Loading...
Cafe Brasil
- Hours:
Mon-Sun. 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Breakfast, Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
Zachary's Restaurant
- 197 reviews
- Location:
- Santa Cruz, CA
"God! It's been WAY too long since I've had me some Zachary's. I remember back in those college days dragging my hung-over butt for some damn…" read more »
307 reviews for Cafe Brasil
Review Highlights
Loading...
Being a Banana Slug myself, I can't count the times I've eaten at Cafe Brasil. I may have actually cried when it burned down a few years ago, only to be rebuilt bigger better faster...(ok, so not much faster) and tastier. I still make a special trip every few months just to have the Beef A Cavalo.
Things to know: There will be a wait. Probably like 20 minutes. Yes, it is worth it. Do yourself a favor walk halfway up the block to the magazine stand on the street, get yourself a magazine/newspaper/crossword puzzle, go back to Cafe Brasil and get a cup of coffee and sit outside while you wait. Its Santa Cruz, enjoy it.
Things I have enjoyed recently: My favorite is the Beef A Cavalo. Its a skirt steak and fried eggs covered in grilled onions served over a baguette. The lunch version comes with a salad instead of potatoes. I get this almost every time I pop in. Also good is the Churrasco sandwich. Sausage and Mozzarella on a roll. You can get little pots of beans and sausage covered in cheese (kind of like a Brazilian version of soupe à l'oignon). And let me tell you, the Banana Pancakes are worth the guilt. In fact, I've had most of the menu, and it was all good.
1 star for service
2.5-3 for food
So we walk in and proceed to stand there in front of staff at counter who don't even look up for about 5 mins to acknowledge us. In actual fact, they never looked up to acknowledge us at all.
Not "it'll be 10 mins" not "we'll be right with you in a minute" not "seat yourself". Nothing. Nada. And no, the place was not that busy.
It was another staff member from another part of the cafe who came after about 5 mins to put us at a table that was still damp and smelling of stale cleaning sponge.
And after all that waiting and the hype of the Yelp reviews you'd think it'd be some damn fine food. Meh, distinctly average. Between the 3 of us we couldn't find any part of our orders that merited a "yeah, this is pretty good".
Hardly worth dealing with the staff and ambiance. Oh well.
I haven't had to wait the past few times I've gone there. I always go like at 10, after the breakfast rush and before lunch.
1.) Acai bowl, shared between me and the honey. Never leave Cafe Brasil without that refreshing tasty tarty deliciousness.
I love the breakfast there, the avacado a cavalo is very, very good.
The honey likes the beef a cavalo.
For lunch, I always get the prato fieto and alternate between beef and chicken. It's so good. It's a huge plate of food.
Excellent service. The waitresses are so sweet. Parking (lately, I've been getting a parking space, too!) sucks. They have a little lot in the back, fit for like 5 cars maximum and getting out of that tiny driveway is even worse. Find parking in the residential street or across the street, at McDonalds/Taco Bell. Don't worry too much about the sign that says that the parking is only for Taco Bell or McDs customers; worry about not getting caught jaywalking frantically across Highway 1/ Mission.
Even then, a jaywalking ticket and/or possibly causing a car accident or getting honked and sworn at ( and then possibly waiting 30+ minutes to get in to the tiny restaurant) is probably still worth one of those acai bowls.
Probably the best breakfast I have ever had. I highly recommend the Orfeu Negro, two poached eggs on sliced baguette and black beans topped with melty mozzarella and a side of house potatoes. I wish I could eat there every morning. Even their coffee is amazing.
It is pretty much always crowded, understandably but definitely worth every minute of the wait. The ambiance is really nice, the waitresses are friendly, and most importantly the food is spectacular. Five stars and a promise to return hungry.
I LOVE the acai breakfast bowl and the passion fruit milkshakes. This place is packed and has a steady wait list. The food is worth the weight and the menu is refreshingly different from other local restaurants.
Oh breakfast at Cafe Brasil, how I love you. Cute lil' green house that serves me my Avocado A Cavalo, I think this is my favorite breakfast dish I've ever met. Baguette, avocado, eggs, cheese & tomatoes. I'm one of those girls that orders something that sounds yummy, and normally it was so yummy that I never ever stray. Sounds boring but when you go to enough places, by the time you get back to the restaurant- you want your item. I have never strayed, and oh how I crave..My breakfast companions are always trying other stuff and always loving what they got.
Always love the waitstaff, so nice. This place is worth the wait.
