By Merry Grinder, PillartoPost.org Asst. Coffee Editor--Santa Cruz supports a sizable group of independent coffeehouses and local roasters. These five cover downtown, the Westside, Pleasure Point and neighboring Capitola.
Cat & Cloud Coffee — Swift Street Address: 719 Swift Street, Suite 56, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Cat & Cloud roasts [photo, above] its own coffee and serves espresso and drip coffee at several Santa Cruz County locations. The Swift Street café also has a full kitchen, with breakfast and lunch dishes that include bowls, plates, burritos and toast.
Verve Coffee Roasters — Westside Address: 1010 Fair Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Verve began in Santa Cruz and has since expanded well beyond the city. Its local shops, including the Fair Avenue location, serve espresso drinks, seasonal lattes and coffee sourced through the company’s relationships with growers. The Westside café occupies a former industrial building a few blocks from the coast.
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11th Hour Coffee — Downtown Address: 1001 Center Street, Suite 1, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Near downtown, 11th Hour combines a coffee bar with work space, plants and goods from local vendors. Nitro cold brew is on the menu. The business also operates an evening program called After Hours, when the café serves cocktails.
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Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Co. Address: 1330 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 A Pacific Avenue fixture since 1978, Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Co. predates much of the city’s modern café culture. It sells responsibly sourced and fair-trade beans and prepares coffee at a pour-over bar. The café occupies space in the historic Palomar Arcade downtown.
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Mr. Toot’s Coffeehouse Address: 231 Esplanade, Suite 100, Capitola, CA 95010 Mr. Toot’s is in Capitola, a short trip east of Santa Cruz. The second-floor coffeehouse has views toward the wharf and Monterey Bay, along with espresso drinks, pastries and large slices of coffee cake. Its second-floor windows and balcony look toward Capitola Beach and the wharf.
