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University of California - Santa Cruz
- Off-Campus Dining

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University of California - Santa Cruz - Off-Campus Dining - Off-Campus Dining - College ProwlerCollege Prowler4.24

Off-Campus Dining

A-
Where does this grade come from?View all Off-Campus Dining rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Off-Campus Dining Grades:

Quick Stats

Student Favorites
  • I Love Sushi
  • Saturn Café
  • Woodstock’s
  • Zoccoli’s Pasta House
24-Hour Dining
  • Ferrell's Donuts
  • Santa Cruz Diner
  • Saturn Café
Best Asian Asian Rose
Best Breakfast Santa Cruz Diner
Best Healthy Café Brasil
Best Pizza
  • Pizza My Heart
  • Woodstock’s
Best Wings Hindquarter Bar and Grille
Best Place to Take Your Parents El Palomar
Other Places to Check Out
  • Catalyst
  • Planet Fresh Burritos
  • Ristorante Italiano

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Santa Cruz has some great restaurants worth checking out as soon as you get here. For such a small town, there are a variety of flavors and options, and every student has his or her own personal favorites. College students generally like cheap food, and the lowest-priced places in Santa Cruz are the taquerias or pizza joints. Planet Fresh and Los Pinos are favorite places for burritos, and Pizza My Heart and Woodstock’s Pizza offer discounts for UCSC students. Sushi and Thai food are also popular in Santa Cruz, and there are a variety of restaurants to satisfy cravings for these Asian delights. Several good breakfast places are scattered throughout Santa Cruz, with the favorites being Café Brasil and Santa Cruz Diner.

When it comes to off-campus eateries, Santa Cruz has everything from fine dining to stuffing-your-face-with-cheap-food restaurants. There are restaurants with only vegetarian and vegan food, and there are also places that serve hamburger and steak sandwiches. When living in the dorms, eating off campus in Santa Cruz can be a wonderful break from the dining halls. The best advice that a new student can get as far as off-campus dining is concerned is to try and eat off campus at least once a month. If you go off campus for your meals all the time, you might grow tired of it, and you’re also going to waste a lot of money. If you eat off campus less than once a month, you’re going to get sick of the meal plan food pretty quickly, and you’re not going to get the chance to explore all of the dining options that Santa Cruz has to offer. Besides, Joe’s Pizza will still be here when you return.

 

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UC Santa Cruz Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Off-Campus Dining at University of California - Santa Cruz

ericawest25

Psychology '14

4.6
A

Phoenix Asia

This is a Chinese food place off campus and SO delicious. It's a little dive-y and usually empty but super cheap and really good food.

May 11, 2012

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Off-Campus Dining at University of California - Santa Cruz

rkirihar

Biology '13

3.5
B

Downtown Santa Cruz

There are many casual restaurants downtown. Students can take the bus straight to the downtown Metro Station and walk down the street to find what they're looking for. I personally like Kianti's, a pizza and pasta bar that have weekend performances where workers dance on top of ledges next to the tables, toss pizza dough in the air, and sometimes sing. It's a lively atmosphere and their food is delicious! It may be one of those places you go for special occasions though, as it may get a little pricey. But this is one of the places I'm always excited to go to when I'm in Santa Cruz.

Apr 08, 2012

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Off-Campus Dining at University of California - Santa Cruz

aknaul

Psychology '15

5.0
A+

Pizza

Cheap and cheap to deliver, very convient can order online, good student discounts, great variety of pizza places, i like dominos they are speedy, delicious, and deliver charge is always less than $3

Feb 26, 2012

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Page 1 of 12
User rating for University of California - Santa Cruz - Off-Campus Dining is 4.6 out of 5 based on 35 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the off-campus restaurants on the following topics

How would you rate the diversity of off-campus dining options?

Facts

Did You Know? Loganberries were first grown in the hills of Santa Cruz by Judge J.H. Logan in the 1880s.

Grocery StoresWhat's This?

Food Bin
1130 Mission St.
(831) 429-8108

New Leaf Community Market
1210 41st Ave.
(831) 479-7987

Trader Joe's
700 Front St.
(831) 425-0140

Restaurant ListingsWhat's This?

Asian Rose
Food: Vegetarian Ceylinese
1547 Pacific Ave.
(831) 458-3023
Price: $8-$15

Benten Sushi
Food: Sushi
1541 Pacific Ave.
(831) 425-7079?
Price: $10-$18
Cool Features: great sushi and very friendly service. It’s a great place for impressing parents or even a date.

