Loading...
- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Cafe Gratitude
Categories: Restaurants Vegan Restaurants Cafes Vegan, Cafes [Edit]
103 Lincoln StSanta Cruz, CA 95060
(831) 427-9583
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10 am - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Hipster, Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
47 reviews for Cafe Gratitude
Review Highlights
47 reviews in English
-
Review from Gianna M.
San Diego, CA
5/21/2012 1 photo
This food here is wonderful!
It's just a bit pricey, so I made sure to get items that I wouldn't be able to easily make at home. The I Am Elated enchiladas are excellent, with a great tasting mole and coleslaw. The I Am Bliss chocolate hazelnut torte was so delicious and creamy, it was hard to believe it was vegan.
5 stars for taste, 3 stars for price. -
Review from Delmar X.
Santa Cruz, CA
5/13/2012
Yes they have an all-vegan menu, raw food options, and an overall clean-good-for-you menu, but I am always disappointed by three things.
1) The menu. For the most part, a lot of options can be easily made at home and for much much less. There are a few dishes that are more complex to prepare, but not many.
2) The price. I'm not paying $12 for quinoa, veggies, and a sauce. It's just to going to happen. HOWEVER, they do have the bowl (I think it's the Grateful Bowl) that you can pay by donation.
3) The service. A few people there do provide good customer service (acknowledge your presence, check on you with good frequency, answer questions courteously, etc.), but lately it seems like their newer hires aren't as friendly. There are always a lot of backs towards the dining area, meaning, you can be standing there for a bit before some one asks if you'd like to be seated. It can be a while before they ask you what you'd like to order and they just seem more interested in having a conversation with co-workers than providing customer service.
Bottom Line: They have a few good items worth paying the steep price for, making this a place that I visit infrequently. -
Review from L D.
South Bay, CA
5/11/2012 1 photo
cool that there's soy free choices at a vegan place.
yum for the bowl of sea veggies, kale, steamed quinoa, house-made kim chee, carrots and sprouts & tahini-garlic sauce.
spendy so not an everyday kinda place, but they give the grateful bowl for any price for those who really need a meal for what they can pay, if any. we like that. a lot. -
Review from Sarah Y.
5/8/2012
Outstanding food, service, and atmosphere. I have never met a person or a meal that I didn't love at Cafe Gratitude.
If you are looking for a healthy but scrumptious meal, Cafe Gratitude is the place for you! If you are in need of a little pick-me-up or to feel right with the world, Cafe Gratitude is the place for you. If you are looking for great food, atmosphere, and conversation, CAFE GRATITUDE IS THE PLACE FOR YOU!
It is a vegan, mostly raw food restaurant. I am a fan of both, but if you are hesitant about either or had negative experiences in previous establishments, let Cafe Gratitude change your mind. I have been at CF with many different people who had dietary preferences, needs, or restrictions (or who were just plain picky and though vegan food was "for birds") and everyone LOVED what they ordered. -
Review from Audrey N.
Mt Hermon, CA
5/2/2012
This place is just such an amazing addition to the Santa Cruz food scene...I can't imagine how we did without it! We've taken to going there for lunch every Sunday after church (our church is a half a block away).
Let's start by getting the hokey stuff out of the way. Everything on the menu is named after a virtue. "I am grateful," "I am extraordinary," etc. And when the waiter brings your food, she will proclaim, as she puts it down "you are grateful," "you are extraordinary," etc. Yeah...kinda hokey...not normally my thing. And the "question of the day" (which they're kind enough to ask if you're interested in, rather than just blurting it out) can kind of take you by surprise.
But I have to say the food makes up for it!
I'm a vegetarian (ovo-lacto...not vegan, and definitely not raw), so while I love to see a wonderful vegetarian selection on the one hand, I'm always a bit wary, especially if a restaurant has a hippy vibe. No worries here...this place has a chef who really understands how flavor, aroma, texture, and presentation work together to make for an extraordinary dining experience.
The interior of the restaurant is kind of basic. Clean and well-appointed, but nothing fancy. I like the serve-yourself bottles of filtered water on each table. The waitstaff is usually prompt and attentive. They tend to know the menu very well, and if they're not sure of something, they definitely know who to ask.
