4. Restaurants

Kelly’s French Bakery

402 Ingalls St, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060
  • (831) 423-9059
  • Store is closed

Kelly’s French Bakery Menu

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  • Kathleen B.

    This great little bakery is nestled nicely off the beaten path in Santa Cruz, but it's worth the effort of finding it. It is open for breakfast and lunch, and both are excellent. I usually get one of their eggs-potatoes-sausage specials for breakfast; they have really good bread for toast and they use really tasty sausage. They only do poached eggs, which is a turn off for me since runny yolks gross me out, but I can usually find a co-breakfaster to eat mine. French Toast is good, of course, it better be. The pastries aren't as good as the Boulangerie in Cole Valley, but they are still very good. The coffee is first rate. Their lunch sandwhiches blow my mind. I am a panini fanatic, and they do some of the best hot sandhiches I've had. They do a crispy chicken one with pesto and it comes with those cute mini-pickles and olives, and wow. You will think about it at work, at play, always you will crave a Kelly's hot sandwich! The atmosphere is nice, there is nice art on the walls and the windows let in a lot of light. Expect to wait in line during peak breakfast/lunch hours. The seating outside is the best, there is some pretty landscaping in the courtyard and, unlike San Francisco, you can often use the outdoor seating without losing the feeling in your fingers.

    (4)

  • Peggy J.

    Yes, Kelly knows how to bake French pastries, like croissants and the delicious flakey, almost-sweet crust on the quiche. It's great. We've had good food and/or coffee each time we've stopped there. The patio can get crowded on the weekends but, eh, what can you do? It is on the faaaaaaar west side, which is great for people in that neigborhood, but if it were more centrally located, we'd probably go there more often. (but still, it's closer than when it was in Aptos, and this space is much more welcoming too)

    (4)

  • joyce h.

    two words: Morning Buns

    (5)

  • QuestionmarkFace S.

    Just a few blocks down from West Cliff Drive, Kelly's is a good place to go if you don't want to deal with the breakfast scene at any of the downtown spots, but want a step up from your average coffee shop.Kelly's has really good pasteries, as well as various breakfast and lunch items. Nice outdoor patio to soak up some of the beautiful weather that Santa Cruz has to offer. Take the detour down to West Cliff Dr. on your way out!

    (4)

  • Maria E.

    This place seems to be popular amongst the locals, and I could see why. It's a really cute place to have brunch. Fair warning, dont be alarmed if there's a somewhat long line outside the door. The line went by pretty fast and the wait for the food didn't take that long either. The desserts were amazing as was the bearclaw sandwhich.

    (4)

  • Brian K.

    This bakery is the shit! It's seriously legit! There's usually a line going out the door, I finally discovered why. The food is over the top! I had a rum truffle, blueberry macaroon, mixed berry macaroon and two coffee caramels. I have no idea if the make the caramels themselves. They were delicious! Soft, but not mushy, sweet but not overly sweet, and rich with a moderate coffee flavor. It all balanced like a man on a wire. The macaroons were even better! They had a near-perfect texture and nice density which made for a satisfying bite. Both macaroons had a beautiful balanced of sweetness and fruit flavors that didn't overpower each other. They rival the best macaroons I had in Paris. Biting into the rum truffle was like a chocolate ecstasy trip that was too magical to be legal. The rich, finely milled, chocolate buttered my mouth like the soft folds of a fine leather couch... The rum and chocolate flavors swirled like a smokey-sweet blues guitar lick. My brain awoke to a higher plane of tastefullness as I bit into the dark, magical, creamy center. Then I realized yes, this is how food can be truly elevated when it's created by a master.

    (5)

  • Jenn W.

    I came by around 8am on Sunday and picked up some baked goods - I expected much tastier because of the high yelp reviews and also the line that was out the door on Saturday... but nah. Got the morning bun, coffeecake apple muffin, and pear and almond tartlette. Total price was $8.50 or so, tart by itself was $4. The coffee cake muffin was straight up cold. For a bakery that opens at 7am, I was really confused about this because shouldn't it have been baked fresh? And if it's fresh, why refrigerate it? Because it wasn't fresh (or if it was, artificially stale), the textures were off - muffin top was soggy instead of crispy, insides were mushy. It would have benefited greatly from a quick toast at least. The morning bun had good flavor and texture, but a little oversweet for me. The pear tart was tasty, with good (albiet non-original) flavor combination, but kind of price for a 3" tart.

    (2)

  • diana h.

    Gotta go with five stars! Wonderful staff at this lovely bakery! We love everything we tried. Their garden burger is thee BOMB! Macaroons are as fabulous as the ones I enjoyed in France. The pastries are fresh and packed with flavor. I ordered the avocado and cheese sandwich +ham and it was just the right snack! Please do yourself a favor and try this lovely place... I'm sure you won't be disappointed! As I was tying my review the owner Kelly happened to deliver our order to our table. She is as lovely and humble as this beautiful hidden gem of Santa Cruz!

    (5)

  • Raina B.

    Pick up snacks here to go wine tasting next door! The macarons are great (especially the raspberry - and SO much cheaper than the east coast!), as is the olallieberry tart - it's similar to blackberries. We also had the roasted eggplant sandwich and fries and everyone was quite happy!

    (4)

  • Karli D.

    In town for the usual holiday weekend and stopped by this lovely bakery yesterday for coffee and delicious desserts. The line was long but definitely worth the wait. I ordered a nonfat latte and a caramel macaroon along with a glass of iced tea. Everything was make fresh to order and the flavor was delicious! Will most definitely be back here again on the future.

    (5)

  • Leslie F.

    Although I haven't really tried much at Kelly's I give this place 4 stars because of my love for macarons and how they provide a great and cheap variety. The macarons here are a dollar something which is relatively cheap for the size of the macaron. A macaron is about the size of my palm which compared to many places is pretty big. But the main reason why I give this place such a high rating is for their strawberry macarons. They are absolutely my all time favorite macarons. I love how they put fresh strawberries in the middle and how each bite has a refreshing sweet taste to it. However, they do have other flavors besides strawberry. Some that I can name on the top of my head are their Oliberry, pistachio, mocha, Carmel, birthday cake and sometimes raspberry which is a tad bit more expensive because they also put fresh raspberries in this macaron. I've also had their white mocha and their ice cream macarons. The ice cream macaron I don't really recommend because it's literally just a huge scoop of ice cream and hard macaron shells on top and on bottom. But for the mocha I highly recommend! Super yummy and a good size, gives you a good wake me up. For the other food I may say that it is a bit pricey so like everyone says this may be a place if you want to treat yourself because it's not your standard college budget menu. Overall this place has a cute ambiance and desserts! Should definitely come here for a nice brunch or just to treat yourself out to some good desserts.

    (4)

  • Rachel N.

    I'm in LA-LA-LOVE with this place! Everything from the food to the desserts to the drinks is wonderful. My go to place for a quick macaroon or mouse to a full on nice lunch in the sun! Beware of the rush times, the place is very popular and constantly overflowing with people; make sure you grab a table or be forced to eat on the ground or in your car!

    (5)

  • Jon G.

    My wife and I stopped by here on a Saturday evening after eating dinner from a place nearby. The dinner we had at the nearby place was awful and not filling, but thankfully! we were able to grab a nice cup of coffee an cheesecake from Kelly's! Cheesecakes are served in the small circle style that easily feeds about 2 people. My wife and I both grabbed a nice coffee and water and sat down easily finishing the cheesecake in about 10 minutes. I love the fact that the cheesecake is exactly as I want my cheesecake, light and fluffy layer on top, NO fruit, and a graham cracker based crust at the bottom that was buttery and delicious! Coffee was the only thing that I would give a bad rating on, it was below average flavor and I am not sure if it was bag based or can based but it was bitter and not very tasteful. Highly recommend grabbing yourself a cheesecake from this place!

    (4)

  • Christina C.

    We stopped in for lunch after a day at the beach. For lunch we had an egg salad sandwich served with a side of little pickles and olives, a crab louie with coleslaw and a strawberry panna cotta. The coleslaw really stole the show, it was peppery with ginger and tasted amazing! The egg salad was light and fluffy. Their sourdough was only 'ok' it was slightly dense and chewy, but other then that we really enjoyed our sandwiches The panna cotta was light and fluffy and only a few bucks. All of their desserts seemed reasonably priced btw. There is outdoor seating and the employees are quick to cleanup, but the little black birds can be quicker if your neighbor didnt clean their plate :)

    (4)

  • Nik N.

    I came here for the apple grilled cheese. The bread was fresh and the right thickness but the sandwich felt like it was missing something. It is exactly as described, apples, two cheeses and bread. After reading people gush about it, I expected more. I think a fig spread would amp it up, or some bacon, something.... My mocha on the other hand, 5 stars, again minus one for serving in a glass. Glass DOES NOT insulate from heat like at all, so my hands were on FIRE. This is the very reason for ceramic people and that handy HANDLE! My hubby had the chicken pot pie which up he said was OK but had way too many onions, he is spoiled by Jessie Laurents pot pie... The staff was friendly and they were super busy, so they are doing something right.

    (3)

  • Vicky T.

    How could I have not written a review for this place yet.. dang it! Two words: Olalieberry Macaroon Another two words: Chicken Turnover Miranda's words: This is explicative amazing (referring to the chocolate mint slice) The seating is cramped and non-existent but what Kelly's has is just as good to eat as it is beautiful. If you need a light lunch or a pastry/ snack before heading back to wine tasting this place is amaze-balls.

    (4)

  • Lh M.

    Stopped in for a latte and a bagel. Maybe my first mistake was getting a bagel at a french bakery but it was no bueno. Rock hard and I really could only get thru half of it. My iced vanilla.latte was really quite good. My dining partner had the insides of an egg salad Sammie (they offered zero gluten free items so she had to make do) and she said it was really good. The place is cute tho and has tons of outdoor seating which is great for sunny days in Santa Cruz.

    (3)

  • Ally M.

    Love the authentic taste of French patisserie! Remember, the macchiato equals to espresso here. I usually got the latte and tiramisu or croissant.

    (5)

  • Tessa B.

    We were down in Santa Cruz for a mini vacay and was recommended this bakery by another yelper friend. This bakery does not disappoint! The bakery seems to have a constant line of customers. We came for lunch and ordered the fish and chips and the grilled cheese sandwich. While waiting for our food, we found a nice place to sit inside. There is nice outdoor seating but the wind was blowing a bit to much today. When our food arrived my grilled cheese looked nice with the grill marks and smell of nice quality cheeses. MY BF had the fish and chips. I thought the fish was a bit too chunky in cut. Very thick, but still nice fish. The fries were standard fries. My Cheese sandwich was just the perfect blend of cheeses mixed with the rougher texture of the bread. But what makes this place a 5 star, is the glorious display of baked goods, from cakes, pastries to decadent desserts. There are a ton of pics of these delectable treats posted, but I posted more as well. I settled on a piece of the chocolate mousse cake for dessert, my BF had a lemon sorbet. OMG! was my little morsel of goodness sooooo tasty and fun to eat. The lemon sorbet was good as well, but not to the level of that little cake of mine. Do stop in here if you are ever in the Santa Cruz area! It's just off highway 1 to the north end of Santa Cruz.

    (5)

  • Marissa M.

    The macaroons. Oh, the macaroons! So delicious and probably the closest thing I've tasted to an authentic French macaroon. I also had basically a grilled cheese for dinner, and it was solid. Despite the place being mostly empty on a weekday evening, service was really slow. It should not take me 10 minutes to place an order when one person is ahead of me. I'm a patient person, but really. 10 minutes for a mostly non-existent line? Still, I'd come back for the macaroons!

    (4)

  • Alan P.

    I live down the street from this place. Definitely a locals spot to eat. Usually busy during all hours of business. The food is pretty good. The service isn't urgent at all. The vibe is pretty mellow. Kind of a tourist trap during the summer. But overall a decent spot for some baked goods.

    (4)

  • Warren F.

    I was in Kelly's a few months back having lunch only to return to find my car GONE. Upon investigation found that Mark (co-owner) had my car towed thinking I was at the West End Tap or some other place. This place is FULL of BAD JUJU. If you think this is a good way to conduct business then go for it !!!!

    (1)

  • S. T.

    This is our first visit to Kelly's as we are exploring different places in the Santa Cruz area. We enjoyed the soup and the sandwich was very nice.The bakery items look spectacular. The hot chocolate was wonderful. The staff is very pleasant and attentive. We plan to come back many times.

    (4)

  • Vassil M.

    This is A Fake French bakery!!! Sorry to disappoint you! I was on my birthday. There is no baking smell here at 7am! The cinnamon roll I got was a day old, but I was told that maybe it was baked too much. The croissant was not fluffy or had no buttery taste, nor did the plain butter cookies:( The food is bellow average, no taste and well overrated. The prices are too high. Even in Paris an eclair is not $4. Full of local snubs too. Sad and so disappointing.

    (1)

  • Amanda S.

    I love their soy lattes. I love everything about their sandwiches, palmiers, and pastries. The tarte-aux-fraise several weeks ago was AMAZING. Kelly's just has two problems, one minor and one major. Minor: Most of the breads lack that Parisian flavor I think they might be going for... not saying they aren't good or anything, but compared to La Boulange in SF (nevermind a real Parisian bakery) they just don't taste the same, and the "baguettes" don't have that extremely soft inside with the perfectly crunch outside. They're still good, in a California sort of way. Major (hence the -1 star): The coffee and sandwiches are way overpriced here. I'm willing to pay a bit more for decent breads and pastries because in the U.S. you need to pay that price to get something half-decent (unlike in most of France or hell even most of Europe). But the coffee and sandwiches are no better than Lulu's or the Buttery.... actually they're about the same. Also, when I buy Kelly's breads at New Leaf or elsewhere I get annoyed because they aren't nearly as good as the ones at the actual bakery and yet the price is still $1.50 (or so) per loaf more than the other breads on the shelf. What gives??? They're around the freakin' corner from these stores!!!

    (4)

  • Bettina O.

    Wonderful pastries & cakes, nice outdoor seating, however, I took one star off as everything seems to be a bit overpriced!

    (4)

  • Dane P.

    I love the food from this place and have been a fan since they were downtown Santa Cruz. However, it is some of the worst customer service I have ever experienced. You walk in the store and you practically have to beg somone for help at the counter. You call on the phone and not once, twice but many times just like in person they act as if they can't be bothered. The last time was the last straw there are very many other businesses in this town that are grateful for your business and turnout a great product. I know the owners of this business are very nice people I just wished they had more of a hand in the customer service end of the business.

    (1)

  • cristiana s.

    If i had to rate Kelly's just based on their truffles or apple slippers I would definitely give them a 5 star rating. But today I had the nth disappointing lunch there. Not only the food was mediocre, but i felt like i was ripped off one more time! 20 dollars for one cesar salad without frills and one hot sandwich, also without frills? The sandwich, a hot breaded chicken sandwich, was especially bad. It was as if they took out the chicken from the fryer and then put it directly on the bread, which soaked up a huge quantity of used frying oil....then a tiny bit of pesto, and that was it for $9. The salad was a little less offensive, but for $8 it had a very banal dressing, was very small, had 3, just 3 croutons, and was topped with only a little bit of vary low grade (read rind flavor) fake Parmesan. I am sorry, but i have to say this, I love the atmosphere, but i will not get ripped off by this place again! Only selected desserts, maybe plain bread there from now on.

    (2)

  • Charlotte N.

    I love eating at Kelly's! You can't go wrong with the daily specials. The menu is understated... meaning that you don't realize how delicious your meal will be when you order. Do not underestimate menu, it will knock your socks off! I typically order the hot sandwich of the day and a little dessert treat.

    (5)

  • Tiffany D.

    Absolutely love their truffles! We also had the wonderful experience of having dinner there once. We had a sea bass and a steak dinner, the bread was divine, the whole meal was satisfying and delicious! That was over a year ago though, I regret that I did not make it down that part of town my last trip to S.C. I hope that they're still up to par, I love the staff, the atmosphere, the food (my indulgence: 16 oz steamed whole milk with almond syrup and 4 truffles, ~$6 if I remember correctly). The only unfortunate thing is their location, at the end of town and in a small space... a second site towards capitola in a larger building would surely be a succes.

    (5)

  • V F.

    Get past the rude and unitelligent staff, and the food is very, very good. Mid-afternoon is less crowded, but the staff seems to be more comatose. All the sandwiches are excellent as are the baked goods. Was very crowded over the holidays, but came home with many yummy treats. The cheesecake is wonderful, light and creamy. Think I need to go buy some now!

    (4)

  • K A.

    I find myself going to Kelly's way more often than I should, and often have a hard time choosing between sweet and savory (so I get both!)

    (4)

  • Joseph P.

    love it. try the burger!

    (4)

  • Ann R.

    Nice place for pastries! I love their Parisian-style macarons and their crimpies (sp?). There can be quite a line during lunch and the acoustics are such that it gets loud indoors, but when the sun is shining and you can sit outside with some coffee, Kelly's fills a special crimpy-shaped hole in my soul.

    (4)

  • Kat A.

    Great place for coffee and dessert or lunch. Many of the desserts are to die for! I love the outdoor seating and ambience. Kelly's can get crowded in the AM or at lunch time. Lunch can be a little pricey, but it depends on what you are used to. The burger I had was great, as were the fish tacos & quiche my friends had. Overall, this is a nice, fun place with good food.

    (4)

  • Boomer D.

    Busy as busy can be. Where the high-end West Side congregates for a casual but sophisticated nosh. Imaginative pastries, great sandwiches; I work nearby and lunch there from time to time. The dining area is attractive but crowded There's a big out-door courtyard that's a great place to sit when the wind's not up or or the fog's not in; unfortunately, that's only about half the time! When the weather's good, though, there's no nicer place to sit and nibble pastry.

    (4)

  • Mark F.

    You've gotta love this place, fresh baked everything! Better yet, they will make you a sandwich or a breakfast made with these fresh baked goods, yum! Walking in you see a line, and a really colorful display case with everything from cinnamon rolls to macaroons to quishes and croissants and on the back wall a bunch of freshly baked breads. It's a sight to behold! Inside there is a few cozy tables and outside there is a large eating area with more tables and you can even order from the brewery next door and they will deliver to you! I had breakfast here the other day and went with the A.J. Heart Sandwich, it was a Croissant that was sliced and grilled topped with scrambled eggs, Bacon, and Gruyere cheese, very tasty and filling. I had a "happy birthday macaroon" it wasn't my birthday but it looked great. A pink macaroon with buttercream filling topped with some sprinkles, again yum! And to wash it all down a cup of the house coffee. I love this place and I will definitely be back!

    (4)

  • Leo C.

    So amazing! All the baked goods I've had here have been on point. Macarons are very well done! Cheesecake is nice and creamy. Their brownies are pretty simple but oddly addicting! Can't get enough of this place, can't really go wrong with anything you get here. Haven't tried any of their savory foods, but it looks good. The outside area is nice for outdoor seating as well.

    (4)

  • Mary Ellen T.

    Although I love this bakery I am frustrated that every time I order poached eggs I ask for soft and they come out hard boiled. Even when I ask! Poached eggs should ALWAYS BE SOFT!! There breakfast cook needs a lesson in eggs. Tired of complaining and nothing changes.

    (2)

  • Kritter V.

    Went for my first visit with my youngest child today. The line was stretched out the door, so we thought for certain their treats were exquisite! We hung in there.. and hung in there.. and hung in there. Thirty(!) minutes later, we reached the register, only to wait because one of the kitchen workers was ordering her meal. I was really taken aback because she should have been made to wait until the line was a little shorter. There was only one register with one gal truly working to take and fill orders while two younger gals flitted about in the back chattering amongst one another. As a local, I love a real chill attitude and place to hang out. I support our local business owners, but even for Santa Cruz, the wait and subsequent employee order while people had been waiting in line was too much. We won't be back. Sorry.

    (2)

  • Alycia P.

    I came doubtful; I left impressed. I came here around 12:45 for lunch and still had to wait about 25 minutes in line before I could place my order. As I stood waiting, I was cursing yelp under my breath because no way would this place be worth the amount of time I was spending just to order my lunch. Of course, after waiting 10 minutes and the line barely moving, I had passed the point of no return and either had to return to work lunch-less or just suck it up and wait. So, be prepared for a wait if you're coming during any time that could be construed as lunch time. When I finally ordered, I couldn't decide and knowing I may never be back (I was in Santa Cruz for work) I got the Baked Goat Cheese Salad and the Pressed Apple and Gruyere Grilled Cheese. It was another 10-15 min after ordering before the food was ready. When I (finally) took a bite - DAMMIT THIS PLACE IS SO GOOD. I was so frustrated by the wait, I set up them up for failure with the food - and they passed, they passed so hard. The sandwich was cheesy and the apples were tart and must have been marinated or glazed in some syrup, and the cheese was strong, and the flavor of everything together was so, so good. The salad was HUGE, and the goat cheese balls were melty and well seasoned, and it came with the most amazing cheddar biscuit. I would have ordered six of those and screwed the actual lettuce part of the salad if I had known. So good.

    (5)

  • Leslie S.

    Slowest service ever! Took us over 45 mins just to order and over 5 minutes to place a simple order of 3 items. There doesn't seem to be any sense of urgency or customer service here. Then after waiting almost an hour, they messed up our order. Total fail!

    (1)

  • Jerry M.

    Darling little french style bakery in a redeveloped factory building. Stopped in for a box of assorted pastries. All were excellent, fresh and tasty. They have a large selection to choose from. Friendly counter service. Well worth a try. Reminded me of Paris. Highly recommemd.

    (4)

  • Marie B.

    The only place you should go to get a macaron. Don't waste your time at any of these bulls$*% popup shops that are going up all over Northern California. This is the only place you need to go. I live in SF and I always offer to drive my boyfriend to school at UCSC just so I have an excuse to go to this place afterwards. Also the lemon macaron is the best! :D

    (5)

  • Erica O.

    My go to spot for Macarons! Light as cloud! Perfect!

    (4)

  • Jan P.

    Alls I know is my stomach only had room for one dessert and I opted for the strawberry rhubarb tartlette and it was absolutely divine. With plenty of options to choose from, I decided on my first taste of strawberry rhubarb and was not disappointed -- the filling to pastry was balanced, the filling had great texture and wasn't too sweet, and the pastry itself was just buttery goodness. Plus, it was only $3.50. Kelly's French Bakery offers a great selection of food and desserts near the tasting rooms and beaches of Santa Cruz. The items are well-priced and I was very happy with what I had ordered. Service is kind of impersonal as you just stand in line to order, but there is a lot of seating both indoors and outdoors. Great little stop in SC for goodies and plenty of parking.

    (4)

  • Shauna S.

    We stopped in here for lunch and were probably the ones in our group to not get pastries. Oops. Anyhow, we did have the BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich, an empanada, and an order of fries. Everything that we had was really tasty and the service was attentive and swift. Overall a great stop that also happens to be dog friendly. :)

    (4)

  • Lina E.

    We used to love Kelly's and would go there each time we are in Santa Cruz. Unfortunately the service has been degrading. Last Monday 3 of us went there for lunch. We ordered sandwiches. Order was taken. 5 min later the waitress came and told me that they run out ingredients for my order. Ok I went with a different choice. My husband and my girlfriend got their sandwiches, mine never came. I went to the cashier and checked on my Oder couple of times. They told me that my order was given to somebody else. When no food showed up 40 min later I went and I asked for my money back. The girl was pretty rude but told me that my food is almost ready. I did not have an appetite at this point. After some debates I've got my money back but no apology......

    (2)

  • Reed R.

    I have given Kelly's multiple chances and it always disappoints me. Today will be my last visit. The breakfast today was disgusting. My husband ordered the egg croissant with bacon. They made it with ham instead and it was served soggy and cold on a croissant that made Costco's taste gourmet. I ordered the poached egg and sausage dish. The sausage tasted like something that would be served at McDonald's. It lacked flavor despite all the butter and grease. The two items were $16.53 and we had to toss them. Save yourself a trip and go to a bakery in town that's worth the money such as the buttery or Gayle's.

    (1)

  • V S.

    Egg salad, spinach quiche, macaroon and truffle - perfect lunch and cute location. Friendly and fast service. We want 2 go back and get the strawberry macaroons.

    (4)

  • Angela S.

    This has to be one of my favorite places for macarons in general. They are cheap and gigantic! I love the variety of flavors they have and they are great as gifts or desserts for a potluck. My favorite one is the olalieberry one as well as the strawberry one which has a fresh slice of strawberry in it. I would definitely suggest this placde to anyone who would want some macarons as a bang for your buck. The wait does sometimes go out the door though so be warned!

    (5)

  • J. C.

    To switch it up a little, I bypassed Emily's and brought my baked product craving here. The line out the door was a clue it might be good. The person in front of me had this ideal, violet, bare-shouldered dress and looked like a yoga instructor. The friendly cyclist in line behind me stared into his iPhone while speaking with me about the menu. Ran into a friend from the past who was dining on the patio. I tried the A J Heart with a small coffee (~US$11). Delicious. Nicely done. Accessible: yes Restroom: yes Meets developed-country sanitation standards: yes Parking: nice on weekends. Weekdays? Near: NB SR-1. It's near (by car) if you're at UC Santa Cruz or are northbound State Route 1 from Santa Cruz area.

    (4)

  • Jenny S.

    Stopped by Kelly's for a quick study break. Ordered a bunch of desserts! The coffee cake muffin Pecan tartelette Pear almond tartlette A brownie This place was okay, the coffee muffin was the best one, crunchy on the top and soft on the bottom. I'm more of a crunchy person so I didn't enjoy the brownie as much it's pretty soft. The pecan tart was good, very sweet but I think the one I got was kind of stale. The pear tart had raspberry jelly which I didn't expect, maybe I read the title wrong?? I advice not to eat all of these together at once my head hurts. (Pictured top left pecan too right brownie bottom left pear tart bottom right cheesecake with chocolate [Carissa's lol])

    (3)

  • Kelly B.

