Taste your way around the globe right here in Monterey County! Whether you’re looking to appease a craving for savory paella, addictive chow mein or an authentic lasagna, Monterey has just the fare for you!
Asian
Chopstix, with locations in Monterey and Seaside, is just the quick fix you need to remedy your itch for classic Vietnamese pho, steam buns and lemongrass chicken. Chopsticks also has an extensive Boba menu with dozens of flavors to choose from.
Got Chinese on the mind? Ho-Wah Chinese Restaurant in Marina dishes up authentic eats created by their masterful chef from Hong Kong. Here you can binge on Szechuan shrimp, Kung Pao chicken and pork chow mein and so much more!
Take a trip to Thailand with sweet and spicy flavors found at Siamese Bay. Their soups and curries are heavenly; be sure to try their weekday lunch specials starting at $8.95!
For a quick and casual lunch head to the Carmel Poke Company where you can build your own poke bowl. Located at the Crossroads, this hip eatery serves up only the freshest seafood and offers Kombucha on tap.
French
If French food is what you’re striving for then be sure to make a trip to Bistro Moulin where you will find mouthwatering dishes like escargots in garlic butter, coq au vin and duck confit.
Nestled in Carmel Valley you will find French foodie haven, Roux. Chef Fabrice Roux cooks up his favorite dishes from his native country with a Spanish twist. Their red and white sangrias are sure to hit the spot on their sunny outdoor patio.
Italian
Looking for a taste of Naples? Head to Little Napoli in the heart of Carmel-by-the-Sea for classics like veal scaloppini, seafood risotto and meatball lollipops; don’t forget to wash it down with their homemade limoncello.
Dine on fresh pastas on Monterey's waterfront at Paluca Trattoria. Specialty dishes include bruschetta, caprese salad, pesto scampi and ravioli. You may even recognize the outdoor patio which was featured on HBO's Big Little Lies.
Gusto’s in Seaside also specializes in authentic Italian eats, their thin crust pizzas are baked in a wood fire oven using organic flour straight from Italy!
Mediterranean
If Spanish cuisine is more to your liking then Esteban Restaurant at Casa Munras must be on your radar. Here they serve three types of paellas and an array of tapas including Spanish cheeses, grilled octopus and a savory seafood stew.
Fandango Restaurant in Pacific Grove features a mix of Spanish, French and Basque dishes in a cozy Mediterranean atmosphere; be sure to try their signature rack of lamb!
Treat yourself to authentic Greek dishes at Epsilon in downtown Monterey. Here they offer an array of succulent dishes including lamb shanks, dolmades, moussaka, grilled octopus and huge Greek salads.
Experience Jeninni Kitchen + Wine Bar’s seasonal menu full of Mediterranean and southern Spanish specialties. Located on Pacific Grove’s Lighthouse Avenue, this unique open kitchen and wine bar prides itself on unique flavors, the menu even has a glossary to explain new foodie terms. Their shawarma pork buns with chili, cucumber and pomegranate molasses are to die for!
Mexican
Tempting dishes like sizzling fajitas, nachos and tamales fill the menu at Peppers Mexicali Café in Pacific Grove. These classic Mexican dishes get a fresh spin with local ingredients and twists like Jamaican curry prawns, red pepper gazpacho and an amazing blood orange margarita!
When in Moss Landing, a stop at The Whole Enchilada is a must! Try not to salivate over their south-of-the-border offerings like carnitas chimichangas, seafood burritos and smothered flautas.
Swiss
Transport yourself to a Bavarian beer garden right inside The Barnyard in Carmel. At Lugano Swiss Bistro, you feel as though you have been transported to a mountain chalet with all of the foodie fixins’ like cheese and chocolate fondues, schnitzel, spatzli and Swiss onion soup.