I have to say that my favorite entree on the menu, hands down, is the "I am extraordinary" sandwich. They bill it as a take on a BLT, and I do have to say that it doesn't actually resemble an BLT all that much. It's on a bun, for one thing, and the maple-seasoned coconut really doesn't resemble bacon. That said, it is, indeed, an extraordinary sandwich. The bun is flavorful, and served with a nice toast on it. The tomatoes are always fresh, and taste like they just came out of the garden. And oh...the combination of the avocado with the chipotle-based aoili...to die for! It's a messy meal, for sure, but so good that I sometimes wake up at night craving it!
My husband's favorite meal there is the "I am grateful" grain bowl. Every vegetarian restaurant has a take on the "grain bowl," and most of them fall seriously short of delivering. Cafe Gratitude nails it. The bowl consists of brown rice, kale, black beans, and lots and lots of the cafe's delicious, utterly addicting, spicy cashew-based dressing. The flavors just totally work together, and unlike many restaurants, they actually give you enough of the dressing that it permeates every bite. It's a bowl of utterly satisfying goodness (and it's very nice that you can choose to pay extra for it, which allows them to make it available to people who can't afford to pay for it at all).
Another favorite entree of mine is the "I am grounded" potato plate, which offers oven-roasted potatoes topped with more of that delicious, slightly spicy, cashew sauce.
The restaurant also offers some decent wines, as well as an innovative non-alcoholic drinks menu. I never have room for dessert, but their desserts do look intriguing (particularly the avocado-based key lime pie!) -
Review from M D.
Capitola, CA
5/12/2012
"I am" a fan. Simply wonderful. I have nothing to add. The other reviews cover it all.
-
Review from Ed G.
San Jose, CA
4/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
I really enjoyed my breakfast at Cafe Gratitude. I had the "I am sustained" (basically cinnamon sweetened quinoa cereal). It was a nice generous serving, almost too much to finish and I'm not exactly a dainty eater. My wife had the "I am warm hearted" - not a breakfast dish, but she loves polenta. I had a taste and it was very good. We also each had a smoothie.
The staff were very nice and helpful. A bit pricey, but not too bad. We'll come back.
OK, the dish names are kind of weird, but the food is excellent, so I guess I can make myself say them without giggling. -
Review from Kaitlin M.
Chicago, IL
3/30/2012
I love to see places like this spring up! I live in Chicago where we have a handful of vegan cafes so it was quite a pleasure to find one in little liberal Santa Cruz. Not only that, a great vegan cafe!
There service was very simple but attentive to our needs while the decor was louder and fun! Our waters were never empty! The only negative is they are extremely pricy.
The food was OVER THE TOP for vegan, raw meals. My sister and I shared the I Am Terrific (Kelp noodles) and the I Am Fulfilled (Salad with mixed veggies and choice of dressing). First off... the kelp noodles were amazing. The complexity of the fresh veggies and creamy-minty-Asian sauce was mind blowing! After one bit I wish I had ordered the meal for myself only. But... then I tried the salad with homemade balsamic dressing and it was fantastic. The bold dressing was a perfect combination with the mirage of shredded vegetables.
Sharing the two dishes was perfect of us because the noodle were heavy while the salad was light and crisp! I recommend you grab a friend and do the same!
If I could...I would eat here once a week! -
Review from Scott L.
Soquel, CA
4/7/2012
I'm a big fan of Cafe Gratitude but right now they're going through organizational changes and the food has suffered for it. Before all this transpired, I'd have automatically given them five stars for providing a consistent and delicious flavor to all their dishes. But everything I've had there in the past month has been somewhat off and the food's too expensive for me to continue going there until things improve.
Unfortunately, I'm not sure that flavor will ever return because the Engelharts are focusing their time and energy on their new LA locations and as others have stated, the Santa Cruz location is now privately owned. So here's hoping for the best because this was my favorite restaurant in Santa Cruz. I'm hoping to update this review with better news in the future. -
Review from larry d.
Santa Cruz, CA
3/28/2012
I'm only giving two stars. It would have been three except for the high prices. We shared the enchilada and a Caesar. The decor is great, welcoming and fun.