    This place is a must stop for French macaroons. Any time my kids and I are out in the west side they always ask if we can stop there for them. It's hard to choose but I think our favorite flavor is the strawberry. It has real strawberries and fresh whipped cream- so yummy. They have all kinds of other favors too: mocha, chocolate, pistachio, raspberry, blueberry, lemon, the list goes on. They are so chewy and light and crunchy at the same time. Make sure to buy enough to munch as you fight traffic getting home, they are so delicious.

    (4)

  • MAC Dre m.

    Love their choices in desserts!!! The tuna sandwich is basically my top choice there and I've seen great looking food come out of their kitchen. Top notch hot chocolate, can't fuck that up! I'm sure the other drinks are just as tasty. Brownie was covered in chocolate drizzle and powdered sugar, and tasted as good as it looked... Yummy stuff! Highly recommended. If you're into a BEER and lunch you can cruise just around the corner and order Kellys fine food from the SC Mtn Brewery waiters. They bring your food to you there, so you can enjoy your beer & awesome bites!

    (5)

  • Annabelle S.

    They're food is fine. Nothing amazing- over priced. There's always a line out the door and they stop serving breakfast at 12. If you get their a half hour early for breakfast and you're in line the whole time they still won't serve you breakfast. It's incredibly annoying and has happened to me multiple times. Take that into consideration....maybe go in the line and tell people even thought they've been waiting in line for 30 mins that they aren't serving breakfast anymore , so we can leave and go somewhere that will serve us. On top of that had to wait for a bagel and cream cheese for another 30 minutes & they aren't even good. Thanks Kelly's!

    (2)

  • Laverne N.

    This review is only for their macarons. With that being said, if Kelly's macarons are wrong then I don't want to be right. I love Kelly's macarons. I love them more than Bottega Louie's and I love them more than Chantal Guillon's where they even have workers with French accents. They're $1.85 each and have just the perfect amount of crunch while still being soft and chewy in the middle. There are plenty of flavors available. My favorites are pistachio and olallieberry but hazelnut, blueberry and pumpkin are also good. -1 star because one time I paid for six macarons but only received five. So check your orders before you leave!

    (4)

  • Roger S.

    $3 for a medium coffee here, dispensed from an urn, or the same for a freshly ground Blue Bottle pour over at Companion Bakeshop a few minutes walk away. Their small size to go cup is Dixie cup sized. Baked goods are hit and miss. The Croissant is an abomination.

    (3)

  • Omar R.

    I love Kellys. It's a really nice spot to have a chat with a friend or stop by early to read a book and relax. I highly recommend their croissant it's really crispy and one of my favorites. The breakfast burrito is the best I've had in Santa Cruz. They also make a great veggie burger (they make them on house I think). Their macaroons aren't great, but the loaves of bread are great especially after toasting. This is not a place to go for working on a laptop...but I do anyways for an hour or two when I don't need internet.

    (5)

  • S H.

    Awful service, couldn't understand what the cashier was saying and she did not tell us that the coffee would be served on the counter(first time here) so we waited outside at a table with our number for about 10 minutes and then was served our food, we asked about the coffee and the server said"coffee aNd pastries are always served at the counter" and walked away. So I got up and got the coffee which was indeed sitting there cold. Our food was lacking seasoning, we had the breakfast sliders and French toast specials. The sliders were just that, 2 tiny sliders and nothing else, they were very under seasoned. Our coffees by the way were awful! If the service was better we would maybe recommend it for a pastry, but when you pay for food, I expect great service.

    (2)

  • Krystle H.

    I have been going to Kelly's for years. There are some things they are phenomenal at, but also some areas they fall short. If I was writing a review only about my favorite items, I would give them more stars. I have been in love with their three seed bagel and cream cheese for many years. It is more sourdough baguette like than a traditional bagel and it is fantastic! They have a couple great specials...crab cake sandwich and their beet salad. Typically, their pistachio macaroon is tasty too (admittedly, there can be off days with the macaroons, I also like the raspberry and the pumpkin ones). Fish taco's are also pretty tasty (FYI- the fish is fried and recommendation would be for in restaurant only, it does not hold up to-go). Just a simple poached egg and toast is also great. Their tuna sandwich is simple and good. I love that you can order a half sandwich. The lines can be prohibitive if you are in a hurry. Also, I've had some items fall short over the years....kale salad (and I love a good kale salad; however, this one is not very flavorful), pancakes (an out of town guest I brought here was not very impressed), some of the breakfast sandwich specials (they are good, but nothing stands out), croissants (not over the moon about them, check out companion bakery down the street for a stellar croissant) Overall, a nice place to go if you have time, its sunny and you can sit on the patio, and you make the right selections.

    (3)

  • Eric C.

    Stopped by on a Monday morning to grab something for a beach breakfast. Grabbed a couple of pastries, mini quiches, and lattes. It was all pretty good but what we had wasn't all that special. I wouldn't go out of my way to come back here but it's OK.

    (3)

  • Kristin K.

    I heard such great things about Kelly's, that the Fiance and I made a trip out here from San Jose specifically for lunch one day. We had no other plans, just lunch at Kelly's and then head back over the hill. The trip felt like such a waste that we ended up going to the Buttery and getting a sandwich and some pastries to take home. :( Not what I was expecting from Kelly's at all. The first issue is that the line moves very slowly. If you get in line and there are 10 people ahead of you, pull up a chair because you will be there a while. There were 4 people in front of us and the line took a good 10-15 mins. We ordered a Gruyere w/Gorgonzola and Apples sandwich, the chicken special, mac and cheese and a lemonade. Total was something around $30. Then we picked a table outside and began the wait. After 20-ish mins we were getting annoyed, and about to tell them to pack our order to go, but it came out. I really didnt expect to be 45 mins into our visit by the time we got our food, seeing as how you order at the counter and seat yourself. Our food ended up being just meh. The chicken meal consisted of half a roasted chicken, a salad and some french fries. The chicken skin was crispy, as expected. The chicken itself was on the dry side and lacking flavor. The salad was fresh, and the fries were hot. The Gruyere w/Gorgonzola and Apples was not hot, not melted, and the apples were kind of brown. Nothing to write home about. Mac and cheese is usually my favorite part of any meal, but the mac and cheese was pretty basic. I was expecting so much more after reading all of the great reviews. We planned on getting back in line to get some macarons to go, but the line was 10 people long and we just could not see waiting that long for something that we weren't even sure was going to be good. After the food, I wasnt all that excited. In all honesty, the food wasnt bad. I think I just expected more for the price and the hype.

    (2)

  • LilyAnn N.

    I went to visit my cousin in Santa Cruz and stumbled upon this bakery! I am a big fan of macaroons and have to say that this place helps satisfy a craving, but the macaroons were not the best that I've had. The flavors were a bit bland and didn't jump out to me. I would come here again if I were in town and really needed a macaroon, but wouldn't otherwise.

    (3)

  • Samantha G.

    Really good deserts and food, but it is very over priced for what you get. Amazing coffee though.

    (4)

  • Christine T.

    My Baristta really drew a fine coffee this a.m. I recognized her from her old gig at Noah's downtown- The service here is efficient and gracious. Baked goods stand alone in the field of pastry head and shoulders above the rest here in the 831. Nice outdoor patio offers a preview of Yogini's in training as they beat a path to the studio space behind the outdoor seating.

    (4)

  • Tram N.

    I came here w/ my kiddo one Saturday morning. It was my recovery day (from being sick) but I didn't let that stop me from going out and about. Anything beats staying at home and boy did I map out my entire day wisely. I started out enjoying a pretzel at the farmers' market [it was a snack] and then I came here per Craig's suggestion. It was a bookmark that I had anyway. I love that there is outdoor seating and a rather intimate but open seating inside. The chocolate pastries, the chocolate cakes, the chocolate macaron, the chocolate eclair, the chocolate mousse tart was calling me. I swear, I heard it but after weighing out my options (budget and caloric), I went w/ a chocolate macaron and the AJ Heart (a croissant breakfast sandwich that contains scrambled eggs, bacon, and gruyere). To my surprise, my bill didn't cost me an arm and a leg. This is my thing... when I go out, I don't pay too much attention to price. If I don't have the money then I stay home; restriction is utterly painful. BTW, restricting self from buying $30 worth of decadents is smart however, not painful per se. OK, I lied. I was a little upset I couldn't order every chocolate item there. Bewilered as to what to order, I looked at the specials and asked the girls at the register what they recommend. I was between the AJ Heart and Van Joe. It's the same thing but one is w/ bacon and the other came w/ ham. The bacon won apparently. After seating myself, I started to help myself to a cup of water, napkins, and utensils. The water dispenser doesn't have ice in them so I was a tad peeved. I'm fully aware it's first world problems but anyhow... right after I took a picture of the macaron, Gavin straight up stole it. He took it right off the plate and started to devour it in front of my eyes. I actually asked if I can have a bite but he shook his head. In a way I was proud of him because hell, I don't like sharing my food either but on the other hand, I was cursing at him in a playful way in my head because that macaron was meant for me. Minutes later my AJ Heart arrived at my table. I doused the thing in hot sauce before enjoying it. I will note that there was barely any gruyere, the eggs needed salt and pepper but the bacon was awesome. I thoroughly enjoyed the bustling atmosphere. I liked the fact that the guys bringing food to tables helped me grab more napkins when they saw that I was about to get up to go grab some. There was this guy that was sitting adjacent to my table that kept looking over from time to time. I noticed because it was pretty damn obvious. When the guy was about to leave, he came over and made small talk w/ me about hockey. I have been getting a lot of that lately but that is because Gavin and that hockey stick is inseperable. Normally I don't condone dependencies on inanimate objects but if it's about hockey and the Sharks, by all means. Let's summarize. + service was great; cheerful + speed was good + clean + inviting + inexpensive breakfast specials + a place I would rather enjoy by myself than w/ kids (even my own)

    (3)

  • Jana C.

    The bread baked here is pretty amazing. I found the breaded chicken sandwich just as good as Bakesale Betty's. strawberry shortcake looked better than it tasted, as the cake was too dense, and not enough strawberries. But omg, the French macarons sold here...they alone should be the reason to drive over.... Olallieberry, pumpkin, lemon, pistachio, and caramel purchased here. They are large, light, not too sweet, great chew texture, and beautiful to behold. $1.85 each PS bit mish-mashed. Fish and chips, fish tacos and such were found on the above menu board...under "additions" ! They looked good.

    (4)

  • C S.

    I heard about Kelly's from a couple different friends, a few years back. I always wanted to check it out since I used to work at their rivalry, Gayles Bakery. I have to say, hands down this place is BETTER! The pastries, food, coffee (not the verve! Which I totally admire), great seating and lot of friendly people. I took my mom here for breakfast when she came to visit a couple weekends back. We expected it to be crazy busy for brunch, arriving at 11:30am. Luckily to our surprise, there was a decent line but nothing too long! We ordered the Salmon Benedict which we split (it was pretty large), a side of potatoes (which were amazing!), a cinnamon roll, one cookie, and two lattes (which hit the spot). I can see how the line could be an in convince however, if you've been or go to Gayle's, you will see there is a much bigger line difference. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Phil H.

    Kelly's is a nice bakery with a friendly attentive staff. My family ate here for breakfast two days in a row. Here are the comments from my group: 1. The baked goods look fantastic and taste very good: highlighted by the bear claw. 2. They microwave the quiches to heat them up and, while it was baked properly, heating them by microwave turns them into rubber and, the consensus is that someone needs to be retrained. 3. The coffee is better than average but no better than McDonald's, better than Denny's, not as good as Starbucks. 4. Chai tea latte was very disappointing. 5. Don't ask for the cinnamon roll to be heated- yup microwaved again! 6. Stay away from the muesli, it's mixed with apples and oats and yogurt and it tastes like "goo". It's a nice place, but we won't rave about it.

    (3)

  • Nou V.

    One of the only places in Santa Cruz that I know of so far that sells french macarons. Delicious flavors to choose between. I've tried every flavor they have to offer haha and my favorites are the caramel, Olallieberry, lemon and pumpkin. Their fish tacos are yummy and egg plant sandwich is also good if you want a vegetarian choice. The food is awesome and so are the baked goods. I would only say that the down side of this place is their hours. I wish it would be extended for another hour at least. Also, the parking lot is a pain in the ass to deal with because they share the parking lot with other businesses, so it is hard to find a spot during certain times.

    (3)

  • Dave S.

    There a good french bakery but there so much more. Pot pies, quiche, coffee drinks, bread puddings, sandwiches and other great desserts. The staff moves quickly and efficiently. They have to, this place is hoppin. They have a sweet little patio area to enjoy your treats outside if you wish. I bit off the main road but worth the trip. Last line... Dessert and a americano, go get some!

    (4)

  • Margo J.

    I love these macaroons! while in Seattle i went to a french bakery that was supoose to have the best (over 2000 reviews). They did not even compare to kellys! Made me realize how lucky i am to have this bakery...cant wait to get home to have one!

    (5)

  • Perla L.

    Their strawberry macaroons is so good, there's a fresh strawberry and not too sweet as well. The service is good as well but always have a long line.

    (4)

  • Jess M.

    After a number of way-overcooked lunches in a row at Kelly's, I've decided to just avoid the place altogether. Years ago, my husband and I would order the fish tacos while over at Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing. (Side note - you can order certain foods from Kelly's at the Brewery and Kelly's staff will walk it over for you.) The tacos were always very tasty. However, in the past year or so, any time I've been at Kelly's and ordered them or anything else, my meal comes out dry, overcooked, and flavorless. Not good, especially for the cost, which is overpriced in my opinion. It is often very busy here, and it can take quite awhile to get your food. So, I've never returned my food with my complaints, because by the time I get my food I'm ready to eat my shoe I'm so hungry. Plus, I'd have to get back in line and wait for who knows how long just to get anything done about it. They have breakfast hours and lunch hours. Meaning, they don't serve breakfast-type things like eggs, etc. past a certain time at which point they transition to their lunch menu. The couple of things keeping this from being a 1 star review: Kelly's is in a great location (near a bunch of wine tasting rooms and two beer places) and has lots of outside seating, so they do get points for that. I also enjoy their truffles.

    (2)

  • Rhea C.

    I love the Macarons here! So good! Crunchy & creamy middle. Atmosphere: Cute outside seating w/ quaint string of lights overhead. Inside seating is comfortable. Quiche was good too. Perfect snack.

    (5)

  • Mariana B.

    Everythings always so fresh and delicious. So many choices. Long lines though! Definitely worth the wait and the employees are super sweet. And will answer any questions you have will return and will bring friends!

    (5)

  • Christopher N.

    I've been here a couple of times and tried the sweets mostly. Everything inside the glass refrigerator looked colorful and delicious, but the taste of the few items I've ordered didn't live up to my expectation. The chocolate eclair was soft and creamy, though I wish the dough wasn't so chewy. The Tres Leches mini cake was tasty with the cake being airy and spongy. Although not a sweet food, the quiche was flakey but the filling was a little dry. Food was good, but there's nothing on the menu that particular grabbed my attention. Maybe the flavors aren't as developed and complex as I'd like. However, I will say that the location is great and staff is welcoming and friendly. It's definitely comfortable to sit outside on a weekend afternoon drinking coffee and eating a small brunch with friends.

    (3)

  • Coco Z.

    Yummy little spot but they're very strict about no substitutions. Doesn't seem like they care about dietary restrictions and food allergies :(

    (3)

  • Audrey C.

    This place is awesome, not only for desserts but also for lunch. Me and my boyfriend came for lunch and some light sweets and we sat outside. There were a lot of people inside and outside so you already know the food's good. We ordered: -Chicken pot pie: This was good, It came in a ceramic bowl and tasted perfected home-made. The crust was flaky and delicious and the inside was hot and creamy. They heated it up before giving it to us so it was that much better. -Macaroons: You have to try these, super delicious. I've tried the raspberry (which come with whipped cream and real raspberries in the middle), the pistacio, the oligoberry, and the lemon. All the above are equally good, not too sweet and perfectly chewy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. -Pear tart: The crust on this is so good and pairs very well with the pear slices in the middle. -Chocolate cream puffs: These were just okay IMO, my boyfriend wished there was more flavor. All in all, a very cute place to eat at. Although the prices are a bit high, it's something I would expect from a bakery like this. Give this place a try! And this place is around a lot of wine places so you can get some wine tasting in after or before this place :). I want to come back and try some of their sandwiches, becuase I hear they are all great.

    (5)

  • L S.

    The ambience and selection of baked goods are great. However, their macarons were disappointing. If someone handed me one of their macarons and told me it was an ice cream sandwich, I would have thought that they skimped on the ice cream. The macaron itself was too chewy, too soggy, and didn't have enough bite. It didn't have that delicate crispness that makes macarons magical. The cookies are fantastic. They are rich and buttery with a moist crumb. Overall, a cookie is just a cookie. However, a macaron from a "French bakery" should not taste like an ice cream sandwich.

    (3)

  • Pelegfn R.

    Kelly's normally has some tasty basic hot breakfast items. I would not include their breakfast sliders in that description however. The sliders are on traditional small buns with eggs and bacon. The buns had been greased heavily and grilled. They were super greasy. Half the bacon was barely cooked and inedible. The eggs were okay but a little wet. Certainly a disappointment from other egg type dishes I've had there before.

    (3)

  • Margi T.

    This weekend, I had a mad craving for Kelly's and they did not disappoint. The homemade veggie burger was super delicious on onion bread and even topped with avocado (as all veggie burgers should be). The only thing is the burger fell apart at first bite. But it still tasted amazing. Their desserts are to die for, too. Wish I could come here every week.

    (4)

  • Liz N.

    Get here before you're hungry- the line tends be long. Then get the burger, it's one of the best in town!

    (5)

  • Diane S.

    They have THE BEST macarons I have ever tasted! The strawberry and raspberry were so good - I was tempted to turn around and go back and get more. They had fresh strawberries and raspberries with cream on the inside.

    (5)

  • Tricia M.

    Spending the day sans kid in Santa Cruz, we decided to look around the area for someplace different to visit than the usual downtown haunts we tend to migrate to. We were looking for a sweet treat after checking YELP, we found this little jewel. As soon as I saw the word French I immediately started craving a good Macaron. Not the coconut Macaroon that is gooey coconutty goodness, but the airy, almondy wonder that looks like a brightly colored sandwich that always makes you smile. After a few wrong turns (thanks to my co-pilot hubby) we found Kelly's and the awesome area surrounding it. Let me start by saying this is an awesome place surrounded by wine tasting rooms, vintage and antique shops and a local brewhouse. After tasting some vino at one of the awesome wineries, we finally made it into Kelly's. I was immediately in awe with all of the wonderfully yummy pastries, but I knew what I was looking for and they were right there in the middle. An awesome selection of gorgeous, colorful Macarons. They had every flavor from Pistachio to the seasonal Pumpkin spice. We opted for pistachio, blueberry and raspberry. They all were fresh and wonderful. The raspberry had fresh raspberries in the middle with the buttercream. The blueberry was equally good, but the pistachio was our favorite. Why mess with classic?? After sitting on the nice little patio and enjoying our cookies, we went back inside to grab a apple crumb pie to take back to Mom and Dads house for desert. Score! That was wonderful as well. Although not huge in diameter, the pie was hearty and stuffed with more apples than a pie twice its size. Bottom line is that Kelly's and the area surrounding it will be a new stop for the Hubby and I while we are visiting Mom and Dad in Santa Cruz!

    (4)

  • Annie T.

    I work a street over and I'm always coming to Kelly's Bakery every time I work. It's about time I make a review. While a little pricey, the portions given are quite large! I love it! Everything is fresh and cooked just right. I'm in love with anything that includes smoked salmon, poached egg, and polenta. That's probably everything on their breakfast menu. If you're not sure what to get, you can't go wrong with the specials! I love the fish tacos. You can two large fish tacos with a side choice of salad or fries...OR BOTH. There's no fishy taste and it's fried. It's not extremely crunchy, but it is a bit crispy. Always get the green smoothie. Refreshing and absolutely delicious! It's kale blended with various fruits. It's not at all bitter, but sweet! Don't knock it till you try it! I'm pretty sure I'm addicted. If you like coffee, they're coffee isn't extremely strong, but it's brewed well enough to still have a bit of kick. I love the mini restaurant/cafe. There is an outdoor patio with plenty tables and umbrellas so it's always a great spot to enjoy the sun. I see a lot of families, children, pets, elderly and college students. You get a great variety of people and the staff is accommodating and friendly. You can't go wrong with Kelly's!

    (4)

  • Bang A.

    The sandwiches are delicious and tasty. The pastries and sweets are good too! The macarons are good quality and have real berries in them. They also are some of the most inexpensive macarons I have seen. We love it here.

    (4)

  • Emmalouise B.

    Being in Santa Cruz at the Beer Festival for the afternoon I decided after sampling a couple too many Beers I wanted something sweet and seeing the high rating decided to check out Kelly's and came by around 5pm. It wasn't too busy but there was still a fairly long line of maybe 4 or 5 people in front of me but it gave me plenty of time to browse the display cases of goodies. Everything did look very good but somewhat smaller than many other bakeries and as others have mentioned - kind of on the highly priced side, I figured that meant they must be really good if they're able to get away with charging what they were. Sampling the goods once home I can't say I was overly impressed. The items in which I got were fine, just not particularly memorable. Maybe I'm just a bit of a snob when it comes to Desserts seeing that I bake a lot myself. I don't know, It's just I wasn't wowed and if I'm going to pay just short of $10 for 2 less than average sized pastries and 2 bite sized cookies I wan't something that will make me want to go back again and again for. OlallieberryTart ( yelp.com/biz_photos/8wEr… ) I warmed it slightly and served with a small amount of Vanilla Ice Cream. This was my favorite of the items with a good amount of filling and sweet flaky crust. The tiny little cookies I didn't get the name of ( yelp.com/biz_photos/8wEr… ) were overly sweet. The filling was essentially just butter and sugar, not fine powdered sugar either but large granules that were very gritty. Eclair ( yelp.com/biz_photos/8wEr… ) I bought expecting it to be a traditional Eclair filled with Cream but was very disappointed to find it was filled with custard.. too much custard. As I split all of the items with my husband I only had half but a few bites in I found it to be quite sickly. Sorry, I just don't understand the rave reviews.

    (3)

  • B S.

    If you are thinking about having lunch at Kelly's on the weekend; I would suggest you bring two things with you; Patience, because there will probably be a line out the door. Second, friends or family to fellowship with as you attempt to park or wait your turn to order. Once that is established, be prepared to have a solid dining experience. I ordered the Pastrami on Jalepeno Bread that was very good; complimented by Creme Puffs and Mexican Cookies that were probably the best I have had, only downside was the line was too long to go back and get more!

    (4)

  • Tami S.

    I come for their black bottom cupcakes, my husband for their lunch specials like fish tacos and steak sandwiches, and my dog for their outdoor patio space. Service is always friendly and efficient even when there's a line. Très bon!

    (4)

  • Mimi P.

    By far one of the best bakery there is in santa cruz! The macaroons are huge and soo in exspensive for such a big portion! I bought so many little goodies everything was greattt!!! The lemon bread was great aswell!

    (5)

  • Marc Y.

    Well something has changed. The staff has really been great the last few times I've been there. It's still pricey and I'm still afraid to order anything custom (they always screw it up), but the baked good are still super good. Still. (Just in case you were wondering how many times I'd write "still")

    (3)

  • Estefania M.

    This place is amazing. I got the garden burger, the patty is home made and has seeds and oats. It is the best garden burger I've ever had. My boyfriend had the BLT and he said it was the best he's ever had. The pastries are amazing. Our favorite place in Santa Cruz for sure.

    (5)

  • Hanni L.

    Hmm... I have mixed opinions about this place! I do like the food especially getting a hamburger with half salad and half fries. Their poached egg on toast is equally delicious, and they have yummy jam. I love the franchese bread and lattes as well. While the food is pretty good here, the line system SUCKS! I highly recommend they create a system with one line for bakery goods and one line for hot foods. I won't go here at lunch. Forget it! It is a waste of twenty minutes waiting in line to order. I would recommend a really early Sunday breakfast though. You can get in and out pretty easily :)

    (4)

  • Sandra B.

    This bakery is in a great old building that looks a lot larger outside than it is inside so we sat outside...the quiche, macaroons,chocolate mousse, coffee, and tea were all very tasty...no real stand outs but overall a great environment with friendly staff.

    (3)

  • Melanie R.

    Update- I still love the bread and pastries, but am not so impressed with the food anymore. I think they've gotta up their game to compete with all of the delicious up-and-comers on the Westside. The wait has also gotten to me, especially because it seems like their ordering system only exacerbates the problem. ---------------------------------------- So far everything I've had has been great. Today was the first time for lunch, and the hubs and I were both happy. The coffee and pastries are also delicious. This place is always busy, so just take a deep breath and enjoy the eye candy in the display case while you're waiting to order! Not much seating indoors, but lots outside on the patio.

    (3)

  • Alysen P.

    This place is very yummy. Had breakfast there with my husband and we both loved what we got. I got the bagel and smoked salmon and he had the special, which was like an egg breakfast sandwich but made with a fresh croissant. It has cool outdoor seating and the indoor seating was good too. I would have given it 5 stars but the lady taking our order was very rude and moody.

    (4)

  • Heather K.

