Ivéta Downtown - Santa Cruz, California

Robert B.

First visit here and it didn't disappoint. We found this by walking by earlier in the day and made a reservation online. Nice comfy atmosphere. Very friendly staff - one even did an impromptu ukulele song! We ordered a salad and their 'Roman style' sausage pizza. The salad comprised of lettuce, jicima, carrots, tomatoes (and more) with a subtle but tasty dressing. The pizza was on thick dough but well cooked and chewy. The sausage was crumbled, not a sliced link, which added to the taste and texture. They also added onions and bell peppers. The salad and pizza quite filled us up but the other pasta dishes looked inviting. And the table next to us had some great looking fries, which they confirmed tasted as good as the looked! All pastries are made in house and I could not pass up the German Chocolate cake. And I was not disappointed. The chocolate cake was the darkest most chocolate cake that I have had in quite a while. On top of that, the coconut frosting was great and not too sweet as usual. One of the best deserts that I can remember A great evening, nice atmosphere and we never were rushed. A small but nice selection of wine too.

Sandhya P.

Good breakfast place, we had reserved the previous day just in case for a Sunday brunch which was good. The low fat latte was excellent and so is their hash brown.
There were a few things we hoped was better like nonfat milk option, more butter and fruits for pancake.

Shahram M.

Visited iveta downtown for the first time for dinner. Had reservations for 2 at 5:30 but showed up a bit earlier and the place was empty. They have a happy hour menu and we ordered the arancini and their salad. Both were well presented and tasted delicious. For main course we had the sausage pinsa which is a type of pizza and their bolognese pasta. The pizza tasted great, maybe a bit too cheesy but it tasted great and the dough was fluffy and tasty. The bolognese was a tad bit underwhelming. Good amount of meat sauce but not enough pasta. It could have used another 30g of pasta. It also could have used a tad bit of salt and wasn’t very hot when delivered. Our server was super nice and attentive. By the time we left the place was about 75% full. Nice place but nothing super special. I would go there for the happy hour menu and drinks.

Michael H.

Here’s your funny five-star Google Maps review for Iveta in Santa Cruz:

Iveta is hands down one of my favorite spots in Santa Cruz. I’ve eaten here multiple times, and every single time, I get the hamburger and french fries because, well, why mess with perfection? The burger is always phenomenal, the fries are always great, and the water… well, the water is usually good, but tasted like tap water. Was this an off night? Did my taste buds suddenly evolve? I don’t know. But I do know that free water should always be top-tier because, like fish, we humans need it constantly. It’s not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Stay hydrated, people.

Tonight, I also branched out and got a side of fried vegetables. They were good—nothing to write home about, but solid for a five-star restaurant. The real reason I’d bring a date here isn’t just the food, though. It’s the atmosphere. Iveta has a classy, quiet setting on the south end of town, close enough to the ocean that you can almost hear the waves. After dinner, you’ve got two choices: turn right for a romantic stroll to the wharf, or turn left into a sea of bars if you’re feeling a different kind of vibe.

One of my favorite nerdy things about this place? The way they handle payments. They’ve got this high-tech little device that lets you tap to pay right at your table, and their rewards system is basically effortless. Sign up once, and boom—you’re automatically earning points and getting discounts with zero extra work. No awkward coupon-clipping, no remembering to punch in your phone number like you’re at the grocery store. Just instant savings like a true VIP. It’s efficient, it’s eco-friendly, and honestly, it just makes me feel like I’m living in the future.

All in all, Iveta nails it: great food, great service (shoutout to our awesome waitresses, Finn and Munyazi!), and a vibe that makes it perfect for date nights, solo meals, or just treating yourself. Five stars—just fix the water, guys.

Let me know if you want any tweaks!

kayla M.

So far weve been there for brunch service and dinner. Still need to try happy hour which is two dollars off select items.

For brunch we had polenta fries and eggs with hashbrowns. Update: went back for pancakes, granola and basic breakfast soooooooooo gooodddd. Service is always excellent!

Dinner we had the chicken pesto flat bread, prosciutto asparagus, and citrus salad or something. I love the salad and asparagus. Pizza was a bit heavy but we took the rest to go Nd thats just a personal problem;D

Service is like a 10. Usually That's what I base my reviews on Kat during brunch service ans Jasmine during dinner. Thanks so much!

Update :went again for dinner and the cook abraham came put to check on how the food was. Everything was sooo delicious. We got the chicken piccata , sourdough bread, and kale salad. Fish tacos were absolutely delicious. Looking forward to getting them on happy hour as well!

Susanne M.

We had dinner - mushroom pizza and brussel sprouts and both were really excellent. The pizza crust was nice and crispy and the mushrooms were cooked perfectly. The brussel sprouts were crispy and flavored perfectly with slivered almonts and apples (I think).
I got the combo red/white wine flight and it was the cutest presentation as you can see in the photo - little bits of cheese and 3 ripe blackberries were on the board. The wine pours could have been at least an oz more per glass but the wines were really lovely.
The ambiance of this place is so lovely. Great service even though they were definitely hustling to greet, seat, and attend to everyone, the staff was all really lovely.

Can't wait to go back with friends and family!

Enzo M.

I took the mushrooms pizza and… WOW maybe one of the best pizza I’ve ever ate. I’m from France and my grand mother is Italian so we know the Italian food. I came with my girlfriend and the service was amazing. The ambiance is so cute and comfortable. Thank you

Taylor S.

Awesome spot in Santa Cruz. Love the atmosphere and the two young people working tonight were just exceptional. Both of them smart, polite and friendly. They represent the restaurant well. I found the restaurant while driving by to another place the Hyatt Place recommended but flipped a u-turn when I spotted Iveta. So glad I did! I had the chicken picatta and it was very good. The wine list is small but notable. The Montepulciano is fabulous and a pleasant surprise to find in CA. It was super quiet and I would suggest management canvas local hotels and invent the hotel employees to refer guests. I will be telling the Hyatt staff about how good this place is!