...also check out Eater's list of Montrey & Carmel places
Downtown Area
?? Alta Bakery & Cafe - coffe/pastry/breakfast/lunch spot, casual but looks really nice??
Wild Plum Cafe - organic cafe,
Cult Taco - sister to the amazing Cultura restaurant in Carmel (see below)
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
town just to the West of Monterey; the western edge is near the 17 Mile Drive/Asilomar area
Passionfish - 701 Lighthouse Ave, 831-655-3311, moderate prices, good duck confit and sustainable fish, rec'd chowhounds and Eater
?? Jeninni Kitchen & Wine Bar
Julia's - vegetarian restaurant
Cafe Guarani - Paraguay food like empanadas, rec'd Eater
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, near 17 Mile Drive
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
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 (?)
Noodle Bar
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
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
***Stationæry - delicious food with local/organic ingredients; we had a great time there in 2021. Not super kid-friendly (I don't think they had an explicit "kids menu") but we were fine with our 5 year old. They seem to be more popular for brunch but we had a great dinner.
***Cultura - somewhat upscale Mexican place with Oaxacan influrences in downtown Carmel; rec'd Michelin and Eater. We had a great meal here in 2021
Dametra Cafe - pan-Mediterranean, looks nice
Toro Sushi - looks nice, rec'd Eater
? La Bicyclette - Michelin calls “a quintessential bistro”, looks nice, pizzas and bistro fare, open every day 8:30-9
? Seventh & Dolores - Michelin and Eater rec’s, looks very fresh/modern steakhouse but also other stuff
Treehouse Cafe - good Yelp reviews, looks nice but not very GF
? Cantinetta Luca - Italian spot started by LA Republique’s Manzke family, looks pretty nice, closed Mon/Tues]
Casanova - rec’d Michelin, “rustic French and Italian cooking”...a bit saucy, closed Mon/Tues
Akaoni - sushiya, Michelin rec’s 12-piece chef’s choice platter and nigiri as well as tempura, also rec’d Eater...but mediocre Google reviews
? Yafa - Michelin says popular with locals, looks good, just a bit saucy?, dinner only open every day 5-10 PM
?? Dametra - middle eastern/mediterranean & Italian, rec’d Michelin
Looks nice, I’d like the baklava, open every day 11-10
La Balena - Italian/Florentine, rec’d Eater, seems nice but nothing special?
Edwin's Kaona Carmel - SE Asian, rec’d Eater, looks pretty nice
Aubergine - 1 michelin star, very fancy/expensive, rec’d Eater
?? Earthbound Farm Stand - 7250 Carmel Valley Rd, various organic produce, deli items, smoothies, salad bar, etc
Corkscrew - French-ish, looks nice
Roux - also French-ish, a bit fancier than Corkscrew
Lucia's Restaurant & Bar - at Bernardus Lodge & Spa, somewhat fancy, rec'd Michelin
Cafe Rustica - Michelin rec's as a "country charmer"
Casanova, Grazings, Portabella (lunch)
Phil's Fish Market - Moss Landing - good cioppino, can take your own pot inside!
Websites
Heller (Reserve tasting is rec'd)
Georis
Parsonage
Carmel: Cima Collina