    The food here is really friggin good. OMG! The only problem is that everyone else knows it and there's a line far out the door. But it's worth the wait. We came in for lunch last weekend on our way out of town. I had a super delicious portobello sammich but the real standout for me was the macarons. Oh my god, the fucking macarons!!! Especially the pumpkin spice ones! Holy crap. We bought a metric shit-ton of them to bring home with us. They have a huge variety of other baked goods as well - mini cupcakes, pastries, etc. This place is murder for your diet, but it will die happy. Tons of outdoor seating as well as some indoor tables; parking seemed a little difficult despite the lot provided due to the crowds present. Whatever, I'll park in outer Mongolia and hoof it over for some more of those macarons. Just watch me.

    (4)

  • Elena G.

    Been a Kelly's fan for a long time. But I took some out-of-town friends there one recent morning and was served day-old croissants. What happened to this place?

    (1)

  • Ingrid C.

    This place used to be across the courtyard from where I worked, when I was down in Santa Cruz. Their fries are really, really good. Everything else is good, too, but for some reason, just a liiiiittle more than what you think you should be paying. Hence my mini gripe. Not that it stopped me, ever, from fulfilling my sweet tooth. Cute patio, but way too many pigeons to make me feel comfortable.

    (3)

  • Katy E.

    I crave these macarons... Unfortunately, I'm five hours away so I have to be visiting family to indulge. The caramel, the lemon, the pistachio... Yum!

    (5)

  • brigit s.

    This place is really hit or miss. Today I ordered toast and the tops of both slices were burnt black. A few weeks ago I ordered a cappuccino to go and the espresso also had a burnt bitter taste (strange coincidence!). Pastries are generally very good.

    (3)

  • Zhenya T.

    I have come here only a number of times..but always had a really nice experience. I usually like to get the big macaroons (usually to go). I have tasted their quiche loraine and it is pretty good. Not too dry. They have a great outside patio, which on a sunny day is really grand.

    (4)

  • A B.

    Mmmmmm delicious. Was staying at a hotel down the street and my friend and I decided to try breakfast here. We got a couple pastries and basically just tried a lot of things. A little pricy but well worth the money. Update: ahhhg I can't believe I only gave this place 4 stars! It deserves 5. I haven't been here in 2 years because I haven't been able to make my way back but I still think about this place!

    (5)

  • Helga S.

    Kelly's has a good selection of French pastries and small meals such as breakfast croissant sandwiches and quiches. The espresso is good although the glasses that they use for lattes are weird. I give it four stars. I wish they had more seating inside.

    (4)

  • Stacy H.

    I had the fried polenta and poached eggs. The polenta was really hot and so crispy. . And the eggs were done just right. It was the perfect combination. The latte' was huge and perfectly done. We were here on a sunny Sunday and brought the dog to sit outside. A perfect brunch date.

    (4)

  • Jessica C.

    I love the food but every time I come back I realize why I don't like it here. The customer service is terrible. I asked the woman at the cash register what something was she yelled at me snappily "what?!". Rude. She didn't even know what the item was (no one did). Nice. Watched another girl get angry with a customer over a cup of coffee. Get your service together, it sucks.

    (2)

  • cesar r.

    Help me out here, Kelly's. I really want to love you. If you were a placing a singles ad, it would be, "Indulgent, creative and sweet personality seeks tolerant mate for lasting relationship." I love that you realize your wait line can be long and now offer to order by phone ahead of time on to-go orders. Especially great idea for those of us heading into work and wanting to stop off and grab breakfast. Here's where the "tolerant" kicks in: the recording says there is no one to take the call. Come to find out, no one takes calls until 08:00 AM, a full hour after you open and 30-minutes after I need to be at work. Second. One of the reasons your lines are so ding dang long is because people don't know what's in your food. For example, the menu clearly lists "Parisienne Salad" but gives the customer no further info on what's in it. Multiply that by at least half a dozen other items, numerous people asking what's in them and you have a long wait. Third. After spending nearly 15-minutes in line, ordering one item, and waiting for it to be served at my table, imagine my disappointment when instead of food, I get served with this goodie, "Oh, we're out of that. She should have told you." There's fifteen minutes of my life I won't get back. In those fifteen minutes someone could have handed me a pen, I could have written that on your menu, saved others from the same wait fate and still had time to order something else. You have a great patio, wonderful location and lots of locals patronize you. But amp it up, my friends. My experiences with you have been hit and miss and when I'm not in a betting mood, I rule out Kelly's from our options of places to eat, no matter how indulgent, sweet and creative you are.

    (2)

  • Jenny Z.

    Kelly's Bakery is literally a pastry galore for carrying just about every type of enticing dessert that you can think of and other unique options that Kelly's is known for. It's a little overpriced but considering that it is a more upscale bakery/deli, it made sense. Although I wanted to get a sample of just about every pastry available that day, I knew I had to contain my bubbling excitement and ordered a few selections. But to be honest, I don't think you can go wrong with any but you will be frustrated for not being able to buy out the whole store--which would lead to way too much sugar highness. We thoroughly enjoyed their macaroons (which were huge), pink mini cookie sandwich which for the life of I can't remember the name of, raspberry buche de noel and the FISH TACOS. The fish tacos were AMAZING...you wouldn't normally associated french bakery and tacos, but man were they scrumptious. The fish was lightly fried and moist, contrasted by the cool coleslaw and citrusy remoulade...made for one of the best fish tacos I've had for a long time. They have plenty of seating inside the cafe, which has a very artsy hippie ambiance; and a wonderful patio for outdoor seating. Considering the nice weather at Santa Cruz, it's a great option for those who want to soak up some sun and be happy! I think what was also neat is that offer delivery to the Santa Cruz Brewery, which is also located at Ingalls. What's better than having a gourmet true-to-CA fish taco with a nice glass of refreshing tasty beer? Aside from their famous tacos, you can order other entrees like a burger or sandwich, made by Kelly's, at the Brewery. Definitely a recommendation on my Santa Cruz list!

    (5)

  • Peggy S.

    I am in love with their portobello mushroom pressed sandwich! The melted cheese with well seasoned portobello mushroom, pressed between two warm and crisp slices of bread... so delicious, especially with their pesto sauce! They have many pre-made items such as salad, sandwiches, side dish for to-go orders, but you can also order hot breakfast, brunch and lunch items there. What impressed me about this place was the variety of macaroon they have here. Such colorful, delicate little things! Overall, a very cozy cafe with friendly service. Will return if in the area!

    (4)

  • Jasmine B.

    The food was great but the service was absolutely terrible! I went for dinner with a few friends and the outdoor seating was amazing; it was nice, spacious, family friendly, and quiet. However, the waitress messed up my friend's order TWICE. The first time failing to bring her order, the second time bringing her the WRONG order. Next, my other friend found a bug in her salad! I understand that bugs come with leaves but I find it very disturbing that the staff did not wash their lettuce thoroughly. I went because I heard it was a great place, but I will definitely not be coming here again.

    (2)

  • Roland C.

    I knew of Kelly's from buying their awesome breads at the grocery store near where I live. Being in Santa Cruz over the weekend I thought I'd check out the cafe that I've heard so much about. I wasn't disappointed but I also wasn't amazed. Their food is very good but not particularly exceptional. As a family, we ordered the fish sandwiches, a burger soup, some pastries, with coleslaw and fries. I did read through some of the reviews and someone mentioned that the cooking was an issue and I agree. They seem to cook meat related things "hard" and by that I mean it's well done a bit dry. Their fries and coleslaw rocked and the sandwiches were good but only because of the bread. The soup was good as well but I found the meat not very flavorful, a bit dry and overcooked. It's as if they've got a policy to make all the meat well done. The hamburger especially was extremely dry and the meat was almost crispy. The pastries were superb and I think it's a bit overpriced when you pay over $3 for a bear claw but I can't say it isn't worth it. I just think the price could be a bit lower considering the size of the pastries. They're definitely not for sharing. The lines are also very long and don't move very fast. This probably isn't a problem most of the time but it is a problem all weekend long. It'd be nice if they could speed things up a bit or have something besides 1 register open. The service there is great and the staff is very cheery and polite. They're pretty efficient with their tasks and although I observed some rude customer, the staff was very professional and went about their work with care and consideration of others and those waiting in line. I'm giving it 5 stars since I do recommend it and I would go there again. My scale is pretty much all or nothing, do or don't, hit it or quit it. In my heart, I know it's really more of a 3.8 but I also think some people have harshed this place unnecessarily with their petty 2 or 3 ratings. So I'm going for a 5 because I think everyone should at least check it out.

    (5)

  • Marie D.

    I visited last year and really liked their strawberry rhubarb pie. Came over at 9 am on a Monday and they were already sold out. Ordered their French toast and after waiting for 10 mins. someone came over to say they were out of cinnamon bread and could they substitute. After I agreed it was another 20 minutes to get my order. It was ok, not spectacular. For their prices expected better service, will not make a point of stopping by the next time I'm in the area.

    (3)

  • Vladimir P.

    Very nice bakery. You can get all sorts of treats and cakes, but they serve a very good breakfast as well. My sourdough grilled cheese sandwich with ham was very tasty. I did not like the french toast that much, because it was burned and bitter, but all other things were OK. If you order breakfast, make sure you get the little sausages with it - they are the best.

    (4)

  • KaliDays B.

    Never been to the actual cafe because its always too crowded; wish they'd have a larger place! but 5 stars goes to their breads and croissants that they deliver around town and make it super easy to enjoy the goods on the regular. Whatever recipe they use- its perfection!

    (5)

  • Stephanie M.

    Awesome! Loved the fish tacos! They were super delicious. The place is pretty typical bakery inside and I didn't even see the axis on the menu - luckily I had read about them and knew to ask. The area it's in is really cool - kind of nouveau brooklyn and off the beaten path. Really glad I went!!

    (4)

  • F. John L.

    A former Vegetable Processing Plant, it's now a Great Place to Meet & Eat!!! Wonderful Gourmet Food & Pastries....

    (5)

  • Laura Y.

    Thsi place is both appealing and served delicious food! I had their smoked salmon on a bagel with cream cheese, red onions, and capers. It was so good I will probably order it again! Plus I got 3 yummy macarons afterwards that were really fresh! Get the peppermint, pistachio, and raspberry! Kelly's french bakery is really cute and perfect for a nice little brunch. The only downside is that it's relatively small. This makes it hard because it's hard to find if you don't really look for it and it gets filled up fast. I had to wait in line for about 20 minutes but it was worth it!!

    (4)

  • Manny G.

    Nice location and the food is good. Great for a summer afternoon lunch. Outside seating is very casual. Make sur to grab a pastry before heading back to work.

    (4)

  • Grace C.

    Kelly's was pretty busy around 11am Sunday and then the crowd started thinning out after noon. The food and baked goods were pretty good overall. Baked goods - Almond cake w/cream filling & fresh strawberries: 5 stars - liked it so much, we ordered seconds! - Strawberry rhubarb cobbler: 4 stars - good & a little tart - Toralfa (chocolate cookie w/sliced almonds): 4 stars - Bear claw w/poppyseed: 2 stars - a little stiff & dry Savory food - Toast w/gruyere and ham: 4 stars - but it kind of felt like something you could make at home for a fraction of the price - Their breakfast/brunch specials were pretty good, too. There's a little bit of indoor seating & plenty of outdoor seating, with umbrellas and a few outdoor heaters available. On-leash dogs are welcome on the spacious patio.

    (4)

  • Tarrington C.

    The macaroons are sooo yummy that if I didn't gain weight so easily, I'd buy/eat some every, single day. The lines are always long, but well worth the wait.

    (4)

  • Jen B.

    Lovely bakery, so many pastries and other goodies! Bought a 3 layer chocolate cake with whipped cream filling for my husband's little bday get away. The cake looked super sweet and decadent but it was actually really light with enough chocolate flavor! Perfect dessert after a day of heavy eating and walking around the boardwalk. Our friend, who doesn't have much of a sweet tooth, ate 3 slices! Anyway while we were there I got a bagel and husband got a guyere w/gorgonzola and apples sandwich which came with olives and a little gherkin. Both were good. Bought lots of macarons but some of them didn't look right. Macarons should be smooth and shiny on top. Some of these had a lumpy top, some had a nipple, and weren't as shiny as the ones correctly made. BUT the important thing is how it tastes....here are some memorable ones: -Ollalieberry: never heard of this berry before but sadly this macaron tasted like sugar with an occasional raspberry-seed-like crunch to it. This macaron is a very pretty purple color and grabbed my attention right away. -Pistachio: initially thought these were labeled wrong because they were a very deep brown color. When I took a bite I saw the pale green cream in the middle but the rich dutch-cocoa shell overpowered any subtle pistachio flavor. -Chocolate: If they took the dutch-cocoa macaron shell from the pistachio and used the chocolate cream from this then it'd be PERFECT! Still this was one of my favorites! -Caramel (?): not sure if this one was caramel but it tasted like it and I enjoyed it -Raspberries and cream: SO light and refreshing! Tasted as good as it looked. All the other ones I got were...meh...ok Anyway, I will be sure to stop by this bakery to try other things whenever I'm in SC!

    (4)

  • Alexander B.

    I recently discovered Kelly's through my local market in Pacific Grove - really great breads! This led me to stop by when I was up in SC. I love the selection of pastries and I love that you can get lunch or dinner here! The sandwiches are amazing and the fish tacos are awesome! Love this place - I'm a customer for life!

    (5)

  • Genevieve F.

    The best bread, the best rolls, the best eclairs. Lovely ladies behind the counter serve you with personality, professionalism, and smiles. Worth the drive to the end of Santa Cruz. Great place to sit and talk and enjoy pastries.

    (5)

  • Sophie C.

    I ordered their food from the nearby brewery so the prices were probably inflated but HOLY SHiT so fucking good. I got the pot pie, garden salad and the fish and chips . They were all 9/10 I want to go back and get a pot pie; I mean two of them! So gooooooD!

    (5)

  • Amy O.

    Great latte! Family ran business and tons of goodies to choose from. Was impressed with the variety in the case as well as the huge french macaroons. This place is packed with people, but service is quick! The fresh breads on the wall also looked amazing. Only am giving 4 stars as I came in for coffee and they are really a bakery. So, next time, I will try some goodies and bring that score up.

    (4)

  • Kim N.

    So I have a friend with a serious gluten allergy. We were in a supermarket. we ran into this bread that my friend swears by and says is one of the best ever. On this conviction I bought a bag of the Francese rolls. Sure enough these things are awesome. Slightly toasted, they're silky and have a great crust but still soft and pillowy on the inside. Now Im really wondering what these things taste like fresh out of the bakery! 4.3 stars

    (4)

  • Kelly K.

    This bakery has great French pastries and good coffee. I highly recommend it for a dessert. However, I do not recommend it for breakfast. I tried their bacon, egg and cheese on a Croissant, which was expensive at 7.50. I wish I hadn't. The bacon grease had soaked into the half of the croissant, the cheese was cooked on to the other half too much, the bacon was very salty, and the egg was tasteless. I have had better breakfast sandwiches at fast food places. I do like the variety of pastries here though and some of them are made perfectly. There is a nice outdoor area to sit and parking is convenient in the lot. This is a great place to grab a pastry and head down to the Cliff Walk. The line can get long here though so it is best to come early.

    (4)

  • Brenda R.

    Kelly's is one of my favorite places this year. It's in a green and yellow building and it has both indoor and outside seating. There's plenty of spaces in the parking lot. Kelly's bake their goodies right there at their shop. Their baguettes remind me of the ones in Paris. It's so good. It's crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It has that crunch that I just love. We had a a toast with ham and gruyere! It was so good! Very good quality ham and cheese. They also serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner and have daily specials. They have a huge selection of baked goods, pastries, cookies, cake, quiches, and macarons! I got hooked by those macarons! I've tried the olalieberry, raspberry, lemon, apricot, chocolate, mocha, and the fruit ones are my faves. Each one cost only about 1.25. Just seeing the macarons remind me of the macarons I saw at Laduree, which I never tried unfortunately. These macarons will do.

    (4)

  • Haily W.

    Good thing I don't live closer, otherwise I would weigh 500 pounds thanks to Kelly's. On the way to HMB my friend wanted to treat me to lunch and here is where we ended up. Our lunch order: 2 chicken pot pies 3 macaroons (lemon, pistachio and chocolate) Fries 1 apple crumble A hot chocolate and a coffee I about died after eating all that food! The pot pie was amazing. The crust was soft and flaky and the filling wasn't drowning in sauce like the frozen pot pies you get at the store. The fries as well were killer and the macaroons about did me in. I couldn't decide which flavor was better, but I think chocolate gets the slight lead. Overall, this was about the best lunch I've had in a long time and I can't wait wait to come back when I feel like breaking my diet.

    (4)

  • Justine V.

    Cute little bakery tucked in Santa Cruz's industrial area. Love their sandwiches and their huge variety of pastries! The sandwiches are delicious and come with tasty little olives and pickles. My favorite is their gruyere sandwich with gorganzola and apples. It's a little pricy, but definitely worth it. Perfect for lunch or an early dinner. My favorite bakery in Santa Cruz!

    (5)

  • Anne J.

    After a late lunch on Friday at Kelly's - our first time there - we brought home a large chocolate ganache cake. Our estimation of Kelly's climbed from good to great over the weekend as this piece of decadence eroded under our forks. Not cloyingly sweet, smooth, and obviously made from high quality ingredients. Back to the lunch on Kelly's patio - we over-ordered for a wide sampling of their fare. Leftovers did fine at home. PLUSES - Fries were sweet and creamy, not too greasy - Slaw side was generous and slightly sweetened but not too sweet and not too oniony - Hot dog great - Meatball sliders good - Portabello sandwich - a great balance of veggies and spreads MINUSES - Po' boy oysters were a big disappointment. Luckily the breading (panko?) was crunchy because that's essentially all there was- crunchy balls of fried crumbs. The "oyster" in the name is a mystery - a few elastic strings were the only evidence of anything other than crumbs. - Couple of glitches in service. Wrong side dish delivered. Wrong ice cream size delivered. - Slow service, both in line and in filling the order. Overall, we're delighted to have Kelly's and its evolving commercial neighborhood in Santa Cruz - a welcomed change from the fray of downtown and the beaches.

    (4)

  • Jessica F.

    I THINK I JUST FOUND MY NEW FAVORITE BAKERY!! Excuse the over enthusiasm but I am so happy I found this place. Every time I make a trip to Santa Cruz I'm always on the search for a better bakery...and I found it. If you don't know how to get here then look it up because even though it's off the main street in Santa Cruz, it's a little hidden. Everything I've tried here was great but my ultimate favorite is....okay this is embarrassing but I forgot what it's called. It is a meringue fruit pie dessert (the fruit used isn't any regular fruit and that is probably why I'm blanking on the name). It is complete heaven...marshmallows and fruit...YUM! The inside is like a coffee shop and they have an outdoor seating area. I would give this place 5 stars BUT I really haven't tried any of their food or bread; so, until then I'll just keep eating the yummy sweets.

    (4)

  • Jack T.

    This place is alright. I only wish the food had a little more kick to it.

    (3)

  • Sabrina A.

    This is a cute bakery tucked in a sweet, small shopping center. The service was friendly, the cashier was shift and the server that brought my food to the table was nice as well. A+ You can choose to sit inside the small shop. It's cute, simple but clean and nice. Or you can choose to sit in the fairly large courtyard. Complete with plants, trees, tables - it's a lovely place to sit and enjoy the sun and food. The food was pretty good. The croissant I took a bit of was flakely but not amazing. The bite of brownie was crazy chocolatey but that is a personal thing. I had the tuna noiese sandwich. It filled with tuna, tapenade, egg, onion and lettuce. It was for the most part a great blend but eventually there was just way too much onion. And boy to I love onion. It also came with colesaw that was very flavorful and yummy. The prices are kind of high though . . but it is a fair amount of food. I certaintly went home full.

    (4)

  • Felix P.

    i love this French bakery more than the one I live near in San Jose. Everything I had from pastries to lunch items and even the coffee was fantastic. Worth the drive and I stop by any chance I get. I highly recommend finding this out of the way bakery. Their popularity has created lines but it moves fast enough and allows you to view everything under the cases which is half the joy.

    (5)

  • Dmitry K.

    Great out door patio. Great Deserts. This is the perfect place to get food on a summer's afternoon. If you just came back from the beach, and your looking for some light food, Kelly's quaint ambiance and awesome( yet somewhat pricey) food is your best choice in Santa Cruz. The location of this place is really random. Not in Downtown. Not on the East Side. Not at the boardwalk.... Its next to a railway and close to 7/11. Oh and right next to random self-storage companies and industrial companies. However, given the random location, this place is awesome! The food is excellent. I wish I lived close to this place so I could come here everyday. THE BEST TUNA SANDWICHES. THE BEST!!!!!! If a tuna sandwiches does not tickle your fancy then definitely go for their specials. Although their standard food and specials are pretty pricey its a safe good choice. Their soups are also great. I tried the Malaysian soup and it was delicious.

    (4)

  • Mimi H.

    Fresh food, nice outside dining. One big problem...went for breakfast, good eggs and toast, nice cup,of coffee. Took my cup back inside to get a refill and was told it would cost $1.50. I was stunned. Told the girl that after paying $33.00+ I thought they should. E able to get a refill, but they said no, their charge was $1.50. Nice place but I will not return. Seems cheap and tacky, not welcoming in that way.

    (3)

  • Lauren S.

    Expensive. Even the tiny cups of coffee are outrageous. The pastries look good in the case but I haven't tried them. The line is extremely long and awkward. By the time you get to the cashier you are stuck with no room to move. Then you have to figure out a way to get out with your order without spilling it on someone.

    (2)

  • Stephanie A.

    I love this place. A friend of mine recommended it and since then, my boyfriend and I stop here every time we do a weekend beach run. It's a little on the small side and there's ALWAYS a line out of the door there, but once you eat there you'll know why. The coffee and lattes there are to die for... TASTY! I'm not sure where to start with the food though. I've had a couple of their pastries which has never let us down. However, when I go to Kelly's I splurge on breakfast. I usually order the poached eggs, ham and cheese on toast, and seasoned potatoes. I'd lick the plates if I could. Hearty portions and just really yummy.

    (5)

  • Jacquie B.

    Visiting beautiful Santa Cruz from Redding, CA. Cruzing around, made a stop and ended up picking up a Quiche Lorraine for dinner later that evening. OMG!!!! Most fabulous quiche we have ever had. Worth every bit we paid for it and then some! Highly recommend it!! So light and delicious. You have got to try it. ; )

    (5)

  • N. V.

    Great food and great setting, but the line management strategy could use some work. Pop in on a Monday morning and you have your latte and morning bun in five minutes flat; show up on a Sunday at 11:00 and you will stand in line for 25 minutes, then wait another 15 for your food. We keep coming back because we adore Kelly's eggs with polenta and pesto, her fish tacos (heaven!), and her pastries, but I'd love to see a number system (like Gayle's) or table service or two lines (one for drinks and counter goods to go; one for hot food) - surely there is a better way!

    (4)

  • lorraine L.

    Let me start by saying that I used to LOVE kellys french bakery! However the last oh I don't know maybe 15 times I've been I've had awful food, an unbearable wait time for my (awful) food, OUTRAGEOUS prices... I could go on about how downhill this place has gone. Besides all of those negatives they are not properly prepared for the extremely long lines. The building is cramped. There is never enough seats especially on a cold foggy santa cruz weekend morning. Kellys needs a face lift or something ASAP! Also the prices are astronomical. I am more than happy to spend my hard earned money on delicious food but c'mon people $5.50 for a 3/4 full container of tiramisu??!! They literally just slop it in there. Please KFB restore yourself to your former glory.

    (2)

  • Anuj A.

    Been here many times to pick up bagels and coffee. Went last Sunday for my first sit-down experience there and i'm not going back ever! Why? Because, i felt ripped off. $6.65 for a single poached egg on a single slice of toast !! Poached egg costs $3.25 and poached egg sandwich costs $6.65. So i paid $3.00 for a slice of bread?

    (1)

  • Katie F.

    IF YOU ARE ANY WHERE NEAR THIS CITY, PLEASE GO HERE!! Kelly's is by far the best eatery in the entire area of santa cruz!! The food= A+ The service= A+ The outdoor eating atmosphere= A+ The prices= A+ The indoor seating/decorating= A+ Do i need to say more? :)

    (5)

  • Sonia C.

    Drove here for breakfast with a friend on Friday and I loved it. They have an extensive selection of breakfast pastries, cakes, cookies, lunch items, and coffee drinks. My friend had read in Sunset magazine about their famous "crimpets" - pound cake filled with olallieberry or other fruits. What's an olallieberry ? Unfortunately, I didn't really get a chance to find out as they were out of the olallieberry crimpet. We settled for an apple one, a bear claw, and a "morning bun". The crimpet was kind of disappointing as it was dense and more like dry cornbread than like pound cake. The claw was really good - filled with the special almond filling mixed with some poppyseed to give it a bit of a crunch. The morning bun was also tasty - it was basically a soft brioche roll dusted with cinnamon sugar. As I was curious about the olallieberry , I went back and got an olallieberry muffin and a oatmeal cookie. The muffin was pretty oily but had some nice carrot shreds & almonds distributed throughout. From what I can tell, the olallieberry pretty much tasted like a large raisin - which is interesting because I now imagine their olallieberry pie to be a pie full of raisins. I'm too lazy to wiki the olallieberry . The cookie was pretty rich and buttery as well. I loved their outdoor garden area seating. They had a quaint little courtyard surrounded by cute shops. It's very relaxing on a warm day.

    (4)

  • Christina B.

    Great atmosphere and the best salads in Santa Cruz. Try the baked goat cheese salad or the apple gruyer sandwich! Love the outdoor seating area but watch out on weekends because it seems that everyone in Santa Cruz knows to come here for brunch.

    (4)

  • larry d.