Café Bella Napoli
Food: Italian
503 Water St.
(831) 426-7401
Price: $10-$20

Cafe Brasil
Food: Brazilian
1410 Mission St.
(831) 429-1855
www.cafebrasil.us
Price: $10-$15

Carniglia's
Food: Italian/seafood
49A Municipal Wharf
(831) 458-3600
Price: $8-$15

Casablanca
Food: California/New American
101 Main St.
(831) 426-9063
Price: $10-$20
Cool Features: Landmark dining room showcases the skills of Chef Scott Cater

Charlie Hong Kong
Food: Asian street cuisine
141 Soquel Ave.
(831) 426-5664
Price: $5-$10

Chocolate
Food: American Café
1522 Pacific Ave.
(831) 427-9900
Price: $5-$10

The Crepe Place
Food: Crepes and more
1134 Soquel Ave.
(831) 429-6994
Price: $8-$15
Cool Features: The spinach crepe, Tunisian doughnut, and also has a full bar

El Palomar
Food: Mexican
1336 Pacific Ave.
(831) 425-7575
Price: $10-$20

Falafel House
Food: Middle Eastern
113 Walnut Ave.
(831) 459-9770
Price: $5-$10

Ferrell's Donuts
Food: Baked goods
2227 Mission St.
(831) 423-4348
Price: $2-$5

Hindquarter Bar and Grill
Food: American
303 Soquel Ave.
(831) 426-7770
www.thehindquarter.com
Price: $10-$20
Cool Features: A great place to eat delicious steaks and ribs and enjoy a fun atmosphere.

I Love Sushi
Food: Sushi
516 Front St.
(831) 421-0706
Price: $10-$18
Cool Features: Great place for college students on a tight budge and is popular for birthday parties or large groups and gives many free appetizers.

King Chwan Chinese Restaurant
Food: Chinese
415 Ocean St.
(831) 429-5898
Price: $8-$15

La Esperanza Market
Food: Mexican
341 Ocean St.
(831) 423-8038
Price: $5-$10

Los Pinos
Food: Taqueria
2019 N. Pacific Ave.
(831) 425-2554
Price: $5-$10

Marianne's Ice Cream
Food: Ice Cream
1020 Ocean St.
(831) 458-1447
Price: $2-$5

Mobo Sushi & The Moon
Food: Japanese
105 S. River St.
(831) 425-1700
Price: $10-$25

Oswald
Food: Bistro style
1547 E. Pacific Ave.
(831) 423-7427
Price: $10-$20

Pink Godzilla
Food: Japanese
830 41st Ave.
(831) 464-2586
Price: $8-$15

Pizza My Heart
Food: Pizza
1116 Pacific Ave.
(831) 426-2511
Price: $5-$10

Planet Fresh Burritos
Food: Wraps and burritos
1003 Cedar St.
(831) 423-9799
Price: $10-$20

Pleasure Pizza
Food: Pizza
1917 Mission St.
(831) 426-1400
Price: $5-$10

Red Lantern
Food: Asian
1001 Center St.
(831) 429-5082
Price: $8-$15

Riva Fish House
500 Municipal Wharf
(831) 429-1223
Price: $10-$20

Royal Taj
Food: Indian
270 Soquel Ave.
(831) 427-2400
Price: $8-$15

Sabieng Thai
Food: Thai
1218 Mission St.
(831) 425-1020
Price: $5-$10

Santa Cruz Diner
Food: American
909 Ocean St.
(831) 426-7151
Price: $5-$10

Saturn Café
Food: Vegetarian
145 Laurel St.
(831) 429-8505
Price: $5-$10

Shogun
Food: Sushi
1123 Pacific Ave.
(831) 469-4477
Price: $8-$15

Surfrider Café
Food: American
429 Front St.
(831) 713-5258
Price: $10-$20
Cool Features: Popular for its “Hook” burger and American-style dining. A great option for vegetarians, as well.

Taqueria Vallarta
Food: Taqueria
608 Soquel Ave.
(831) 467-8226
Price: $5-$10

Thai House
Food: Thai.
353 Soquel Ave
(831) 458-3546
Price: $8-$15

Walnut Avenue Café
Food: American
106 Walnut Ave.
(831) 457-2307
Price: $5-$10

Woodstock’s Pizza
Food: Pizza
710 Front St.
(831) 427-4444
www.woodstockscruz.com
Price: $9-$23
Cool Features: Fun upbeat place for college students and has Wednesday Pint Night and Thursday Trivia Night.

Zachary's
Food: American
819 Pacific Ave.
(831) 427-0646
Price: $5-$10

Zoccoli's
Food: Italian deli
1534 Pacific Ave.
(831) 423-1711
www.zoccolis.com
Price: $5-$10

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Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Alexandra Iorfino
Hometown
Huntington Beach, CA
Major
Politics and Psychology

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

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How do we get our information? Find out here or report an error here. The statistics on our site are from the National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS database.
We update this information twice annually, most recently in May 2012, but it may not be the most recent information available for a particular school.
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