The enchilada was just a little bigger than two taquitos. The rest of the plate (3/4s) was salad greens, and a ramekin of nice spicy cole slaw. The caesar was a good sized bowl. Everything tasted great, considering that no dairy or animal products were used. It tasted freshly made and good quality ingredients.
Disappointing: the miniscule size of the enchilada and the price, $13.75 for maybe $2.00 worth of ingredients and short prep time.
I'm glad that the waitress didn't insist on using the "I am" jargon. It would get creepy after a while.
Would I go back? No, unless I was going to splurge for a Veg friend or vice versa. -
Review from J R.
Pacific Grove, CA
3/12/2012
Even though I've spent most of my life as a vegetarian or, more recently, a "pescatarian," I don't often go to vegetarian or vegan restaurants. When the gf suggested we try Cafe Gratitude, I was all for it. It's a bit intimidating to go into an establishment for the first time and, not knowing the menu, and be almost immediately "assaulted" (in a somewhat friendly way) with a verbal statement that "we are out of I AM ___, I AM ____, and I AM ____. We're supposed to remember that when all the dishes sound the same? But it's better to tell the customers in advance, I s'pose, than wait for us to get attached to something on the menu & then tell us they're out of it. So good job, guys! And we fully recovered & had a very good meal. The staff were quite friendly & seemed to know the menu well.
We were familiar with CG's concept and the kinds of food served, but it took a few minutes for our brains to adjust to the fact that all the dishes sounded alike. [I'm surprised they didn't have toilet paper dispensers in the restroom labelled "I AM CORNHOLIO: T.p. for your bunghole."]
We started with the "I AM THRIVING" (Cooked soup of the day), a sweet potato soup with "coconut bacon." Probably the highlight of the meal. I ordered "I AM EXTRAORDINARY" ("BLT" with sautéed maple coconut bacon, romaine lettuce sliced tomato and avocado). Served with spicy chipotle aioli on an organic wheat bun, and a very good side salad made with mixed greens--nice touch with the dressing as far as amount & flavor, which complemented the greens well! The "bun" was a bit tough, and the sandwich a bit messy, with avocado & aioli oozing out with each bite, but it was quite tasty--I liked the coconut "bacon."
My beverage--the I AM MARVELOUS (Raw cacao mocha with almond or hazelnut milk--I chose hazelnut--it sounded more exotic; much like a hot chocolate.) was very tasty & generous in portion, but wasn't very hot.
Gf had the I AM WARM-HEARTED (grilled organic polenta with a fresh spinach and mushroom ragu, topped with cashew ricotta and Brazil nut Parmesan). I found it a bit dull (& I think she did too). Neither one of us cared to finish her beverage (I AM WORTHY--kale, beet, celery, apple and ginger juice).
One down side--when we first got there (3ish on a Sunday afternoon) the place was packed, and it was quite loud. The hard surfaces don't dampen the din much.
Overall, a very good meal. I'd like to go back to try I AM HEARTY (deep-dish pizza with sun-dried tomato marinara, pesto, olive tapenade, Brazil nut Parmesan and ricotta cheese on our live onion sunflower pizza crust) & some of their other dishes. -
Review from M K.
Soquel, CA
5/8/2012
So glad that Gratitude came to Santa Cruz and doubly glad it is staying. The food is really mind blowing, from freshly made juices to the raw pizza to the bowls (I am Whole is a fave) to the exquisite salads, Gratitude really is a magical culinary experience. And the desserts are so good...eye-closing food-gasm good.
-
Review from Gypsy L.
Bay Area
2/5/2012
I love their food and their philosophy but honestly the whole "I am" thing gets a little cultish the more you read into it. I am totally down with the whole positive manifestation thing but once I read about the lawsuits from former employees I got a little suspicious. I no longer have the money to buy their food- it's ridiculously expensive... and it's also suspicious that they closed ALL their locations but the LA one (santa cruz is privately owned now).. because people in LA have more money.... moviestars and gurus and etc..
It's a shame they don't lower their prices on everything by like... 2 dollars. That would be affordable. It's local, it's organic. it should be cheaper... less travel to get it here, less money on fertilizers/pesticides to grow it.. why so expensive?? I go to the new leaf salad bar and get a salad with everything i like on it for $5.... but here it's the same (albeit a little better tasting and interesting) for $13. seriously?? THIRTEEN dollar salad??
not to mention it's 8.50 for vegetable juice.... go to any juice bar anywhere else and they charge around 6 for juice. why the increase??