    Another bakery/eatery where I know the owners and was one of their first customers at the hidden plaza where the old Bookshop Santa Cruz used to be. They had a great philosophy in the beginning and they continue to try to execute it but I'm afraid they've overreached themselves when locating at their new place on Swift. Prices have soared and quality has plummeted. A raspberry chiffon pie was all sugar tasting with little berry flavor. There's more of a commercial taste in everything from bread to cookies. Staff there are typical Santa Cruz customer service: little knowledge, no affability, little in organizational skills. Another tourist trap for clueless Martha Stewarts.

    (2)

  • Siobhan G.

    I've given this place quite a few tries now. I don't understand why this place gets such high reviews. Today I came here with my boyfriend and the line was out the door. I got a ollalieberry macaroon and a chai latte (so did he). I was really excited about the macaroon since I discovered ollalieberries in Cambria last year. Unfortunately, the macaroon just tasted like sugar. I couldn't tell it had a flavor at all. Total disappointment. The chai was good just okay. I usually add soy but they wanted an extra $2? I was not about to spend $6 on a 12 oz soy chai latte, so maybe the nonfat milk made it seem more watered down than I was used to. I've tried other cookies and cakes here, too, and none of them have been memorable. At least not for the prices, which would be fine if the desserts were amazing, but they're not. We won't be back.

    (2)

  • Jenny B.

    This place would have been 5-stars but I was really hoping for a larger cupcake selection. The cupcakes the did have however were and explosion of sweet, fluffy goodness in my mouth! My tastbuds were overjoyed with my Lemon Coconut cupcake that had the perfect non-crumby cake texture and smooth, whipped coconut frosting with coconut shavings! Delicious! I also had half of the mini-strawberry rubarb pie which was tasty but I wanted the crust to be softer. My bestie Val bought the Black Bottom cupcake, a chocolate cupcake with yummy cream cheese frosted topped with a crunchy cocoa bead. After eating one she said "OH NO! THIS IS NOT ENOUGH, I NEED TO GET ANOTHER ONE!" She ended up having to cupcakes for under $4, what a great value for crazy deliciousness! I'm definitely coming back here for dessert and look for to lunching over here too when I'm in the area.

    (4)

  • Cailin S.

    This place has always been a favorite of mine. Whenever my mom comes to visit Santa Cruz, we take a beach run along West Cliff and end our run at this bakery and relax with some fresh coffee and delicious fruit salads and/or sandwiches. Although the prices are a bit high, definitely worth every penny. I make sure to take friends who are visiting the area to this place. Great service, food, and the patio is a nice area to chat on a sunny morning. No complaints

    (5)

  • Molly C.

    Yumm... I have a soft spot for Kelly's and will go back every time I return to Santa Cruz. The Imperial March is the best breakfast after a long night, the potatoes just can't be beat! The fish tacos are excellent for lunch, and macarons are great for an afternoon treat. And I am always craving their little tropical mousse, I can't remember what it's called, but the passion fruit flavor is excellent. Kelly's is a bit pricey but it's worth it! It's a gem.

    (5)

  • Ann B.

    We drove from Pescadero to Santa Cruz on a friend's advice just for this bakery and it was well worth the drive. Scramble egg sandwich on sourdough? Hello! My husband's mocha was the best I've ever tasted and the whipped cream lasted til the end, because it's real whipped cream:) the bakery is surrounded with beautiful shops with beautiful quality stuff. Only problem with the bakery is its extremely difficult to choose what to eat. I highly recommend it.

    (5)

  • Jennifer A.

    On our way out of Santa Cruz one Friday afternoon, after walking along West Cliff, we were hungry & craving some java! It was a great spot to grab a yummy sandwich (Eggplant-me; Fish sandwich - hubs). This place is easy to find, look for the hip & happening parking lot. Cute shop among other shops and businesses (knitting, kitchen supplies, yoga, etc). The bakery's glass display looks scrumptious!! We sat outside underneath the table shades, to sip our lattes and watch all the happy faces picking out their delectable treats :)

    (4)

  • Samantha R.

    LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. breaded chicken sandwich... Gorgonzola, Gruyere and apple... ham and Gruyere.... chicken pot pie... quiche... DESSERT! You cannot go wrong here. I love everything here. My favorites are the cupcakes (just recently had the pumpkin with cream cheese frosting and the strawberry with strawberry frosting...both amazing), cinnamon rolls and tiramisu. You will want to try everything you see because it all looks so delicious and well presented. The patio is also great on a sunny day. The inside is quaint. Overall, its just a great bakery. Wonderful for lunch.

    (5)

  • Big M.

    Kelly's is the best bakery in town (along with Gayle's). Everything is top notch. I dare you to find a better bakery in say, the entire country of France. Just don't ask me to choose between these two lovely ladies. For giggles I stop in at another fabulous place, Emily's, great muffins and coffee. But Kelly's has that courtyard, Cameron Marks, the wineries....and Gayle's has their heated patio, Blue Plate Specials, Pacific Trading Co...Emily's is so fast and quick and simple...ugh. Decisions decisions!

    (5)

  • Jenny T.

    Kelly's was surprisingly good. A friend took us here and I remember thinking "this place is so small, it cant be that good" but it really was. I had a sandwich (it was a unique grilled cheese) and nutella ice cream. Good stuff! Cute little seating area outside as well.

    (4)

  • Tony D.

    Really nice, chill location. I enjoyed the Peets Sumatra coffee with prince bun w/ chocolate. The poached eggs with salmon and avocado were good, too.

    (4)

  • Eric S.

    Good atmosphere and I love the outdoor patio but the service is a little slow and it's a little expensive for what it is. That being said their baked goods (chocolate croissants) are amazing, the coffee is pretty good and I love their sausage sandwich which comes with a side of probably the best coleslaw I have ever had.

    (4)

  • Kellea F.

    Cute place. Peet's coffee. Extensive baked good selection. The french macarons are big but just decent - not the best texture and a tad too sweet. The soy milk that was out curled in our coffee, but they kindly gave us another cup and poured in some soy milk from the fridge.

    (3)

  • LT B.

    The breaded chicken sammich I got was pretty good, as was the latte. The line was out the door here, and the staff seemed pretty rushed. It was a nice place to grab a bite, but I didn't really understand all the hoopla. My husband had the sausage sandwich with fries--also solid.

    (3)

  • Shannon C.

    Overpriced, poor quality, and general lameness. This is the boulanger/patisserie equivalent of that really lame part of the Disneyland train ride-the part where you have to look at inaccurate dioramas of Native Americans, animals, etc. The point is, you already know about everything that's going on here, but you don't necessarily want to be reminded of it. And you certainly won't do it again. I think they need to remove the word "French" from their name. They have that whole California-French thing going on, like box wine. The pastries I had were remarkably stale, which makes no sense : It's a freaking French BAKERY ! Not an auto shop, not a hair salon, so I'm thinking fresh pastries are sort of required. While we're at it, lets take "Bakery" out too. If you have that word in your establishment's name, maybe you should make kickass danishes and a reasonable interpretation of bread. Or is it the other way around ? Either way, I'd take the pastries from Peet's (which are fresh, and they have to get someone to drop them off at 3am !). So that leaves us with "Kelly's". This place should just be called "Kelly's". Remove the expectation of good pastries, decent bread, and then Kelly's can do what they seem to do a lot of on Saturday afternoons: sandwiches. Not great ones, but better than your average Togo's or Eric's Deli sort of thing. Also, they serve Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing's IPA. In a bomber ! Yesss. But I can buy that IPA and take it home where there is no line of stubborn people who refuse to move so I can oogle the quiche and macaroons (macs = not good, boo hiss cry !). Also at home, no one ignores me when I request that I have/hold the sparkling water I ordered and paid for. If I had an espresso machine at home, I would also use a thermometer whilst steaming milk too. They don't do that at Kelly's (another coffee-related pet peeve of mine). And you can't deny that part of the charm of real French establishments is getting snubbed by the staff for being such a pathetic interpretation of our species, the whole staff at Kelly's seemed too busy or disinterested to snub me. WTF ? I can't even get a good snubbing in Santa Cruz ? Was there an indie-hippy-liberal arts majors all-night kegger or something ? Okay, this whole rant is my pent up anger about not getting a pain au raisin. God help the woman who denies me the raisiny goodness !

    (1)

  • Hiro K.

    Breath of fresh air for Santa Cruz. Who knew that the industrial area behind 7-11s could be converted into a charming collective of boutiques and an outside terrace? I ordered the pastrami special with the jalapeno bread. Some reviewers here cry foul over the price, but I think they compare it to the high class fares over the hill or the cheap and bland cuisine that defined Santa Cruz over the years. Taken for what it is, if you're willing to spend a tiny bit more to enjoy a good atmosphere with your food IN santa cruz then you're set with Kelly's French. I think this place defines the small town attraction of Santa Cruz, without the counter-culture mantra that sometimes permeates the downtown area. Kick back in terrace n just enjoy the food....

    (4)

  • Reggie G.

    This place is pretty good but $7 for a tuna sandwich is a bit on the steep side for me. The outside seating is quite nice though on a sunny day. The Ollaberry tartlet is also incredible!

    (3)

  • Empee P.

    Hm, this place is nothing too special. I just spent 4 months in Paris, France so this place definitely does not compare whatsoever. But that is a bit biased of me. Anyway..so I came here for some pastries after my last final. I got a pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant), 2 macaroons (pistacchio and vanilla), and a salmon and egg bagel. My total was $14.75!!!! OMG..imagine my surprise when the cashier told me how much it all was..but whatever..I just got it all. Ugh. The croissant was not soft at all and tasted rather stale. The macaroons of course don't come close at all to Parisian macaroons. And the bagel was good but not work $9! I might come back just cuz this is the only place to get certain pastries and when I really miss Paris, I guess this will suffice.

    (3)

  • Sophie Y.

    Granted, it's been 27 months since I was a regular here but I thought I'd yelp about it today because I'm on an "I miss Santa Cruz" kick. I used to like the goat cheese sandwich, the breaded chicken sandwich, the crab cake sandwich special, the goat cheese salad and the mini vanilla cupcakes with buttercream frosting. I often joked with the counter staff about buying a vat of the frosting. Except I wasn't really joking. That stuff was awesome. Sigh...

    (4)

  • Shana C.

    Good coffee and sweets. We like to stop here on our way home from Santa Cruz.

    (4)

  • Shiho F.

    Pretty much one of the cooler bakeries I've visited in quite sometime. Not only is this place always happening with a mixed crowd but there is a lovely outdoor eating area and the bakery itself is very lofty and welcoming. I wasn't very hungry after an Acai Bowl from Cafe Brasil so I ordered a Vanilla Sable Cookie filled with Jam. Um after I bought one, sat down and ate it, I stood right back up ordered the last jam one and bought 3 more plain vanillas. They were really that good. My sisters friends noshed on some lovely sandwiches and salads. Everyone eating outside under the sun was just enjoying themselves and it was all just very lovely. The parking lot is clutch and there is a super cute women's boutique next door.

    (4)

  • Jaime K.

    Super Yum! I love this place, I love the whole little shopping center. Kelly's has the best sweets and food. I ordered a burger from the brewery (located in the same shopping center) which comes from Kelly's---OMG, it was one of the best burgers I've ever had. The meat was top notch, it came with the freshest lettuce, pickles, tomato, and onion and came on an onion bun. It complemented our beer very well. Afterwards we walked over to Kelly's to have something sweet and we had a mini cheescakea and the this jellyroll almond cream cake. Both were deelish! Very cute ambiance and friendly people. Great go-to place for treats and good food.

    (4)

  • Jill S.

    We always stop here when in town, but twice during our visits this past summer, lunch items were awful! (you can usually count on the daily specials to be delicious)But I could not give up on Kelly's, and am happy to report that during my last visit 2 wks ago, my sandwich was excellent! It was crabcake with avocado and jalapeno mayo and spritz of lemon, on francese-- Perfect! My only con is that I shared it. If I would have known it was that good, I would have driven back to get another, but , you know, their lines are just so #%$@ long!! m Pumpkin macaroons filled with ganache and caramel were yummy too!!

    (4)

  • Michael L.

    Was looking for a place to drop by to kill some time at about 11 AM on a Saturday morning. Thanks to Yelp we found Kelly's French Bakery. We were in the line that went out the door. Peeking in we could see an abundance of baked niceties with choices galore. The three of us had a few things: morning bun, chocolate croissant, bread pudding, hot chocolate, butterfly cookies, and a latte. It was a very pleasant experience. We saw a number of dishes go out and would love to come back for a proper breakfast or lunch.

    (4)

  • T T.

    3.5 Would be my rating Today was a rainy rainy day and after a long week I thought I'd indulge in a little treat! Here's what I had: Brownie $2.00 - This definitely satisfies any sweet tooth craving! The brownie is more fudge like, so if you're looking for something chocolate-y yet do not want to spend $1.25 on a piece of chocolate this will do it. Sinking your teeth into it is pretty heavenly, good to share with someone else! It's topped off with powdered sugar and a chocolate glaze. This was definitely satisfying. Macaroons $1.25 - These are the sandwich looking kinds. I tried the vanilla one, something tasted very peculiar about it. And not in peculiar OMGOSH I HEAR MARIAH CAREY SINGING climactic taste.. For some reason a hint of Chinese food flavor started bursting out and my taste buds were utterly confused. Not sure what it was, but I simply ate it because I hate throwing food away. It looks cute but taste like... weird?.. Chocolate Croissant - I had this a few months back, and I would say it was so-so. You're better off getting a 12 pack of croissants from Costco and shoving a stick of Hershey's in it. ^ v ^ The mini cakes range from $3.50 - 4.50 if you're just looking a small dessert. But growing up going around cheap Asian bakeries, those cakes didn't look to exciting to me. As a previous reviewer said, something seemed artificial. Just a generic bakery to go to. There are also warm foods if you're looking something beyond pastries! The ambiance is relaxing, the service friendly (a little slower when there are large crowds). All in all, I think i'll go back and try a mini-pie, those looked delicious. If the pie isn't all that great, then I don't think I will be going back again. Nice to try at least once.

    (3)

  • Alan M.

    Top quality pastries and good brekfast items. Great location with outdoor courtyard! Interior is light and airy. service can be casual last time I went to buy a pastry to go, they took my money and said it would be right up. Then the cashier served two more customers before boxing up my order. I guess the other customers were more "regular" than me.......

    (4)

  • Pumpkin K.

    SO delicious. I've never had anything here that did not make me want to roll around on the ground and moan with delight. I have to apologize to the people who work here because everytime I come here I stand behind the counter going, "Uh, uh...." and staring, wide-eyed, at the pastries like I'm an 8th grade boy seeing porn for the first time. I didn't know you could DO that with filo dough! It's just dirty.

    (5)

  • Spookee X.

    This place was crackin on a nice, sunny Sunday afternoon...the line was out the door, but once we ordered, there were plenty of seats inside and out, and our food only took about 10 minutes. The ham and gruyere grilled cheese pressed sandwich was SO good. we also got a cinnamon roll, which was really good and was made of more crescent-type dough...yum! we also took home a strawberry rhubarb pie for someone else...of course we had to try a piece. I am not a strawberry rhubarb fan, and the crust was so-so...but i heard from others that they really liked it. Overall, I would totally go back here...the food was a little on the higher priced-side, but worth the price and the long line.

    (4)

  • Cynthia Q.

    Kellys is one of my favorite places to eat in Santa Cruz. The food is kind of expensive, though, so I can't go as much as I would like. It has the most pleasant environment of any restaurant I've been in this town, though! My favorite thing to get is the avocado & cheese sandwich. Their desserts are THE BOMB :)

    (4)

  • Kim P.

    If you're not a fan of Kelly's, I'm not sure we can be friends.... Simply the most creative, delicious, and beautiful delights this side of the Atlantic. Whenever I entertain, Kelly's is where I pick up after-dinner treats and wonderful bread. It's out of the way for me (I live at Pleasure Point), but every other bakery in town is a distant second at best. Thank you to Kelly's for showing this town some of the finer and tastier things.

    (5)

  • Melinda C.

    A nice spot to grab some pastries to sustain us on the long ride back to SF. The giant macaron wasn't bad (a bit too chewy for my tastes) and the brownie was good, although a bit too chewy too. Good coffee, friendly people, and nice inside/outside seating arrangement, though.

    (3)

  • Ram G.

    Not good. Very expensive for average food. I am not sure what the hype is all about. There are better places elsewhere... Not coming back...

    (2)

  • Robert L.

    What a disaster. I have tried to buy something here on one or two occasions before but the staff behind the counter is too moronic to figure out they are in the business of pleasing customers. The latest example. Sunday, later afternoon, my friend went to buy our two sons a bagel and creamcheese. After placing his order -- i'm pretty sure he waited in a long, slow-moving line -- they took the order and put it into the kitchen. (This is about when I arrived, wondering what was taking to long.) Put it into the kitchen? A bagel and cream cheese! Huh. Grab a knife, cut the bagel sideways and maybe crossways, put some cream cheese on it or in a plastic container. end of story. customer served. Next! No...about 15 minutes later, we inquired about the bagel, only to be told, there were two orders ahead of it. Huh? So we stood there, with no one else in line, and the counter staff doing make work (because it was late in the afternoon and the line had run down) waiting interminably. I blame both management/ownership and the counterstaff. Are they not empowered to fill a simple order? To put on a pair of plastic disposable gloves, cut a bagel and wrap it in waxed paper? Must everything go back through the kitchen? This episode basically ruined our afternoon as we had to sit in one of the winery tasting rooms waiting for our fourth adult to figure out what wine to order. (Okay...you say...not much of an inconvenience, but what we were doing is not the point.) The point is this over-rated, over-priced place -- the bagel was the chewiest excuse for a bagel i've ever had the displeasure of tasting -- has long lines not because it's good but because it doesn't understand how to execute simple orders. Lame. I will go out of my way to say bad things about the place and patronize other bakeries and purveyors of baked goods.

    (1)

  • Katrina V.

    A really good selection of pastries, and some delicious lunch and breakfast items (Bagel w/ poached eggs & salmon; grilled ham & gruyere sandwich). There is an awkward half-hour at some point in the late morning when the breakfast menu becomes unavailable but the lunch menu isn't available yet. You can still get stuff like bagels or pastries, but neither eggs nor sandwiches. If you're prepared to hang out and enjoy your coffee while you wait, it ain't bad. Downer: Apparently a real bummer to work there (according to some disgruntled ex-employs). A little costly, and not sure about the quality of their ingredients.

    (4)

  • gibronandsahar K.

    One of my best memories of Santa Cruz is Kelly's Bakery. Espresso's are just lovely but don't get them in the glass cup because the milk starts to smell a little weird. Beet salad, seriously amazing. Tuna sandwich, also very good. Gorgonzola cheese + fuji apple pannini, another unique and delicious dish. Their sandwiches are served with tiny pickles and delicious olives which is always nice surprise. They have some of the best specials around- and they keep it interesting by changing their specials every day of the month but they also have a regular menu to choose from for those of you who do not appreciate change as much. I wish they had more vegetarian options but what they do offer for veggies has never been a let down. The lines are usually very long out the door so make sure you sit next to their little black furnace in the corner so you can stay warm while you enjoy your delicious meal. The atmosphere of the Kelly's Bakery is very welcoming unlike your typical cafe or bakery in Santa Cruz and the people who work there are also very nice. 4/5 stars :)

    (4)

  • Florence D.

    Yum Yum in my tum=Kelly's theme song. I started coming here 5 years ago when I was a wee freshman and my parents wanted to visit me and take me out to lunch...yes! A good reason for the parents to come indeed... The loaves of bread at Kelly's are so delicious and fresh, and they will slice it for you upon request. And don't pretend like you aren't going to get something sweet and delicious with your meal...that's like the whole point of coming here. The apple slippers are one of my favorites here. The tortilla soup is also mighty fine, and just about any of the pressed sandwiches are wonderful! The large open patio is a great spot to relax after a nice bike ride along the coast and enjoy some good food. And ok yeah, there is usually a line but I love it- I am so indecisive that it gives me just the right amount of time to change my mind 42109521 times before I have to order.

    (5)

  • Linda L.

    Cute area to hang out. There are patio chairs outside to enjoy the wonderful santa cruz weather + beach breeze. (also means, you can bring your dog while you eat!) Desserts and pastries are quite delicious, no complaints especially being deprived of all baked goods. But, this bakery isn't very "french" as i recall, most of the desserts seem of non french origin. I was hoping for more mousse and other awesome french dessert, possible creme brulee? Sandwiches are really nice here too.

    (3)

  • Sue C.

    When I want to splurge I stop by here for Buche de Noel or Strawberry Anglaise almond roll. For a light breakfast in the morning their Sunshine bowl or poached eggs on wheat toast are the perfect start to the day.

    (5)

  • Mary B.

    While my son has been attending UCSC, Kelly's became a favorite of his. Since he introduced me, I would not dream of going to Santa Cruz without having at least one meal there. Warm and inviting, I am sure going to miss it when my son graduates in June. Thank you Kelly for making every visit to Santa Cruz simply delicious.

    (5)

  • Ulysses R.

    I was actually glad I came here because I figured out macarons are not right for me aha. My friend loved them, but they weren't for me. For a French bakery, the price was actually not that bad! I would definitely come for the other bakery goods :)

    (5)

  • Lily L.

    What a cute little find in Santa Cruz! I loved the assortment of random baked goods! I walked out with a fresh loaf of crusty sourdough bread and 3 macaroons - caramel, mocha, and lemon. Indoor/outdoor seating area. I will come back next time for a sandwich or their chicken pot pie depending on my mood! Also heard their cinnamon bread or loaf is worth trying as well.

    (4)

  • J R.

    Love the pastries. I'm more neutral on some of their other food. Gf & I split two dishes last time--an Egg Salad Sandwich and a Veggie ("Garden") Burger with Fries. First the good: The fries were great--some the best around, IMHO. The egg salad sandwich, in spite of being nicely garnished with pickled onions & having some nice cornichons (tiny dill pickles) & very small olives on the side, wasn't anything amazing (once again, this is only *my* opinion). Same with the veggie burger--while it was obviously homemade & had a nice texture & seemingly good ingredients (including Gruyere cheese--$1 extra)--it didn't really pop with flavor. Both sandwiches were shmeared with mayonnaise--totally unnecessary, and in our case, unwelcome. The pastries, on the other hand, are top notch. We got an apple tartlet and an ollallieberry macaron (not to be confused with macaroon). Both were quite good. This was our first macaron ever, and we plan to buy more. Kelly's has quite a variety, including peppermint, pistachio, and various fruit flavors. Check them out! I must try the ice cream some time (their flavors include things like Pecan Pie!) The place might be considered a wee bit on the pricy side (cost to value ratio). A note or two about the long lines & the overall atmosphere, plus "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Cash Register." We were there mid-afternoon on a Sunday, and most of the time we were there the line reached all the way to the door (and often further). I'd recommend not sitting near the counter or cash register (or the heater in the other back corner-why do they need a big honkin' heat source when it's the middle of summer?). It's not a real big place, so unless you want to be constantly in the middle of everyone's business/transactions, dodging bratty kids (who have every right to be there--it IS a bakery!) and bulky & equally rude adults, you're better off trying to get a seat across the room (or outside). Otherwise, "peace & quiet" will NOT likely be a part of your experience. And you're putting your life on the line if hungry or thirsty customers ask to get ahead of you in line. One woman asked us if she could go ahead of us, since she was just getting a cup of iced tea to go. We weren't in a huge hurry, so we agreed to let her. Next thing we know, the woman behind us starts bitching to her companion about the rudeness of people walking in & cutting in line. A short time later she begins lecturing us on how unfair it was (god forbid someone should stall her life by 30 seconds), how all she was getting was a couple cups of coffee, how she has a bad knee--she proceeds to roll up her skirt and show us her leg! In the time she spent kvetching she could have enjoyed her companion's company, but no, she had an axe to grind. Fortunately, our box of pastries arrived just in time and we escaped.

    (4)

  • Helen H.

    I came here for dessert. The hazelnut macaroon was way too sweet for my taste. I barely finished half! The strawberry shortcake was decent, except the strawberry used as garnish was not fresh. The cake was light and not too sweet and you get a decent amount of fresh strawberries inside.

    (3)

  • J F.

    I really love these kind of converted warehouse spaces and for breakfast or brunch it's just outstanding at Kelly's. In the summer sitting out on the patio is a local hangout so go early if you want to sit down. Taste a little wine at the nearby tasting rooms and come back for lunch!

    (5)

  • Allie L.

    My family of four ate here one Sunday at 1:30pm. The place was crowded, but a majority of them ordered baked goods for take away. We made the mistake of ordering real food (hamburger and 3 sandwiches). We waited and waited, but after 30 minutes I asked the server why it was taking so long for our food to arrive and she said she'd check. She said our order was next and sometimes the kitchen gets backed up cooking the bar orders. What bar? I guess there is a bar on the other side? 15 minutes later the food arrived. Our hamburger was cold, but the sandwiches were warm. We would have taken the burger back, but my daughter was hungry and she didn't want to wait another 30 minutes for them to warm it up. We were so disappointed with the service that we will not return. I would have given 3 stars, but the service and cold hamburger dropped my rating to 2 stars. Skip this place if you're hungry and cannot wait 45 minutes for a sandwich or burger. It's just not worth the wait.

    (2)

  • Sherri C.

    Ollalieberry scones and chocolate almond buns. Yum! The bread is delicious, too. Try the sausage sandwich special which comes on wonderful sourdough. Kelly's French Bakery also makes homemade soups and excellent breakfasts -- perfect for those post-crisp-morning runs (or bike rides or wave rides or yoga sessions depending on how you like to 'Cruz...) Hubby says the lox bagel is one of the best he's ever had, and we've had more than our share of bagels and lox all over the country. Although the location (inside a nicely redone courtyard) is fantastic and fantastically nearby, we just can't eat here everyday. There's no such thing as a diet at Kelly's, unless you call it the "eating rich, high quality food with unabashed pleasure" diet. Also, the courtyard is very dog-friendly and you're bound to see happy, laid-back pooches lounging at their owner's feet here.

