Windmill Cafe

Windmill Cafe

21231 E Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz, CA

★★★★★4.2(387 Google reviews)

Crema's Take

“Windmill Cafe is a laid-back Santa Cruz institution that nails the cozy 90s aesthetic while serving up generous, thoughtfully sourced breakfast bowls—think organic lattes paired with creative scrambles loaded with vegetables, salmon, or tofu. Locals are devoted to this independent spot for its quiet vibe, dog-friendly patio, and commitment to both vegan and keto-friendly options, making it a reliable gathering place that feels more like a beloved neighborhood secret than a typical cafe.”

What to expect

Espresso-focused. A slow-sit, laptop-friendly spot, good for meetings. Full breakfast and light food on the menu. Dog friendly.

Craft espressoTraditional drinksFull breakfastSlow sitSpecialty drinksLight foodDog friendlyMeetingsLaptop friendly

Google Reviews

Iddo
★★★★★2 months ago

What a gem! You can order a three egg bowl with tons of vegetables and salmon on top--a nice big dish that is keto friendly. Quiet local restaurant and cafe. A very nice stop on the way. I only wish they would stay open after 2:00 p.m.

Gabriel Padilla
★★★★★2 months ago

This place is such a vibe! I had a great organic triple shot latte and a yummy scram bowl for breakfast. They have a good dog menu for your pups. Whats not to like!? Yum!

Seth Thomas
★★★★★2 months ago

There are things I liked about this joint: It felt like a shabby 90’s cafe so it did offer some nostalgia. There are a fair amount of vegan choices as well. The food? It, umm, existed. The tofu scramble was way too dry as were the potatoes. The muffin I had, crumbled in my…

Rhiana Glor
★★★★★4 months ago

We love Windmill. We visit Santa Cruz a few times a year and we come here for breakfast every single day. Santa Cruz is definitely not known for its good food so we are grateful to at least have The Windmill! Also very kid friendly, very GF friendly, just friendly in general…

Vincent
★★★★★7 months ago

Love this place, food is great, ambiance is great, but I’m not sure what happened this time. Food was still good, but portions shrunk considerably for the surf’s up, which is a major bummer. I even tipped 20% before sitting down and still got shorted, so it wasn’t that. Who…

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