Diners' Choice: Good for special occasions restaurants in Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

OpenTable

Updated January 05, 2025

Looking for the best special occasion restaurants in Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

la Posta

4.8

4.8 (2345)

$30 and under

Italian

Santa Cruz

About the restaurant

Select from a menu that features dishes composed of locally sourced ingredients as well as house-made pastas, naturally leavened breads and pizzas from our brick oven.

Because we rely on the bounty of the Santa Cruz farming community, our menu changes frequently and features a wide array of specials. La Posta’s all-Italian wine list includes autochthonous varieties from small producers, by-the-glass and by the bottle.

La Posta adheres to the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch Program and is a certified City of Santa Cruz Green Business.

We are so thankful for the incredible support from our customers and community.

We will continue to adjust our service based upon best practices for keeping our staff and community safe.

Top review

cherylVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Everything was amazing as usual! All the pastas were perfect!

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Popular dish

Agnello

Sugo Italian Pasta Bar

4.8

4.8 (277)

$30 and under

Italian

Santa Cruz

About the restaurant

A European concept-restaurant of traditional Italian cuisine; a modern and dynamic service, that allows customers to enjoy fresh, organic and authentic italian food through a selection of appetizer, panini, pizza and salads, and obviously our specialty: "Pasta".

Top review

Renee

Dined on Jan 12, 2025

Sugo continues to be an outstanding dining experience. My seafood stew was delicious - generous servings of shrimp, scallops, calamari in a delicious red sauce with just enough kick. lovely. Bread was delicious too. Good value; we have had too many expensive unsatisfying dishes at other restaurants. Sugo is our top dining choice. And we love the Italian staff!

Jack O'Neill Restaurant & Lounge

4.7

4.7 (1980)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Santa Cruz

About the restaurant

Jack O’Neill Restaurant and Lounge is Santa Cruz’s best new destination for coastal California cuisine. The approachable and family-friendly vibe at Jack O’Neill Restaurant and Lounge will welcome hotel guests and locals alike.

Top review

KatieVIP

Dined 3 days ago

I had a wonderful experience at Jack ONeill's Everyone treated me very kindly, from the moment I arrived and was met at the front desk by Jack, followed by Mia who settled me in to Tracey who took served me. Mia was so friendly and attentive. She was very positive and upbeat. Tracey was excellent server. She advised me when asked and made sure I received what I needed throughout the evening. I would return just to see them again. The food was excellent. I had the special, ahi, tuna dish that night. It was tasty and lovely to look at. I would recommend the restaurant and people who assisted me without question. The view was magnificent even as the sun settled.

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4.7

4.7 (979)

$50 and over

Italian

Santa Cruz

About the restaurant

Zagat rated as "OUTSTANDING". Gabriella Cafe is a 50 seat, picturesque and romantic dining experience in downtown Santa Cruz.

Top review

RoyVIP

Dined 2 days ago

The food is great and the staff was super nice and helpful and even stepped over our dogs (who took up way to much space on the patio)

Laili

4.7

4.7 (2868)

$30 and under

Mediterranean

Santa Cruz

About the restaurant

Laili is our expression of love through food and service. We offer a unique menu made up of fusion Afghani Mediterranean items that include kabobs, wraps, flatbreads, pastas, and spiced lamb and chicken dishes as well as delicious vegetarian options.

Laili Restaurant "BEST MIDDLE EASTERN RESTAURANT", Good Times 2023, Voted #1

Rich Mediterranean Flavors with a Unique Afghan Twist in the Heart of Downtown Santa Cruz.
Currently taking reservations for lunch and dinner, walk-ins welcome too.

Dine in our elegant, secluded, off street patio. Visit our website for event information.

Top review

Ethan

Dined 3 days ago

Service was excellent. We trusted the waiters opinion and he did not disappoint. Unfortunately, the noise was a bit distracting. The food was exiting- new flavor combination, almost a fusion of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean.

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4.7

4.7 (476)

$30 and under

Mediterranean

Santa Cruz

About the restaurant

We named our restaurant Mozaic because we wanted to capture the diversity of flavors and culmination of authentic Mediterranean dishes that we offer. We bring together the best of Mediterranean recipes from Greece, Lebanon, Turkey and Sicily, emphasizing Middle Eastern influence.

