Lots of experience in both Carmel and Paso Robles. I’ll copy a few things from some of my previous posts on CT and the Travel Forum.
Breakfast:
-
Carmel Bakery: It’s a very casual atmosphere but they’ve been a fixture in Carmel for ages. (They had a sister bakery across Ocean Ave. called Wisharts Bakery - No idea if they’re still owned by the same family). They serve Starbucks coffee if you have a preference for that and a number of treats like baked goods and ice cream. Their Almond Horns (rolled almond paste baked with slivered almonds, then dipped in chocolate) are delicious and they have the best coconut macaroons I’ve ever had (crisp on the outside with a dense, soft center). Some stuff may be hit or miss for you, but worth coming in for breakfast or an afternoon treat with the family.
-
Carmel Coffee House & Roasting Company: Tucked away off Ocean Ave in a little courtyard is another coffee shop. Their espresso/coffee is probably better than any of the casual places in town and they have some more traditional breakfast items like croissants (including almond), quiche and so on.
-
Tuck Box: An iconic place in Carmel based on the architectural history. It’s basically a tea-house with some breakfast items and some simple lunch items. You’re really coming here for their scones (buttery, crisp and more like a cake - hard to explain, they’re exceptional), preserves and ceylon tea. Service can be hit or miss so keep that in consideration if average or poor service bothers you. Most of the time it’s plenty adequate. We don’t generally need a lot of attention, we’re happy to just come in and have tea, scones and head along our way.
La Bicyclette: Had an incredible breakfast here. They’re owned by the same family who owns Casanova down the street and Corkscrew in Carmel Valley. (Top notch, particularly Casanova). My wife had their Village Combo and raved about it. (Poached Eggs, Toast topped with avocado and savory-sweet diced tomatoes). Their french toast was excellent and their fruit compote on top was perfect.
Lunch/Dinner:
-
Casanova: Exceptional restaurant. They have a number of dinner items on their lunch menu for almost half the price so lunches are a great option when visiting for the first time. Their gnocchi has a reputation here and it will not disappoint. I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed by anything on their menu and I’ve had a number of things. Their croque-monsieur is a bit boring compared to everything else - that’s probably the only thing I would avoid. There are burgers for the kids and they’re really delicious (and french fries). It’s an easy place to accommodate a family with different taste which can sometimes be difficult at some top restaurants. They have a tremendous wine cellar too and consequently an excellent wine list. If there was one must-visit place it would be Casanova.
-
Little Napoli: They’ve been around forever too like most of the places in Carmel. There’s a few families here that own a number of the restaurants (one that owns Casanova, Bicyclette, Corkscrew) and the other that owns Little Napoli (and previously Cafe Napoli down the street which closed almost a decade ago), the Carmel Bakery and the Pepe wine room (probably more). They have great traditional Italian food and amazing wood fired pizzas.
-
La Bicyclette: I’ve yet to be here for dinner but it’s hard to imagine they wouldn’t be a great stop. They serve some more traditional French cuisine for dinner and you’ll see escargot, duck confit and some specials that are similar from time to time. I’ve heard things about their wood fired pizzas though, so it’s safe for family.
-
Dametra Cafe: They took over Cafe Napoli’s old location. Mediterranean food (Particularly Greek) and they have a great reputation for their friendly, relaxed atmosphere but serious food. I’ve yet to go, but they have a reputation. Recommended it to my brother in law and he said he had an incredible time.
-
Hogs Breath Inn: This restaurant used to be owned by former mayor Clint Eastwood (not any longer though - despite their use of his image). The food can be good to okay, but it’s a solid place to go for appetizers and beer while sitting in their courtyard. (a small pub in their courtyard and 4 outdoor fireplaces - very cozy). More of a casual stop - it’s great for when you have dogs since you can keep them on-leash in the courtyard.
-
Forge in the Forest: A bit hit or miss but when it hits it can be really really good. They’ve undergone a lot of changes in ownership and staff so there’s that too. However, some of their food is really delicious, particularly their pizzas and sandwiches. They have a great atmosphere and lots of outdoor seating with fireplaces. They have a whole lower patio that’s reserved for dog-owners (the size of some restaurants entire patio) and a dog-menu that includes grilled chicken, hot dogs and steak (“For the VERY good dog”).
