[ 'Best of' Index | Metro Santa Cruz | MetroActive Central | Archives ]

Readers' Choice Awards

FOOD & DRINK Best Bakery Gold Gayle's Bakery and Rosticceria 504 Bay Ave., Capitola 462.1200 Silver The Buttery 702 Soquel Ave., SC 458.3020 Bronze Kelly's French Pastry 1547 Pacific Ave., SC 423.9059 7486 Soquel Dr., Aptos 662.2911 Best Barbecue Gold Cole's 8059 Aptos St., Aptos 662.1721 2590 Portola Dr., SC 476.4424 Silver Bruno's 245 Mt. Hermon Rd., SV 438.2227 Bronze Hindquarter 303 Soquel Ave., SC 426.0313 Best Beer on Tap Selection Gold 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall Beer Pub 104 Walnut Ave., SC 459.9999 Silver Seabright Brewery 519 Seabright Ave., SC 426.2739 Bronze Santa Cruz Brewing/Front St. Pub 516 Front St., SC 429.8838 Best Bread Gold Alfaro's 412 Riverside Dr., Watsonville 728.5815 Silver Gayle's Bakery and Rosticceria 504 Bay Ave., Capitola 462.1200 Bronze Kelly's French Pastry 1547 Pacific Ave., SC 423.9059 7486 Soquel Dr., Aptos 662.2911 Best Breakfast Gold Zachary's 819 Pacific Ave., SC 427.0646 Silver Linda's Seabreeze Cafe 542 Seabright Ave., SC 427.9713 Bronze Walnut Avenue Cafe 106 Walnut Ave., SC 457.2307 Best Brunch Gold Chaminade 1 Chaminade Lane, SC 475.5600 Silver Zachary's 819 Pacific Ave., SC 427.0646 Bronze Walnut Avenue Cafe 106 Walnut Ave., SC 457.2307 Best Burger Gold Jack's 202 Lincoln St., SC 423.4421 Silver Carpo's 2400 Porter St., Soquel 476.6260 Bronze Hindquarter 303 Soquel Ave., SC 426.0313 Best Burrito Gold Taqueria Vallarta 608 Soquel Ave., SC 457.8226 893 41st Ave., SC 464.7022 Silver Tacos Moreno 1053 Water St., SC 429.6095 303 Beach St., SC 427.2200 Bronze Jalapeño's Taqueria 206 Laurel St., SC 457.0159 1201 Soquel Ave., SC 466.9739 Best Butcher Shop Gold Shopper's Corner 622 Soquel Ave., SC 423.1696 Silver New Leaf 2351 Mission St., SC 426.1306 1134 Pacific Ave., SC 425.1793 1210 41st Ave., Capitola 479.7987 6240 Hwy. 9, Felton 335.7322 13159 Central Ave., Boulder Creek 338.7211 Staff of Life (tie) 1305 Water St., SC 423.8632 Bronze Zanotto's 700 Front St., SC 423.4994 20 Victor Square, SV 438.0982 Best California Cuisine Gold Cafe Cruz 2621 41st Ave., SC 476.3801 Silver Bittersweet Bistro 787 Rio del Mar Blvd., Aptos 662.9799 Bronze Oswald 1547 C Pacific Ave., SC 423.7427 Best Chinese Gold O'Mei 2316 Mission St., SC 425.8458 Silver Golden Buddha 4610 Soquel Dr., Soquel 479.0788 Bronze China Szechwan 221 Cathcart St., SC 423.1178 Panda Inn (tie) 5 Deer Park Center, Rio Del Mar 688.8620 Best Coffeehouse Gold Jahva House 120 Union St., SC 459.9876 Silver Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Company 1330 Pacific Ave., SC 459.0100 Bronze Coffee 9 9505 Hwy. 9, Ben Lomond 336.4521 Best Deli Gold Zoccoli's Delicatessen 1534 Pacific Ave., SC 423.1711 Silver Erik's Deli Cafe 712 Front St., SC 425.5353 1664 Soquel Ave., SC 458.1919 102 Rancho del Mar Shopping Center, Aptos 688.5656 1601 41st Ave., Capitola 475.4646 Bronze Mike's Deli 1222 Soquel Ave., SC 425.2328 Best Desserts Gold Bittersweet Bistro 787 Rio del Mar Blvd., Aptos 662.9799 Silver Gayle's Bakery and Rosticceria 504 Bay Ave., Capitola 462.1200 Bronze The Buttery 504 Soquel Ave., SC 458.3020 Best French Fries Gold McDonald's Various locations Silver Jack's 202 Lincoln St., SC 423.4421 Bronze Carpo's 