They need to either lower the prices by $2 per item or decrease the portion and half the price. For example- the "I am whole" bowl which is quinoa, kale, kim chi, seaweed, etc-- costs $13. It easily feeds 2 or 3 people. Why not cut the portion in half and charge $6?? they don't sell half portions..
for other things though- like smoothies and entrees and desserts... just cut the prices. If they want to succeed in santa cruz... where 11% of the population is unemployed and the majority of everyone else is either struggling professionals, students or minimum wage slaves- you want to spread the love? adjust prices to your target market... -
Review from Jamie A.
Santa Cruz, CA
4/26/2012
I went with a friend and we ate family style, sharing some "Nachos", an "I am Grateful" and an "I am warm-hearted". The Nachos were pretty interesting and I actually liked them a lot, especially the 'chips'. The other food was not special and was actually really unappetizing.
The I am Grateful Bowl was actually inedible. The rice, beans, and kale. Yea, I make that at home all the time, but the 'sauce' it was in was like a bland sour milk taste. We ordered a side of hot sauce and "vegan nacho cheese"= 2.25! really?!!? it was the tiniest bit too.
The warm-hearted was okay, but nothing special. The broth it was in made the polenta mushy and look more unappetizing. The broth wasn't even very flavorful so I don't understand what it added to the dish.
However, the decor was nice and I like the water bottles that are on the tables. But this place is too pricey and the favor is not there enough for us to come back. I would rather make my own food at home. -
Review from Jenny B.
1/22/2012
Great way to start my day after a date night that involved lots of Mai Tais from Hula's. This morning I was feeling, uh, a bit run down and decided to go with a really nourishing meal. Having never been to Cafe Gratitude I thought I would give it a try.
Yeah, its cheesy to order the "I am energized" or the "I am luscious"..but who gives a shit? I understand the intention and I actually find it a little lovely. =)
Feeling as depleted as I was I did in fact go with the "I am energized" which is a alkalizing smoothie that is BRIGHT green..it has anything green you can think of including avocado and jalepnos. It was REALLY good. I also had the "I am Peace" which is a live bagel with cashew cream cheese, nori, capers, onions, green and tomatoes. It was so good.
Fantastic meal, albeit on the expensive side. For just those two items it was $16 before tip. A little pricey for a smoothie and bagel but the quality and healthfulness of the meal to me was well worth it. -
Review from New C.
Santa Cruz, CA
3/13/2012
The idea of having a close by vegan restaurant is great, but Cafe Gratitude only gets two star's from me. Here's why.
#1 The menu is a problem, Unless you have 5 hours to read the description of each item menu.
#2 Ordering by the name of your dish "I Am Grateful" is creepy. Nobody wants to do that.
#3 Many of their dishes and drinks are too expensive. For example there is a lemonade type drink, that is literally only water lemon juice and agave syrup and it's $7.00 (and it's too tart to drink)
#4 One time i got the enchilada, the same chipotle sauce that was on the enchilada was the same dressing on the salad, which was weird and it was so spicy that i could only eat 3 bites.
#5 Another time I ordered a salad, and the lettuce was bad. The quality control was non existent. If you are a vegan restaurant, the least you could do is get a salad right.
Dear Cafe Gratitude, I would like to utilize you more often. Get with the program Yo. -
Review from Audreanne S.
Santa Cruz, CA
4/9/2012
Way, way, WAY over-priced but the staff is always super friendly and helpful and the food is TO DIE FOR!
-
Review from O. A.
South Pasadena, CA
4/3/2012 1 photo
Visiting Santa Cruz for Spring Break - So grateful there's a Cafe Gratitude here. Came here for lunch with my son and hubby. We all enjoyed the grub. I ordered the "I am giving" salad, hubby ordered the BLT sandwich and we shared the "I am grounded potatoes." Washed everything down with a Mimosa - everything was FANTASTIC - Life is good :)
-
Review from Teresa R.
