taking a trip with my father and brother to Monterey…need recommendations on some good restaurants…
i wanted to take a few hours and go up to the Santa Cruz Mountains and go tasting. Thinking…
Big Basin
Rhys (although I’m not a active member)
Ridge
too much? too little? anything better out there?
Passion Fish in Pacific Grove is a great dining choice. Great food, not overly expensive…
Remember lots of wineries in the Carmel Valley as well. So Many SCM Wineries to choose from. All depends on what you want…
The 3 you named are not close to each other and imagine visiting those 3 would take most of the day. There are plenty of others near each of those three if you need more to fill things out.
Sean
Several years ago we had two really good meals at the C Restaurant in the Intercontinental. I loved the view of the water but also loved the food and service. Worth taking a look … I’m sure chefs may have changed, etc.
Bistro Moulin is great for French food. Are you driving up highway 1 on the way there or back?
Great. That’s one the was on the list. No real plans for highway 1 but might make a detour over to big sur and have lunch at post ranch inn or nepenthe.
Big +1 on Nepenthe. Love their lunch. Great wine list too if a little overpriced but what do you expect for the middle of nowhere. If you have time make sure to stop in at Point Lobos. Its one of the most beautiful places along the coast. A must see in my opinion.
Nepenthe is indeed a wonderful spot. But I’m not sure about the access at this time. Highway 1 is closed due to a bridge collapse, though maybe there is an alternative route.
A big +1 on Passionfish! The wine list is awesome (as is the pricing), and the food is very good and reasonably priced.
Nepenthe is not an option. road is closed still according to the locals I know.
Had a great meal here. Good wine list too.
Definitely would go to Passionfish. One of the best restaurant wine lists you will find and the food was
Excellent.
Yes, they just demolished the condemned bridge over Pfeiffer canyon on Hwy 1 north of Nepenthe. It’s estimated it will take six months to build a replacement bridge.
-Al
We love this restaurant.
Windy Oaks tasting room is right in downtown Carmel and worth a visit.
+1 on PassionFish. The food is good, but the wine list. My god. Last time I went, the central cost pinot selection was off-the-hook, most bottles within $5 to $10 of mailing list price. I caved and picked up a bottle of Marcassin pinot, which was ~$40 over release price, just because I had never had one. List was loaded with other hard-to-find stuff, including the current release of SQN at the time. Given the minimal mark-up, they don’t allow you to purchase bottles to go…
Another +1 for Passionfish. As already said, food is quite good (though mostly fish-centric, not much meat, relatively short menu which you can check out online); but wine list is crazy good. Not your big steak house wine list, more eclectic and interesting, and prices for most wines are not much more than retail (sometimes less!). We were just in Pacific Grove for our 30th anniversary, and ate there twice (once on the actual anniversary), that’s how much we like it. Not fancy, but very comfortable.
Personally, I stay away from the tourist areas of Monterey, the restaurants cater to fly by tourists. Fandango in Pacific Grove is quite good, in a more traditional steak/fish/pasta way. Don’t know what the wine list is like, we brought our own.
We got several recommendations for an Italian place called Mia Cucina, also Pacific Grove. Menu looked great, and it was packed when we walked by.
For breakfast, there are a couple of really good places in Pacific Grove (see a pattern here?): The Red House, and Crema.
Here’s the list of restaurant recommendations from the place we stayed:
Dining Suggestions
Below is a selection of some of the restaurants that are proven winners.
Only a short walk from Seven Gables:
Cafe Ariana Two short blocks from Seven Gables.
543 Lighthouse Ave. Pacific Grove, CA
831-324-0265
cafeariana.com
Casual dining just blocks from the Inn. They have a variety of panini, salads, soups, pizza, gelato and cake.
Favaloro’s Big Night Southern Italian cuisine. Two short blocks from Seven Gables.
545 Lighthouse Blvd. Pacific Grove, CA
831-373-8523
favalorosbignightbistro.com
Wonderful Southern Italian food, Quaint family operation. Tuesday-Sunday dinner.
Wednesday-Saturday lunch & dinner
Beach House Restaurant Two short blocks from Seven Gables. In Old Bath House Historic Building, on the water.
620 Ocean View Blvd. Pacific Grove, CA
831 375-2345
beachhousepg.com
Over the water and outside patio dining. Open everyday for dinner 4-12 pm.
La Mia Cucina Northern Italian cuisine. Six short blocks from Seven Gables.
208 17th Street Pacific Grove, CA 93950
831-373-2416
This little jewel, with its fresh ambiance and tantalizing menu is popular with everyone.
Open Wed.-Sun. for dinner.
The Red House Café Fresh Coastal Cuisine. Seven short blocks from Seven Gables.
662 Lighthouse Avenue Pacific Grove, 93950
831-643-1060
redhousecafe.com
A delightfully quaint restaurant situated near the Post Office.
Open Tues.-Sun. for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Do not take reservations.