I come here for the Acai bowls/smoothies, orfeu negro, and the banana pancakes!
This place is a unique one of a kind restaurant. The food is excellent, especially breakfast.
It takes a bit of a wait to be seated but it is well worth it.
An Acai bowl after a long night of drinking will cure your hangover instantly!
Came for lunch and waited, as usual.
Finally sat down and ordered the Acai Bowl junior and Bacalhoada: Salted cod fish with onions, olives and potatoes.
The meal started with a salad and excellent honey mustard dressing. Hearts of palm added an interesting twist to the usual greens.
Acai bowl...what more can I say about this? The slightly tart acai berries were blended with ice and topped with strawberries, banana slices and granola. The flavor was a good balance between sweet and sour in this breakfast favorite. I have one suggestion though...serve it in a bigger glass! It was difficult mixing the fruit and the acai smoothie in the glass used for Acai Bowl Jr.
In the bacalhoada, the salted cod fish was used like ham in a hash, sauteed with onions, potatoes, olives. The salted cod did not taste salty, though slightly dry. The dish was slightly greasy, as I saw a drizzle of oil float towards the rice. The dish was served with rice and farofa. Farofa must be an acquired taste. It looks like "sand" and I don't particularly like it.
I had tried mixed seafood muquecas from Cafe Brasil and thought that was a more flavorful dish.
But the acai bowl...I will come back for the acai bowl in a heart beat!
The restaurant had the Santa Cruz laid back vibe which I enjoy.
Note: parking is extremely difficult in the restaurant. Park on the side street and walk there.
Search on http://Thesaurus.com and you'll find several synonyms for the word Amazing. Some of these words include incredible, marvelous, prodigious, stunning, surprising, unbelievable, and wonderful.
Cafe Brasil is better than that.
Cafe Brasil is a unique, one-of-a-kind restaurant situated right off of downtown Santa Cruz. Located on Highway 1, this small, brightly colored shack is home to some of the most authentic, delicious food you'll ever find. I'm a huge fan of Cafe Brasil and believe it deserves the praise it receives!
I've tried several dishes from Cafe Brasil- all of them outstanding. Each time I go I MUST try a new dish. The problem is, each new dish I try quickly becomes my new favorite dish and I always want to re-order it.
The Feijoada Completa is ridiculously good- Probably my MOST favorite- A black bean stew with sausage, you can order this stew separately if you want an awesome side dish. The Bacalhoada is sauteed cod with potatoes- This dish is very salty but only adds to how amazing it tastes. For breakfast the Beef A Cavalo is great- a Nice slice of steak under two eggs, potatoes and mozzarella.
Cafe Brasil is also very famous for their Juice Bar which serves the ever popular Acai Bowl. This desert is a blend of guarana and fruits topped with a delicious granola and sliced bananas and strawberries. It is SOOOO REFRESHING and an awesome way to finish a meal from Cafe Brasil- everytime!
By advised, Cafe Brasil IS very popular, but the inside is very small! You may have to wait to be seated on a weekday- so if you go on a weekend then good luck! Cafe Brasil is an awesome 5 star spot in the outskirts of the Bay Area- If you ever make is out to Santa Cruz know that Cafe Brasil is a must try.
Like most everyone else in Santa Cruz, I love Cafe Brazil... I never planed on reviewing cuz it seems unnecessary, but they really deserve the good words. The food at Cafe Brasil is fresh, and it is a fun place to dine. Sure the wait can take some-time but - whatever . . .Just make it part of your plan. Take a little walk, go to that nice little newsstand and grab a good paper or art mag, have a shot of espresso read a little in the sun, and walk back to your waiting table for a great meal. The key is to trick yourself that you are not actually waiting for a table- but is actually part of the ride...
I love the Brazilian juice bar, I think Brasil actually invented the idea!
Suco de Maracuja, Suco de Abacaxi com Hortel, Manga ect...
(passion fruit, pineapple with mint, mango) Who wouldn't want to start the day with that?
Aipim frito, (sorry if I didn't spell that right) yummy manioc fries! They have a special texture and more tasty than potatoes.
And of course the Moqueca !
Coconut and red palm oil Afro-Brasilian kind of stew/curry. My dad loves it with fish or shrimp, I prefer the tofu both are great. Mix in some farofa... and a little hot sauce. MMMM
Num NUm NUm!