Soquel, CA
2/3/2012
Great upscale vegetarian food. The polenta is fantastic!
Service is excellent and the food is FRESH!
Would highly recommend as one of the best vegetarian restaurants in the area. -
Review from Charlotte B.
Santa Cruz, CA
5/4/2012
LOVE cafe gratitude, the staff is so helpful and knowledgeable! and the food is so nutritious & nurturing. namaste.
-
Review from Kari S.
12/2/2011
Today I am thankful for Cafe Gratitude.
The food is yummy and healthy! The names of the dishes are cheesy as hell, but fun to say and to make fun of!...I'm being kind of mean, but c'mon it's just so darn cheesy. I Am Cheesy - that should be on the menu. The portions are huge (the people who thought otherwise must be giants because I can pack away some food, and trust me the portions are plenty big). The prices are reasonable too, nothing over $15.00. (I'm not sure where these reviewers are used to eating?). Highly recommend the Polenta! The food tends to be on the spicy side (which I love but might be off putting to some).
I heard recently Gratitude is shutting down all of their North/South Bay locations. :( I hope it's not true. I'm so happy to have a Cafe Gratitude in Santa Cruz. -
Review from KM B.
Felton, CA
1/6/2012
I can see these reviews are all over the place, I'm not surprised.
This place is cozy, the people are nice, the food does have flavor (my server suggested I add sauteed onions and tomato to my polenta which was a good idea), and it's got a cool Santa Cruz vibe.
If you're not experienced in vegan food, you gotta prep yourself for 'cheese' that tastes different or feels different. But I personally love getting a plate of tasty food with no animal in it, and I'm not even vegetarian. Everything is pretty healthy including the chocolate moose pie! Give it a shot, keeping in mind that it ain't no El Palomar or anything like that. -
Review from Shaun C.
2/4/2012 4 Check-ins Here
This place is inspiring. It is a completely new realm of cuisine for me and the flavors here are so dynamic that I have been here twice within a week. Eating vegan does not come naturally to me. I work in the service industry where, to be honest vegans are not received well. Perhaps, I didn't understand the values for eating vegan, or maybe it was that I felt like is was way too constrictive. Recently, however, I feel like I have found a new appreciation for the lifestyle and realize just how healthy and life changing it can be. It's sad to hear that some Cafe Gratitudes had to close down, but I will relish the one in Santa Cruz. It has amazing food, a chill vibe and is overall a complete asset to the Santa Cruz community.
-
Review from Scott H.
Santa Cruz, CA
10/26/2011
Not for everyone. Not for us...
Went here for dinner when they just opened so maybe they needed work... but not a recommendation. The menu is impossible to browse, you need to read all the ingredients. No "we're out of" list, so we ordered five items they "just ran out of". The server seemed annoyed at this. Yeah, well so were we. Then the service was pretty slow. With nothing to 'cook' , why is that?
Then the food is not at all what we expected - be warned. Not cooked, not tasty, not really filling - except the huge pile sent out for "zucchini mac & cheese" that I couldn't finish. The "shakes" were unpleasantly gritty. The "organic beer" not recommended either. Prices are very high for the service level and type of food. I get the whole gratitude thing. If this is your thing then you'll probably love it. Not for everyone. Just sayin'. -
Review from Lara W.
9/16/2011
This Cafe Gratitude is truly a blessing to the downtown Santa Cruz community. I've scoured high and low for good food in this town, and its not an easy search. Ow. Someone just punched me in the face for saying that. Maybe it was a hippie alcoholic on Main St. But whoa, no need to get feisty.
I am nourished = a wrap in what tastes like a fruit roll up but you know can't be bad for you so no, its not a fruit roll up. What a sandwich! What a lunch!
I am dazzling Caesar salad = impossible to stop eating.
I am Warm-Hearted = won my heart on the spot.
No room for dessert. No need. Ok, need. Need later. Gimme 45 minutes and a walk among the squatters.Listed in: Restaurants in Berkeley
-
Review from cesar r.
Los Altos, CA
10/6/2011
The prices are daunting, but oh! The food is so good!! Dollar-wise, it was a lunchtime splurge, but I enjoyed every bite of the the I Am Warm-Heated (polenta w/ cashew ricotta and brazil nut parmesan) and every sip of the I Am Luscious (hazelnut milk, figs, dates, raw cacao & vanilla).