    (4)

  • Jeani S.

    Love this place! Always a treat when I go through Santa Cruz. Ham and cheese quiche one of my favs!

    (5)

  • angeline b.

    One of the best macaroons I have ever had!!!! ( and I have had a lot). They are great in size and amazing price wise!

    (5)

  • James R.

    Literally, I've never had a bad meal at Kelly's. The specials are always killer and the pastries are delicious.

    (5)

  • Kristal C.

    It is cute and there are so many choices. I go to the bakery because I love the sour cheddar bread. The bakery is located in a small community, which has other businesses around it. There is bicycle parking near the bakery. Unfortunately, it is not close to downtown Santa Cruz. So, driving or bicycling is the most convenient.

    (4)

  • Weibin Z.

    As a surprise to my girlfriend, I bought her some macaroons from this place during my lunch break at work(I also had to make it up to her because she was mad at me the day before). During lunch time, the place has a good amount of people, but I've been here in the morning during breakfast time and it is incredibly packed! Aside from the affordable prices of the macaroons($1.95 each), the bakery also sells sandwiches, omelettes, espresso drinks, and pretty much everything you need to feel like you're at a picnic. The outside tables are clean and the air around the area is very refreshing. The only reason this place does not get 5 stars is because of a personal experience that had me a bit annoyed. They put my macaroons in a bag instead of a box!! When they finally noticed, they switched it back to the box and broke 3 of the macaroons. Sometimes I wish the workers were a bit more careful, but all in all, great bakery!

    (4)

  • Joan P.

    We went for lunch on Friday and enjoyed our lunch so much that we brought our friend back for lunch on Saturday. The BLT on a francese roll and salad is huge and delicious. It was perfect to split. The chocolate macaron and the lemon macaron were crunchy and very good. I did think the chocolate macaron was a tad sweet though but I like bittersweet chocolate. On Saturday it was packed with a long line out the door. But once we ordered it didn't take too long and there was plenty of outdoor seating. So we love this bakery and even bought some francese rolls to go. This is one of my favorite places in Santa Cruz!

    (5)

  • Katrina T.

    Super adorabs! My fellow yelper friend suggested this place to me! I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed being here! I love bakeries in San Jose especially Sugar, Butter, Flour where they offer high quality cakes and other desserts. Thinking about San Jose and finding a bakery quite like that here in Santa Cruz, I thought was going to be really difficult. I really like the location first of all. The plaza looked like green houses/shacks but don't worry they didn't look janky, it was a cool feel to it. When I first got there, the line was going out the door, it was so packed! Seeing how packed it was made me feel better because this place probably IS good! I had a hard time decided what I wanted. There were so many sweets to look at! I wanted to get everything. When it finally got to my turn, I ordered my lunch under pressure, the Ham and Gruyere Sandwich with a chocolate chip cookie and a chocolate macroon on the side. The Ham and Gruyere sandwich is a simple pressed sandwich with barely anything in it. They give you mustard on the side and honestly, thats all you need. Its simplicity has so much flavor in it, it reminds me of La Baguette sandwiches in Stanford Mall. I definitely ate that sandwich super quick! Topping that off with their freshly baked cookie was so delicious. I saved my chocolate macroon for later, and when I eventually got to eat it, WOW. It was so fluffy and chocolatey....so perfect :) They have a lot of options to choose from, they even have tacos! Random. The negative thing is that the bakery gets super tight and its hard to move around without bumping into anyone. Besides that the customer service is awesome. Everyone was super friendly and kind especially on yesterday's gloomy rainy day!

    (4)

  • Kelly L.

    Meh. I was actually hyped up to come here because of the good reviews and what I hear from people. I came here after my final to grab some breakfast for my BF and I. I mean the shop is cute and all but not much selections in my opinion and super over priced. The macarons are big but in my opinion, had too much food dye to the point where they don't look pastel but more neon. After walking back and forth a bit I finally decided on what to get. I ordered the AJ and the Van Joe, both breakfast croissants but one with bacon and the other ham. The menu doesn't say the price but I wasn't expecting more than $6 per each. I was dead wrong, total came out to be almost $17 bucks. ='[ Being a broke college student, I was saddened. Okay, for that price, you expect something orgasmic. I was dead wrong again...it was mediocre, it consists mostly of eggs on a small croissant and like very little meat. The bacon one was better than the ham one. The ham one tasted bland as if the ham was soaked in water. YUCK. I probably won't be coming back here. The price and taste just doesn't match up and I don't think its worth experimenting again and have my wallet shrink more. Next time I will go somewhere else for breakfast.

    (2)

  • Kira M.

    Polenta and eggs is always a winner! I love everything here, from the baked goods to fish tacos, you CANNOT go wrong with anything you order. Friendly staff, amazing fresh breads, great outdoor patio area, quality espresso, one of my most frequented spots in SC.

    (5)

  • Allan H.

    This is must do in Santa Cruz. They have all sorts of different pastries (French related) and yes... they have those god damn macarons. They're quite good and cheap there too. $1.50 The pastries are to die for. ganache cake that I can't even explain( all I know you'll be hitting the gym after those cakes) The food is good. I had an open face salmon sandwich, which was excellent. It was combined with avacado, with a hint of olive oil and a side salad. It was a unique sandwich, and you can taste the freshness-- it's like they killed the fish that morning. I definitely think you should go here.

    (5)

  • Ashley L.

    There is only one thing on their menu that is vegan friendly, which was a veggie burger. I understand it's a traditional bakery, but you're on the WEST SIDE of Santa Cruz where all the chewy granola UCSC kids are. I didn't get it. Not even any gluten free options. They only get 2 stars because it's nice to sit out on their patio. Other than that, for people like me, it's sad that I can't enjoy anything on their menu.

    (2)

  • Alison T.

    Nice large patio area lets you bring your dog. There are gas heater when the sun goes away. Had the Portabella mushroom sandwich, nice flavors, although not evenly distributed. Lots of garlic! Husband had the sausage sandwich ... Wasn't too impressed. Was 'ok'. you can get half fries/salad with your sandwich. My salad was lightly dressed, husband's had dressing in the side, which wasn't requested. Cappuccino was good, nice thick cap. Long wait to place an order, but relatively short wait for the food to be served. Bought a couple of muffins for breakfast tomorrow.

    (4)

  • Stephanie W.

    OH MY GOSH! Someone take me back tomorrow! Realistically, I would give Kelly's French Bakery at 4.5, but only because the price is a little steep for my college wallet. This place is awesome. Though at first, I thought Kelly's was just a pastry and coffee kind of place...BOY WAS I WRONG. They do lunch - cute French bistro like lunch. - All they need is the Eiffel Tower and kids fighting with baguettes. The boyfriend ordered the Nicqoise Salad - mixed greens with seared ahi tuna and some potatoes. It looked delicious, and was delicious from the tastes I snuck in. I ordered the Fish Tacos, and surprisingly enjoyed it. The fish tacos were a little different than the ones I am used to it at Taquieras, but I enjoyed the ones from Kelly's. The difference is that they use fish&chip - like fish. They have been fried? (I think). Still delicious none the less. Again, like previously stated this place serves delicious food, but is a little on the pricey side.

    (5)

  • Seung Hyun Y.

    COME TRY THE ONLY DESSERT PLACE IN SANTA CRUZ!!!! Slightly overpriced, but who cares. If you are a fan of CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES, MACAROONS, TARTS & MOUSSE; this is the place for you! For the local broke @$$ college student, save your pennies or put together some of that financial aid money with your friends and make a trip to this place! Came here with my girly to check it out. She's been mad about this place ever since her friend introduced her to this place. What can I say? Women love DESSERT! RIGHT?! We tried the Peppermint, Lemon, Ollaberry and Raspberry macaroons. Macaroons have a blended fruit and whip cream filling in between, light and fluffy. They were also scrumptious all the down to the last bite! Next time, I will try the Mini Chocolate truffle cake! It'll probably be my next meal!

    (4)

  • Bradley N.

    Locals flock here for the food and baked goods. We just came for the coffee, but we enjoyed the show. Sometimes, when you are visiting a town like Santa Cruz, you want to feel like part of the crowd, not a day-tripping tourist. Kelly's French Bakery seemed to have room for both. It's located in a converted warehouse district with numerous tasting rooms and cute shops, but it's also a neighborhood hang-out where folks stopped in on a weekend to get some deserts, grab a loaf of bread, sit on the patio, and generally have a relaxing time. There is a pretty full menu for breakfast, lunch, or light dinners in addition to a gleaming display case full of cookies, tarts, pies, and fancy-looking dishes that were very pretty to look at. We ordered simply: an espresso machiato and a soy latte. Both were above average and well presented. Like the Peet's drip coffee they also serve, our drinks were satisfying without entering the coffee stratosphere. But that's not what we were expecting, really. We just wanted an afternoon buzz and a place to sit down, catch our breath, and enjoy the coming and going of customers. One patron, clad in mountain biking gear, grabbed two brownies to go and downed them outside before pedaling off to his next adventure. On the table across from us, a man sipped tea while reading the local paper, while parents and children stopped in for treats to go. The amount of food traffic in the 45 minutes we stayed here to sip and socialize was impressive. This is obviously a popular place. And we could see why. These are 3 solid stars, to which we might add another on a second visit.

    (3)

  • Zerrilyn P.

    Came here before heading back home to San Jose. I'm so glad my bf and I decided to come here... The place is small, but it does have outdoor seating--it's clean inside, very welcoming, and classy. The food...omg the food...I've never seen food look so...PERFECT(i.e.-spinach quiche,lattice applie pie,mousse cakes)...I mean really, they all looked so flawless, almost too good to eat...something you would see in a Food Mag or something haha... As much as I wanted to take one of everything home with me, my main goal was to take home a box of french macaroons....which I did... -I chose: -ollalieberry--I have no clue how it's spelled, but yes this is what i got--the best out of all 5 that i bought -chocolate--bf's choice -pistachio--delish,but I've had better at cocola's -caramel--this too was good--too sweet though given that the cookie itself is already sweet enough--caramel filling made it that much sweeter -coffee--not a fan of coffee flavored food, but I got this for mom... It's $1.75/macaroon...again, ridiculous pricing...but I'm satisfied with I got to take home with me :)

    (4)

  • James B.

    Although the sandwiches were good once we got them it was the service that soured our experience. One of the bussers was throwing chairs around in order to clean up right by our table and barely wiping off other tables. I went inside to see what was taking so long with the order and saw our plates sitting on the shelf. It was our first time going to Kelly's , perhaps our last.

    (2)

  • Jeffrey R.

    Wonderful! Very cute setting, perfect for enjoying a cup of coffee and some outstanding baked goods. We tried several different desserts. The bûche de Noël was wonderful, delicious chocolate cake. The real winner was the macarons. I tried several: Pistachio, blueberry and mocha - all superb. Unique were the pumpkin and the lemon - which tasted like mini pumpkin and lemon pies. SUPERB! Superb! Among the best macarons I have ever had. Must see if you are in Santa Cruz.

    (5)

  • Opinionated B.

    This place is dangerous! Way too many incredible desserts. The specials are yummy and I'm always excited to go to lunch here. They have a fabulous outdoor courtyard and it's dog friendly! This week I had the crab cake sandwich with coleslaw, fresh lemonade, and a strawberry rhubarb tartlet. All very yummy! Kelly's you are my new lunch favorite!!!

    (5)

  • Shari V.

    The yummiest food ever. I love their fries, salad, and truffles. The lamb burger was good according to husband. Child reports the grilled cheese sandwich was good. I thought the garden burger was a-ok. I would like ice for the water but that's picky. Their German chocolate bombe is the bomb!

    (5)

  • Jamie C.

    We chose this place based on the fact that it was dog friendly. They have a big open patio area with lots of tables. Our party ordered the portobello mushroom sandwich, regular hamburger, breaded chicken sandwich, &roasted eggplant sandwich. The service was super slow, we probably waited for our food for about 45mins. We asked the waiter how much more time when it was probably around 30minutes of waiting only to have her come back &say oh they probably already placed your order since your receipt is on the top... still no food. When the food finally arrived the regular hamburger and fries was cold! Everything else was average. And at the end of your meal you have to bust your own dishes; separate the dishes from the garbage in a very small shack in the middle of the patio. Not coming back.

    (2)

  • Ania M.

    My review mostly agrees with other reviews here: decent food, poor service. Unfortunately, the service ensures I will not be back. With my three year old at my side, I ordered a cup of warm milk. His first sip had him screaming. I tried it, being careful to take only a tiny sip, and burned my tongue on the scalding hot liquid. A day later, he's still complaining that it hurts. Giving scalding liquid to a child on a slow day shows they're really not paying attention. They also gave me the wrong quiche, but when we sliced in and found ham instead of spinach, they exchanged it for the vegetarian quiche I'd ordered. The New Leaf market on the same block will be my choice in the future. The pastries are definitely better than what you'd get at most grocery stores. The macaroons are good, as were to ollalieberry tarts. However, the quiche was not as good as what we get at Whole Foods and at Deuce France in Palo Alto, with a less flaky crust and less flavorful filling. If you're doing a tour of Monterey Bay, keep going to Patisserie Bechler in Pacific Grove. Kelly's has a nice courtyard to for eat-in orders, but I didn't see a wifi signal on my phone.

    (2)

  • Steven L.

    Yum! Lamb stew was delicious.

    (5)

  • Kay G.

    Dont get me wrong the food is good. the pastries are really good. but i have to say. it did take over 20 mins to make a grilled ham and cheese and tuna sandwich and a salad and no one was in there at all. Then i asked about our food after waiting 15 mins. it still took another 10 mins then the girl gave the food to us she asked if i need a fork and knife and i said thanks and then she said thank you really snobby and after walking out of the door then employees start to talk bad about me and my mom. before the door was closed.

    (2)

  • Sherry K.

    My review is based on tasting: -chocolate croissant -walnut tartlette -fig bar -apple gorgonzola sandwich -mini quiche -kale salad (no, I didn't eat them all at one sitting :p) The fig bar and tartlette were very good - croissant was solid (though I am spoiled and compare all croissants to Tartine's, and that just may be unfair). The kale salad was the only item that needed some help - it was on the bland side and needed some oomph. They have a very large menu to choose from - brekky burritos, burgers, etc...I would certainly go back when I'm in the area.

    (4)

  • Noelle J.

    The World According to Noelle Allergic Girl's Guide to Life My three favorite items at Kelly's French Bakery: --------------------------------------------------­--------------- Vanilla Crimpy (vanilla pound cake filled with lightly sweetened custard) Morning Bun (made of croissant dough formed into a bun with cinnamon and sugar- so delicious) Eclair (best pate a choux pastry, filled with vanilla custard and topped with chocolate) We came here last weekend and the parking lot was full. We were lucky and scored a parking spot (thanks to the parking lot gods). The bakery was full of patrons waiting to place their orders. We waited and finally placed our order. They forgot our order. We sat there for five minutes. Our order was- 2 Vanilla Crimpys and 1 Eclair (meaning those items were ready to go because they were already made). They apologized and gave us some cream cheese tart (which was disgusting and tasted old). Our Vanilla Crimpy and Eclair tasted delish. Customer service is okay. Assortment of bakery items is good. If you have a tree nut allergy be aware that some of their items contain nuts. My favorite French Bakery is still Fleur de Cocoa in LG and my overall favorite bakery is Gayle's in Capitola. Noelle's Notes Cute little bakery in the SC near Natural Bridges

    (3)

  • Bryan C.

    Santa Cruz most have a terrible food scene for the line at this place to be this long. It might have been this long due to bad service as the person at the cash register did not seem to know what they had or how to even enter in one of the dishes we ordered. My grilled cheese and ham which cost 8 dollars came out barely warm and starting to congeal cheese as either it was cooked long ago or was slapped on already toasted toast so did not have time to really melt. I wish I had eaten at one of the greasy places on the boardwalk as atleast there get a view of the beach and ocean.

    (1)

  • Lou R.

    Ewwwwwww Worns in the Salad. When I showed the manager the disgusting green worm Nestled in my Parisian salad he said, "oh yeah, we get those" He then continued that the Worns come from their salad supplier and seemed pretty unconcerned about it. So if worms in your salad is your thing, eat here. Based on the managers attitude they should be plenty for all. Yuck. Never going back.

    (1)

  • Kelly C.

    While house-sitting this week for some friends in Santa Cruz, I ate here twice for breakfast, and I LOVE this place. The staff is very friendly and the food is fantastic. Try the poached eggs on steamed polenta, it is delicious! It's worth ordering a side of potatoes too, which is almost too much to eat, but the potatoes are spiced and cooked perfectly.

    (5)

  • Karen S.

    Stop here in your happy, post-Santa Cruz Brewing company daze. After a very 'strenuous' afternoon sampling beer, we wandered over to this bakery and we were greeted with a long case of beautiful baked goods. I had the beef empanada, an everything bagel, & the gorgonzola (?) pasta. Food was served piping hot and the savory goodness of everything really hit the spot. Finished it off with the perfect macaroon--delicate crispy outer shell and a chewy inside complete with creamy filling.

    (5)

  • Trisha L.

    So the BF and I were heading out to Santa Cruz for a nice walk along West Cliff Drive. I was craving a cupcake and Yelp helped me find Kelly's French Bakery right on Swift, the road we were heading down. What a find! The area looks like a converted industrial space turned into various shops. Kelly's had a line out the door and we ended up deciding to stay for lunch before our walk. EVERYTHING looked absolutely amazing! I had the red pepper soup special and half avocado cheese sandwich. Both were very tasty! The BF had the grilled cheese and seemed to enjoy it. My peppermint macaroon was very tasty as well. The place is adorable, bright and airy. I wanted to try everything on the menu and in the display case. Kelly's is definitely a place I will return to when in the Santa Cruz area!

    (4)

  • Tanja F.

    This is my go-to spot when I want to eat light and healthy. No, I'm not talking their pastries but rather their sandwiches. The bread is fresh, the ingredients are quality, okay the size isn't huge but it is enough to fill me up and not feel gross after eating there. My favorite is the avocado and cheese and my husband loves the ham and gruyere grilled cheese. This is a great place to get a fast meal without the fast food aftermath feeling. Next time I'm going to have to get a half sandwich so I have room to try dessert! The location is great and it's got wonderful outdoor dining.

    (4)

  • Christine L.

    A little local's secret I heard? My friends and I have been going to Kelly's since we heard about it our sophomore year. I'm a sucker for some macaroons and this place definitely delivers! Every time I come in, they've got new flavors and I almost never get the same thing.. That doesn't happen very often. All of their pastries are beautifully made (sometimes I think they're too beautiful to be eaten) and reasonably priced! As long as I'm in Santa Cruz, Kelly's will definitely be a favorite!

    (4)

  • Jennifer S.

    super cute bakery nestled in santa cruz downtown perfect pit stop for grabbing a bite to eat before or after a hike. tip: they serve santa cruz brewery beer and outdoor seating if you have dogs!

    (3)

  • Juanita M.

    One of our favorite places to grab a loaf and coffee, Peet's, and a goodie, and head on down Swift St to West Cliff Drive and watch the ocean. We often see whales, otters and dolphin. All a great treat, starting at Kelly's!

    (5)

  • Sarah Y.

    Good food, friendly service, and DELICIOUS desserts. This is a must-try in the Santa Cruz area!

    (4)

  • Shannon N.

    4 stars on macarons alone - $1.25 each. They've got a good variety of flavors, and the macarons are nicely sized for the price. I got the very local ollalieberry, a chocolate, and a raspberry. Ollalieberry was tasty, but the seeds in the filling really got to me. Oddly, the seeds in the raspberry didn't bother me as much. However, the chocolate is the way to go here. Amazing. Great filling, perfect macaron shells... this is my go-to sweet in Santa Cruz now!

    (4)

  • Laura H.

    I love their awesome location, their tasty pastries, and their wonderful bread. I do NOT love their service. I came in with my parents and sister and we ordered tiramisu, a cinnamon roll, a quiche, and a loaf of bread I spotted and was dying to turn into french toast. The girl behind the counter was very friendly and asked if I wanted the loaf whole or sliced. I asked for the bread whole because I would be thick-cutting it myself for french toast. When the bread was given to me by another girl a few minutes later, it was sliced. I said, "oh! I wanted it whole." From the way she reacted, you would have thought I had just insulted her mama, because she seemed completely insulted that she had just spent a whole minute putting that bread through the slicer. She went back to their receipt stack on the counter and said, "It says on the receipt that you wanted it sliced," and I said, "Well that must have been a mistake because I want it whole." She rolled her eyes and reluctantly handed me a whole loaf. Kelly's, save the irritated girl at the counter, is lovely. Do your thang, Kelly's, because I'll still come back and drool at your offerings even if you could afford to undergo some sensitivity training.

    (3)

  • Jean B.

    Stopped by near noon on a Sunday and the small space was hopping! Very limited seating inside but lots of room on the expansive & pleasant patio. Daily special BLT on their fresh whole wheat bread featured perfectly ripe heirloom tomato, deliciously chewy smoky bacon and crisp romaine, next to a lightly dressed mixed greens salad. Utterly simple and wonderful. Hubby had a grilled ham & Gruyere sandwich that must've been good because he INHALED it. We left w/2 loaves of their inimitable 4 Seed Compagnon bread (best toast imaginable), and we'll be back to try some of their beautiful pastries and macarons. Don't tell anyone, let's keep this SC gem to ourselves, OK?

    (5)

  • Chelsy W.

    This is one of the FINEST bakeries/food/coffee/AWESOME!! Best in SC. Cool area! GO!! all little shops and taverns

    (5)

  • Didem I.

    Scrambled egg sandwich (comes with bacon and gruyere) was very good. I also loved the buche de noel. Ah and they have a very nice garden with flowers and peach trees.

    (5)

  • Amy L.

    Very fine baked good at a somewhat relative price range. It's a great place to have a cup of coffee and chit chat.

    (4)

  • F. M.

    First thing to get off my chest: Kelly's is a bit overpriced!!!! There, now that's done... it's a nice, cute bakery with lots of cute tiny pastries. Nice little outdoor area to lounge. I went on a Friday night and the place was surprisingly empty. I ordered 3 french macarons (for $5.55, yep, for 3 macarons). Honestly? It was too sweet and I think it's been sitting out for a while. Not sure if I'll be back.

    (3)

  • Ryan G.

    Super delicious breakfast, lunch, pastries, and coffee. Pleasant courtyard seating area, as well as, indoor seating. Breakfast served until noon. Always a line and the credit/ATM machine is frequently down. So, bring cash. The awesome food is totally worth these small inconveniences. Try Kelly's! You'll love it!

    (5)

  • Nora L.

    I was very impressed by the quality of food at Kelly's this Sunday morning. It was quite busy, and there was a little bit of a wait, but overall everything was run very well. I tried 4 different kinds of Parisian Macarons and had their minestrone soup, and my boyfriend had a vanilla latte. All items were delicious. The macarons were baked to perfection with very nice flavor balance. I tried the raspberry, olallieberry, mocha, and chocolate. I loved the raspberry because of its lighty sweet filling of whipped cream and fresh raspberries. The olallieberry was also very good with a caramel-like berry filling. The mocha was lovely as well which a rich mocha cookie and a creamy coffee flavored filling. Lastly, the chocolate was my least favorite because it had a strong orange filling, which is I was unaware of at the time of purchase ($1.75 each) The minestrone soup was chock full of vegetables and hearty-herby goodness. And it came with not one but TWO different bread accompaniments. One was garlic bread like, slice of chewy french bread seasoned with some cheese on top and the other was a dreamy, buttery, cheesey roll that I have never had before, but I LOVED it. For $4.50, it was a deal! Also, my bf loved his latte because of the beautiful design in the foam and the rich flavor. I can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Jenna H.

    Definitely NOT somewhere where your average poor college student should be frequenting on a regular basis, but I LOVE to treat myself to Kelly's pastries when I'm down or in the mood to splurge. Their prices are a little overpriced, but you're paying for the ambiance and the quality. I've never had a macaroon until I've tried Kelly's, and I have to say they got me hooked!! Some that I've tried include: Peppermint (choco ganache filling) Lemon (strong lemon tart filling)--definitely recommend for lemon lovers! Coconut (Subtly vanilla-like filling)-- my fav Raspberry (Whip cream and fresh raspberry fruit filling) Ollaberrie (Some kind of fruit filling, reminded me of boysenberry) $1.75/each so choose wisely... Other pastries I've tried: Mini Chocolate Truffle Cake ($5)-- it's rich, dense, and chocolatey . Need I say more? Something worth sharing with someone, or you can save the other half for later. It will definitely satisfy your chocolate fix. Strawberry Rhubarb Tarlette ($3.5) --My FAVORITE. I almost always get one when I come here. So good!!! Their sandwiches are good, but again a bit overpriced for their portions. 4 stars because there's usually a line out the door and student (wallet) unfriendly.

    (4)

  • Sally H.

    This place is a little over priced but it's worth it with the cute ambiance. It actually feels like I'm in a French bakery sometimes and you can bring your dogs and sit outside to eat. It's especially nice when it's sunny outside. They also have umbrellas if you don't like the sun all up in your face. PROS: SO MANY desserts from macaroons to eclaires to cheesecakes. Their sandwiches are absolutely delicious and so are their fish and chips. CONS: Overpriced. One glass of lemonade is about $3 and the average price of the sandwich is $7 and they're not that big either. Their fish and chips is about $10.

    (4)

  • Ali K.

    Great little bakery with awesome tarts, and other pastries. Peets coffee is served. Very cute place

    (5)

  • Paul W.

