Santa Cruz is blessed with a trinity of stellar coffeehouses provided by Christian communities, serving a variety of inviting neighborhoods—east, west and downtown.
Each sits next to its sponsoring church and serves the wider community in a welcoming way with no agenda or proselytizing.
The Abbey at Vintage Faith Church is the oldest of our local three—originally opened in 2006 to serve Sunday churchgoers. Tucked in a neighborhood of historic Victorians where Downtown meets the Westside, it was originally called the Brickhouse before getting a new look and new name in 2008.
An art, music and coffee lounge, the Abbey provides a monastic-looking environment with hardwood floors and a high-beamed ceiling, well suited for studying, reading or web-surfing. Heavy, armless wooden chairs and several sofas offer comfortable seating for patrons of all sizes, with tables for two, four and ten.
Baristas set their own playlists, so music might be coffeehouse folk one day and eclectic indie on another. An outdoor patio, half covered and half open, offers sun and fresh air in all weather. A piano graces one corner, available to play upon request. Artists and artisans display their work for sale on walls and tables.
Macarons and honey cake are from Sugar Bakery. A kitchen offers avocado toast, a panini “Breakfast Sando,” and chicken pesto or Cuban sandwiches. Syrups are made in-house, including osmanthus, with a peachy-floral flavor.
Specialties include the Honey Badger, a honey and cinnamon latte, and Secret Garden—jasmine tea with milk and honey rose syrup.
House coffee is a special blend from 11th Hour, with pour-over offerings from 11th Hour and Stumptown.
Shrine and Loft Coffee are at opposite ends of Santa Cruz, but close in spirit: bright, airy and contemporary, with pleasing views of nearby nature. The newbies both opened during the pandemic.
Shrine Coffee at Shrine of St. Joseph on West Cliff Drive is unique in Santa Cruz for the beauty of its surroundings and tasteful Christian decor in a modern setting. Enjoy a view of the Bay from a spacious patio complete with a Baroque-style fountain, or take a stroll in the tree-shaded garden, among statues and flowers.
Shrine’s interior is intimate and cheerful. A sofa and easy chairs face a flaming fireplace, welcoming on cold mornings by the sea. A wall-sized digital picture frame displays paintings by the Renaissance masters, and comfy armless chairs surround a beautifully polished driftwood table for 10.
Count your blessings over an Our Frother—oatmilk with honey and cinnamon. Enjoy a Summer Fog, an iced black tea with vanilla syrup and Earl Grey cold-foam—or the current special, a lavender honey latte. Shrine sources coffee from Cat and Cloud, and pastries from Bees Knees Bakery in Moss Landing.
Loft Coffee at Twin Lakes Church holds space just south of Cabrillo College, with a view of the green hills to the north from outdoor tables. Yes, there is a loft—albeit a small one—up a narrow stairway, an aerie near the lofty ceiling.
Loft Coffee selects beans from Copa Vida in Pasadena, 11th Hour and Verve. Organic syrups are from Holy Kakow. Coffee specials include the Santa Cruz Fog, made with macadamia milk.
Pastries are delivered daily from Kelly’s Bakery or Companion Bakeshop. Savories include avocado toast, chorizo breakfast burrito, chicken pesto sandwich, and ham and cheese croissant.
Seating is plentiful and comfortable for groups and singles, and eclectic Spotify playlists keep the mood upbeat but downlow.
All are hidden mere footsteps away from main throughways. Make a pilgrimage to all three.
The Abbey at Vintage Faith Church, 350 Mission St., Santa Cruz (enter from Highland Ave); Sunday-Friday, 8am-6pm. abbeycoffee.org
Shrine Coffee at Shrine of Saint Joseph, 544 W. Cliff Dr., Santa Cruz; Monday-Sunday, 7am-4pm. shrinecoffee.com
Loft Coffee at Twin Lakes Church, 2701 Cabrillo College Drive, Aptos; Monday-Friday, 7am-2pm; weekends 8am-2pm. loftcoffeeshop.com
HI John, thanks for the holy coffee coverage. I’ll give these three a try!! My question, not for just these three places but all the java huts in town, is “Do any of these places really know how to make a cappuccino?” My experience is that a cappuccino is pretty much a small latte, that steaming milk properly is either a lost art or not yet found. Cheers for proper ‘caps’ in 2025.