Staff is perky and friendly and actually seem happy work with the customers... but ok - elephant in the room - that whole "I AM..." thing, uber affirmations and question of the day, are odd to me, yet I'd be lying if I didn't say I left that cafe with a smile on my face. -
Review from Donna S.
Aptos, CA
4/21/2012
I miss the BURGER - 'I am cheerful.' We hardly ever go to Cafe Gratitude since the burger was taken off the menu. I sure do wish it would come back on the menu because nothing compares to that burger.
-
Review from Fadra P.
Soquel, CA
2/10/2012
I love this restaurant. The food tastes great, regardless of whether it's vegan, raw, gratified, zen, or whatever. For those reviewers who think it's overpriced - if you can take a bunch of veggies and nuts and make it taste like that, more power to you. Me, I'll just keep going back and enjoying the fact that it's delicious and I didn't have to spend hours in the kitchen with the food processer. I AM A FAN!
-
Review from Chet H.
Santa Cruz, CA
8/28/2011
The flavors were great! The problem is that I can't bring myself to pay $8 for a smoothie and $13 for a tamale, black beans, and shredded cabbage. You have to be rich to eat well. I really like their philosophy, but they alienate a LOT of people by making it so unaffordable.
Sure the Grateful bowl is $7...kudos for that! -
Review from Diana Q.
Los Gatos, CA
Nuthin but the freshest bestest!
Today I had the "I AM EXTRAORDINARY" because, well you know, duh, I am!
This deelish samwich is supposed to be like a BLT samwich. I was so very impressed, great flavor and SPICY! Who woulda thought that coconut sauted to taste like bacon IS THE BOMB!!
I also had a super tasty beverage called "I AM LUSCIOUS" because, well you know, duh, I am!
My two items were ordered to go and I drank half of my drink on my way back to work. Then I stuck it in the freezer and forgot about it. I just took it out of the freezer and this freakin icee is AWESOME!!
I love you Cafe Gratitude and someday I might marry you! -
Review from Stephanie M.
Capitola, CA
9/25/2011
Really great food...tasty and fast! such a blessing to have a healthy vegan place to eat anything you want off the menu...in Santa Cruz!! Little loud tonight but hey....there was a large birthday party beside us! Loved the enthusiasm of even the kitchen workers who came out to sing!
Sweet little touches too. Nice service. Thanks all that work there! -
Review from Cha Cha S.
Fairfield, CA
2/23/2012
I'm not a vegetarian but always willing to try different foods. My cousin recommended Café Gratitude after standing in line for 10 minutes at another fine eating establishment down the road and had another 10 more minutes to wait. We were quickly seated and had the choice from breakfast to lunch menu to pick from! The staff was friendly and patient with us explaining some of the ingredients used. I love the stress free wait, flavorful food, and friendly staff!!! What more can you ask for, I know less $$ oh well. I'm a fan and if ever in Santa Cruz again I'll be back!
-
Review from J B.
Ashland, OR
8/25/2011
Finally arrived in Santa Cruz. I LOVE Cafe Gratitude's food, attitude, and service. Try the Yo Soy Mucho with guacamole and black beans for an amazing non-raw lunch or dinner. And their Raw Pizza is also FANTASTIC.
Oh, also the I Am Cool mint-cacao smoothie is amazing. :) -
Review from Gerlinde d.
Santa Cruz, CA
11/30/2011
I took my girlfriend to Cafe Gratitude, being a buddhist she loved the way the menu was written. We both ordered the squash soup which had some unusual spices in it . The soup did not come with bread, so we had to pay 3.50 for some toast. If you charge 7.50 for the soup you should offer a piece of bread without charge.
My advice, practice what you teach! -
Review from Greg F.
Medford, OR
3/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
Made my vegan daughter's day (week? month? year?) I had the BLT (coconut maple "bacon"!!! --- must get recipe). Everything we had was very delicious.
-
Review from Sara A.
Capitola, CA
11/21/2011
I was so very excited to eat at Cafe Gratitude. We actually saved the experience for a time when we had something to celebrate. I was disappointed.
