Monterey

Restaurants

Monterey

  • Wild Plum Cafe - 731 Munras Ave #B, 831-646-3109, good organic cafe (rec'd by several chowhounds)

  • Sea Harvest - 598 Foam St, in Monterey Fish Market, 831-646-0547, good seafood, reasonable prices (although they've gone up recently), ultra-simple lunch counter, rec'd by many chowhounds

  • Sandbar & Grille - commercial/municipal wharf, 831-373-2818, non-touristy, rec'd by many chowhounds)

  • Breakfast: Rosine's - Alvarado St, downtown monterey, popular with locals, good breakfast served most of the day

  • Monterey Fish House - 2114 Del Monte Ave just east of Naval Postgraduate School, popular with locals, good portions, rec'd by 3 chowhounds but one recommends PassionFish instead)

  • Massaro and Santos - 32 Cannery Row #1, "view" restaurant on Coast Guard Pier, 831-649-6700 a bit more touristy but good seafood

  • Won Ju Korean - 570 Lighthouse Ave, Monterey, 831-656-0672, rec'd by several chowhounds, but yelp reviews are NOT good

  • Nara Korean Restaurant - 420 Tyler St, 831-333-0800, home-cooked style Korean food, inexpensive mom-and-pop

  • Old Fisherman's Grotto - 39 Fishermans Wharf, 831-375-4604, good clam chowder

  • Crystal Fish Sushi - 514 Lighthouse Ave, 831-649-3474

  • Paprika Cafe (formerly Tabouli's) - 309 Lighthouse in New Monterey 831-375-7452 - good middle eastern

  • Randy's Sandwich Shop - 1193-10th St #D, 831-375-9161, popular sandwich shop on yelp

  • Krua Thai Cafe - 731 Munras Ave #A (@ Abrego), 831-655-9797 also rec'd by 2 chowhounds...connected with Baan Thai in seaside

  • Ambrosia India Bistro - 565 Abrego St, 831-641-0610, rec'd by chowhound

  • Lou Lous Griddle in the Middle - Municipal Wharf #2, 831-372-0568, rec'd for breakfast

  • La Giostra - 1244 Munras Ave, Italian near Del Monte shopping center, 831-647-1133, real Italian staff

  • International Market & Deli - 580 Lighthouse Ave, 831-375-9451, good Greek/mediterranean food, spanikopita

  • Crown and Anchor - 150 W. Franklin St, 831-649-6496 cool hangout, nice beers, bar food

  • Lallapalooza Restaurant - 474 Alvarado St, 831-645-9036, nice place to drink, OK food

  • Hula's Island Grill - 622 Lighthouse Ave, 831-655-4852, no-frills Hawai'ian food, sweet potato fries rec'd on yelp

  • Restaurant 1833 - fancy American food with seafood/Italian influences, rec'd CHs

Pacific Grove

  • Passionfish - 701 Lighthouse Ave, 831-655-3311, moderate prices, good duck confit and sustainable fish (rec'd by lots of chowhounds, good wine at good prices)

  • Peppers Mexicali Cafe - 170 Forest Ave, 831-373-6892, good mexican (rec'd by 4 chowhounds)

  • Red House Cafe - 662 Lighthouse Ave, 831-643-1060, across form passionfish but slightly higher prices (great desserts, pastries made from scratch)

  • Taste Cafe - 1199 Forest Ave, 831-655-0324, Pacific Grove (rec'd by chowhounds)

  • Fishwife - 1996 Sunset Dr, 831-375-7107 - poboys and fish

  • Fifi's Bistro Cafe - 1188 Forest Ave, 831-372-5325, reasonably priced

  • Ocean Sushi - 2701 David Ave, 831-649-1320, (also branch in downtown Monterey but PG branch rec'd more)

  • Breakfast: First Awakenings - 125 Ocean View Blvd (near Acquarium), 831-372-1125, rec'd by 2 chowhounds

  • Patisserie Bechler - 1225 Forest Ave, 831-375-0846, French bakery rec'd by chowhounders and yelp

  • Pacific Thai Cuisine - 663 Lighthouse Ave, 831-646-8424, rec'd by 2 chowhounds

  • Vivolo's Chowder House - 127 Central Ave, 831-372-5414, good chowder, bread bowl is toasted with garlic butter!

  • Tillie Gorts Cafe - 111 Central Ave, 831-373-0335, rec'd breakfast/vegetarian place, vegan chocolate cake...but some yelp reviews suggest it's going downhill

Seaside

  • Fishwife - 789 Trinity Ave, off Del Monte, 831-375-7107, fish po-boys and other casual fish choices, rec'd by several chowhounds--> also in Pacific Grove at 1 Sunset Drive, 831-375-7107 (?)

  • Baan Thai - 1760 Fremont Blvd, 831-394-2996, rec'd by 3 chowhounds

  • Breakfast Club - 1130 Fremont Blvd #201, 831-394-3238 rec'd by 3 chowhounds, huge omelets, great prices

  • El Migueleno - 1066 Broadway, 831-899-2199, El Salvadorian food

  • Pho King - 1153 Fremont Blvd (west side), 831-899-1424, Vietnamese

  • Mi Tierra Carniceria y Supermercado - 1000 Broadway Ave, 831-394-8113, al pastor, carne asada, and tacos rec'd on yelp

  • Mexican: Food Corner Market Grocery - 1800 Noche Buena St. - 831-394-5910, good mexican!

  • Baldemiros Taco Shop - 2008 Fremont Blvd, 831-899-2231, rec'd by 3 chowhounds

Marina

  • Wild Thyme Deli - 455 Reservation Road #B, 831-884-2414 (good lunch spot)

  • Kula Ranch - 3295 Dunes Dr, off Reservation exit, 831-883-9479 Hawai'ian BBQ

  • Tico's Breakfast and Lunch - 330 Reservation Rd #C, 831-582-2509, good homefries, breakfast

Carmel/Carmel Valley

  • Sans Souci - Carmel (high class French)...similar are L'Auberge (Monte Verde St) and Bouche

  • Cantinetta Luca - Dolores St (@ Ocean), 831-625-6500 good Italian in carmel (rec'd by several chowhounds)

  • Marinus - Carmel Valley

  • White House - rec'd by 2 chowhounds

  • Pacific Edge at the Highlands Inn - 120 Highlands Drive, 831-622-5400, rec'd by chowhounds

  • Jeffrey's Grill & Catering - 112 Mid Valley Ctr, 831-624-2029, popular breakfast place on yelp

  • Corkscrew Cafe (Carmel Valley, rec'd by chowhounder)

  • Cafe Rustica - 10 Delfino Place, 831-659-4444 (Carmel Valley, rec'd by chowhounder and popular on yelp)

  • Rio Grill - 101 Crossroads Blvd, 831-625-5436

  • Dametra Cafe - pan-Mediterranean, rec'd CHs

  • Andre's BouchĂ©e - French, rec'd CHs

  • La Balena - Italian/Tuscan food with local ingredients, rec'd by CHs

  • ##Earthbound Farm Stand - 7250 Carmel Valley Rd

Elsewhere near Monterey

  • Casanova, Grazings, Portabella (lunch)

  • Phil's Fish Market - Moss Landing - good cioppino, can take your own pot inside!

Other Resources

Websites

Yelp Monterey Page

Wineries

Heller (Reserve tasting is rec'd)

Georis

Parsonage

Carmel: Cima Collina