Reviews From Google 

 
*****My favorite grocery store in town. Their produce top notch and the hot food bar and soups are always super tasty!
 
 
*****Great independent grocery store with a wide variety of gourmet items and hard to find food stuffs. A great butcher offering local seafood and grass fed meats. There a good variety of organic fruits and vegetables but not always the freshest (but I'll admit I'm comparing to local farmer's markets). Best grocery store in Santa Cruz.
 
*****Staff is the best in a health food store and locally owned. I only get my supplements from Staff because they have a knowledgeable staff and actually pass corporate discounts on to the customer. It's just an overall solid store for quality food. Good produce, butcher, hot & salad bar. No reason to even have a WF here, it's ridiculous and undermines local businesses like Staff of Life and Shopper's Corner. Santa Cruz political leaders do nothing to support local business owners so we community members need to be diligent about giving our money to these locally owned and exceptional stores.
 
*****Staff allows me to live out my dreams of becoming a zero-waster. The best bulk selection around. Organic, beautiful produce. Better than your grandmas pot-pie. Gourmet cheese samples nearly every weekend. Hot meals on the go. What more could you ask for? We. Are. In. Love. Plus we love the staff.. seriously! This spot is a gem.
 
 
Sean Parola
 
*****This is the best local independently owned health food store in Santa Cruz county. They will have the best prices and you will be able to find the most unique hard to find items here as well. You will feel much better supporting a local company.

Marie J

*****Amazing selections of produce and deli food. We're weekly shoppers often finding everything from vegan meals and products to grass Fed organic meats and whole grain pasta. We buy our toiletries and cleaners really everything. The staff are always friendly and seem genuinely happy to help and be there.

Fred Burr

*****Fantastic selection (especially for people with dietary restrictions), awesome staff, the deli+salad+hot food area always has great options.  I enjoy every visit.

Mike Morrison

***** Best store of its' type in the area

Valerie Leveroni Corral

*****Single Best health food store, locally owned and everything you could ever want. Not owned by Amazon like whole foods.
 
 
 
*****Luv this place in Santa Cruz! They have a great selection of products. The service staff is very helpful and pleasant. Service can be sometimes slow.The outdoor cafe seating area is always pleasant and clean. There is plenty of seating.Convenient location near freeway and public transportation. Not much parking, plenty of bike racks.
 
 
*****Great place for organic food
 
 
*****Excellent place for farm fresh, organic health foods. Great hot buffet food bar.

Patrick O'Donovan

***** Plenty of wholesome foods to find at this place, bulk and non-bulk. They make some great burritos at the deli. There's a dude named McKinnely that will build your sandwich or burrito with white-glove customer service. Even if you simply go for the deli experience or the amazing cheese selection, Staff of Life is the place for earthy delectable.

Alexander Connelly

*****Fun an quirky place to get some quality food. Love this local establishment!

Paul Roberts

***** Get healthy by thinking about it. great fresh stuff at reasonable prices

Jason Tsai

***** A little pricey. But aren't all "whole-some foods"? This place has a more neighborhood market feel, all kinds of kombucha, and I even got a kombucha infused beer (750ml). Great bottle brews. Cheeses looked delicious. EV parking spot. Bathrooms are clean. Everyone is nice. But some staff members are a little TOO committed and may preach their latest green cause a little too hard for the working folk.

But all in all, a GREAT addition to the neighborhood!

Allison Turner

***** Great produce, great prepared foods, great people.

Candice McNair

**** Fast service is great, but rushed service.

Lauren Moser

*****Staff of Life is hands down my favorite health food/grocery store in Santa Cruz. Or pretty much anywhere else in California. The produce is way better than the other grocery stores in town... not to mention better prices! I absolutely love their vitamin room too. They have a great selection of Chinese herbs, supplements, and bath and beauty stuff. I tend to get a little lost in there:) Last time I was in there the woman who helped me was so sweet and helpful. It is amazing how good it can make you feel when someone is genuinely happy to help you find what you are looking for!

Tré Retter

***** Lots of good stuff. Nice place, nice people.

Eli Triona

***** Santa Cruz does not lack choices for health food grocery stores and Staff of Life is another excellent option. Plenty of fresh, local and organic groceries to choose from and the employees and friendly.

Clay Olson

***** One of the United States of America's greatest health food stores. That should tell you something!

Shawn Orgel-Olson

***** I've been going to Staff of Life since I was born, literally. Hands down the best health food store in Santa Cruz (and that I've been to in the world, for that matter). I have shopped everywhere in town: New Leaf, Whole Foods, Food Bin, TJ's (and love TJ's too), Shopper's Corner, etc.

Staff consistently has:
- Cheapest prices on almost everything, very few exceptions
- Great produce
- Tasty salad bar and pre-packed meals - e.g., the wild salmon salad
- LOCAL business
- New location doesn't feel crammed like the old spot across the street
Do it.

Andrew Radcliffe

***** Nice staff, interesting and delicious foods.

Paul Mcneil

**** Worth trying for the first time, and definitely worth several return trips.

Adam White

***** A great market with its own bakery. A Santa Cruz original that has been around for decades for a good reason. Great selection and good prices. 

