Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Santa Cruz area by diners
Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Santa Cruz area by diners
Fine dining in the United States isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; these days, it's all about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller and his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, French Laundry, unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chefs' tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Santa Cruz area using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of June 25, 2025.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#30. The Point Kitchen and Bar
- Rating: 4.1/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3326 Portola Drive Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Bars, Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#29. The Hideout
- Rating: 4.2/5 (764 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 9051 Soquel Drive Ste K Aptos, California
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, American, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Discretion Brewing
- Rating: 4.2/5 (452 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2703 41st Ave. Ste A Soquel, California
- Categories: Breweries, Beer Gardens, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Parish Publick House
- Rating: 4.2/5 (361 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8017 Soquel Drive Aptos, California
- Categories: Irish Pub, New American, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Copal
- Rating: 4.2/5 (384 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1203 Mission St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Rumble Fish
- Rating: 4.2/5 (519 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4727 Scotts Valley Drive Scotts Valley, California
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Tramonti
- Rating: 4.2/5 (1096 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 528 Seabright Ave. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Walnut Avenue Café
- Rating: 4.2/5 (1448 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 106 Walnut Ave. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Gayle's Bakery & Rosticceria
- Rating: 4.2/5 (2134 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 504 Bay Ave. Capitola, California
- Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Aptos St BBQ
- Rating: 4.2/5 (1884 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8059 Aptos St. Aptos, California
- Categories: Barbecue, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Home
- Rating: 4.3/5 (345 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3101 North Main St. Soquel, California
- Categories: New American, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Mozaic
- Rating: 4.3/5 (892 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 110 Church St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Mediterranean, Halal, Lebanese
- Read more on Yelp
#18. The Grove Cafe & Bakery
- Rating: 4.3/5 (127 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6249 CA-9 Felton, California
- Categories: Cafes, Bakeries, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Shadowbrook
- Rating: 4.3/5 (5690 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1750 Wharf Road Capitola, California
- Categories: American, Venues & Event Spaces, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Lago Di Como Ristorante
- Rating: 4.3/5 (644 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 21490 East Cliff Drive Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#15. East End Gastropub
- Rating: 4.3/5 (536 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1501 41st Ave. Capitola, California
- Categories: Beer Bar, Gastropubs
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Lillian's Italian Kitchen
- Rating: 4.3/5 (2897 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1148 Soquel Ave. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Italian, Steakhouses, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Caruso's Tuscan Cuisine Restaurant
- Rating: 4.3/5 (489 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 115 San Jose Ave. Capitola, California
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Laili Restaurant
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1509 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 101B Cooper St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Ambrosia India Bistro - Scotts Valley
- Rating: 4.3/5 (407 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6006 La Madrona Drive Ste D Scotts Valley, California
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Persephone
- Rating: 4.3/5 (247 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 7945 Soquel Drive Aptos, California
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Bad Animal
- Rating: 4.4/5 (142 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1011 Cedar St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Used Bookstore, Wine Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Pino Alto Restaurant & Catering
- Rating: 4.4/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6500 Soquel Drive Aptos, California
- Categories: Desserts, New American, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Linda's Seabreeze Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1498 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 542 Seabright Ave. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Trestles Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (388 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 316 Capitola Ave. Capitola, California
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#5. 四姐 Special Noodle
- Rating: 4.5/5 (961 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 415 Ocean St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Noodles, Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Iveta - Downtown
- Rating: 4.5/5 (106 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 545 Pacific Ave. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Italian, Desserts, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Hanloh Thai Food
- Rating: 4.5/5 (79 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1011 Cedar St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Pretty Good Advice
- Rating: 4.5/5 (465 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3070 Porter St. Soquel, California
- Categories: Sandwiches, Breakfast & Brunch, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp
#1. VIM Dining & Desserts
- Rating: 4.8/5 (265 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2238 Mission St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: New American, Cocktail Bars, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 319 metros.
