome too. Both hot or cold. Definitely coming back. read more

Windmill Cafe - Bagel with cream cheese and fresh herbs - Cafes Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Stopped by for brunch with my bf and ordered three things to share between the two of us. Everything was delicious, price was decent for the portions and the outdoor tables were very clean with a garden vibe! Would come here to eat again next time I'm in Santa Cruz! read more

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Great coffee. Good healthy organic food. It's a local joint so you can expect to have chill but satisfactory service. Don't expect to run in and run out unless you are just buying a cup of their coffee. The cashier will also probably be the person that cooks your food. It's a short walk to the beach and there is plenty of sitting inside or outside, groups or just by yourself. Dog friendly. read more

Windmill Cafe - They serve pastries! - Cafes Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Came here for the first time last weekend and loved it. I had a cappuccino and a bacon, egg and cheese croissant and my friend had the roasted veggies croissant. Both were delicious and had a yummy mustard like sauce on them (and no mushrooms on the veggie one which was a win for us!) The women who were working were all very nice, food and coffee came out hot and fast, the outdoor seating is lovely and parking was easy. I highly recommend. read more

Windmill Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Santa Cruz, California