Gayle's Bakery & Rosticceria — Restaurant in Capitola

Have been coming to Gayle's since I was a little kid. It's always a delicious treat to stop in when I'm in the area. They are a family favorite and a community staple.

It's been wonderful watching them grow over the years. When I was younger they didn't have the covered/heated patio, nor did they have live music. Last time I stopped in they had a jazz band playing inside the warm and cozy patio and it was fantastic.

It's good to come early in the day before they run out of items in the evenings. They can be very popular throughout the day. Come in and grab a number from their ticket machine by the door, and wait for your number to be called after having browsed their delights.

My personal go-to pastry items include their Bear Claws, Maple Pecan Crocodiles, Marionberry Turnovers, and their Pecan Schnecken. The Marionberry Turnovers are great if you have a sweet-tooth like me. The Crocodiles really show off their baking skills in my opinion, and are super tasty.

My go-to deli items are their Balsamic Citrus Glazed Quarter Chicken and Spinach Gorgonzola Pasta (vegetarian). Or if you're catching breakfast, their Scrambled Egg Croissants (vegetarian) are delicious. They do a huge variety of salads and sandwiches as well. Their soup rotation is also amazing.

Don't let my suggestions limit you though, they have so much more to choose from that will satisfy nearly any palate. They make cookies, pies and cakes as well, and will do personalized cakes for parties too.

There's something extraordinarily unique about how Gayle's does their pastries, specifically their breads and crusts, no joke. It's always a perfectly warm taste of home that's just right. That perfect Maillard reaction...

If you're in the Santa Cruz area at all you need to grab...

We spent the day at Capitola Beach I was in charge of lunch. I saw this spot when we were parking. I walked here from the beach. When I walked in it was full of people. I didn't expect how big it was inside. It was OVERWHELMING as a 1st timer. I pulled a number as the signs instructed. I was almost considering walking out when #79 was announced on the intercom. A very nice Hispanic guy (I didn't catch his name) greeted me with a smile. I told him it was my first time there and I was overwhelmed. He assured me it was no problem and he would assist me all the way. We started on bakery then moved to sandwiches and salads. I completed the transaction and off I went back to the beach. He made sure to pack everything so it would be easy to carry back. We got the Turkey Ranch, Chicken Salad and BBQ tri tip sandwiches. They were all good. I am picky about bakery stuff. When I tell you their baked goods are 10/10. My son had a brookie cookie. I shared Napolean with rasberry. So good! The star of the show was a salted carame tarte. It was AMAZING! My husband only shared one bite with me but I was grateful for the one bite! Lol! I recommend this place and we will be stopping here every...

The smell of fresh baked bread! The smell of baked deliciousness.....every night this place bakes up a storm so intense you can literally smell the invitation that's impossible to pass by. It's a high level of amazing that resonates all around the place! Not only does it have pastries and cookies and morning treats, it has pre made cold and pre made hot food to endulge in. From simple to intense, healthy and not so healthy, snacks to full in meals....it's really a place thats got it going on! A barista as well. It gets packed in here but they actually figured out a way to ease the stress. You walk in and pick a number. When your number is called, you order. So much easier then it looks when you walk in and see a room packed with what looks like wandering customers looking and waiting, and staff going every which way never asking if you've been helped( it's cuz they are assisting the numbers called not ignoring you). You can also sit down in the dining area which is first cone first serve. You'll want to come back a few times just to try each thing when your hungry.....(my tummy just growled) haha. It's 7am, yay it's open, hope to...