Coast Gallery Café

THE place to stop by on one’s trip to Big Sur. A lovely building perched on the other side of highway 1 hugged by the surrounding nature. The first floor is an artful gallery/gift shop space and the terrace above overlooks the ocean - is there a better place to sit down and enjoy a beautiful lunch? We were all the more impressed by the food itself. A very fun adventure to try and taste all the items in the ensemble of mezze lunch bowl - lettuce so fresh as if just picked from the ground, radish hummus so good that we purchased a box afterwards to go. Loved the brokaw avocado sandwich as well - perfect seeded bread paired with unique and delicious spread consisting of ricotta and sweet potato. Look forward to coming back again!

We stumbled upon this place after driving down the coast. We were so hungry and grateful to find this place. They have a beautiful exterior and small but beautiful gallery. The restaurant has a small menu with delicious options. They also have a cooler on the wall with small food items and drinks.

The Brokaw avacado sandwich was absolutely delicious. The ambiance is mind blowing with the view of the ocean with covered outdoor seating. The place offers free WiFi service.

Add this stop to your big sur/route 1 drive! The ladies at the cafe are friendly and the baked goods were delicious. My brother and I ordered soft serves and enjoyed it on the rooftop. The views were beautiful

Oh my goodness!!! This place is so extraordinarily awesome! I stopped here to get some coffee and maybe some gifts from a recent road trip. We got a piece of sourdough pizza which came with an amazing salad on top, which even had some local edible flours. The salad by itself was refreshing and delicious. The sourdough pizza was crazy good too!! I got a cappuccino made with some local honey. I forget the name for it, but like the other two items I was seriously impressed. This is another place that if I'm ever passing through and they are open, I'll be stopping in to eat and relax. I highly recommend COAST!!!

Steven Kohus

Route 1 is one of the prettiest scenic roads I have been on before and we just stopped by this place at random, but it turned out to be quite good. It has an art gallery and gift shop inside, although everything there was too expensive for my budget. The Cafe had a very small selection of food, but the quality was superb. They have outside seating with views of the pacific ocean, as well as seating in and around the building. Very artistic and rustic vibes every where in the decor, you will find air plant walls, a small waterfall, wooden sculpted furniture, and much more for a cozy spot if you are travelling along Route 1.

Micah Weesner

This may be the best coffee-with-a-view experience I’ve had. Their menu is somewhat limited, and they don’t offer substitutions or changes to orders, but the coffee is really good. It has a sculpture gallery downstairs that is beautiful, and the layout is asymmetrical yet comfortable. The top terrace has an incredible view of a bend in Highway 1 and the ocean beyond. If you’re looking to get some caffeine while you explore the trails and sights in Big Sur, then you need to stop here.

Claire Bednarski

Such a wonderful spot in the middle of Big Sur. The employees were so kind, and the food is fresh and delicious. I got the iced lavender vanilla coffee, fresh sourdough, and butternut squash butter. The upstairs patio looking out onto the ocean is wonderful and has plenty of seating. Cute interior seating and shop too! Will definitely come again next time I’m in Big Sur!

Eric Anderson

Please do your self a favor. Even with the road closure for the wash out. Stop here. Pulling up the atmosphere is amazing. The restaurant is built out of two old water towers (the wooden kind) when we walked into the art gallery we were kindly greeted and asked if we could be helped. We let her know we were here for food and she ensured us the best chef in Big Sur was here. We were not dissapointed. We ordered the Ricotta sourdough pizza and the veggie sour dough pizza. The ice cream also caught our eye but today we wanted to eat our meal before dessert. And it was amazing the pizza was perfect the crust was great the topping stood out despite being buried beneath rocket greens and a "divine" lemon vinaigrette (yes I am raving about salad dressing and you will too after you try it). After that was done we perused the gift shop full of amazing art, awesome hand crafted home goods, and an amazing array of books before knowing we needed the ice cream. We had the chocolate landslide and the zigzag. We highly recommend. Also enjoy the quiet serenity of this place no cellular signal from our phones it was an amazing moment of calm before driving to LA. We want to come back any time we can. Thank you for an amazing experience.

Donna Kim

During our day trip to Big Sur, we decided to visit this place we had seen on Instagram. Although we don't typically rely on social media recommendations, we thought it was worth a shot. The decorations and views were stunning, creating a lovely atmosphere. We had Sourdough Pizza and drinks. Admittedly, the food was a bit on the expensive side, but the overall experience made it worthwhile. I'd love to come back, and I can already picture bringing more friends along to enjoy the good vibes and great mood of the place. Loved it!