    Very nice venue. Very good food. Physical layout with only one cashier position for a very popular restaurant is frustrating and deters casual visits. However, the problem that really keeps me from being more than an occasional customer is the management's continued refusal to put prices on the printed menu of daily specials. It is posted at the door of the restaurant, and sits adjacent to the cashier. I can't help it-my reaction to any business that will not post the price of an item is that they know they are charging over a reasonable price and hope to "rope in" orders from customers uncomfortable with being forced to ask. Why anyone, much less Kelly's, would be so arrogant or manipulative or clueless, is unfathomable. The effect is the same-substantially less business from a customer who lives just a couple of blocks away.

    (3)

  • Sheila S.

    Update on my previous write Up: I love the roasted chicken. Tasty/ crunchy. A very high 4. The pastries: My foodie friend from Berkeley swears by the eclairs, but to me just okay. Bear claw and croissants seemed dry. I tried a layered tropical cheesecake, but it lacked that passionfruit zing. I once rated their pastries a 4.5. Sorry. Baked goods are not so memorable.

    (3)

  • Calee S.

    I am a French bakery connoisseur, and Kelly's did not disappoint. I was just in Santa Cruz for a long weekend, and made it a point to come back twice. The first time I split the fish and chips with a friend, and we both had ice cream for dessert. The fish and chips were good, not amazing, and the tartar sauce (let's be honest, the main reason I order fish and chips), was disappointing. But we all go to bakeries for the sweets, right?? I got salted caramel ice cream, friend got snickerdoodle, and they were both phenomenal. We also got one of each flavor of macarons (don't judge us) to share throughout the weekend. Second trip for for breakfast on the way out of town. Brekkie was definitely a step up from dinner. We got pancakes (which were thinner, more crepe-style, and delicious), and a croissant with egg, gruyere, and bacon (need I say more?) Vanilla lattes were also very good. We both loaded up on treats to take home -- I got a croissant, apple slipper, morning bun, a slice of buche de noel, and more macarons. I've been enjoying these since getting home, and I'm already planning a trip back!

    (4)

  • Sigrid O.

    Love the pastries and the food, but today I've several hours to kill while smogging my vehicle. I was hoping to get some work done and didn't realize that Kelly's doesn't have WiFi until after purchasing breakfast. On - don't forget to tell the staff how you want your eggs cooked if order poached eggs. I don't like MW eggs.

    (3)

  • Pris S.

    If you want a bourgeois atmosphere to have your afternoon lunch break, this is the spot. Eating at Kelly's is you purely paying for the experience to feel incredibly privileged. I'm not saying it's a bad thing because if you can afford it, you should do it. They're dog-friendly. I brought my dog to lunch and it's a social norm there, so it felt like home. The food is good, but not memorable. it is what it is: an expensive experience. and yet, it doesn't stop me coming back to enjoy 2 hour long conversations in. Let's be honest, i'm probably going to come back here.

    (3)

  • Shreya G.

    I give this place a 4.5 (they stop serving breakfast after 12 or something.) Came here with a friend after another friend suggested this place as a good spot for lunch. When we entered the parking lot we didn't really know what to expect since the buildings look so industrial, but once we entered the bakery, we were very surprised to see such a cute little place. Upon walking in, I already knew I was going to like this place. The vibe was nice, and the scene was more upscale. It was nice to get away from the lower-end places that are in the area. Their menu is pretty large for a bakery, and their dessert food counter makes my mouth water. I bought a chocolate macaroon and I have been craving one since I had one at Kelly's. I also ordered their soup of the day and a spinach souffle; both were delicious. This place deserves a great rating, and it's a great place to eat lunch!! I highly recommend this place!

    (5)

  • Caroline H.

    Still new territory, but from what I can tell, they have an awesome high quality pastry selection and a good coffee drink selection. I was watching the barista and he was definitely paying great attention to making each glass a good cup/glass of coffee. They also offer some pre-packaged salads and small dishes like quiche and mini pastas, as well as some breakfast options. There is indoor (limited, cafe-sized availability of tables) and outdoor (more plentiful) seating with a mix of fancy (glass chandeliers) and not so fancy, but nice (small, random frames) French themed decor. The line to select your items/order was out the door almost the entire time I was there (about 30 minutes around 2pm on a Saturday) which seemed to be a good sign of things to come. The bakery is located in a small-ish sized commercial complex with other vendors that include numerous winery store fronts and a yoga place. Prices were on the pricier side. I ordered pain au chocolat which was about $4.. which was bearable. As for the like factor, I'd say it was good but not memorable. I saw slices of buch de noel which were standard sized, and $5 each which definitely seemed over priced. I got a slice of carrot bread which was completely delicious and moist for $3, and was actually decent sized... it was a pretty hearty and thick slice, so I thought that purchase was worth it. I think this was by best purchase. I also ordered a mocha which was huge at 12oz (and it didn't seem like I had a choice to downsize like other drinks were able to on the menu). Pretty tasty, but not super memorable. That drink was around $5. Anyway, you pick your poison. The bakery has various pricing levels for different items, some more appropriate than others. Only minus was the checkout line seemed a little bit unorganized-- wasn't quite sure if I was suppose to wait by the register for my items or sit down. Other people had been given table numbers to take with them so they could sit down and have their food or drinks brought to them, but I didn't get one... So that kind of threw me off. Anyway, definitely looking forward to a return visit when I'm back in town. Definitely not a one-hit wonder on my list of bakeries that I've tested out. I've definitely found a dependable bakery that offers the type of sweets that satisfies my sweet tooth after meals in Santa Cruz-- with a good-sized selection to boot. For that, I am grateful.

    (4)

  • jenn w.

    I know this place is a bakery known for their desserts, but their fries are amazing!!!

    (5)

  • Clementine D.

    The pastries they serve are delicious! I have a slight obsession to sweets and pastries, and a friend who shares the same sweet tooth as I, showed me this place. The main reason we came down here is because their French Macrons, which are the same price as all the other bakeries that sell them for $1.75 a piece, however these babies are a lot larger in size! Which means you are getting more for your buck! Just to name a few of the macrons I remember getting included the Alla-ala berry (my personal fave!), raspberry, pumpkin chocolate, mocha and the pistachio. I enjoyed most of the Macrons, however they did not obtain the same macron-ey texture that I had been used to (a thin smooth crisp at the top and bottom with a chewy center), I was not disappointed but it was a different experience.Their macrons were more thicker, bigger and the consistency of the patties (what I call them because that's what they look like ) were more "bread-like". Other than the macrons, we also ordered the lemon tartes (also yummy!) The only pastry that I was disappointed with was the Pistachio flavored macron because it was just wayy too sweet for my taste (coming from a self-proclaimed sweet tooth, its funny I know). Other than that everything else was still good. I would recommend!

    (4)

  • Artie F.

    I like Kelly's. The food is pricey but good and the outdoor patio has been, until today, very pleasant. Today while I was eating my soup, a landscape guy wearing a back-pack sprayer that had ROUNDUP written all over it started spraying all around the patio right at peak lunch time while the tables were filled with diners. This guy seemed to have maybe spent too much time around toxins as he then got in to a loud conversation with some other diners about what jerks the complex owners were and how bad the previous landscapers were. I could not believe the whole experience. Who wants to be sprayed with poison while they're eating lunch? And who bad mouths their boss while they're doing it? It was creepy...to say the least. Sorry Kelly, I prefer my pastries without the ROUNDUP.

    (1)

  • Deme S.

    I just love Kelly's! Great recipes, innovative presentations, and very friendly staff! Kelly herself is a wonderful business owner. We love eating outside on the patio and sampling different sweets. The cookies are fabulous and the luncheon entrees - especially the specials of the day are sooo tasty. They are now even serving thick milkshakes. Great catering as well!

    (5)

  • Stine H.

    This review is solely for the french macaroons. We came here right before heading over to natural bridges to fly some kites! The area is a bit odd to me, looks like a bunch of factory warehouses of some sort...but here it is, a bakery along with a few other stores. It was late afternoon, and there were a few other patrons hanging around but otherwise it was sort of dead by this time. Macaroons ran for about $1.75? I believe, and they were pretty big. Taste and texture was on point, but you'd might have to leave them out for a bit since they're a little cold/hard from refrigeration. I didn't care and ate it right away. There was only pistachio, chocolate and luckily one raspberry left. I only got pistachio and raspberry. Yum yum!

    (3)

  • Jay-P S.

    Kelly's has been on my bakery "favorite" list since forever - since they were located in a courtyard adjacent to the old Bookshop Santa Cruz location downtown (pre '89 earthquake). All the other Yelpers who have praised the pastries and savories and prepared dinners have said it all very well, and I would always recommend Kelly's as a place to meet friends, enjoy a bite and take in the Santa Cruz Westside vibe. My focus, however, is on customer service. Here's the story: I met a friend for dinner at Kelly's before attending a play up the hill at Shakespeare Santa Cruz. I left my items, (sunglasses, wallet, keys, sweater, phone) on the table as we stepped a few feet away to order (yummy corn poblano chile soup). (Yes, i know that was a bad move leaving items on the table). When I returned to the table, having left the items unattended for 4 or 5 minutes, the phone wasn't there. After looking around, retracing my steps to my car, searching the car, with a sinking feeling growing, no phone appeared. The staff were so kind when i asked for assistance! One of the counter team let me use her own phone to call husband who could trace the phone and could also call the wireless provider to deactivate the account. Our meals were served, we ate dinner, and some time later another counter person let me know they were reviewing their security footage to see what happened at the table. The manager or proprietor came separately to let me know that the video didn't show anything being removed by anyone. What the what? Embarassing, but also such responsive service (beyond anything i expected) from the Kelly's team. A few minutes yet another staff member came by the table, asking if my husband's name was **** and if i was the person with the lost phone ---- because my hubs had called the restaurant. Long story ending, the phone was in an odd unseen spot in my car. Mystery solved (and the find my iPhone app for the ipad is great). Kudos, thanks and love to the Kelly's staff who were kind, persistent and helpful in the extreme. Way to run a business.

    (5)

  • Andrea A.

    I looooooooooove Kelly's! It's hands-down my favorite place to get French pastries and delicious freshly baked bread in SC. While the pastries can be on the pricier side, you're paying for a carefully made confection that is beautiful and delicious. If you want a cheap box of corn syrup-y pastries with grainy buttercream, you can go down the street to Safeway. But for those looking for adorable eclairs, tartlets, petits fours, and other specialties, Kelly's is definitely the place to go. I was lucky enough to live with a girl who worked here, and she would always bring home amazing bread, cinnamon rolls, and pies. The apple pie is PERFECT. ahhhhhhhhhhhh! Nothing but love for this place. I would be so down to work here if it didn't mean getting up at the crack of dawn. :P

    (5)

  • b. R. c.

    The Apple Cinnamon Scone is absolutely the best thing I have ever eaten in my entire life. As of this writing, I can only say that I am sure they have them on Tuesdays. The scones are on some kind of secret rotation. Tuesday. Be here.

    (5)

  • Cindy C.

    I"m really glad i dont live to close to this place because i could really be packin on the pounds its soooooo yummy. whenever im in the area i just have to stop in and get a sweet treat

    (4)

  • Victoria L.

    MMM. I love french food and their desserts. Came here one bright Saturday for some Brunch. I had the Apple with Gorgonzola which was delightful. Got a seat outside and enjoyed a Latte and a mocha maccaroon which both was delicious. This place was just super cute overall. I got to try the chocolate truffles too and they were probably one of best Ive tried aka to die for!!! There was a line, but I didn't mind, since we all knew the food here was awesome. I would love to come back to try other things on the menu. yay.

    (5)

  • Laurie S.

    We really like this place and always find a place to sit outside so it's never too crowded but it definitely does get full. The mac and cheese is delicious! We also love their Jalapeno bread and by it by the loaf and take it home for sandwhiches. They have some great specials but as far as breakfast goes, their french toast is hands down the best dish they have. If you love french toast, you can't go wrong by ordering that off the menu. We have 2 kids and i usually order one breakfast plate for them to share and have left overs. It's in a cute little industrial area. The staff has always been friendly.

    (5)

  • Glen G.

    I think they are sooo overrated. Their croissants leave everything to be desired. I will stick to home with Paris Bakery in Monterey, Bechlers in Pacific Grove, and Provence Bakery in Prunedale and at Del Monte Center.

    (3)

  • Julie K.

    If I lived in Santa Cruz, I'd want to hang out at Kelly's all the time. The bakery is part of a small collective of shops and wine-tasting rooms a short drive from the coast. What really sets Kelly's apart, though, especially on sunny days, is the outdoor patio. And this is where I'd love to spend my days reading, sipping coffee, and indulging in some wonderful-looking baked goods. When my friend and I arrived for breakfast just before they finished serving at 11 am, I had to stop myself from lingering in front of the mesmerizing pastry display case and instead hurriedly looked at the breakfast menu. There were a few specials listed, and I chose the Van Jo--a croissant with egg, ham, and gruyere--plus a latte. But on the way outside to claim a table, I had to give in to temptation and stopped to ogle the pastries, fruit tarts, danishes, cookies, and cakes--they all looked delicious. We relaxed at a table in the little courtyard and leisurely ate our breakfasts. My croissant was buttery, flaky, and filling--so I didn't really have room for dessert. Next time I'll have to indulge my sweet tooth with some of the eye-catching baked goods. Kelly's also serves lunch, and the daily specials are posted on the website. I noticed there was a fatoush salad scheduled for that day, and I was excited to try their version. Again, though, I was too full! I'll have to plan an entire day in Santa Cruz soon so I can try Kelly's for breakfast and lunch!

    (3)

  • Carol B.

    Overpriced and underwhelmed. Don't be in any sort of a rush. You will be late.

    (2)

  • Felicia T.

    This place makes nice almond paste pastries. My favorite is the bear claw with almond paste and so many poppy seeds. It's a nice place to sit in the early morning and read the local paper.

    (4)

  • Dara R.

    Kelly's is my favorite bakery in Santa Cruz and they're definitely a 5-star for their pastries(macaroons), food, and fresh bread. But the line(ordering process) is just too long and frustrating especially during Sunday brunch, they should improve their ordering mechanism, it's just too slow. they should add another cash register or take orders online or by the phone.

    (3)

  • Paul B.

    There are so many fantastic bakeries here in Santa Cruz to choose from, but this is an old stand by that I have enjoyed for over 20 years. There are certain things about every bakery in Santa Cruz that to me is special. A couple things I like best about Kelly's is their sour dough onion bagels. I have never seen anything like them anywhere else. I love bagels, and this is a nice way to mix up my daily bagel with something less traditional. I also really enjoy their sour dough rolls for when I make French dip sandwiches at home. Each bakery in Santa Cruz seems to have their own version of sour dough, and I like Kelly's because it's a bit more dense and has plenty of that sourdough kick for my tastes. I also really enjoy the sour dough baguettes when making garlic bread or cutting up into chunks to go with my spinach dip for parties. There are lots of delightful looking pastries in the counter too, that I am sure others will write about, but I am much more into the bread. I highly recommend this bakery as having some fantastic ways to do sourdough products.

    (5)

  • Thimetis M.

    Tried the pumpkin chocolate macaroon and the pistachio macaroon and they were amazing! We got to the bakery at a good time because as we left, there was a line outside the door. It's always a good sign when there's a long line to get in. I would definitely recommend this place to others who have a sweet tooth itch.

    (4)

  • Gwen T.

    YUM! For some pleasantly hearty food and delicious pastries this is the place to go! Boy is this place popular. Went on a Monday at lunch time and we were lucky to get a table, and as we dined I watched the line grow. Enjoyed an individual chicken pot pie (the perfect size) and a cup 'o' joe. Both were great! I'll definitely be back here next time I'm in SC!

    (5)

  • Hannah R.

    Such a cute fresh place ! I had a mini cupcake that was a little dry, but had wonderful frosting ! I also tried the banana bread which was AMAZING! Not to sweet, but nice and dense! Definitely stop by if your looking for a good place for sandwiches or a baked goodie!

    (4)

  • Adria C.

    A Little over priced for simple sandwiches and such. The pastries did look lovely, although we did not have any. The sandwiches in the cooler didn't look very appealing and kinda mushy. Glad they made ours fresh since we were eating in. I would choose to eat here again mostly for it's location near the tasting rooms, not because of the great food or value.

    (3)

  • H C.

    Where to start...... First off please note that if you do not like crowds or lines do not attempt to go here on a weekend morning. Second if you are not a dog fan avoid this place all together! There is a ton of dogs outside and while most are nice and well behaved there is always one who needs to take their owner to obedience class. In fact one very untrained couple decided to carry their dog INTO the bakery. I love dogs but not dog hair in my food. I was a bit disturbed by the fact the staff stood around and looked at each other but never said anything. I watched patrons exchanging glances. It was pretty ill mannered and gross. But as usual people have their own set of rules that normal society don't subscribe to and obviously they do not care. The staff is always nice and friendly when I go there. It makes it less horrible to have to wait in the line. OK now.......the tuna sandwich was nothing to write home about. Too many onions and since it was made earlier it was soggy. Not a fan and would not order it again. I got a cookie and a croissant for my daughter which was OK. Now for the good part. The french macaroons. They were divine. I did not blink about the 2 bucks a piece. They were wonderful. The prices are steep. I normally would not have a problem with the prices if the food was all wonderful but it is kind of hit and miss. So I have to say it is not entirely worth it.

    (3)

  • Monique M.

    This place is super cute. Don't go in starving because you could easily order one of everything, The desserts were beautiful. I went for lunch on September 4 around 2:00 and the line was pretty long (worth the wait). The reason I gave 3 stars is the bitchy girl at the cash register. Her attitude was so disgusting. She had some problem with the customer ahead of me (customer was being a pain in the butt) and the line was long so I'm sure bitchy register girl was overwhelmed. I ordered fish sandwich and grilled cheese. The girl was trying to ask what kind of bread we wanted and I couldn't hear she stopped everything starting huffing and puffing and stated with the a demon-tude "OK lets start all over. I'm going to delete everything and start all over do you understand" Then she started speaking super slow like we did not speak english. It was incredible how she was having a tempter tantrum. She was so mad at us and made it very clear. Then she made us start all over and when I asked for a mimosa she laughed and looked at me like I was crazy. I had to point out that mimosas were on the board. I felt so uncomfortable. I have worked in the food industry and currently work in a salon and would NEVER have a tempter tantrum and make a customer feel bad especially when spending $30 on fucking sandwiches. Shame on you bitchy register girl,. Other then that the food was AMAZING!

    (3)

  • T N.

    My first time here. Pastries look delicious. I mainly came for the macarons. I have to say they were not a disappointment. I highly suggest trying the raspberry macarons. Those seem to be the one that runs out quickly.

    (4)

  • Joanna C.

    suuuuper goooooood sandwiches!!! the coleslaw was amazing, think its bc they use cilantro so it has a nice kick. i love the outdoor seating esp on sunny days. its def a pricey cafe, but worth it! the latte is great too, but the chai was ok.

    (4)

  • samina p.

    100% delish, creative, and well priced food--everytime.

    (5)

  • Jake C.

    Charming, quality, classy local bakery. Check it out!

    (3)

  • Peter N.

    Can't comment on the baked goods except for the baguettes: These are OK (5/10), but Gail's, for example, are far superior. Though their menu is limited, the food (lunch,dinner) is very good, often excellent. For example, I had a fantastic lamb stew there a couple days ago, and their hamburgers are superb. The coleslaw I had a couple weeks ago was amazing--I know, it's crazy to rave about coleslaw, but this stuff was incredible. Haven't had any breakfast here.

    (4)

  • d s.

    No breakfast at 12:05?!? Argh. At least the winery tasting room is next door...

    (3)

  • Dee F.

    Went on a splurge for finding baked goods in Santa Cruz. Kellys was a good find. It's next to a bunch of Wine Tasting Shops. Great atmosphere. Food: 4/5 Drinks: NA Interior: Open Exterior: Industrial Parking: 5/5 Parking Lot. Go Back: Yes. Recommend: Yes.

    (3)

  • Daddy O.

    OMG. If. No. WHEN (because you -will- go) you stop by Kelly's French Bakery, you absolutely MUST try: 1. Bread Pudding 2. Pink Macaroons. (The French kind, not that greasy coconut thing) 3. Crimpets Breakfast is OK here, if you manage to get up early enough to beat the crowds. Really, though, you should come for the pastries.

    (5)

  • Erin W.

    Every time I make a trip home to Santa Cruz (at least 2-3 times a year) I make sure to find time for Kelly's. The pastries are deliciously light and airy (personal favorite: the bear claw) and their homemade yogurt is lightly flavored with what I take to be a raw vanilla bean. If you really want to go all out, I'd suggest buying a few of their French macaroons sometime if you're there around tea time. They honestly are the closest thing I've tasted to Laduree's macaroons outside of France! I also really enjoy sitting at Kelly's with good company (my choice on this excursion is usually my wonderful mom) and knitting. And if you don't know how to knit, don't worry, you can just walk next door to The Swift Stitch and sign up for a class or two.

    (5)

  • KC C.

    Hhhhmmm, not sure what the hype is all about. We waited in a long line, which is a good sign; must have some de-lish foods and drinks. We ordered a bagel with cream cheese and a scrambled egg/bacon sandwich. It took 20 minutes to get our food; even the gal who took our order at the register gave a strange look/smile like 'why are you guys still waiting for your food?'. Finally got our food and the bagel was hard due from toasting it too early, while waiting for the sandwich. Not sure I would return to this place. If the food is good, I sure didn't experience it. And if the service is great, I sure didn't experience that either. Too bad.....since this was a place that was reccommended to me.......

    (1)

  • Greg R.

    I've been going to Kelly's over the years, but less and less often. Pastries. Very good pastries! But way overpriced. I was there recently and noticed they'd raised prices again. $5 for an Angelina Roll? You've got to be kidding. Also, they sell their day-old stuff along side the new. You don't know what you're getting. Coffee. Their coffee isn't that good. Food. Very good food for the most part. However, the portions can be quite small, and it's all overpriced. $8+ for a sandwich with no side? Overall, a decent place, but they are way overpriced and their coffee stinks. Also, warning ... they can be ridiculously crowded (=slowwww).

    (2)

  • Natasha L.

    Top notch- just what I needed after a day in the sun. Good portion size and fresh. I had the soup of the day and the goat cheese salad- tasty! Fish tacos looked good that my friend had.

    (4)

  • LouLou A.

    Delicious! Made it a point to come here on a visit from out-of-town after reading about it in a magazine. My husband and I had the zucchini soup, ham and gruyere grilled cheese (on sourdough!), and a morning bun packed to go for a beach picnic. Everything was fantastic. We had to wait in line for quite awhile, and as I slowly moved past the pastry cases, I had a hard time making up my mind about what I wanted. I could have been happy with anything, I'm sure, since it all looked so delicious. For as busy as the bakery way, the staff was very friendly and patient. Looking forward to returning on my next visit to Santa Cruz.

    (4)

  • petra g.

    Breakfast here rocks but you have to go early if you do not like crowds. I love their poached eggs with salmon...ooh did I say that? I think the dish is actually poached eggs with polenta and avocado but I always have them give me a little smoked salmon so it is totally bourgie(BOOZHEE?) and divine. Today they were sporting an oyster po-boy all New Orleans style..so good! Yes they have fabulous pastries and the crimpies are fine but DO NOT COMPARE with any of some of the stuff they have in the case. I would give my right boob for one of their Sophias. A sophia is 2 small pink flatish almond "macroons" stuffed with piped chantilly and fresh whole raspberries. Oh daddy. All that rush for just 2.00! They have a "Tiki Mousse" , this Raspberry and Passionfruit mousse thing that does crazy things to your mouth!!! Anyway I need a cigarette now......

    (5)

  • Pete F.

    Great place for breakfast, lunch or just coffee and sweets. Staff is always very friendly. Food is delicious. Great location. Inside and outside seating.

    (4)

  • Chris J.

    This review is restricted to their croissants When Kelly's first opened decades ago in downtown Santa Cruz, Kelly herself, when interviewed in a local paper, professed to have been inspired to open a bakery by her time spent in Paris. I used to frequent her place, especially for the flakey, buttery croissants, which were exceptional. When the business moved to the westside, I stopped going as it was out of my way. Today, though, I happened to be in the neighborhood and stopped by for one of those beautiful croissants. It was not to be. What appeared on my plate was bread-like and bland, completely lacking in the qualities that I remembered and more akin to the product from a commercial bakery. I don't know if Kelly is even still involved in the business but, if she is, her standards have slipped substantially so far as the croissants are concerned.

    (2)

  • Darryl W.

    Honestly and completely, my favorite cafe bakery in Santa Cruz. The coffee is as good as Coffeetopia, strong body with deep roasty flav, but the pastries are what make the breakfast or snack experience memorable. Their nicoise salad was very tasty the one time I had it. I would have asked for it more lightly dressed, but the tuna was seared perfectly and the greens were fresh and delicious. I can't forget the scones. I've tried them all and they're all sweet, but not too sweet. Fruity, but not overpowering. And jusssst the right consistency, not hard, not soft, not too wet or dry. Irresistible, and a must try!

    (5)

  • Tracy G.

    Here it is people, the best egg salad sandwiches on the west coast. It's hard to find good egg salad out here but these people have done the job marvelously. Order with some of their delicious fries with sea salt and you're set. Good a pastry or truffle for dessert and you couldn't be more happy.

    (5)

  • Beth P.

    i really wanted to like this place, given that i love french macaroons and this is the only place in town that makes them. unfortunately, they don't make them correctly, but fill them with cream cheese or something. bummer. the other pastries i've tried have been hit or miss, and i've never ordered an actual dish because they're kind of pricey. but there's lots of outdoor seating and it's right near a beautiful stretch of west cliff drive. an okay spot for hanging out or studying on a nice day.