I wanted to spotlight the more unique dishes at Cafe Brasil, the Desserts are also amazing- mango mousse (pudding) the Blackberry Muffins (yum!) and once I had a sweet corn cake with a hint of cloves that was great and not too sweet.
Breakfast is good too ;-)
Great acai. Great food. But, you'll have to endure hordes of college students. If you can endure that, then definitely come here to try the food, because it's pretty amazing.
Case Brasil is super-tasty Brazilian-styled food. Their coffee is fantastic, and their acai bowl and Omelet Marinero (filled with spinach, huge shrimp, and dressed with hollandaise) are to die for!
Note: This is a huge local favorite, and is often really busy, and their parking lot only fits 4-5 cars.
Park around the corner and walk over, grab a coffee when you arrive, and read a paper or your iPhone for up to half an hour while you wait... But *DO* wait- it's worth it! (or order takeout like we do when we're too hungry to wait!)
I spilled my acai bowl in my friend's car because I was mowing it too fast. Don't judge.
I luff this place. It's funky appeal reminds me of some of the old restaurants and island style homes on Maui. Laid back atmosphere, and killer bfasts, I want to come here every time I make it to Santa Cruz.
I strayed from the normal, old faithful Acai Granola Bowl and ordered a skillet o' goodness (my unofficial name)--completely with melty yummy cheese, pototates, all kinds of veggies and of course salsa. Divine. Not to mention their coffee and smoothies...also insanely comforting yet healthy.
At first when I came here, I was bummed because it was so packed we got our food to go--I didn't think eating inside was even an option at that point. We went back for my birthday breakfast and sat down with a party of 7 easily. Just be mindful, like other yelpers have warned, of the wait.
But all good things, my friends as you know, are totes worth the wait.
Love, love, love Cafe Brasil! I wish I could visit SC more often so I can eat here. This last time we had the Beef a Cavalo and Potatoes Scramble. Both perfectly seasoned, good proportions and super tasty. We went at 9:30 am (party of 2) and were seated right away, service was good even though the place was packed (a party of 14 was seated right next to us).
Park on the residential street around the corner, since they have a tiny lot.
I highly recommend!
Terrible service and nothing special with the food. I will not go there again.
I'm giving Cafe' Brasil a 3 because the service was a 1 or 2 and the food was a 4.
This is what I'd expect for a beach town diner, it's a place you can't miss while driving Highway 1 and that has tasty out-of-the-ordinary food.
Three of us went here for a late lunch so it wasn't that busy. We were seated right away and our orders taken not too long after. A different waitress brought us our food and we didn't see our original waitress until we had finished and were waiting awhile for the bill. I didn't get a water refill and would of ordered a Frepe De Coco (mmm, coconut bliss) after tasting my sister's, but thanks to the nonexistent service that didn't happen either.
All the plates had decent amounts of food. I loved the File, chicken marinated in beer sauce, with beans and rice except I didn't care for the farofa. I also tried some of the scrambled eggs and potatoes which were good. The potatoes seemed like they had been sitting around on the flattop grill through the lunchtime rush but it didn't keep me from eating them.
I'm willing to go back because there are other things on the menu I want to try. My sister has returned to Cafe Brasil and said the service wasn't as bad. So there is hope.
I tried the acai bowl and I really enjoyed it a lot. The banana in the juice wasn't too overpowering and i loved it for that
I had the beef a cavalo and my friend had the a francesa; both plates tasted pretty good and they were HUGGEEEE. i love the aroma it gave off, so very different from the norm.
I'll definitely come back and try other plates at this little cafe.
I'm going against the flow on this one, but, that's the beauty of Yelp. Don't be afraid to go against the flow when reviewing!
Fellow Yelpers -- you really hyped this place up. My guess is that you hyped it up because it's sexy -- a Brasilian Cafe in Santa Cruz with brightly colored walls (yellow, green) and loads of Brasilian foodstuffs available for purchase on the shelves. To me, I need more than that to be wowed.
Decor: Pretty cool, unique, not every day you go to a Brasilian Cafe.
Wait time: Average -- 15 minutes at 8:45 AM. You can order a cup of coffee for $1.75 while you wait. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Brasilian coffee, but it wasn't that good.
Food -- Pretty good. Not all time. I ordered a Veggie Fritada (three eggs beaten over potatoes, mushrooms, green onions, onions, and tomatoes). Fairly decent size quantities and tasted pretty good. 4 stars on the food.
Service -- Mediocre to semi-poor. It pisses me off when places like this thrive while the service blows. It wasn't definitely the warm fuzzies here -- and other Yelpers have noted that.