I agree with others who think the whole "I AM" is a little cheesy and awkward. Not that big of a deal, though. My hubby and I split both the I Am Hearty and the I Am Extraordinary. Our server asked if we had ever eaten there before and then explained that the "hearty" was not really a pizza, and that it is small. We appreciated the honesty. It took longer than we thought it should for our food to come to us, but the service was friendly (which seems to be increasingly rare).
The "hearty" was indeed small; a little larger than half an english muffin. It was overwhelmed with the cashew sauce and tasted very salty (I'm not adverse to salt, but I had to keep slurping my water and could only take bites mixed with the nice salad greens on the side). Perhaps the sauce, tapenade, and pesto together created the too salty taste. My husband and I kept pushing it back and forth, hoping the other would just finish it.
The "BLT" was not extraordinary, by any means. The coconut bacon was surprisingly tasty, but we only got a couple tiny flakes of it. The sandwich bread was really good, but the slice of tomato was really big and thick (wider than the roll itself). The sauce squished out of the sandwich with every bite, leaving us with sauce all over our mouths, cheeks, and hands.
The bowls with greens and rice looked really nice, and I wish we would have just gotten something more natural and simple. However, I'm not psyched to pay 11-13 dollars for something I can easily steam up at home, fresh from the market.
I absolutely appreciate that Gratitude is 100% vegan. However, I was sad that vegan food was represented in such a stereotypical way. Vegan, organic, raw food can be sooo good and creative- and not cost a fortune. -
Review from michael jackson Q.
Santa Cruz, CA
10/8/2011
First off I support raw food and vegan places in general. That said:
I AM really annoyed that you have to play a little semantic game to order your food, the whole "I am" thing is weird and condescending. Just let me order the freaking taco plate!!
I AM less than impressed with the prices of their food.
I AM unable to comment on what I ate because instead of a name like "sea vegetable salad bowl" it was called something like "I AM FLUFFY".
I AM wondering if the tall blonde server should have a name tag that says "I AM oblivious". We had to wait 15-20 minutes for the check, and then get up and seek out the server to get the check.
I AM bummed they didn't open up one of their sister cafe's, Gracias Madre would have been a huge hit in Santa Cruz.
I AM pretty sure I'll go back here to eat, but dropping the phony self help cult-ish vibe would be a good move I AM CERTAIN. -
Review from Melissa M.
Watsonville, CA
9/1/2011
This place is the freshest and most delicious in town!
Yes healthy unprocessed local organic food costs more but it is worth it if you consider what is being served out around town as "health food"!
If you r looking for cheap smoothies made from boxed milk, ice and frozen stuff ..go elsewhere.
My smoothie was 8.00 but I knew it was made with fresh local organic strawberries, fresh almond milk they made, real vanilla and dates as a sweetener. (no sugary bottled juices or sugar added)
Cafe Gratitude makes EVERYTHING from scratch..I mean every-thing. Even their complimentary hot sauce!
They are not serving a single thing out of a aluminum can, box, or with preservatives like most cafe's today.
I had the I AM BERRY SWEET smoothie and I AM FULFILLED salad with Fig balsamic dressing. I was so full!
My friend had the Grateful bowl and a mystical macaroon. wow!
My other friend had the I AM PURE farm salad with their own cashew mozzarella. Well done! The cheese was completely vegan and tasted
better than cheese!
Chet H: If you are on a budget but still want to eat healthy- try their Grateful Bowl. It is a community inspired meal that everyone pays what they have. Either you give more because you have more which will pay it forward to someone else in need, or you pay what you can knowing you are fulling supported. No one alienated. =) My friend payed 2.00 for her bowl and received divine service.
We will be back again! -
Review from Julia F.
Santa Cruz, CA
11/6/2011
So I was really excited to check out gratitude cafe, me being a grateful vegetarian and all. I ordered the I Am Whole, which tasted great! However, it was totally overpriced for a salad I could make at home. To top it off, it took 40 minutes for it to arrive at my table after ordering. 40 minutes for a salad. I would go back if someone was treating me and I had a lot of time to spare, but it wasn't that impressive overall.
-
Review from Julia E.
Santa Cruz, CA
11/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Very tasty and surprising it is vegan.