 

Reviews from Yelp

http://www.yelp.com/biz/staff-of-life-santa-cruz-2?sort_by=date_desc

"Always the freshest produce and meats, locally sourced when available. The staff is very helpful, and knowledgeable about the items in stock. Great selection of organic foods and an amazing wellness department."


 

"Staff of Life is an amazing grocery store. It is a mix of Wholefoods and Rainbow Grocery vibes. Specialty foods, very special foods and super special food, you will find all of them here.

In particular, I was surprised to find so many vegan options, even in the hot foods bar and in the desserts section. If I had one negative comment, I would have to say that the vegan sandwiches are not that great - the Reuben had so much wet sour kraut, that it was practically inedible.

Let's end on a high note though. The produce is super fresh, it features a great variety of fruits and veggies. Too bad I don't live in Santa Cruz, otherwise this would probably be my favorite grocery store."


 

"My absolute favorite store in Santa Cruz and the Bay Area!   Everyone is nice and friendly.  Meat is non-hormone and grass fed.  Seafood is fresh and local.    Veggies are stack nicely.  Fruits are fresh.  People always smile there and they always share with me like friends and family .... "What's the Best Thing that has happen to you recently?"

I'm happy every time I go to Staff of Life!

Santa Cruz is better because Staff of Life is here."

 


 

"Staff of Life is hands down my favorite health food/grocery store in Santa Cruz. Or pretty much anywhere else in California. The produce is way better than the other grocery stores in town... not to mention better prices! I absolutely love their vitamin room too. They have a great selection of Chinese herbs, supplements, and bath and beauty stuff. I tend to get a little lost in there:) Last time I was in there the woman who helped me was so sweet and helpful. It is amazing how good it can make you feel when someone is genuinely happy to help you find what you are looking for!"
 


Reviews from Trip Advisor

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g33048-d819739-Reviews-Staff_of_Life_Natural_Foods-Santa_Cruz_California.html

“Great local market with top organic and natural selections”

Our rental house is only a mile from this terrific market, so we walk or bike over almost every day. Wonderful selection of produce and other healthy foods. Great for picnic selection. Nice snack bar with delicious smoothies.

“!!!!!!”

gahhhhh!!!!!!!

Why do I live in Ohio?!?!
I walked to this place every day for everything. Things I didn't need, just reasons to go.
Iced Americanos with hemp milk. kombucha on draft. And that's even before entering the store.
there is everything a person like me (organic/fresh/wonderful) could possibly want. It was like a vegan celebration down every isle,
I couldn't wait to find a Staff Of Life when I went to LA in September. Sadly, there wasn't one.

“This is a coffee review”

The little coffee stand in Staff of Life Market has the best coffee in Santa Cruz, they serve Alta Coffee from Davenport. I've tried all the others and this is the best, they even do the pretty steamed milk designs on top.
Try it and then you can buy the wonderful coffee inside to try it at home. So happy I found them.

“Favorite Market in SC”

When in Santa Cruz, I always stop at the Staff of Life Natural Foods to grab some healthy picnic items. For a treat, I get the Vegan Fruit Tart.....INCREDIBLE! The employees are always friendly and helpful and the food is always fresh. They also make a great sandwich. They have a hot food bar that is really good too with a varied selection. They have a wide selection of wine that you can't find at other markets. I wish there was a Staff of Life Natural Foods in my town!

“DELICIOUS HOT BAR and great supplements/grocery too!”

I was especially pleased tonight that I asked a friend here - he was thrilled with the hot bar food selection - the deli counter too, and the juice/beverage bar. I tend to come here for lunch - the food is reasonably priced for the health conscious consumer - and they do organic so well!! Locally owned; since they moved to this new location there is MUCH more to recommend it - it is sparkling clean, you may dine on their patio area, and have everything fresh to your heart's content. REMARKABLE improvements. Truly great recipes with variety - vegetarian, fish, pasta, meat - you name it! Staff is a joy to have in town, and accommodating as only local businesses can be! Near 24 Hour Fitness too - what a great area for healthy living!

“The best Health food store in town..”

I have been a customer of the Staff for over thirty years. The best prices in town for all your healthy needs. Friendly staff. Great takeout food. Organic Meat and Fish. A nice sit down cafe for Juice and food. Wonderful price on supplements and self-care products. My favorite, and I will continue to shop at the Staff of Life...can’t be beat. And the owner is a real supporter in our community....

“AWESOME INDEPENDENT GROCER W/DELI AND BAKERY”

If you like to shop in natural food stores and are looking for an alternative to the chains (WF) try Staff of Life - a Santa Cruz So. Favorite for over 35 years!!!! This place has everything...from a relaxing outdoor area with water feature and espresso bar to a hot food bar featuring many different vegetarian options every day! They even serve breakfast in the AM....plus yummy bakery treats. Also a great body care and vitamin section. Wonderful meat counter as well as seafood...all in all a find! Shop like a local at Staff of Life!!!

“The best Health food establishment”

I love staff of life a great selection of food, really sad whole foods is now in Santa Cruz support local business when you visit.

 

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