    (3)

  • Ken T.

    Barely any French food! Went there for lunch. Sandwiches is no better than Safeway frozen's. Panini looks awfully oily. Lost my appetite by just looking at the bakery. What more to say.

    (2)

  • Gerald K.

    Does anyone work here? Not one phone call has been answered. I was asked to place an order and I can't even do that because no one will answer the phone. Shame too. I've heard good things about this place too.

    (1)

  • Scott R.

    Temper your enthusiasm about Kelly's. To borrow the Yelp format of my friend Bubba: The Good: Several of the items on the big chalkboard menu are scrumdillicious. The chicken pita (which was a special) featured *two* pitas filled with fresh chicken with delicious sauce and a side of flavorful potato salad. Sandwiches and breakfast items can all be really well done, of decent or better sizes, with attention to ingredients and flavors. One of the few places on the Wside that offers this kind of quality foods. The Bad: Expensive. Borderline recockulously expen$$$$ive on some items. Also, crowded. The standing line to order can get quite long most weekends. The Ugly: The baguette is mystifyingly bad - - flat out Safeway brand quality bland. Not quite sure how they could get something so important to a "French Bakery" so very wrong.

    (3)

  • Mark B.

    Every time I go to Kelly's I always wonder why I don't go more. The place is always clean and smells so good you could have a diabetic seizure just from walking in. I went there with a friend of mine today who is a pastry chef from out of town. He wanted to get some good pastries before he left so I decided to take him to Kelly's. I got my coffee fix for the day and a piece of blueberry pie (mmmm.....mmmm.....pie....mmmm). My friend got a mini cheesecake and Kahlua truffles. First off, their coffee is great. It's strong but not overpowering. Perfect for people who like their coffee black and easily sweetened for the chumps who don't. The truffles were out of this world for people who like chocolate. The berries in my pie were great although the crust was a little sweet for my taste (though to be fair I don't have much of a sweet tooth). The patio area is wonderful on a sunny day and sometimes you can catch some live music; nothing to disturb the mood mind you, just something relaxing. It's a perfect place to go to on a sunny Sunday after a bike ride or jog or....I dunno, yoga class.

    (4)

  • Hamby A.

    Nice baked goods, good coffee, outdoor patio, a few shops adjacent, on the way to the beach and Seymour Marine Center. But, couldn't give it a 5 the rest of the neighborhood is non-existent.

    (4)

  • debbie h.

    They deserve 5 stars for their amazing sandwiches, but the prices drop them to a four...sorry. There is no way to walk away without spending more than you'd expect. The sandwich special is always a great choice, as is the veggie sandwich and egg salad. There is plenty of seating inside and outside, and is a chill spot to bring your dog. Dogs, be sure to leash your owner.

    (4)

  • Cindi W.

    Good tea and nice pastries. Near Sea Cliff drive and a nice little area with some other shops around. I had a cream scone and hubby had an apple pear tart of some sort. Very French adn very good. The staff was ok too, it was really busy in there and they seemed frazzled but were smiling all the way! We'll be back!

    (4)

  • Perry W.

    If you're on the Westside of Santa Cruz this is a great place for a treat or light lunch. My friend and I were in the area and tried a couple of the pressed sandwiches. It was a cold afternoon and the fog started to roll in yet we decided to eat in the outdoor area. Though there were patio heaters they were not on and the temps were just on the verge of them being necessary. My friend had the Gruyere with Gorganzola & Apple slices Sandwich while I had the Breaded Chicken Pressed Sandwich. My friend's pressed sandwich used a sliced sweet french bread and was flavorful but pretty minimalistic. Perhaps a bit more apple or Gruyere cheese would have made it an exceptional sandwich. My breaded chicken sandwich used sliced sourdough bread and was good but a bit dry. I suppose some tomato would have not lasted with the pressing and heat, but would have been a good addition. We didn't get a chance to try any of the mouth-watering pastries or an espresso, but look forward to returning and sampling items from the bakery.

    (3)

  • Jennifer R.

    While I often feel the immediate need to shower upon leaving many coffee shops/ bakeries in Santa Cruz, Kelly's French Bakery refreshingly does not compel me to do so. In fact, I feel so fresh and so clean after a morning drinking coffee and eating yogurt here. The yogurt, by the way, is homemade as is the granola. Their fruit salad also consists of more than just melon and grapes; it has apple, pear, pineapple, and other fruit in season too (more variety in the summertime obviously). In fact, their yogurt and fruit salad are so good that I can bypass the deliciously smelling and appearing cinnamon rolls for these healthy yet delish options. This is no small feat. The icing on the cake for me (besides the tasty icing that comes on their cinnamon rolls and other baked goods) is that you get free refills on your coffee (at least I did, maybe I'm special though). I'm hooked. Great sandwiches etc. for lunch too. It's on the westside, which means there's a parking lot so no stress about parallel parking downtown.

    (4)

  • Aaron W.

    Excellent food. 2 thumbs up!

    (4)

  • thb t.

    This area of santa cruz reminds of me 6th ave in Berkeley, aka the gourmet ghetto. We ordered the fish tacos and crab cake sandwich with a white mocha. The fish tacos were deep fried to a light and fluffy texture with a good amount of tartar sauce (and as good determined by a matter of personal taste). The crab cake sandwich was flavorful, but the bread was a little bit hard. What makes it 4 stars is the fact that the prices were on the high side and there were a lot of little black birds flying around outside scrounging for food.

    (4)

  • colleen h.

    The best bagels. Period. Sourdough bagel with a little butter is the best chewy bread you will ever eat. If you like a dense chewy bagel, not everyone does. I wish they would hire me for a color consultation because I know they can do better than the pinky taupe walls, but again, everyone is different. Some people like Bagelry bagels, I love Kellys bagels. Excellent coffee and hot chocolate too.

    (5)

  • Cindi N.

    a nice recent discovery...... this is our new 1-stop place in sta. cruz. great alternate to downtown/pacific ave., especially when we're in the mood for wine tasting. a great place to go to on a nice, warm, sunny day....they've got a nice outdoor courtyard to have lunch or simply a cup of coffee & dessert. its a great one-stop place: to park, eat a sandwich right before you go wine tasting since there's about 5 or 6 tasting rooms (including bonny doon & my new favorite sones) right there in the same lil shopping area. enjoyed: - the breaded chicken sandwich -- yum!!! it was great cold, but i bet hot would be better, depending on your mood or if your pressed for time, like we were, so we opted for the cold sandwich. - pecan tartlette -- good balance between nuts, shortbread tart & not too gooey....so not too sweet. - macaroons -- huge, chewy & moist, good flavor for less than $2 forgot exact price....its good for sta. cruz & better than bouchon's huge macaroons for $3.....but it definitely pales in comparison to my #1 favorite macaroons @ miette in sf...... - hub liked the blackbottom cupcake more than me didn't care for: - cupcakes -- tried strawberry & pumpkin....they were too sour. - buche de noel -- tasted more like chocolate roll w/ whip cream, so nothing special next time: need to try that grilled gruyere & apple sandwich, that's making my mouth water right now...... its our new regular sta. cruz stop....

    (4)

  • Velda S.

    After waiting in line for about 20 minutes, we waited another 20 minutes for our order. Our order never came, we were left sitting there waiting and no one bothered to ask us about it so when we finally went to the cash register to inquire, we discovered that our order got lost - it wasn't being made and they had no record of it. We had to show our ticket to prove we had ordered when we asked for our money back rather than waiting longer for them to START our order. You would think they would have offered to comp the order or at least apologize and offer a coupon for a future visit - but nope. No problem - I don't plan on returning. They are over priced anyway. Gayle's Bakery is much better.

    (1)

  • Christine V.

    This little bakery cafe is so convenient! You have about 5 wineries all around this business park to play in and then when you get hungry, you can mosey in to Kelly's for a delicious sandwich or a sweet treat! I loved the high top chocolate cupcake. My breaded chicken sandwich was a bit overfried but I did enjoy the quiche. The gist, not bad if you are buzzy wuzzy and don't want to travel far for food!

    (3)

  • Denise S.

    This place is awesome! My breakfast faves include chocolate croissants and their poached eggs and potatoes. My lunch fave has to be the Rue de sandwich...it's just freshly baked bread, ham and cheese but it's soooo good. I don't know how or why I can't recreate it as well at home. And of course, the desserts are too die for. Did I mention there's free wi-fi?

    (5)

  • Seanna S.

    Parisian salad is a must. The dressing is soooo good. The homemade lemonade is also very good. I always have to leave with a dessert. They are so colorful and so yummy. They are usually super busy so expect to have a nice lunch and chill. Its pretty pricey for food but its a nice splurge. expect to spend around $25 for 2 for lunch.

    (4)

  • Electra L.

    I have been coming to Kelly's since I was in grade school. It all started when I would tag along with my mother for her weekly green-chili-and-cheese-croissant addiction. When I attended Santa Cruz High, my French teacher would always reward us with goodies freshly made down the hill at Kellys. They were so small then, just a little cobblestoned corner in a courtyard that marked the beginning of "downtown." I was startled in college when they opened a "second location" in Aptos, just a skip away from Cabrillo to get my cinnamon roll before class. Sadly, the first location was closed. That was acceptable to me at the time, though, because I was working at Costco, and by some miracle deal made with the devil, my employer starting offering Kelly's bearclaws and apple slippers by the 4 pack! Yeah, the world was saved! Shortly after that, a great surprise happened. Kelly (and company) had unveiled the MOST PERFECT location for their new pastry-fortress: Ingalls street on the Westside! With no heavy traffic to deal with and plenty of space, the final destination was by far the best. Way to go, Kelly. I have moved away from Santa Cruz last summer and still fantasize about your butter-vanilla frosting all the time.

    (5)

  • Patricia D.

    The pastry case was filled with so many enticing options that it was honestly difficult to make a single decision, so I made two. While the heaping serving of tiramisu I had was definitely delicious -- albeit unorthodox -- I wasn't impressed with the Isabella macaroon I tried (it was pistachio flavored) but that might have had more to do with my apparent lack of appreciation for cookie-type macaroons. The tables outside were an ideal place to soak up some sun while browsing a copy of the newspaper. Had my coffee only been a little bit better -- the americano I was served was downright watery -- it would have been a perfect afternoon experience.

    (4)

  • Aga F.

    Very tasty pastries, I love the anjalena roll and all the macarons. Everything tastes fresh and delicious like it was made moments before you order it. No dry flavorless pastries that have been sitting in the case for a week and taste like freezer burn like all the other pastry shops in town. Kelly's is the best. Their coconut chicken soup is super flavorful and baked goat cheese salad is lovely too. The prices are steeper than at subway but you more than get what you pay for. From the bread to the meat to the cheese and veggies everything is fresh and amazing! I would warn you however to make sure you ask the price of the daily specials as they tend to run higher than the rest of the menu, at about $12 whereas regular menu is mostly around $8. That being said the open faced salmon sandwich special which was $12 was the best sandwich I've ever had with juicy fresh salmon and completely worth the price. Green smoothie made from kale and banana is also worth trying out. The line can get long but people come in waves from the wineries around so just take a seat on the patio and enjoy the fresh air and then get in line once there is a lull in line.

    (5)

  • Emily l.

    The food is ok, from sandwiches to pastries. But seriously i have never paid that much for a croissant in my entire life. I absolutely refuse to ever go there again for a sub-par pastry and a decent sandwich that breaks the bank. I mean unless you on the west side and am in dire need of a psuedo-french sweet fix... you are better off going anywhere else in town

    (1)

  • Suzy G.

    This is THE place off Swift! Wonderful food for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The bagel w/smoked salmon, cream cheese, dill & capers is my morning fave. The "baja" style fish tacos are as good as any in Baja or San Diego. Other stand outs include the Grilled Ham & Gruyere pressed sandwich, ANY burger, ANY salad and well everything is good. Oh yeah the Macaroons... MMmm! Some menu items change from time to time. BTW There are now SEVEN wineries in this area, one acorss the street and three more down the street. Santa Cruz Mtn Brewing is located here as well. If you stop here you may never make it to anywhere else in Santa Cruz that day!

    (5)

  • Rachel A.

    Three good things to say about Kelly's- The Burger and Fries-The burger is juicy and you can choose from 3 cheeses- I do the blue. Nice crispy fries perfectly cooked. and The Cassis Mousse- the yummiest dessert ever. It's a small disk of mousse stacked on a disk of chocolate cake and whipped cream wrapped in a beautiful thin chocolate shell. The perfect combo of chocolate, sweet but not too sweet fruitiness and cream. Heaven! And enjoying them both outside in the courtyard on a sunny day...forget about it.

    (4)

  • Jim S.

    Everytime I think I'll review somewhere - I find the crowd has been there..done that. but this time I'll add my 2cents. My wife saw a write up in Via and since it was Mother's Day, a diverted from my usual Warf routine. The food was fabulous - couldn't finish a superb cheeseburger, pressed/grilled sandwiches were delicious, but the espresso left a lot to be desired. I'm a devoted Peet's person so consider the source. Espresso was not hot enough - mostly tasted like foam, and the lattes in a glass - ditto. Should have just ordered regular Peet's brew. The vibe on the patio, made up for it however. Note: a cool place to bring your dog. Won't be my last visit.

    (4)

  • Lisa B.

    I USED to be a regular--but now choose the nearby Companion Bakery, Cafe Iveta or New Leaf for my morning bakery fix instead. Kelly's food is wonderful and the pastries are especially delightful. It's a great place to eat outside, dog tethered nearby. But the value just isn't there any more--everything, even the coffee, is overpriced. The service can be perfunctory at best, highly inefficient and often downright rude (especially the college types who work there.) The long lines seem to be due to the confusing system of ordering and retrieving drinks vs pastries vs meals. The lunch items can be a little on the heavy side--and it's a shame not to be able to get the delicious poached eggs or polenta or other breakfast items after 11:00 a.m.. And did I mention--everything is overpriced? That said, here's what's special: the chocolate, custard or oallaberry goodfellows (not too sweet, fresh, light pastry and flavorful filling.) The fruit tarts or lemon tarts. The huge variety of macaroons--the meringue is that perfect balance of crunch and melt.The salads--especially the Parisian with the gorgonzola. The incredible home-made icecream. And homemade yogurt--though I heard the yogurt recipe has either changed or they use commercially prepared now. Alas....I'm not willing to wait in line for it all or pay the high prices.

    (3)

  • Ryan D.

    I tend to come here frequently due to proximity. However, for the caliber of food and drink here, I would say that it is WAY TOO EXPENSIVE. Why not drop the prices a bit for the public? Seriously, for a coffee and a bagel I pay almost $10! That's robbery! I will keep going because it's the best in the area... Try researching other models of bakeries to find a happy medium.

    (3)

  • Yelp O.

    Every time we go to Santa Cruz we always make a trip to our favorite bakery. Kelly's is simply the best! We get their french macaroons, pecan tarts, eclairs and all are always so yummy. We eat lunch there too and my husband always gets their chicken pot pie. You can definitley tell that it was made from scratch using fresh mushrooms, carrots and an array of herbs and spices. I've had the eggplant panini and ham with guyere but I always wish I had gotten the pot pie instead. It's a nice little bakery with lots of different shops and tasting rooms in the area.

    (4)

  • Allyson S.

    I genuinely love going to kelly's, getting a large hot chocolate and sitting outside enjoying the fall weather with my bag of "I really shouldn't be eating these" pastries. Their pastries are delicious! scones, pies, cookies, you name it, it's delicious. When I used to live in this part of town I would come by much more often than I do now. I loved getting their fresh pizza dough (before I perfected making it from scratch myself) but have always been disappointed in their bread. It's not that it tastes bad, it's just every time I've bought it it's always been on the brink of being stale, and is definitely stale by the next day. Now, while I'd love to eat the baguette in one go, I know better than to eat that much bread in one sitting (not to mention the cheese that would go with it). Anyway, I now come for the pastries and the great atmosphere, but I'd look elsewhere for fresh breads that wont crack your teeth.

    (4)

  • Billy Q.

    We always enjoy coming to Kelly's when we visit Santa Cruz. I agree with all the other reviews - clean, friendly, nice patio, pricey. Their lines can be very long, so please don't plan on coming here.

    (4)

  • Diana P.

    Veggie burger and crisp fries are the best with delicious kale salad!

    (4)

  • Lisa J.

    I love the pastries here. The strawberry rhubarb tartlette is my favorite and the polenta with pesto is good too. The courtyard reminds me of Europe a little and the location for westsiders is ideal. Check it out.

    (5)

  • Tracy A.

    I had the best mini strawberry rhubarb pie here yesterday. It looked exactly like a miniature version of a regular sized pie. I guess you could call it a tart if you would like. We also had bites of each-others treats which were an oatmeal cookie, blackberry tart, and a mini apple pie. I thought mine was the best and everyone else thought theirs was the best, so I guess you could say there is something there for everyone!

    (4)

  • P G.

    So much To choose from and that's great. The butter horn was my favorite so far. The bread pudding got drowned in some berry sauce which was just way too much and I didn't eat it. Too bad because I love bread pudding! I'm glad I have good peripheral vision because I spotted this as we were on our way back to the valley. It's a nice bakery!

    (4)

  • Teddy D.

    I have a sweet tooth and Kelly's is here for me every day I can make it. Tons of desserts. But...They're not open as late as I would prefer.

    (4)

  • Alice M.

    I came here for lunch with my parents and absolutely loved it! I had a grilled Gruyere and apple sandwich and it was delicious, all the flavors were perfect and their home baked bread is awesome!

    (4)

  • Frances F.

    Yummy! The breakfast/brunch food is a little "small" for me. Yes I am a glutton, however the baked goods are just right! The variety of cookies, cakes, and breads is amazing and it will become a regular stop when I am in S.C.

    (4)

  • Debbie Y.

    Love this bakery. Perfect for a quick snack, a full meal, a drink, or anything! It's so well rounded. I enjoyed the baked goods and the large selection is wonderful. I know I have a solid stop for food in Santa Cruz.

    (4)

  • nancy p.

    AWFUL!!! I wish I could give them negative stars. The food is mediocre on the best of days, coffee is sour, the "service" is slower than slow, and the prices are ridiculous. Every time I decide to give them another chance, I'm disappointed. I will NEVER go back there again.

    (1)

  • Erin O.

    So happy that Kelly's moved to the westside and I mean the far westside. It's bad enough that my parents had to move so far out there, but it makes up for it slightly with all the new stuff they are adding onto the warehouse areas out there. Kelly's has a great outside patio area. The food is fresh and tasty. The downsides are the line at the door. It always is so crowded! and..by the time you get to the front of the line you realize just what you wanted to order has been sold out already for the day. Breakin my heart.. They have lox and bagel just how I like them, it's puurrrffecct.

    (4)

  • Mari H.

    This is a great bakery! And so close to the ocean! I used to live down the street - thank god I moved, I sometimes found myself going here twice or three times a day! The service is great, everyone is friendly and they make great lattes! They have an awesome selection of decedent sweets and a great selection of salads and sandwiches! I recommend the baked goat cheese salad with something full of chocolate for dessert. You can sit outside and afterwards walk the 1/2 mile to the ocean or buy something fancy at one of the boutiques in the courtyard.

    (4)

  • P G.

    To die for....anything from this place is great! I absolutely LOVE the roasted eggplant sandwich with red peppers....YUM! Sitting outside with a latte and enjoying all the people and beautiful air....perfect place for lunch.

    (5)

  • Waibon W.

    one of the best burgers i've had! bring over a 'santa cruz brewing co' ipa (from just next door) and have a burger and fries and you're set!

    (5)

  • A M.

    I ate here yesterday with a few of my friends and everything we tasted was delicious. I had the eggplant pressed sandwich, which was perfect with pesto, cheese, roasted red peppers, and eggplant of course. I also had their soup of the day which happened to be butternut squash, which was to die for! We split a mini strawberry-rhubarb pie which was also perfect. We sat at the tables outside (heat lamps there so you can really enjoy that year round) and enjoyed our coffees and homemade lemonade. I don't live in Santa Cruz, but I will definitely be returning next time I pass through town.

    (5)

  • Asian G.

    I'm not sure what the hype is over this place? My friend & I tried Kelly's for the first time last week & I'm not impressed. TRIED / SHARED: 1. pecan tart - it was just average, nothing stood out about it 2. lemon tart - nice tang but I now realize I don't enjoy meringue but the curd was ok 3. lemon macaron - this was actually pretty good but thought it could've had more filling 4. pear almond tart - it had that old refrigeration taste, wasn't sweet enough & was extremely bland, I did not like this tart at all 5. eclair - their filling was so bland, couldn't taste anything vanilla & it wasn't very sweet, the chocolate on top was way too thick & was like biting into a refrigerated chocolate bar If you visit Parker-Lusseau Pastries in Monterey, you'll get a true French bakery experience. Kelly's seems to lack in flavor & technique. I've never had so many things be "off" with multiple items I've tried at one bakery. The macaron was good but not enough to bring me back in, sorry Kelly!

    (2)

  • Sky B.

    Just about the ice cream: What happened to the "Organic" ice cream and all the hype about her going to ice cream school? My sister and I went there straight from The Penney Ice Creamery and expected to see some sort of cool information about their special ice cream and such, but nothing? I Asked the clerks if they had an ingredient list for the ice cream and they said no, but then told us that most ice cream has sugar and cream in it...well, that was really helpful. Then asked if their ice cream was organic, one clerk said no, but they used clover milk, but the non organic kind, then one clerk said milk used to make it was organic, but wasn't sure....WTF? Anyway, it seems the ice cream didn't take off like planned and now they just sell it along with everything else, with nothing really special about it...too bad, I had high hopes, especially with Mission Hill Creamery and The Penny Ice Creamery really raising the quality bar on homemade, organic ice cream in Santa Cruz. Say it ain't so Kelly.. I know, I've become a ice cream snob...but once you taste the real organic, homemade stuff, it's hard to accept anything less.

    (1)

  • Keiki C.

    I love that they have outdoor seating for my doggies. Their pastries, sandwiches, coffee, salads, etc. taste great! Easy parking too

    (5)

  • Rebecca M.

    The chocolate bun was one of the best things I've ever eaten. It rivaled the pastries I had in Paris, and even exceeded some. It was almost too good to actually consume.

    (5)

  • Aya T.

    this is one of the main reasons I go to Santa Cruz (I mean, aside from my friends living down there... :). they got me hooked when I saw their macarons. this was me just getting back into food and to see all the pastries and cakes and cookies.. it was delightful and too enticing. breaded chicken sandwich is the best. I actually really only like it when it's cold-- I'm not really a fan of pressed sandwiches, but the trimmings for this 'wich are awesome. sun-dried tomatoes + roasted red bell pepper + pesto. deeeelicious! and they have great drinks and lots of other items on the menu that I have yet to try... lol this review is biased, isn't it? well, shoot. good food, good drinks, good sweets-- what more do you want? :P

    (4)

  • Emma T.

    I absolutely love this place. The staff is always nice and the coffee, bagels, desserts, everything is delicious!!!

    (5)

  • Clover E.

    New favorite: the El Salchichero hot dog served at lunch only.

    (4)

  • Elaine L.

    We were looking for a casual place for lunch as we had 2 dogs with us and found this place by chance. There was a line to the door when we walked in and plenty of people sitting inside as well as outside. The first thing to catch our eyes were the lovely pastries behind the glass counter. The colorful macaroons were just calling to us. Anyhow, we ordered an egg sandwich, ham and gruyere sandwich and ham and cheese sandwich. The bread on my egg sandwich so fresh and soft and delicious! I am going to have to remember this place every time I visit Santa Cruz now.

    (4)

  • Byron M.

    Delectable. Pain au Chocolat and a mocha, beautiful patio, busy, perfect.

    (4)

  • Stephanie S.

    Whenever I venture down to Santa Cruz, Kelly's is ALWAYS a must as my boyfriend and I head in, or out of Santa Cruz. I pretty much always get the Tiki Tiki Mousse, it is absolutely delicious. It has a nice sweet but sour taste, and the inside sort of reminds me of some really delicious raw macaroons I once had. Thats the best way I can describe it, otherwise you have to taste it for yourself! I promise you won't be disappointed! Another must is the Olallieberry tart. It's fabulous hot or cold. Sandwiches: The Chicken Durango sandwich is yummy, a little spicy but that doesn't bother me. The Ham and Gruyere is also something I suggest anyone try. The drinks are also great! The downsides would be that there is so much to choose from that you might have a hard time narrowing it down as their prices are not exaclty cheap, (but its worth it!) and the line is usually out the door, but this just gives you more time to take everything in and figure out what to order. Only other drawback is parking. There are a ton of other little shops in that area which add to the limited parking, but street parking is usually available. The staff is also very friendly and helpful!

    (5)

  • Jacqueline W.

    Great tea, coffee, and pastries. Indoor and outdoor seating. What more do you need?

    (4)

  • Ryan B.

    I'm sure Kelly's doesn't need my review, but I will add it just the same. This is my favorite place for a casual lunch or breakfast in all of Santa Cruz. Nearly everything I've had is wonderful and the staff is very sunny - too many meals to recount , but here's a list of my favorites items from the menu: Egg Salad Sandwich (best I've ever had with wonderful pickled onions) Yogurt with Fresh Fruit (They make their own yogurt in-house) Burger (One of the best in town, but it's SERIOUS so be prepared) Fish Tacos (Also some of the best in town) Brownie Rum Truffle Strawberry Rhubarb Tart Eclaire The only items I am not fond of are the side salad which is pre-dressed and always wilted, and the breakfast potatoes which are ok, but not very inspired.

    (4)

  • Connie S.