-
Il Fornaio: Chain restaurant, but their happy-hour is really great. Many top-shelf cocktails for great prices and their pizzas/calzones are a steal at the price. (Like $5). If you’re looking for a cheaper, tasty meal in town it’s hard to beat. Keep in mind their happy hour is only Monday through Thursday though.
Bistro 211 (Carmel Valley): Had lunch and breakfast here that was really solid. If you’re out of the village or are looking for a place around lunch time with more convenient access (Crossroads shopping center) then this place is a safe bet with quality food.
Corkscrew (Carmel Valley): A bit further into Carmel Valley (about 30 minutes or so). If you’re looking for sunshine then it’s a great place to get away from the fog during the afternoon and can be a beautiful drive. As stated earlier, they’re owned by the same family who runs Casanova. Very good food, great atmosphere. They pour some local Carmel Valley wine out of one the nearby buildings (Georis, I believe. Carmel Valley may have a future in wine, but local wineries are still figuring it out).
Many others: There’s a lot of solid places for food in Carmel that I haven’t listed (including places with excellent reputations that I’ve yet to visit based on the formality and price - we come to Carmel to relax not drop $100-200 on dinner). For the most part Carmel village consists of restaurants and art galleries.
A note on service too: Carmel gets a lot of tourists both international and domestic. As such, the restaurant service can, well, be tested from time to time and it’s not out of the ordinary to come across some waiters/waitresses who are having a bad day. My recommendation is to act local and just relax - take your time. From my experience, when I’m easy-going and not in a rush I’ve found that the service is generally very good. There’s also a large disparity between the haves and have-nots on the Monterey Peninsula so some of the staff can be sensitive. I realize that’s not exactly a ringing endorsement but it’s simply my experience. As a principle, it’s always good to be nice and understanding to your service anyways - just don’t get in a rush.
Things to do: Window shop, enjoy some great food, enjoy the beautiful locale and just relax. The cheese shop in Carmel Plaza is a fun place to visit (they even do cheese flights - try it). Walk the beach (hopefully it’s not to “kelp-y”). Definitely visit Point Lobos too - highly recommended.
Epoch Estate > - Excellent representation of Paso wines. The Paderewski vineyard has produced some excellent grapes. They’re located at York Mountain and could be a bit out of the way so keep that in mind when creating your itinerary. Primarily Rhone styled blends (some exceptions - Zinfandel and Tempranillo) and they demonstrate a lot of power and finesse. The alcohol levels are pretty at high at times (15.5%+) but they’re balanced wines and hide the alcohol very well. About $55-65 a wine from the last time I visited.
Terry Hoage > - You don’t generally see many of their wines through distribution since they mostly sell through their club/winery and restaurants so take an opportunity to taste here. Their Syrah is excellent and they release a number of Grenache-Syrah blends. Some of their 2009 releases are tasting excellent right now. Approximately $45 a bottle.
L’Aventure > - This will depend a bit more on your preference as these are pretty huge, dramatic wines but they’re incredibly well made. (Not flabby, great acidity / structure) Their wines are typically blended with estate Cabernet which offer a lot of intensity and depth. Probably the most expensive but a great tasting and you get to keep the glass. $75-85 for their highest end, about $45 for their Optimus.
Tablas Creek > - These wines are much more restrained in nature but they have a number of impressive offerings (14-15%, minimal oak influence) . They also produce more unique wines like Tannat that they bottle as a single varietal and blended from their head-pruned vineyards (En Gobelet). You may be able to catch some single varietal Counoise too. They may also have their Cab available but it’s more limited in production from year to year. Visiting Tablas Creek is also somewhat educational as it relates to the history of Paso Robles. Great atmosphere. Probably the best all-around value, especially for the tasting (about 10+ wines).
Also Recommended:
Booker> : I’ll defer to others here but they have a great reputation as you can see. I can never seem to catch them pouring much at their tasting room. We enjoyed their whites but they were virtually out of their reds when we visited. I’m making it a point to arrange our next visit so that we can try their reds. Pretty expensive however, and they have very limited amounts of wine to sell to non-members.