Irene “MJ” Kim

Great for a quick lunch in Big Sur. Hot coffee and ice cream are better than meals. There is an expansive pacific sea view, and the small valley visible through the round window inside is pretty.

Kevin Schaffartzik

This place is phenomenal. The terrace views are spectacular and you really don't want to leave. The coffee and beer were great and the bread was exceptional!!! I liked it here so much. The music was also right up my alley. 60s and 70s feel good music. Such a good spot, I can't recommend it enough!

Valerie Willetts

We held our wedding reception at Coast and it was an absolute dream. The food, the drinks, the staff, and the location were impeccable. In the beginning we of course had a few places in mind, Andrea at Coast was the first person we met with and she sold us right away. The customer service was by far the best we experienced in Big Sur and the food was phenomenal, not just as wedding food, but one of the top meals we’ve ever had, best steak I’ve ever had for sure. our guests still talk about the food and the dinner experience to this day, the food is definitely an experience. You also can’t beat the ambiance of coast, it’s stunning even without the wedding decor and of course the view. From the beginning Andrea was very clear about every detail and guided us through the whole process. Her husband Tyler was also very helpful. We didn’t rent anything for the wedding and what Andrea and my coordinator set up for the reception was beautiful. Right as the reception started a fog rolled in and we had to move everything inside and they were so helpful to get it done quickly and smoothly. After dinner we had the dance floor out on the patio which was perfect and so much fun, and everyone always had a full drink. The staff was so attentive. Even though we had to change so many things that night they were able to adapt to it all. We wish we could relive that day a million times over, and we can’t wait to go back to Coast just to have their food again. Thank you Andrea and Tyler for a night we’ll never forget!

Karthik Eswaran

One of the lesser known cafés along the PCH (CA-1) offering delicious food and drinks. We went there for brunch and had The Iced Flash Brewed Coffee which was excellent and Iced Lavender Vanilla coffee which is more of an acquired taste. During my previous visit I'd had their Margherita and Sourdough Pizzas and they were great but even with their comparatively smaller menu they have plenty of options to accommodate any sort of dietary restrictions/preferences. Staff is extremely friendly and the whole Cafe is just uniquely and beautifully designed with their own art gallery and souvenir shop right inside the Cafe. Oh and did I not tell you about their terrace view opening our minds to the stunningly blue Pacific ocean? Now I have!! There are limited parking spots (20 ish) so I'd suggest planning your visit and I've seen people park alongside the shoulder of the road and then walk to the Cafe when there's no parking but I'd not recommend it. Place has ample amenities and a super clean common restroom so it's a perfect rest spot after a peaceful ride on the CA-1 highway.

Lisa V

this place is the BEST!! our hiking tour guide told us about it and we came over asap!! It was way beyond our expectations and the best food we ate in Big Sur all weekend! we only wish it was near us so we can go back everyday!! the ice cream is the Bomb! and the PIZZA ..all of it was amazing, including the vegetable curry stew!! so fresh, so healthy, so satisfying.. DO NOT PASS BY!! stop in!! its way worth it!!

Jiahui Zhou

THE place to stop by on one’s trip to Big Sur. A lovely building perched on the other side of highway 1 hugged by the surrounding nature. The first floor is an artful gallery/gift shop space and the terrace above overlooks the ocean - is there a better place to sit down and enjoy a beautiful lunch? We were all the more impressed by the food itself. A very fun adventure to try and taste all the items in the ensemble of mezze lunch bowl - lettuce so fresh as if just picked from the ground, radish hummus so good that we purchased a box afterwards to go. Loved the brokaw avocado sandwich as well - perfect seeded bread paired with unique and delicious spread consisting of ricotta and sweet potato. Look forward to coming back again!

Maddie Parker

We stumbled upon this place after driving down the coast. We were so hungry and grateful to find this place. They have a beautiful exterior and small but beautiful gallery. The restaurant has a small menu with delicious options. They also have a cooler on the wall with small food items and drinks.

Deepali Amatya

We saw COAST as we were driving along Big Sur and immediately knew we had to make a stop there. We got some ice-cream and enjoyed the views from their rooftop patio. I got the chai flavored ice-cream, which was very rich and yummy! It came with some ginger gummy pieces which enhanced the flavor of the ice-cream. It was honestly so good! It was a bit pricey, but we had expected this in Big Sur. 100% recommend to stop by for a coffee/ ice cream/ drink or even a meal. Ambience was 10/10 as well. Can't wait to go back again!