2400 Porter St., Soquel 476.6260 Best Grocery Store Gold Shopper's Corner 622 Soquel Ave., SC 423.1696 Silver New Leaf Various locations Bronze Deluxe Foods of Aptos 783 Rio del Mar Blvd., Aptos 688.7442 Best Healthy Menu Gold Dharma's 4250 Capitola Rd., Capitola 462.1717 Silver Cafe Del Sol 1315 Water St., SC 423.8041 Bronze New Leaf Various locations Best Ice Cream/ Yogurt Gold Marianne's 1020 Ocean St., SC 458.1447 Silver Polar Bear Ice Cream 1224 Soquel Ave., SC 425.5188 Bronze Double Rainbow 1123 Pacific Ave., SC 423.3231 Best Inexpensive Restaurant Gold Charlie Hong Kong 1141 Soquel Ave., SC 426.5664 Silver Carpo's 2400 Porter St., Soquel 476.6260 Bronze Taqueria Vallarta 608 Soquel Ave., SC 457.8226 893 41st Ave., SC 464.7022 Best Innovative Menu Gold Oswald 1547 C Pacific Ave., SC 423.7427 Silver Bittersweet Bistro 787 Rio del Mar Blvd., Aptos 662.9799 Blacks Beach Cafe (tie) 15th and E. Cliff Dr., SC 475.2233 Bronze Pearl Alley Bistro & Wine Bar 110 Pearl Alley, SC 429.8070 Best Italian Gold Ristorante Italiano 555 Soquel Ave., SC 458.2321 Silver Ristorante Avanti 1711 Mission St., SC 427.0135 Bronze Aragona's 2591 Main St., Soquel 462.5100 Best Late- Night Eatery Gold The Crepe Place 1134 Soquel Dr., SC 429.6994 Silver So Say We 418 Front St., SC 454.9547 Bronze Saturn Cafe 145 Laurel St., SC 429.8505 Best Local Wine Gold Bonny Doon Vineyard 10 Pine Flat Rd., SC 425.3625 Silver Bargetto Winery 3535 N. Main St., Soquel 475.2258 Bronze Storrs Winery 303 Potrero, SC 458.5030 Best Local Wine-Tasting Room Gold Bargetto Winery 3535 N. Main St., Soquel 475.2258 Silver Bonny Doon Vineyard 10 Pine Flat Rd., SC 425.3625 Bronze Storrs Winery 303 Potrero, SC 458.5030 Best Lunch Under $5 Gold Taco Bell Various locations Silver Charlie Hong Kong 1141 Soquel Ave., SC 426.5664 Bronze Taqueria Vallarta 608 Soquel Ave., SC 457.8226 893 41st Ave., SC 464.7022 Best Mexican Gold El Palomar 1336 Pacific Ave., SC 425.7575 Silver Taqueria Vallarta 608 Soquel Ave., SC 457.8226 893 41st Ave., SC 464.7022 Bronze Tampico 822 Pacific Ave., SC 458.2821 Best Microbrewery Gold Seabright Brewery 519 Seabright Ave., SC 426.2739 Silver Santa Cruz Brewing/Front St. Pub 516 Front St., SC 429.8838 Bronze Boulder Creek Brewery 13040 Hwy. 9, Boulder Creek 338.7882 Best Muffins Gold Rebecca's Mighty Muffins 514 Front St., SC 429.1940 Silver Emily's Good Things to Eat 1129 Mission St., SC 429.9866 Bronze Kelly's French Pastry 1547 Pacific Ave., SC 423.9059 7486 Soquel Dr., Aptos 662.2911 Best Natural Foods Store Gold New Leaf Various locations Silver Staff of Life 1305 Water St., SC 423.8632 Bronze Food Bin 1130 Mission St., SC 423.5526 Best Neighborhood Market Gold Shopper's Corner 622 Soquel Ave., SC 423.1696 Silver New Leaf Various locations Bronze Ben Lomond Market 9440 Mill St., Ben Lomond 336.3900 Best New Restaurant Gold Charlie Hong Kong 1141 Soquel Ave., SC 426.5664 Silver Convivio Trattoria 655 Capitola Rd., SC 475.9600 Bronze Paradise Beach Grill 215 Esplanade, Capitola 476.4900 Best Outdoor Dining Gold The Crepe Place 1134 Soquel Dr., SC 429.6994 Silver Crow's Nest 2218 E. Cliff Dr., SC 476.4560 Bronze Zelda's 203 Esplanade, Capitola 475.4900 Best Pizza Gold Pizza My Heart 1116 Pacific Ave., SC 426.2511 209 Esplanade, Capitola 475.5714 Silver Tony & Alba's Pizza 817 Soquel Ave., SC 425.8669 1501 41st Ave., Capitola 475.4450 226 Mt. Hermon R., SV 439.9999 Bronze Pleasure Pizza 4000 Portola Dr., SC 475.4999 Best Place to Splurge Gold Shadowbrook 1750 Wharf St., Capitola 475.1511 Silver Bittersweet Bistro 787 Rio del Mar Blvd., Aptos 662.9799 Bronze Casablanca 101 Main St., SC 426.9063 Best Restaurant in Santa Cruz County Gold Bittersweet Bistro 787 Rio del Mar Blvd., Aptos 662.9799 Silver Shadowbrook 1750 Wharf St., Capitola 475.1511 Bronze Crow's Nest 2218 E. Cliff Dr., SC 476.4560 Best Restaurant Service Gold Shadowbrook 1750 Wharf St., Capitola 475.1511 Silver Bittersweet Bistro 787 Rio del Mar Blvd., Aptos 662.9799 Bronze Crow's Nest 2218 E. Cliff Dr., SC 476.4560 Best Restaurant with a View Gold Crow's Nest 2218 E. Cliff Dr., SC 476.4560 Silver Shadowbrook 1750 Wharf St., Capitola 475.1511 Bronze Chaminade 1 Chaminade Lane, SC 475.5600 Best Romantic Restaurant Gold Shadowbrook 1750 Wharf St., Capitola 475.1511 Silver Casablanca 101 Main St., SC 426.9063 Bronze Bittersweet Bistro 787 Rio del Mar Blvd., Aptos 662.9799 Best Salad Gold Fresh Choice 3555 Clares St., Capitola 479.9873 Silver Carpo's 2400 Porter St., Soquel 476.6260 Bronze Crow's Nest 2218 E. Cliff Dr., SC 476.4560 Cafe Cruz (tie) 2621 41st Ave., Soquel 476.3801 Best Sandwich Gold Erik's Deli Cafe Various locations Silver Zoccoli's Delicatessen 1534 Pacific Ave., SC 423.1711 Bronze Mike's Deli 1222 Soquel Ave., SC 425.2328 Best Seafood Gold Riva Fish House 500 Municipal Wharf, SC 429.1223 Silver Stagnaro's 59 Municipal Wharf, SC 423.2180 Bronze Crow's Nest 2218 E. Cliff Dr., SC 476.4560 Best Soup Gold Erik's Deli Cafe Various locations Silver The Bagelry 320 Cedar St., SC 429.8049 1636 Seabright Ave., SC 425.8500 4763 Soquel Dr., Soquel 462.9888 Bronze Bittersweet Bistro 787 Rio del Mar Blvd., Aptos 662.9799 Best Steak Gold Hindquarter 303 Soquel Ave., SC 426.0313 Silver Portola House 3326 Portola Dr., SC 476-2733 Bronze Bittersweet Bistro 787 Rio del Mar Blvd., Aptos 662.9799 Crow's Nest (tie) 2218 E. Cliff Dr., SC 476.4560 Best Sushi/ Japanese Gold Pink Godzilla 830 41st Ave., SC 464.2586 Silver Takara 1800 Soquel Ave., SC 457.8466 Bronze Mobo Sushi 105 River St., SC 425.1700 Best Takeout Gold Charlie Hong Kong 1141 Soquel Ave., SC 426.5664 Silver Zoccoli's Delicatessen 1534 Pacific Ave., SC 423.1711 Bronze O'Mei 2316 Mission St., SC 425.8458 Best Taqueria Gold Taqueria Vallarta 608 Soquel Ave., SC 457.8226 893 41st Ave., SC 464.7022 Silver Tacos Moreno 1053 Water St., SC 429.6095 303 Beach St., SC 427.2200 Bronze El Palomar 1336 Pacific Ave., SC 425.7575 Tucson Taqueria (tie) 218 Mt. Hermon Rd., SV 439.8470 Best Thai Gold Thai House 353 Soquel Ave., SC 458.3546 Silver Real Thai Kitchen 1632 Seabright Ave., SC 427.2559 Bronze Bangkok West 2505 Cabrillo College Dr., Soquel 479.8297 Best Vegetarian Offerings Gold Dharma's 4250 Capitola Rd., Capitola 462.1717 Silver Asian Rose 1547 Pacific Ave., SC 458.3023 1116 Soquel Ave., SC 423.7906 Bronze Cafe Del Sol 1315 Water St., SC 423.8041 Best Wine List Gold Bittersweet Bistro 787 Rio del Mar Blvd., Aptos 662.9799 Silver Pearl Alley Bistro & Wine Bar 110 Pearl Alley, SC 429.8070 Bronze Casablanca 101 Main St., SC 426.9063 [ Santa Cruz | MetroActive Central | Archives ]