100 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® 2025-2026 FOOD Isaan and the country’s north. The kitchen also enjoys spicing things up. 401 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. (831) 747-2225, zabzabmonterey.com Delis, Markets and Shops Cannery Row Deli Cannery Row Deli is small, but that doesn’t hurt its popularity. They serve breakfast—burritos and plates—and a range of deli sandwiches for lunch. It’s just a few steps from the Rec Trail, so you can work off that burrito. 101 Drake Ave., Monterey. (831) 645-9549, canneryrowdeli.com Carmel Honey Company See listing under Carmel. 700 Cannery Row, Monterey. (831) 205-0085, carmelhoneycompany.com Compagno’s Market & Deli There is almost always a line for their deli sandwiches. That’s the big draw here (big has two meanings, in this context), but there’s also a selection of chips and other groceries. 2000 Prescott Ave., Monterey. (831) 375-5987 Coniglio Brothers Italian Deli Maybe it’s best to go with one of the house sandwiches, or a classic like pastrami on rye or a muffaletta. To build your own—let’s put it this way. There are 18 different meats on the menu and 24 different cheeses. Take your time. 750 Cannery Row #108, Monterey. (831) 901-3175, conigliodeli.com Elroy’s Fine Foods One can shop for groceries at Elroy’s. There are a number of local items, and an emphasis on organic. And you may desperately need smoked Maldon sea salt for a recipe. But there is also a smoothie bar, prepared foods, bulk items. 15 Soledad St., Monterey. (831) 373-3737, elroysfinefoods.com International Market & Deli It’s far too easy to overlook this spot. And once inside, you still can’t imagine how much stuff—groceries, spices and the deli—fits into such a tiny space. But many stop at the takeaway gyros. 580 LIghthouse Ave., Monterey. (831) 375-9451, internationalmarketanddeli. webs.com La Sala’s Bi-Rite Market Among the city’s hidden gems. This deli and market features the meats, cheeses and breads you expect, along with daily specials. 250 Casa Verde Way, Monterey. (831) 3726824, lasalasbiritemarketca.com Malinka European Mini Market Cheeses, smoked fish, cookies, pickles and other items that are difficult to find elsewhere. The focus is largely on eastern and central Europe, although the shop does also look further across the continent. 484 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. (831) 241-9051 Monterey’s Tasty Olive Bar When someone says “extra virgin olive oil” it just brings up questions from the folks at this shop. Some olive oils are grassy, some fruity, earthy, bitter, buttery or a combination. And then there are balsamics. 751 Cannery Row, Monterey. (831) 242-8900, montereystastyolivebar.com Piccolo There are at least 10 panini options on the menu, as well as soups and salads. Sit indoors or out, either way you have a view of the bay and the Coast Guard pier. 32 Cannery Row, Monterey. (831) 718-8520, piccolopaninigrill.com Bakeries, Ice Cream and other Treats Ad Astra Bread Co. There’s a reason area restaurants boast about serving Ad Astra bread. It can very reasonably be argued that it’s the best around. The hard part is picking. Sourdough? Olive bread? 479 Alvarado St., Monterey. adastrabread.com Alta Bakery and Cafe A local’s favorite for many reasons, including its outdoor seating. There are pastries, coffee drinks and bites that can count for lunch. 502 Munras Ave., Monterey. (831) 920-1018, altamonterey.com Austino’s Patisserie A delightful bakery in a light and airy space delivers quality and convenience on Cannery Row. 851 Cannery Row, Monterey, (831) 6555015, austinospatisserie.com Bagel Bakery Yep, they have bagels, with unique spreads. The bakery also serves hot deli sandwiches and a few surprises for lunch. There are additional locations in Carmel, Sand City, Pacific Grove and Salinas. 452 Alvarado St., Monterey. (831) 372-5242, thebagelbakery.com Candy Land If it’s sweet and colorful, they have it here. Kids and adults can go crazy. Candy Land, 700 Cannery Row. (831) 655-7744; Candy Land II, 200 Alvarado St. (831) 655-0295; Candy World, 1 Fisherman’s Wharf. (831) 6551212; Candy Factory, 685 Cannery Row. (831) 655-7746. Monterey. Carousel Candies Carousel makes candies by hand. They make caramel popcorn in house. They’ve been doing treats from scratch since 1960. This place is a must for those with a sweet tooth. 31 Fisherman’s Wharf. (831) 646-9801, carouselcandies.com Dippin’ Dots Ice Cream America’s favorite futuristic treat comes in 20-plus flavors of mini ice cream marbles. 711 Cannery Row, Monterey. (831) 655-5080, dippindots.com Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop In the same vein as San Francisco’s wharfside factory, the chocolatier headliner’s Cannery Row shop features creamy and decadent treats for passersby. 660 Cannery Row, Monterey. (831) 373-0997, ghirardelli.com Layers Cakes A dangerous place to visit, thanks to the colorful case of cookies, pastries and cakes. The bakery is regularly named by Weekly readers as the best. 9 Soledad Drive #A, Monterey. (831) 655-1544, layerscake.com Monterey Donuts Tucked into a shopping center, this doughnut shop is convenient. But what makes it popular is the quality of the doughnuts. 2440 N. Fremont St. #203, Monterey. (831) 333-0281 Monterey Bay Creamery We’ve often wondered why there weren’t more places on the Monterey Peninsula that churned ice cream in-house. Here, there are sundaes, shakes, churros and other treats. 43 Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey. (831) 2886218, montereybaycreamery.com Nece’s Gluten Free Baked Goods Muffins and cookies and other goodies—all sans gluten, but with plenty of flavor. Nece’s also bakes vegan cookies and cakes. 25 Soledad Drive, Monterey. (831) 316-9768, necesglutenfree.com Nico’s Ice Cream Nico’s was a Portland haven for New Zealandstyle ice cream, now in Monterey. New Zealand-style? It’s vanilla ice cream with fruit blended in. 711 Cannery Row, Monterey. nicosicecream.com Paris Bakery Paris Bakery offers light lunch selections like sandwiches and salads along with a dazzling array of cakes, Napoleons, fruit tarts and buttery cookies. 271 Bonifacio Place, Monterey. (831) 646-1620, parisbakery.us Parker-Lusseau Pastries & Cafe This locally revered French bakery, with its croissants, brioches and galettes, also serves quiches and sandwiches at its small and utterly charming downtown location. 539 Hartnell St., Monterey, (831) 641-9188; 40 Ragsdale Drive, Monterey, (831) 655-3030. parkerlusseau.com Red’s Donuts Red’s is a staple. They’ve been preparing doughnuts every morning since 1950. And Red’s is regularly named best by Weekly readers. 433 Alvarado St., Monterey. (831) 3729761, redsdonutsinc.com The Perfect Crumb This bakery has a surprisingly diverse selection. Owner and pastry chef Susan Carter builds a solid following with decadent key lime pie, puffy almond croissants and her best-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==