Whale City Bakery Santa Cruz

At the suggestion of a friend, who knew I was taking a road trip to Monterey, this was a good place to pop in for a nosh on the way and boy, she was not kidding ! I have driven by here a 100 times and never stopped and now I will always make it a point to stop. My friend and I popped in about 1:00 PM for a bite and chose the B,L,T + Avocado and fries. (Menu is quite extensive and very reasonably priced) Serving was plentiful enough to split, which we did, though it was so good I kind of wanted it keep it all to myself. But this along with a cold beverage fit the gullet just right. Our server Curtis, was so much fun and knew his "cold beverages", we thoroughly enjoyed spending an hour here before hitting the road again. On our way back from Monterey, we thought, I wonder if Curtis is working tonight, so let's pop in again and get a nosh before finishing the drive back to San Francisco. Bingo, Curtis was there and even remembered us. We had a good giggle about our trip (it was a surprise to my friend for his Birthday) and this time we had the fried Calamari, which again was plentiful and so fresh and had both rings and legs (that's what I call them). Not a bit of grease on the plate and certainly nothing left when we were done. The entire staff was upbeat, fun and well informed about their food options and were even honest about "what they did not recommend", which I completely appreciated. They have outside seating, which is very inviting on a nice day with views of the Ocean. Pastries look "to die for", but both times we were too full to indulge, next time ! Next time you are in the area and wondering if you "should or shouldn't stop" ~ STOP!!!!

We LOVE this place and stop in every time we drive up Hwy 1. Great menu with some unique offerings - if it's a weekend breakfast, try the challah french toast with berries - yummy! Plus great coffee, espresso and tea selections and super friendly staff. Kind of a laid back vibe, so don't expect service immediately, but it will defintely be with a smile and some nice words. And don't leave without trying something from the bakery, or better yet, bringing something home with you! Just tried the sourdough artichoke loaf - delish! Plus croissants, pies, cheesecake, cookies, etc