All in all -- I might go back, but fellow Yelpers -- you really hyped this place up........I departed from Sao Paulo feeling discontent and wanting more..........
i used to live in Santa Cruz and would visit Cafe Brasil twice a week for their Acai Bowls. I no longer live in Santa Cruz, however when I do go, the trip is planned around a visit to Cafe Brasil.
I have tried their scrambles, eggs benedict, basic breakfasts, smoothies, and they are all off the hook.
I have tried so many different Acai Bowls and no one can make an Acai Bowl like this place can.
I love going here. The food is consistently great and very interesting. Despite being right on Mission St, you feel like you're on a little Brazilian vacation. I enjoy trying new flavors and eating in their bright, festive, and intimate atmosphere. Service is usually pretty friendly. Prices are appropriate. Make sure to pick up some passion fruit or guava jam on your way out.
Say it with me. ACAI BOWL. (Ah-sigh-ee).
Cafe Brazil is responsible for this Brazillian fruit smoothie concoction: a bowl of acai juice, mixed with sliced strawberries and bananas and topped off with sweet granola clusters.
Listen: never get the small version. Always go big with the acai bowl or go home. I once ordered a small and had to order another one and eat off my cousin's bowl to fulfill my acai bowl fix.
One of my favorite things: ordering the acai bowl to-go in their corn starch containers and taking it to munch in the beach or in the forest. This way, I avoid the long lines, and get to enjoy the refreshing goodness of the bowl. Even more convenient, you can order over the phone or online and swoop in to pick it up.
Cafe Brasil is one of my favorite breakfast spots, period. Everything is good, though I recommend the Orfeu Negro, Banana Pancakes, and obviously the Acai Bowl.
My friends and I like to order Coxinhas de Galinha (a Brazilian chicken appetizer) and champagne when we're in an especially cheery mood.
Arrive early, as there is always a wait. Parking is easiest if you make the first right turn after the restaurant. It's a residential street and has never failed me.
Finally, a note to vegans: Most of the items on their menu can be made with tofu, so ask if you're so inclined.
I drive all the way from Hayward to just eat breakfast here! Yes. It's that good!
I go bananas for the Banana Pancakes. I go ape for the Acai Bowl. That Acai Bowl is so refreshing and fruitful! The over an hour drive and the extra 45 minute wait is completely worth it just for that Acai Bowl. I have no patience for anything and for me to actually say that I'd wait to eat at this place has got to mean something!
The parking here is awful --narrow, small, and difficult to get out. This place usually has long lines waiting to get in on the weekends, but if you go really early in the morning or towards the end of the day before they close you'd be in a better situation.
I've tried their Chicken Sandwich, Halibut and Polenta as well. All the items I've tried are pretty good but I honestly would just stick to the breakfast here.
I've been told that the Egg's Benedict is amazing here but I haven't tried it out yet... That's my next mission!
This place is SOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD!
It makes me want to go over the hill just to eat their beef a cavalo ($8.95)
Steak for less than 10 bucks :) GOOD DEAL TO ME! esp when it's topped off with eggs and a baguette w/ potatoes.
AND DESSERT IS DELICIOUS! What they're known for is their granola, strawberry, banana dessert dish which is the ACAI BOWL ! I usually get a bowl to share with a friend :))
wowie-ca-zowie this place is delicious! my group of friends and i had to wait about 20 minutes before we got seated so it HAD to be good. the service isnt all that great, but the food definitely makes up for the lack of great service.
Parking is a pain in the tush for being such a popular place. there are maybe...6 or 7 parking spots behind the building but other than that, you're gonna have to find some sort of street parking somewhere within the surrounding neighborhoods.
the food is so fresh and delicious. im sure that there isn't anything on the menu that isnt tasty. most definitely going to keep coming here time and time again.
I absolutely love this place! Whenever i get a chance to visit Santa Cruz, i head over and have brunch here with the BF! It's a long wait but soooo worth it! The eggs benedict is yummy and their banana pancakes are to die for! We always also share an acai bowl, which is super refreshing! Better than a bowl of regular fruit, in my opinion. All in all, one of my favorites! I just wish they were closer...
Stopped by for a late lunch around 2P and had parking in the very small lot and didn't have wait!