Annu Priya

The Brokaw avacado sandwich was absolutely delicious. The ambiance is mind blowing with the view of the ocean with covered outdoor seating. The place offers free WiFi service.

Michael Huang

Add this stop to your big sur/route 1 drive! The ladies at the cafe are friendly and the baked goods were delicious. My brother and I ordered soft serves and enjoyed it on the rooftop. The views were beautiful

Russell Snider

Oh my goodness!!! This place is so extraordinarily awesome! I stopped here to get some coffee and maybe some gifts from a recent road trip. We got a piece of sourdough pizza which came with an amazing salad on top, which even had some local edible flours. The salad by itself was refreshing and delicious. The sourdough pizza was crazy good too!! I got a cappuccino made with some local honey. I forget the name for it, but like the other two items I was seriously impressed. This is another place that if I'm ever passing through and they are open, I'll be stopping in to eat and relax. I highly recommend COAST!!!

Foods and service were great. I got pour over coffee, cheese melt and vanilla ice cream, all the things I got were delicious. For the side note, I visited COAST last March (it was raining!)- since the cafe was located nearby cliff/sea..it was pretty chill 😂. I recommend to visit the cafe during summer (or early fall).

Beautiful cafe with ample seating indoors and outside. Lots of choices for drinks including alcoholic beverages but food menu is rather limited. If you like seeds and grains and vegan stuff then this might appeal to you. We tried also their chocolate vanilla ice cream but it was just vanilla with chocolate crumbles. No public wifi, not sure about Verizon but no AT&T or T-mobile reception here. Staff are great. Parking space for a few cars. Please read the sign and don’t try to enter what it says “exit only”.

The ambiance and atmosphere of this place is just out of the world. It's built right on the coast and have great seating in the patio. The menu here is limited though. The food is good and the coffee is good too. You're going there mostly for the view and the location.

Claire Han

Foods and service were great. I got pour over coffee, cheese melt and vanilla ice cream, all the things I got were delicious. For the side note, I visited COAST last March (it was raining!)- since the cafe was located nearby cliff/sea..it was pretty chill 😂. I recommend to visit the cafe during summer (or early fall).

Dru Looks

Beautiful cafe with ample seating indoors and outside. Lots of choices for drinks including alcoholic beverages but food menu is rather limited. If you like seeds and grains and vegan stuff then this might appeal to you. We tried also their chocolate vanilla ice cream but it was just vanilla with chocolate crumbles. No public wifi, not sure about Verizon but no AT&T or T-mobile reception here. Staff are great. Parking space for a few cars. Please read the sign and don’t try to enter what it says “exit only”.

Parking is difficult here. There are spaces in front of the cafe and on the street, but not much to work with. Be careful because cars come fast around the corner, so be safe. Honestly, yes, it's a beautiful area, view, and gallery, but food menu options for the price point, in my opinion, are not worth it and are very limited in options. I would say stop here for a coffee/beverage and a light snack/meal if you aren't hungry. But, if you are hungry, grab a filling meal elsewhere. If you are unable to find parking, it's not worth the stress to wait around. If it's busy, the line to order can also be long. If you do stick around, walk around to see art all over the grounds. Grab a coffee. Seating outside had a beautiful view. Seating is open seating and first come, first served. There is seating inside, outside, and in their courtyard area.

The place is beautiful and has a perfect view of Big Sur. The prices are acceptable but don't expect good service. The attendants are rude and don't give you the necessary attention. It could have been a perfect experience if it weren't for the terrible service.

Tania Segovia

Parking is difficult here. There are spaces in front of the cafe and on the street, but not much to work with. Be careful because cars come fast around the corner, so be safe. Honestly, yes, it's a beautiful area, view, and gallery, but food menu options for the price point, in my opinion, are not worth it and are very limited in options. I would say stop here for a coffee/beverage and a light snack/meal if you aren't hungry. But, if you are hungry, grab a filling meal elsewhere. If you are unable to find parking, it's not worth the stress to wait around. If it's busy, the line to order can also be long. If you do stick around, walk around to see art all over the grounds. Grab a coffee. Seating outside had a beautiful view. Seating is open seating and first come, first served. There is seating inside, outside, and in their courtyard area.

Luiza Piaia Pereira

The place is beautiful and has a perfect view of Big Sur. The prices are acceptable but don't expect good service. The attendants are rude and don't give you the necessary attention. It could have been a perfect experience if it weren't for the terrible service.