    Spacious bakery in the Swift Street Row, with a large assortment of coffee drinks, breads and pastries (not just confined to French sweets), as well as a modest selection of lunch and dinner entrees. The coffee is good, and everything in the display window looks delicious. I can vouch for the Lemon Macaron (their macarons seem twice as big as the standard 1.5" ones you'll often find, and the lemon-flavored is filled with a delightful lemon curd instead of ganache) and the Olallieberry Tartlette (sweet, sweet olallieberries in a delicious buttery crust). In addition to the quality pastries, the lovely interior and courtyard along with the friendly staff make Kelly's nice place to linger for an afternoon coffee and snack.

    (4)

  • Cath M.

    After our wine tasting, I was craving something sweet and so we decided to try this place and thank goodness we did! The display case was mouthwatering! The boy and I ordered two brownies, two chocolate truffles and one (it was huge) strawberry tuxedo. The dipped strawberry was delicious! Kinda pricey...

    (3)

  • Tysen C.

    Yum! Kelly's does a great job with breads and pastries. I highly recommend the baguettes, cinnamon roll, and strawberry rhubarb tartlet. There are so many items to try---everything looks fresh and fantastic! Beware the line, but enjoy plenty of seating! Kelly's is a real lively family and dog friendly environment.

    (4)

  • Rachel B.

    Food and pastries are pretty good, but not quite worth the ridiculous line out the door that is ALWAYS THERE. Seriously, one register for all these people? It's the worst system ever, and I feel like they do it on purpose to make their shop look busy. Also, I called around 3:30 in the afternoon one day to see if I could order two dozen mini cupcakes for pickup the next afternoon; so a solid 24 hour lead time. The person I was transferred to immediately said "uhh, kind of late" in a snotty, judgmental tone - strange thing to say to someone who is trying to give you business. I decided not to give them my business.

    (3)

  • Marissa H.

    Yummy...a large assortment of baked pastries, cookies, sandwiches, salads & drinks. They even make their own ice cream (will have to try next time). It's a bit pricey for the size of what you get, but quality has a price! I had the ollalieberry macaroon & kale salad - $7 total. The macaroon top dented when I pushed on it but was creamy & smooth on the inside. I was so hungry I don't remember the flavor but it was good enough to scarf down pretty quickly! The kale salad had carrots in it and was ok. Before leaving I grabbed a macchiato (I know I spelled that wrong!) which was 2 shots of Peet's Espresso w/ water. My friend got the ollalieberry tarte which he liked. The other dining companion got the fig sandwich - 1 of the specials - and loved it. I sampled a taste - figs were fresh & moist & the goat cheese was delicious. I'll be back next time I'm in Santa Cruz to try a bunch of other goodies.

    (4)

  • Oolong T.

    I highly HIGHLY recommend their tiramisu! I loved the creaminess and the not-so-sweetness! Also tried the chai latte, iced mocha, raspberry & pistachio macarons. They have so much more to offer than just desserts and pastries! I wish I lived close so that I could try more of their creations!

    (5)

  • Nancy W.

    Kelly's... in four words: Best lox bagel. Ever. And this is one of my favorite breakfasts, although some places can really mess it up. At Kelly's: Fresh thin-sliced salmon, perfectly toasted freshly baked bagel, just the right amount of cream cheese, sweet onions, tomatoes, and mmm salted capers. I keep coming back for this beauty and she never lets me down. Some complain about paying a little more at Kelly's, but it's not outrageous and it's because you're not at Noah's or Peet's or any other long list of corporate chain cafes that will serve you the run-of-the-mill mediocre "where did this come from?" food. You sit and you eat, and you endure the dullness of your vapid meal. Sure, that's fine and good, I'm not made of money either. But when you want a special treat, you go to Kelly's because you can just taste that the ingredients are fresh, carefully chosen and expertly crafted. If it's possible for food to taste better when made with love, you know Kelly's is bursting with joy and contentment that is warmly shared. Be ready to wait in a long line, though, because it's no secret that Kelly's is the best, and everyone wants a taste. Expect to wait 10-20 minutes to order at the register, and then they bring you the food. The french fries are somehow made with the best salt I've ever tasted. Not too greasy. My friend who is a ketchup enthusiast commended their portions of ketchup (a basket is served with two cups) because, as she puts it, "most places give you enough for only like three fries, come on now!" The cream puffs are also hand crafted, not too starchy or full of preservatives, but sweet and light, the way I imagine confectionery treats used to be made before astronauts discovered Twinkies. The coffee is good, but it's not what makes them stand out. And you may want to know, the pressed sandwiches are pre-made - some people don't dig that. But there's a selection of fresh sandwiches, and there's always a new daily lunch special. The outdoor patio is a very nice to place to brunch, (it seems like it's always sunny at Kelly's) and has a slight Paris-esque feel to it. Plus, there are a bunch of wineries within the same block, so you can do a little wine tasting right after. Score! In general, I think of Kelly's as the best sunny afternoon Sunday brunch in Santa Cruz. So quaint. So calm. So yum.

    (5)

  • Lady D.

    I worked here for 4 years. They held us to strict standards to keep the quality up; and i consider it the best job ever! Everything is delicious but my favorites are chedder sourdough bread, anything with their olallaberry sauce, tiramisu and the roasted chicken. It might be crowded when you get there but the line goes fast. You can grab a beer or some wine next door while you wait.

    (5)

  • Kelley R.

    Never disappointed with Kelly's Bakery, especially when you can order from them while enjoying a beer at the brewery.

    (4)

  • Madeline W.

    Pros: -Lovely courtyard seating shared by several businesses. -Delicious pastries and coffee. -They serve "real food", too. -Thirty-second walk to beer and wine tasting. -Five-minute walk to West Cliff. -Very bicycle and dog friendly! Con: -Overpriced!!

    (4)

  • Suzy D.

    This is one of my favorite bakeries in Santa Cruz. Growing up, my mom would always get me a birthday cake from either Gayles, Kelly's or the Buttery. Kelly's cakes are pretty delicious. I espeically like the lemon poppyseed cake, but I like all things involving lemon. Their lemon bars are great too. I also love all their breakfast pastries (morning buns, bear claws, etc). They also have some great sandwiches and other lunch items. I live in Chicago now, but every year when I come home for Christmas, my mom always order a Buche de Noel and tons of Christmas cookies. Everything from Kelly's is delicious!

    (5)

  • Patricia S.

    My husband and I were enjoying the start of our day in Santa Cruz this morning and decided to go to the little shopping plaza where Kelly's is located we had purchased a drink and a snack and decided to sit at a table in the middle of the plaza to enjoy our snack before continuing our shopping. When all of a sudden a young woman comes up to us and asks us if we had order any food from Kelly's before we could say anything she told us we had to leave because it was there policy not to have any one not ordering food from Kelly's to sit her then she just stormed off back into the bakery. We were surprised embarrassed and totally caught off guard, it was an honest mistake we thought the sitting area was for the entire plaza. We looked around for signs that stated that this was Kelly's seating only but there was none. I went inside and asked for the manger who took his time coming out but in the mean time I saw the waitress who had confronted us and pointed out to her that there was a better way to have handled the situation if she would have come up to us politely and handed us a menu we would have ordered something and it would have been a win win situation for all of us. When the manager finally came out and I shared with him what had happened he repeated that this was there seating policy and mentioned something about having lots of kids who just hang out here? He asked me for my information so that he could do something for me? I said no thanks all I would like is that you put a sign out there stating your strictly enforced policy so that no one else is treated as were. Needless to say it all left a bad taste in my mouth for Kelly's French Bakery

    (1)

  • Stephanie L.

    I love Kelly's! This place has fantastic desserts! It's located on the west side of Santa Cruz next to a few wineries, so if you stop by make sure you get some wine tastings with your dessert. I recently tried the apple crisp, eclair and whoopie pie. I'll start off with the whoopie pie because it was my least favorite. Ive never had a whoopie pie before so I really have nothing to compare it to. I thought the cake part was a little dry but the filling was marshmallowy good. Next, the eclair. The eclair was delicious, the custard wasn't too sweet and overwhelming and the pastry was still crunchy. You could tell it was really fresh because it wasn't soggy at all. My favorite though, is the apple crisp. The topping was sweet and crunchy and the apples were just a little soft. It was a tad bit on the sweet side, but I think if it was warmed up and topped off with ice cream it would taste much much better. I haven't tried the breakfasts here but it's definitely on my to-do list before I leave Santa Cruz. My friends all say GREAT things about it. They also have lasagna, chicken pot pie and quiche you can eat there or buy to take home. Everything you'll get at Kelly's is going to be really good. So whether you're eaton outside and enjoying the sun or you take something home to enjoy, you won't be disappointed.

    (5)

  • J. T.

    Great ambiance and neighborhood. Food was excellent.

    (4)

  • Adalayne S.

    Food is whatever and way too much dolla billz. Pastries are whatever, except for the macaroons. Bread is whatever. But seriously, who dat redheaded latte-magician?

    (3)

  • CH C.

    I often hit them up for an early breakfast on the weekends when I'm staying nearby for the weekend. This past weekend I went both mornings and had poached eggs on freshly-baked sourdough. I avoid pastries, but imagine an aficianado would love theirs! The eggs were perfectly poached. What a great start to the day and a great way to avoid the free breakfast at the nearby motels. It's pretty mobbed later on, so I try to get there around 730 am when it's empty. Very nice staff as well!

    (4)

  • Ellie S.

    I go here just for the bread. Sourdough is the best I have had in SC. The seeded sour baguette is the ultimate baguette experience. Thick toasted crust and dense, moist, chewy crumb. You can hardly see the crust there are so many seeds. Read up about it on their website and learned they have been using the same sour starter since 1985. I'm impressed. Very affordable bread, pricey pastries.

    (5)

  • Brittany N.

    Kelly's is delicious! There is indoor or outdoor seating...great to sit inside on a cold, foggy morning and enjoy a cappuccino and a delicious breakfast or wonderful to sit outside on a warm morning and enjoy an iced mocha and a fabulous pastry! The place is adorable and has a wide variety of treats!

    (4)

  • Tes Y.

    I always enjoy coming here for a snack when I'm in Santa Cruz. I love their iced white chocolate mocha and their delicious ollalieberry meringue pie. It's amazing. I get these 2 items every time. Always so good to eat. Interior is cozy, clean and well lit by sunlight. Efficient service.

    (5)

  • Susan H.

    I love kellys bakery, the food is great, especially the pastries and the patio is lovely. The staff are all so sweet and eager to please.

    (5)

  • H Q.

    I came here for breakfast with my old college roommate who I hadn't seen in years. This is one of those places that only exist in No Cal. The kind that is sort of off the beaten path and are a pleasant find. I'm not really a breakfast guy. I'd rather sleep in and when I do have breakfast, it's usually after work at a Denny's or something after midnight. Maybe if there was a place like here down in So Cal, that might change. My old roommate and I sat outside, since it the weather was perfect. They brought the meals to our table. I had one of the specials. I forget what it was called. It think it was Empire something or another. It was poached eggs, toast, potatoes and sausage. It was really good. The eggs where awesome. Big and fluffly and fun to pop the yolk. The potatoes where exceptional. I don't know what the style is, but usually I put a lot of salt on whatever potato product I eat. Not the case here. It was fine the way it was. There was about four sausage links, too. Reasonable prices, nice atmosphere and good food!

    (4)

  • C. C.

    I heart Kelly's Bakery. This place was one of my first Santa Cruz loves. It's not perfect, but still very pleasant and if it weren't here I'd definitely feel like something were missing in Santa Cruz. I love coming here on sunny days and enjoying the outdoor patio. I also love spending time indoors with a book. It's a very cozy and warm place. I recommend coming here in the morning for breakfast. Lots of light and a wonderful atmosphere. They have yummy pastries, cookies, and drinks. The staff is warm and pleasant just like the place itself. A lot of students work here as do the old time staff, and everyone is always very serviable and friendly. Unfortunately, I'm not the biggest fan of their lunch and dinner menu. It used to be that Kelly's would offer steak frites, which I was a fan of, but it has since been taken off the menu. I think the food would be a little bit nicer minus all the sauces and heavy stuff. Also, being a huge baguette addict, I don't find their bread and baguettes to be very good. There's just something not right with it - the texture, the taste, whatever, it just doesn't make it. Gayle's baguettes and breads are superior (and heavenly). Overall though, Kelly's definitely makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! A local favorite, that I know.

    (4)

  • Lauren S.

    Love this place! My roomate at UCSC Jasmine used to work here, so we were blessed with day-olds every day... The quality is high the recipes are unique, and the atmosphere when dining-in can't be beat. It was a great lunch or breakfast spot, even peaceful enough to get homework done in the comfy booths. The employees are always friendly and helpful, and work haard. Check out the fuit tartlets and cookies, and soups... they are to DIE for.

    (5)

  • Anna Y.

    I've been to Kelley's three times, if not more. My first time was on a late Sunday afternoon, and i wasn't very pleased with that visit, I would give it only one or two stars. However, the other two times brought it up to four stars!!! My first time here was only two stars because the dessert fridge was half empty (which I don't blame them since it was late Sunday afternoon!) and my iced mocha wasn't made right. :( I saw macarons and I couldn't say no, so I bought a few that they had. I was very happy that I bought them! YUMMY! I decided to give it a second shot because the macarons were very good. :D I got their crab cake sandwich and it was DELICIOUS! The bread was toasted with what I believe was homemade mayo! My boyfriend tried and he agreed that it was amazing. He ordered the tuna salad sandwich. Unfortunately I didn't get to try it, but from what I heard from him it was very good. Just the right amount of mayo and tuna mix. of course I couldn't say no to the macarons, and I was super happy to see they had a greater selection! I also tried the truffle cake (it was more like a lava cake, although I didn't warm it up), and it was super rich! I went back for coffee in the morning too, and this time I was very pleased with my mocha :) I would love to go back and sit in the patio to enjoy a sunny afternoon! I think it would be lovely :D

    (4)

  • Miss Mary P.

    I love to go here for their Chicken Pot Pies & Lemon Tartlettes. The pot pies are made with chicken broth and not cream and are very delicious and filling but don't leave you with that yucky stuffed feeling as they only have crust on top and not surrounding the whole pie! The pastries are all great but my favorite is the lemon tartlettes which is pretty tart (just how I love it) and has a yummy cream on top! 1 tartlette is 2 servings so well worth the $3! Also, Kelly's starting making ice cream last year and I finally tried it...YUM, but very rich so be aware!

    (5)

  • Michelle H.

    Yummy food. Really yummy coleslaw!

    (5)

  • Krystinne M.

    I live right down the street from Kelly's bakery, so a chunk of my money goes to them when it comes to buying coffee and pastries. I think Kelly's bakery has the best white chocolate mocha I've ever had. seriously. I also thoroughly enjoy their mango iced tea- sooo refreshing! And it helps that they have a ridiculous selection of different kinds of pastries such as The Pink Lady & Chocolate Mousse tarts. I've also had a number of their pies- my favorite is their Ollalaberry Pie. I think it's the crust that makes it so delicious- it's really flaky and rich-tasting (like you know they use butter in their crust like Paula Dean!) I think I just went on a rant about their foods, but that's how I feel whenever I'm in their store- it's hard for me to concentrate because everything looks so good! Apart from their coffee and pastry menu, they also serve brunch foods like bagels and lox, omelets and breakfast burritos. I've never actually had their brunch food, but I've heard from multiple people that it's also quite yummy. Also, kudos goes to this company because they're also really helpful when it comes to donations for events. They donated breads for one of the casino nights that we put together last year.

    (4)

  • Brandon T.

    Whenever it is early in the morning, so before 10am, and I am hungry and I have a little extra change in my pocket, I will head over the Kelly's for a breakfast burrito. I can't get enough of them. Really I have not had much beyond this burrito and some of the cookies, it is just toooo goooood. Other people seem to like the coffee alright and maybe some of the other stuff but for me I just get the burrito to go and book it out of there. The crowd is not THAT young and not THAT old either but definitely a little more upscale than I belong with. Their hot chocolate is good too, btw.

    (4)

  • Nance H.

    I ordered a half tuna sandwich. From what I can remember, it was good. In addition, I also ordered the pear almond pastry and a raspberry scone (yes, I eat a lot). I honestly don't remember much, so I'm assuming it wasn't too bad, nor was it amazing since it didnt stick out in my memory. Hence the 4 stars.

    (4)

  • Val L.

    I'm a sucker for specials of the day, so I only ordered off that menu. Lunch Pressed Sandwich: Turkey, brie, pears and dijion mustard on Sourdough. Soooo delicious! The portion of this lunch special was pretty big and it came with a green salad on the side also. I can't even explain how good the sandwich was. The bread was crunchy, the brie was warm and creamy, and dijion mustard flavor wasn't overpowering. I wish this was on their regular menu because I wanted to go back everyday to order it. Since i didn't have a kitchen in my hotel room, it was unfortunate that I couldn't take leftovers back with me. Breakfast Ham & Gruyere Cheese on croissant. There was nothing too special about this special of the day. It was good, but it seemed like something I could have made at home myself. I sat outside because it was stuffy and hot inside and the weather was nice outside. It was very relaxing to eat outside. If you eat inside, they bus the tables for you. But if you eat outside, there is a garbage area to bus your own table. When you open the drawers, you'll find the bins to place your dirty dishes. It's understandable that they do it this way because there were quite a few birds around.

    (4)

  • Jade N.

    Had the pleasure of trying out their desserts recently: -Pear Almond Tart -Pecan Tart -Chocolate Mousse My friends & I shared all 3. We each ate a 1/3 of the dessert & passed it on. Everything was great! I prefer my tarts to be held at room temp but it was fine once the chill was gone. They still tasted fresh & good quality. Would like to try their sammys next time.

    (4)

  • Christa P.

    This is by far my favorite bakery in Santa Cruz. The food is amazing and there's a great selection. Definitely must try the Lunch Specials! If not my favorite thing to order is the Pressed Sandwich Gruyere with Apples with Gorgonzola, BEST SANDWICH EVER! The pastries are all mouthwatering, but my favorite has to be the Eclair...Yuummm. It's also a really cute place to eat. The outside seating is comfortable and great when it's warm and sunny.

    (4)

  • Sarah L.

    I gave it five stars because despite the long lines, the food and drinks came out fast, the staff were friendly, and of course because the breakfast plate, pastry, and drinks we ordered were delicious. The line was out the door, but it moved pretty quickly. I was impressed, and also very impressed with the eats and drinks. We're definitely coming back to try it again.

    (5)

  • F C.

    I had a very disappointing breakfast today at Kelly's. I chose the croissant with scrambled eggs, gruyere cheese and bacon. When I ordered it I was very clear that I wanted the dish without the meat as I am a vegetarian. When I started eating it I saw a small piece of bacon. Horrible. It put me off the rest of it. Then I discovered a much larger piece of meat. Very disappointing. I took the dish back to the counter and explained what had happened. I only got a rather indifferent "Im sorry about that". Not satisfactory at all. It left quite an unpleasant flavor in my mouth in more ways than one and certainly not the lovely breakfast experience I had been anticipating. I had been planning on ordering more food to go- sandwiches and pastries - but decided to cut my losses. It will be a very long time before I can be persuaded to return.

    (1)

  • G B.

    Decent lattes. Kind of expensive for a small cup but does give me a light buzz. Pastry texture kind of spongy, it's not that fresh out of oven taste. The place is so cute. I wanna like it.

    (3)

  • eric p.

    The fat kid in me is always on the hunt for quality sweets and today the odds were in my favor. Kelly's is a great if not perfect mix of great taste, ambience and service. I was there this morning (a Saturday) and despite being fairly busy, I was served quickly. The staff is friendly, the seating is ample (inside and outside), but its the pastries I was there for. The macarons are awesome and come in many flavors(strawberry, raspberry, lemon, pistachio, mocha, caramel, blueberry, ollalieberry). It was a tie for first place between strawberry and raspberry. They both have fresh berries sandwiched in the middle along with the cream. They also have delicious cake rolls (almond cake with cream and strawberries; chocolate with cream). We brought the dogs and sat outside on the very nice patio and just put aside the thought of all the hours at the gym we were throwing away.

    (5)

  • Nancy J.

    I love this place! EXCEPT...it's pretty expensive so I knocked off one star. I ordered their almond tartette and it was the size of my palm more or less but cost me almost 3$. Is the taste worth the cost??? Maybe if I was working and not a student. haha. :( Their pastries are delicious and so is their bistro style food. They usually have specials of the day which I prefer to get then their items on the menu. I've tried their sausage sandwich, their soups, their pastries, and some of their breakfast items, all amazing and tastebud stimuli. ahah. There is usually a long wait that leads outside of the shop. Sometimes there's not that much seating either so be prepared!

    (4)

  • Stephanie S.

    Confession: i have ditched class/meetings/other important obligations on more than one occasion and found myself indulging in a fruit tart and latte, basking in the sun in the courtyard at kelly's bakery. aside from all the baked goods and tempting treats, their fresh baked bread is really delicious as well. their sandwiches are good, but unoriginal and expensive for average ingredients. my boyfriend swears that the burger he got here was the best he's ever had. i've also had a few fluke lattes here that have been less than prime (over pressed and coffee grounds floating.. uhh). but for the most part, it's a great bakery on the westside; their popularity proven by lines out the door on a sunny weekend morning!

    (4)

  • Tracy P.

    What a brillant idea! Kelly's has opened a cute ice cream window/ stand across the courtyard from their bakery/cafe. My detailed review is under Kelly's ice cream.

    (4)

  • Katharine T.

    I did go back and ordered the hamburger and fries as well as the house-made lemonade. Both were fantastic. The burger was medium-well (though they forgot to ask my preference when I ordered, it was cooked perfectly) and had so much flavor. It was served with pickles, lettuce, tomato, and red onions. It also came with fries, ketchup, and garlic aioli. The fries weren't my absolute favorite, but they were obviously very fresh. The lemonade was slightly sweeter than I like but not as cloyingly sweet as most; I just prefer mine very sour. Also; thus far the chai at Kelly's is the best I've found in Santa Cruz. It definitely beats Coffeetopia's, anyway.

    (4)

  • Angie H.

    This used to be one of our fave. spots in Santa Cruz, whenever I go to the beach we ALWAYS stop by before heading home. The baked goods here are superb. I really like their cupcake, cream puff, danish and apple crisp. The apple crisp here is consistantly delicious, lightly sweetened apple chunks, rich, but not overpowering cinnamon flavor, crisp and crunchy topping. Mmmm. Sadly I have been trying to be on a diet, (for like.. the 5th year in a row now, lol) plus having a 9-6 job, I haven't been able to go to Kelly's for a while. They used to have mini cupcakes in chocolate and vanilla flavors for a dollar each, they were absolutely delicious. Last time I came here the line was out of the door, I think it was mid afternoon-ish on a Saturday. My friend got a blueberry danish, iced tea and I got a mint chocolate cupcake. Both were great. The people work there are friendly, I also like the atmosphere a lot. Outside seating area is nice and peaceful, especially on a sunny afternoon.

    (4)

  • Lee H.

    one of the best grilled eggplant sandwiches ive ever had ! at first i was hesitant because the portion didnt fit the price but the quality was worth it. it was a sweet savory crunchy sandwich and the olives brought out the flavors. the place was packed and the layout of the restaurant is awkward because the place is so small and eeryone waits for their food at the same place that other people order at. if this place were closer to a bus stop i would def. come here more often . they also have such good looking desserts ! i didnt get to try any but I will in the future and see if it measures up to the Buttery;s pastries.

    (4)

  • jan t.

    Stopped by for lunch a Saturday. The wait is long even with only a handful of ppl before us. We got our order number place-card, we got our table and it was a long wait....esp when waitress can't see our table # and went all over the place, lost, looking for us when we can totally see the food being ours and gesturing her all along. We ordered: -beef borscht soup - has a consomme feel to it which I adore, very light, flavorful and seasoned simply and just right. The breads serving with the soup is very telling of the high quality of the baked goods here. -Philly cheese steak - decent but have had better. The bread is the highlight, wished the meat and cheese to bread ratio can be better. -The fish taco is one of the best I've had, even better than SoCal. The fish is super fresh and perfectly fried, so impossibly light and not a speck of grease with the perfect crispiest coating. The fries r to die for, my biggest pleasant surprise. They must have a very very talented fry cook. -The apple slippers and ollalieberry macaroons are both very very good. So good the 2 of us r so full, we packed the macaroons, one for each for the road...and almost head back to get more if not for the long wait. Spent ~$20 per person on soup + sandwich (with ample sides) and 2 desserts each. Everything is good to surprisingly awesome. Definitely my go-to place in Santa Cruz.

    (4)

  • Young Mi K.

    I'm not sure if there is much in Santa Cruz, but this place had the best ratings from Yelp in terms of restaurants on the day I searched. So, I decided to try it for lunch while passing through. Iced coffee--Yummy, but nothing special. Spinach Quiche--It was a bit on the boring side, but I liked how it wasn't too cheesy or anything. I actually think that this quiche was made with tofu but didn't care enough to ask. If it wasn't tofu, then the egg was thinned out so that the consistency was like tofu. Chicken Pot Pie--Hubby said it wasn't that great. The crust was okay, but again, the filling was on the bland side. I didn't try it, but I think being on the bland side is not a huge deal as long as the other flavors are there. Too salty=hiding something. Fries--Yummy. But then again, I love fries. The ranch dressing had tons of garlic in it.

    (4)

  • Richard C.

    Not sure if it was what I ordered, but I was not impressed. The pastries were very sweet, not light and flakey. I had really high hopes for this bakery too because I heard from several sources that they were really good. I don't know. Perhaps I'll go back and update my review. Sorry Kelly...only 3 stars for now.

    (3)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :7:00 am - 7:00pm
  • Mon : 7:00 am - 7:00pm

Specialities

  • Delivery : No
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Good for Working : Yes

Kelly’s French Bakery

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