Iveta - Downtown

Fir our first visit here, our family of three had a delicious dinner. We an asparagus appetizer and also some brussels sprouts both very good. The brussels sprouts were a little too oily, but very flavorful. The beef tortellini was excellent as was a vegetarian pesto dish. Only the beef ragu fettuccine was a bit ordinary, not quite hot enough, but tasty.Street parking was a challenge, with metered parking if you can find it.The service was professional and fairly prompt even on a busy Friday night.

We've been here twice and it's so good every time. We love the happy hour wine flight.We tried the chicken pesto pasta and the tortellini alla panna this time. The tortellini is soooo good!

Okay so the nighttime vibe is like romantic, semi upscale for Santa Cruz, and the menu is pretty good too. Wow and my Cabernet was amazing. Santa Cruz is becoming my favorite foodie place as it is filled with all these hidden gems like Iveta. I searched Italian and it came up. Something about cold foggy weather that makes me want pasta or Italian. It is a very cute, quaint, small intimate restaurant with delicious food and attentive service, they let me make substitutions like get polenta with my chicken piccata and let me suggest apples since they were out of stone fruit with my burratta fruit and bread plate. Wow, probably the best burratta salad I've had in my life! Idk if it was the honey on it, the tart and sweetness of the apple coupled with the creaminess of the cheese and the amazing soft focaccia, but this plate hit all flavor palates and made me want to return.The chicken picatta 4/5 stars I didn't care for the polenta- it needed to be a little creamier or have more flavor to it. It was kind of dried out with no taste but my chicken and veggies were delicious! My friend ordered the pesto + chicken and I would give that 3.5/4 stars out of 5. It needed a little more salt or Parmesan cheese topped on it but the pesto tasted amazing and the noodles were cooked perfectly. They also have heaters and outside seating, a happy hour, and parking in front. Def a great place for date night, a great meal, or chill intimate vibes for a solo date with yourself. Thanks for great service and yummy food!

We found Iveta on Yelp and popped in for a quick dinner our first night in Santa Cruz. Love the stylish yet laid-back atmosphere and attentive service.FISH TACOS: Tender fish, crispy slaw, & tangy aioli-- great to whet the appetite~CITRONETTE SALAD (with chicken): Adding chicken definitely made it a full meal-- satisfying without being too filling. Chicken is seasoned well but could use some more moisture. Big fan of the citrus dressing.My bf had only positives for the pinsa :3 I had a bite and thought it was as light and agreeable as advertised. We shared a white wine flight that went well with our dishes. I only found out afterwards that their original location is famed for their scones (yum!!)-- must be a stop on our next trip to SC.

Fantastic find in Downtown Santa Cruz! The pasta really hit the spot, amazing flavors, piping hot just how we like it, and a good portion to share! The ambiance is very upscale, nice lighting and pretty decorations. Our server was awesome and the food came out so quick! Definitely would recommend this place for something different in the downtown area

WOW - just... WOW! Looking for a good meal before a show, we made 6:30 p.m. reservations. We were early but promptly seated, and decided to sit at the counter so we could watch all the goodness happening with the staff and kitchen as they carried plate after plate of fabulous food.We started with a glass of the Cab (super tasty), and the Hibiscus Fizz (champagne with a hibiscus flower on the bottom)... then dug into the starters with brussel sprouts and crab cakes. I read they were known for their sprouts and OMG the rumors are true - these are the best damn sprouts I've ever had, with this delectable honey soy glaze that we ordered a baguette extra just to sop up the goodness. The crab cakes (2) were also VERY good, with this creamy little sauce and capers, and light greens to nibble at. Next came the short ribs on a bed of polenta, with blanched cherry tomatoes and a hint of Calabrian pepper spice. I would recommend ordering extra polenta, it's that good.We didn't have room for dessert, but they offer a delectable array for any palate from tiramisu, to cheesecake, to this caramel cake that was two layers thick and looked AMAZING, with a generous portioning. The arancini looked great too, but we had to pick and choose, but we will definitely return to try other items on the menu. This is seriously one of the few restaurants I would consider "destination dining" ie. I would drive over an hour to eat here again. Lastly, THE STAFF were AMAZING - they had so much fun together but busted their tails all night to ensure everyone was happy.The place is fairly small which adds to the quaintness, with tables, counter and then outdoor seating. It's located on Pacific just down from the hub bub. Make a reservation ASAP and bring your appetite!

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.

Recently tried this place out for the first time. We tried their margherita pizza and burger. Both were delicious! The food was perfect for two of us to share. The service was amazing! We made reservations ahead of time and were quickly seated. Our food did take a bit long to come out, but definitely worth the wait. It is a bit small inside, and I imagine it can feel crowded when it's full. There is street parking nearby which you do have to pay for. Definitely recommend this place!

Came here on Mother's Day. The place, according to the host, was busier than usual. However, we had no problem making reservations online a couple hours in advance and we were seated right away. Given the choice, we sat outside because it was a nice day. Honestly, I think it was noisier inside than outside, even though (as some reviewers point out) it's located at the corner of two fairly busy streets.The service was stellar, and, even though the place was hopping, everyone working there seemed to be in a great mood. I wish I could remember our server's name because I'd love to give her a shout-out hereI had the polenta and my partner had the omelette. They brought a few scones to the table for us to snack on while we waited for the food. I enjoyed the thoughtful addition. Both dishes were fantastic and the red sauce on the polenta was second to... well, probably only second to my own. I had only a bite of the omelette- it was fluffy and well-flavored.I would definitely recommend this place, and we'll be back again sometime, too. The only negative things I could say are that the outside tables were covered in some kind of soot- probably from nearby car exhaust. When we saw a young man clean the table next to us after their party had left, my partner commented on how sporadically he had wiped it down. Not a dealbreaker- they gave us plates to eat on anyhow.Also, if you're the quantity-over-quality type, be warned that the portions on the brunch were a bit on the small side. If you're the quality-over-quantity type, I can't say enough about how good the polenta and egg was. Also, I don't recommend you leave here without trying the scones. They were otherworldly good.

Adventures of Elole Sabo continues as if we never took. a break! We showed up maybe 30 mins early and were turned down. Luckily directly across IVEGA sits a nice little wine bar which was happy to seat us as a party of 2 by the fire warming us up. Although both of these establishments are great and I love how they come together in the middle creating a lot of outdoor seating available to enjoy the sea Breeze in a modernistic open style concept. Going to school in Santa Cruz I had never bothered to explore the side IVETA is located due to it being right next to a road that is relatively busy. he pregame to IVETA. finally as we just finished up a staff member waved us over letting us know that they were now open for business. Seated inside we were greeted and were able to order. The staff here were so attentive and seemed genuinely sweet. the food was good, and probably one of the few places I am able to call edible since the food scene aint too hot. Hannah Montana would say, everybody has those days, but I swear some of these restraunts are just always having "Those Days".