Since I had never been there before, I took the waitress' suggestions of el Francesa. All I knew was that it had grilled chicken and beans. To my surprise, it was quick delicious! It came with grilled onions, bits of ham, and tomatoes on it but the topper of short, string cut potatoes really made it stand out. Along with all that came a side salad and farfola, a fried pea-nutty flour thing that I did not know how to eat.
Overall, good experience, minus the lack of A/C... on a day of 90+ degrees......
We came here on a Thursday afternoon with a large group and waited maybe 25 minutes for a table.
The acai bowl was amazing and topped with sliced strawberries and bananas. The mimosas are large and made with really good OJ. The banana pancakes are incredible as well. Brazilian waitstaff is friendly and accommodating.
Vegetarians: Most of the items on the menu can be made with tofu if you ask.
Next time you're in Santa Cruz definitely give this place a try!
A trip to Santa Cruz should require a trip to Cafe Brasil. Amazing treats.
Ample portions!
Unique!
Delicious!
To my beloved green and yellow house,
I can't even begin to tell you how much I miss you! After numerous acai bowl runs and "I need to loosen up my belt" adventures, graduation commenced and I had to bid farewell to Santa Cruz and your long weekend morning lines.
It wasn't until I returned to socal and tried an acai bowl yesterday at a cafe joint that I realized how much I long for your comfort! Initially excited by seeing the words "acai bowl", I thought I found something to replace you. But...the airy crisp almond granola and the energizing berry burst with mountains of bananas and strawberries ceased to exist at this new cafe. I am even appalled that it shares the same name as your sacred "acai bowl."
I don't know how much more I can write to you without thinking of the "A Carioca Tofu" dish, the subtley sweet syrup over a stack of comforting banana pancakes, the zing from the hearts of palm, and your crunchy soft side of potatoes. My senses though 350 miles away from you are in a complete fire.
If I could, I would turn back the hands of time and spend more of my waking moments in your humble abode. But as they say, "all good things come to an end." I thank you for the awesome memories my dear friends and my senses shared with you. I will surely visit you when I return.
Yours truly,
T.
3-3.5 stars.
Came here for breakfast. It was moderately busy. Waited a while before a waitress took our order. She kinda rushed it since she just took our order and left without asking if we wanted drinks.
Food came out fast. Big portions. Not bad.
Had to wait and wave down our waitress when we needed something. Annoying. Especially when it wasn't even that busy near the end.
Woulda probably gave them 4 stars if they had better service.
This is one of those places that doesn't need any more reviews but ill give it one more anyway, because its awesome! We found it using the Yelp iPhone App because we were in SC for the day doing a little bit of the tasting of wine, and wanted to go somewhere badass to start out the day. We had to wait a bit to get in because the place can only seat about as many people as were watching "Megan Wants a Millionaire" before it was cancelled. Once inside, we knew what we were going to order...the Acai Bowl and the Avocado a Cavalo, both were excellent!
Look at the star rating and the total # of reviews and be confident that Yelp is always right!
Ever since my boyfriend & I came back from Oahu, we've been with LaniKai withdrawal... home of the acai bowl near Kailua Beach. Well, he decided to surprise me yesterday w/ a trip to Santa Cruz ... he found the cutest Cafe Brazil thanks to the world of Yelp... we ordered two acai bowls (we just couldn't share one) & the A Cavalo Steak & Eggs... both tres-star dishes!
The acai bowl is a blend of acai berries, apple juice, strawberries, banana, & guarana syrup... topped w/ yummy granola, strawberries, & bananas... just fyi, we orederred 2 MORE bowls after a day @ the boardwalk to snack on on the way home!
If you're ever in town for the Boardwalk, Mystery Spot, Capitola... or just visiting SC, this place is a must!
Still absolutely amazing, must-try, to-die-for, straight up ridiculous! On our recent trip to Santa Cruz, we brought a handful of newbies. The moment that acai granola goodness hit their lips, they demanded we come back again within the same weekend.
My two cents:
For sweets - get the banana pancakes and acai bowl
For savories - get the avocado a cavalo or tofu scramble
For the light-hearted - get the breakfast polenta
For the adventurous - get the muqueca (amazing!!!)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
2/18/2006
Shout out goes to Nate C. for recommending this place to me! The banana pancakes were to die for!… Read more »
I wished I lived in Santa Cruz.