Our menu is hand-crafted after years of experience in the restaurant business knowing what people like. We make every dish completely authentic, utilizing 100 years old techniques that have been passed down through generations to bring you incredible flavor. COME AND TASTE THE DIFFERENCE We seek only the best, local ingredients. We use high-quality meats, like our Australian lamb tenderloin and select only sustainable seafood. Our lavash comes from an authentic Persian bakery.

Everyone wants family. Mozaic is a warm and inviting atmosphere where everyone can feel at home. Come enjoy our incredible and lush atmosphere.

Top review

Kelly

Dined on Dec 25, 2024

Our party of 6 had an amazing Christmas Eve Dinner there, everything was spectacular and we will return someday soon !

Cafe Cruz Rosticceria & Bar

4.7

4.7 (2060)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Soquel

About the restaurant

Cafe Cruz is a popular and lively local restaurant. We offer casual/fine dining with a full bar, indoor and heated patio dining. Guests enjoy watching the "magic" created in our open copper-backed kitchen each night by our talented team of chefs. Notable features include many locally sourced foods, nightly sustainable seafood specials, and many creative salad and vegetable options. Our innovative pastas and sandwiches are always a hit.
Spit-Roasted meats are featured each night, cooked on a french Rotisol rotisserie. The lush garden room can seat larger parties of up to 35. Guests enjoy our warm friendly service, our many seating options, and exceptionally delicious food.

Top review

WilliamVIP

Dined 6 days ago

Excellent lunch experience at the high rise tables over a blackened chicken sandwich.

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4.7

4.7 (657)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Santa Cruz

About the restaurant

Alderwood, under the culinary leadership of Executive Chef Mikey Adams, is dedicated to providing a dining experience that strikes a delicate balance between the comfort and warmth of home and the vibrancy of the downtown dining scene. Our mission is to offer our guests an exceptional and memorable meal that is deeply rooted in our commitment to fostering a genuine connection between our open kitchen and the local community. We welcome you to join us for an unforgettable culinary journey that celebrates the essence of togetherness and exceptional cuisine.

Top review

James

Dined 1 day ago

Outstanding restaurant! Aside from the wonderful service staff and airy ambience, deeply creative chef Mikey Adams has found his calling with a simple menu of the most exquisitely prepared dishes. Top notch ingredients and masterful preparation leads to unexpected and sublime results. For example, I had the steak tartare, which was served as a granular mix of steak and cheddar with delicious smoked flavors. On top is iceberg lettuce that can be used to pick up the tartare mix to eat. It adds a most refreshing quality to the meal and heightens the smoke flavors. For the main I had the Trout prepared on the hearth and served with a butter, parsley, tarragon sauce that was out of this world. Definitely worth the drive from San Jose! PS my wife is GF, CF and SF and they were very accommodating and she loved her meal as well.

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Popular dish

Steak Tartare

Oblò

4.7

4.7 (60)

$31 to $50

Italian

Santa Cruz

About the restaurant

Modern Italian cuisine with Californian influence, sit in our beautiful dining room or enjoy one of our amazing craft drinks in the comfort and cozy lounge bar area.
Our chef Andrea designed an innovative menu that perfect match with the list of cocktails craft from the Bar manager Keith Fox.

Top review

Tricia

Dined 3 days ago

Service was great. They were attentive & accommodating. The salad was divine, with a delicious avocado lemon dressing. We both ordered the salmon special & it was cooked perfectly! The chocolate dessert was yummy. We will definitely be returning!!!

Sevy's Bar + Kitchen

3.5

3.5 (201)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Aptos

About the restaurant

Sevy's Bar + Kitchen is located in Aptos, California at the Seacliff Inn, Tapestry Collection by Hilton. This newly-renovated establishment offers a variety of menu items for lunch and dinner with a focus on fresh California cuisine. A truly serene patio dining setting sets the mood for a relaxing lunch, romantic dinner or some family fun with your pup! Don't forget to bring your favorite friends along and indulge in some hand crafted cocktails, local beers and wine from the full bar.

Live entertainment will be featured weekly, so be sure to check out the schedule on our website.

Thank you and we hope to see you soon!

Top review

MikeVIP

Dined on Jan 2, 2025

A very nice dinner. Russel was an attentive, competent server. We will be back.

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Experience

WINE30

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