Pacific Thai Cuisine Thai cuisine. Eight short blocks from Seven Gables.
663 Lighthouse Avenue Pacific Grove, CA 93950
831-646-8424
pacificthaicuisine.com
Taste, texture and aromas of Thai food authentically made for you. Very casual. Open 7 days for lunch and dinner.
Fandango Southern French cuisine. Eight short blocks from Seven Gables.
223 17th Street Pacific Grove, 93950
831-372-3456
Featuring Mediterranean & European Style cuisine. Enjoy fresh seafood, giant sea scallops, and Fandango’s famous rack of lamb.Reservations recommended. Open 7 days for lunch and dinner.
Passionfish Specializes in sustainable seafood. Nine short blocks from Seven Gables.
701 Lighthouse Ave. Pacific Grove, 93950
831-655-3311
The ever-changing menu features the freshest, sustainable seafood. Open 7 days for dinner. Serving dinner from 5 p.m. daily. Reservations recommended.
Only A Short Drive from Seven Gables:
Vivolo’s Chowder House MAP
127 Central Ave. Pacific Grove, 93950 (2 minutes, .8 of a mile)
831-372-5414
Wonderful clam chowder, in Pacific Grove near New Monterey.
Open 7 days for lunch and dinner.
Il Vecchio
110 Central Ave. Pacific Grove, 93950 (2 minutes, .8 of a mile)
831-324-4282
Classic Italian cuisine featuring dishes from Rome, Umbria and Tuscany.
Open 7 days for dinner.
Fifi’s Bistro Cafe
1188 Forest Avenue Pacific Grove, CA 93950-5123 (5 minutes, 1.3 miles)
831-372-5325
fifisbistrocafe.com
The French/Continental menu is small and always served to perfection, beautifully prepared
and presented. Open 7 days for lunch and dinner.
Taste Cafe & Bistro
1199 Forest Ave. #5 Pacific Grove, 93950 (5 minutes, 1.3 miles)
831-655-0324
Taste offers European flavor cuisine. Open Tues.-Sat. for lunch and dinner.
Chart House
444 Cannery Row Monterey, CA 93940 (4 minutes, 1.3 miles)
831-372-3362
Spectacular waterfront dining and Views, seafood, steaks. Reservations recommended.
Open 7 days for dinner.
Whaling Station
763 Wave St. Monterey, CA 93940 (4 minutes, 1.0 miles)
831-373-3778
John Pisto’s Old World steak house one block above Steinbeck’s Cannery Row.
Open 7 days for dinner.
Mission Ranch
26270 Dolores Street Carmel, CA 93923(15 minutes, 7.6 miles)
831-624-6436
The location is a converted 1850s dairy farm restored by Clint Eastwood to preserve the vista
of the nearby wetlands stretching to the bay.
Anton & Michel
Mission between Ocean and Seventh Carmel, CA 93923 (13 minutes, 6.2 miles)
831-624-2406
This is an excellent restaurant. Excellent food, service, and ambiance. Fit for Foodies, Romantic, Special Occasion.
Casanova
Fifth between Mission & San Carlos Carmel, CA 93923 (13 minutes, 6.3 miles)
831-625-0501
casanovarestaurant.com
Top notch food, excellent service, and a rustic warm setting. Fixed menu pricing.
Open 7 days for lunch and dinner.
Restaurants on Hwy 1 south of Carmel-great views during the daylight hours
Rocky Point
36700 Highway 1 Big Sur, California 93920 (28 minutes, 17.3 miles)
831-624-2933
Rocky Point Restaurant is located 10 miles south of Carmel, on 36700 Highway 1, between Carmel and Big Sur, offering a spectacular view of the sea and shore from all tables.
Open every day for lunch and dinner.
Nepenthe
48510 Highway 1 Big Sur, California 93920 (52 minutes, 35.4 miles)
831- 667-2345
Perched on the edge of the continent, high above the Pacific, watched over by the majestic Santa Lucia Mountains sits Nepenthe Restaurant. This Mecca of poets, artists, travelers and vagabonds has served guests for sixty years, opening for business on April 24, 1949.
Ventana
48123 Highway 1 Big Sur, California 93920 (51 minutes, 35.1 miles)
831-667-2331
Ventana Inn & Spa is located in Big Sur 28 miles South of Carmel off Highway 1.
Open 7 days.
Restaurants in Carmel Valley Village before or after wine tasting:
Cafe Rustica
10 Delfino Pl. Carmel Valley, California 93924 (36 minutes, 18 miles)
831-659-4444
caferusticacarmel.com
Reasonably priced variety of hearty, creative Californian dishes.
Open for lunch and dinner. Closed Mondays.
Vineyard Bistro
6 Pilot Rd. Carmel Valley, California 93923 (36 minutes, 18 miles)
831-659-5020
vineyard-bistro.com
Delicious food in a fun setting. Open for lunch and dinner every day.