The food here is exceptional, truly. I like a lot of flavor but not a lot of grease for my breakfast. Something to start the day off right but without ignoring the basic human need for it to satisfy and both terms are met at the Cafe Brasil. First, I have to comment on the bright colors, gorgeous staff, and friendly vibe. Who can be mad when there's an Amazon woman serving you eggs? Second, the fact that they offer all the South American, freshly-made juices they do has recently inspired me to by a juicer and import an aCai plant to better take in all my fruits, veggies, and antioxidants. And most importantly, the food. Of course my best friend and I had to have the aCai bowl to start our meal - a cold, smooth, and bright-tasting bowl filled with goodness, as the rumors have already told you - followed by my order of the Gallo Pinto - a hearty egg, bean, and rice dish covered with herbs and aromatic veggies served with an awesome tangy/savory/sweetly tart sauce, tortillas, and fried plantains - all of which seems like they would weigh you down but were actually pretty light and easy to digest despite being so filling. Such a wonderful, sunny way to start your day. Get here early y'all, the line out the door is there for a reason.
Buttery scrambled eggs on a bed of equally decadent polenta.
Vermelho brilhante: blended, fresh watermelon with papaya, iced.
A small airy cottage with chartreuse walls.
Friendly Brazilian staff.
Bom dia.
I came here with a group of around 10...I don't smoke but a few of my friends were fiending for their nicotine fix so we went down the street to buy a pack of stoges...and when we came back THEY GAVE AWAY OUR TABLE! But it's chill cause we didn't have to wait that much longer. ANOTHER REASON NOT TO SMOKE CIGARETTES!
Cigarettes = longer wait to eat at Cafe Brasil
Totally not worth it!
Anyways...about the food
The Acai Bowl is where it's at! Cured my hangover right away and gave me energy for the rest of the day.
I got the potato scramble...it was good but I wish I got the Avocado A Cavalo.
One of my all-time favorite places to eat in Santa Cruz. The service can be a bit on the slow side, but the food is absolutely delicious. Great breakfast and lunch. Really great coffee, also.
The best fruit shakes around... SIGH...
This morning I decided to splurge and got a soy avocado shake.. it was so creamy and perfect it lasted the whole breakfast. I also had the shrimp and spinach omelet which was super yummy :-)
My suggestion is to get there around 9 AM after that you are waiting 30-45 minutes.. waiting 10-15 for service than waiting 30 or so depending on what you get....
Food is always fresh and seriously... it is one of the few places you can say everything is good here
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
-
7/19/2008
Boyfriend is a friggin local and HAD NEVER BEEN HERE..are you #$$king kidding me? SIGH. Over the… Read more »
Consistency.
Persistence and consistence. That is usually what adds up the positivity points when it comes to the dating world. Believe me. I keep count. And tabs. And post-its. Even little highlighter marks: good date, bad date. Maybe. So so. Hell no.
I apply the same process to eateries. Especially if I have absolutely no say or opinion but happen to get roped in to hit a local fave for brunch. A friend's brother lives out here and whenever I'm tagging along, simply through association, the boys decide to hit Brasil for brunch.
Small and cozy, hot and humid during the vivid summer months. Be prepared for a line when it is packed but once in, the personality of Santa Cruz shines through. Natural and simple. No frou frou high maintenance dumb ass hoochie mommas in high heels here. You might just get thrown out. What is comfortable? Men in t-shirts/cargo-skate shorts and women in skimpy/bikini top/layers with short short skirts. The difference between hoochie and natural? These long and lithe tanned legs are toned from hitting the sands of the beach, not the pavement.
The menu here is large, but I usually order the Beef a Cavalo, a hearty filling dish of two sunny side eggs on top of steak, layered on a slice of baguette with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. In addition, we usually order a side of feijoada, a rich stew made with beans and usually pork. If the food was not so filling, I would order the banana pancakes too. Nothing better than balancing out a thick savory brunch item with a little sweet fruit topping. On days I've kept my meal light, try their smoothies. Made fresh, right at their juice bar. The fruity concoction is thick, creamy and chock full of vitamins and minerals: fruit shake: banana and papaya blended with milk and ice. Mmmmmm!!
Service here is casual and relaxed. One bathroom, so just remember to keep an eye out for the door. Prices here are moderate, with most orders under $10. They do, however, add up with the addition of sides, so just be prepared. The beauty of this place? The ability to order online for your takeout item. Ah, technology. Love it.
Ah, c'est la vie. Afterward, when the boys usually go take their bikes out for a ride or sailing, I'll mosey on over to the beach and attempt to even out my horrid tan lines acquired from a recent Ocean Beach jaunt. Damn. And I was only in the sun for a good three hours too.
*sigh*


