Monterey, California is a picturesque, ocean town. Now more of a small city than a small town, it has grown and changed a lot in the last 10 years, but still has the small-town charm, unique shops, restaurants, historical locations and breathtaking coastal beauty that have drawn visitors for decades.
One of my favorite things about Monterey is the food. There is excellent food in amazing restaurants to be found grouped densely in a few areas as well as scattered throughout Monterey and in the small towns nearby.
Cannery Row is a fun place to visit because of the rich history and world-famous aquarium found on one street. Made famous partially by John Steinbeck’s book Cannery Row (1945), the street is now lined with souvenir shops and great restaurants. In the general vicinity of Cannery Row you can find The Sardine Factory. It is pricey, but the food is amazing. It is a good place for special dinners – I recommend the abalone bisque. It is smooth, with little chunks of abalone and a rich flavor. On Cannery Row is Bubba Gump’s, which is always a fun, family place to eat with super-friendly service, ocean views and of course, great shrimp. Paradiso Trattoria is also one of my favorites on Cannery Row due to the great quality of food and service, ocean views and lovely atmosphere.
Down the bike path from Cannery Row is the quiet town of Pacific Grove where you can get a memorable breakfast at Holly’s Lighthouse Café. Her specialties are her delicious home-made pies. She also has great traditional breakfast fare like all kinds of omelets made with fresh, local veggies and a good variety of pancakes. After breakfast there are lots of antique shops in Pacific Grove to explore and Lover’s Point Park by the beach is a great place to walk off that second piece of pie.
My other favorite breakfast spot on the Monterey Peninsula is The Breakfast Club in Seaside. It is in the corner of a strip-mall, but don’t let the location fool you. After your first heaping plate of fresh raspberry pancakes covered in whipped cream, sprinkled with nuts, cinnamon and powered sugar, you will never forget this place. The Breakfast Club’s servings are pretty large. I think their best dishes are their omelets and their pancakes- but I happen to really like omelets and pancakes. Really, everything they serve is a good version of the dish and service is quick and always with a smile. Similar to Holly’s, there is a line out the door weekend mornings, but they serve coffee to the hungry people standing in line.
Coffee is a valuable commodity in Monterey because although Monterey is strikingly beautiful, it is very cold most of the year and often foggy. Locals down coffee the same way locals in the Pacific Northwest US do. Plumes is a good, local coffee shop. Located in the heart of Monterey, Plumes is on Alvarado Street which is the “Main Street” of Monterey. They have great coffee and great service.
If you’re on Alvarado Street, walk down to the Fisherman’s Warf. You’ll pass some historic Adobe buildings that have cute little gardens. Between Alvarado Street and the Warf are, I believe, more than 6 adobe buildings, including California’s first theatre and some other interesting buildings. Some of the sidewalks in front of the Adobes are actually made of not cobblestones, but whale vertebrae. Knock on the “cobblestones” they sound hollow and look very porous.
Anyway, after exploring some of California’s first buildings, you may very well be cold again since you’ll have finished your coffee. Head over to Old Fisherman’s Grotto on the Warf. The Warf has great candy shops and restaurants all the way to the end. Old Fisherman’s Grotto has my favorite clam chowder. It is thick, rich, and has big chunks of clams and potatoes. It is always good in a typical sourdough bread bowl, and their deserts are good too.
My favorite deserts in the Monterey area though are at Elli’s in Salinas. Elli’s used to be in Monterey also, but the owner has recently opened a new restaurant in its place, leaving the Elli’s in Salinas as the only one. The location is not special, but if you are driving it is conveniently located on your way to Monterey from the 101 when you go through Salinas. Their Dutch Apple Pie, Chocolate Gorilla Cake, Apple Dumplings, seasonal mini peach or strawberry pies and chocolate malts are literally things I dream about. My favorite meal there would be to go for lunch and order “A Little Pasta Please” (which is a smaller serving of basically pasta Alfredo with chicken and garlic bread) with chocolate malt, and then share a mini pie for dessert. Their food is the type of stuff that is featured on Guy Fieri’s Food Network Show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives – maybe not too healthy, but addictively delicious. Elli’s Patty Melt and Pastrami Sandwich are also personal favorites.
Driving around the area is a great way to sample the local fare. Being one of the most productive agricultural areas in the US, the area surrounding Monterey has “the artichoke capital of the world” Castroville, “the garlic capital of the world” Gilroy, and incredible sausage at the Corralitos Market & Sausage Company in Corralitos. California has great food (and wine – but that is an entirely different article). If you are interested in visiting a place with small-town hospitality, loads of fresh produce, seafood and local specialties, Monterey is the place to go.
The Breakfast Club
1130 Fremont Blvd # 201
Seaside, CA 93955
(831) 394-3238
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
720 Cannery Row
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 373-1884
Coralitos Market And Sausage Inc
569 Corralitos Rd, Watsonville, CA 95076
Tel: (831) 722-2633
Ellis Great American Restaurant
1250 S. Main St. Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 759-8455
Holly’s Lighthouse Café
602 Lighthouse Ave
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
(831) 372-7006
Old Fisherman’s Grotto
39 Fishermans Wharf
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 375-4604
Paradiso Trattoria
654 Cannery Row
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 375-4155
Plumes Coffee House
(831) 373-4526
400 Alvarado St
Monterey, CA 93940
The Sardine Factory
701 Wave St
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 373-3775
Eileen currently lives on Oahu but travels anywhere she can any time she is able. She is particularly fond of Eco-tourism, the great outdoors, family-friendly locales that her daughter enjoys and great food.
Last 5 posts by Eileen Moran
- Free Shakespeare Under the Stars in Santa Monica, California - June 19th, 2009
Hi, Eileen,
Enjoyed reading your Monterey article!
I used to teach at the Defense Language Institute, the famous language school that offers more than 23 foreign languages. Your article surely brought back many found memories.
I’ve been to many restaurants that you mentioned, such as Ellis (in Monterey location), Old Fisherman’s Grotto, The Breakfast Club, Plumes Coffee House, etc. I had many delicious meals and desserts there!
I do go back to Monterey from time to time. Next opportunity I get, I definitely will visit some new (to me) restaurants you introduced in your article!
Sincerely,
Viviane