Villa Creek> : Enjoyed our visit and they have very good wine, but be mindful of the temperature of their tasting room since it’s rather cold. Some of the wines can taste shutdown so you’ll have to make a concerted effort to warm your glass enough so that the wine is more expressive. If I remember correctly, most of the wines are in the $50 range, but they’re quality wines.
Alta Colina> : Just a great visit and a good family. Their reds were very solid and we enjoyed the experience. They have a late harvest Viognier that we really enjoyed despite not having any preference for dessert wines. (Now that I remember, Tablas makes a great one based on Mourvedre, Vin De Paille Sacrerouge - try it). They have some good values ranging from the mid-20s to 40s.
Adelaida> : Solid wine but most of all a great atmosphere. Very much like Tablas Creek as it relates to environment (Tablas shared a space with them over a decade ago) and their wine educator Tony Hermann is a great guy. (If they’re not busy - see if you can do a barrel tasting). Their wines are pretty affordable and you can find a number of solid wines in the $30 range.
Denner> : Excellent wine - odd tasting atmosphere. You’ll have to call ahead as they shifted from a public tasting to reservation / club only tasting a couple years ago. Somewhat of a resort atmosphere now and they seem to be following the Justin business plan with their new hotel (Comus House). They have very limited wine to sell around the $60 range, but they’re great wines.
Caliza> : Great vineyards next to Torrin’s and Booker’s estate grapes. They could be an up and coming winery. They’re just north of Booker so they’re easy to get to. I would recommend at least splitting a tasting. Our taster was a bit unconventional but very friendly and sweet. Wines are around the $40 mark.
Also consider for the view/tasting room only:
Croad: Their wines were pretty unremarkable when we visited a couple years ago but they have a beautiful view of the rolling hills of Paso. I’m not sure if they were bottling estate grapes at that point as they were fairly new. The wine quality might have improved.
Daou: Incredible site and tasting room. They put a ton of money into this place. They’re not using estate grapes yet so they’ve been buying grapes from the east-side. Wines were just okay.
Niner: This one is easy to get to since it’s right off 46. Beautiful stone building with swaths of lavender on the estate. (they even gave my wife a sachet of lavender for the road). They have a modern kitchen for private events and the whole place is awfully charming. Like the rest they’re not using estate grapes yet so these are purchased east-side grapes. Comparable in quality to Vina Robles wines. I thought their Petite Sirah was tasty, but I wouldn’t consider buying any of their wine at this point. I’d say that their wine is better than Daou and Croad right now but that’s not saying a whole lot when compared to the elite wineries in Paso.
As it pertains to restaurants:
Farmstand 46> : Great location and very good casual food. They make a very good pork shoulder sandwich among other things.
Artisan> : Had a great experience. Great food and they have some great beers after a day of wine tasting. (Old Speckled Hen on tap along with Chimay)
Bistro Laurent> : I’ve yet to go, but I’ve heard many good things about it from locals.
Odyssey Cafe> : Good for a simple lunch and a casual environment.
I’d also add that you should consider Herman Story and Barrel 27/McPrice Myers. I’ve yet to try either (time constraint) but they have a very good reputation and are likely solid visits. Also consider Nicora Wines (they participated in Berserker Day) and Paix Sur Terre. You’ll have to make appointments for both, but they’re some up and coming winemakers that we plan to visit when we make our trip in March.
As for Carmel, I would avoid Galante. Maybe their wines have improved, but when we visited a few years ago it wasn’t very good (very hot and tannic). There’s the Morgan tasting room at the Crossroads in Carmel Valley (try the chocolate shop nearby too). There’s also Southern Latitude wines if you’re wanting to try some wines from the southern hemisphere (including some interesting South African wines). I believe they’re on Monte Verde and they have regular tastings. There’s also a new winery tasting room in the plaza called “Wrath” that makes a number of Pinots. I’ve yet to try it though as I was very put off by their $20 tasting fee for their “top wines” which seemed unusual for a winery out of Soledad. They’re building a good reputation though and have garnered some “90+” point ratings from Parker and International Wine Cellar. YMMV.
If you’re interested in trying any beers, my brother-in-law loves a place in Sand City called Post No Bills. I don’t know if the pricing is the same, but at one point it was $5 for anything on tap. You can try a lot of top beers on tap without paying the higher prices you see at a lot of others taphouses.