82 The Best of Monterey Bay ® 2023-2024 food Sea Root Mediterranean Sea Root draws from the entire Mediterranean, but with local ingredients and a California flair. The menu changes with the season. Oh, and the cocktails are impressive. 1 Old Golf Course Road, Monterey. (831) 6576588, hyatt.com Siamese Bay Restaurant Thai Siamese Bay offers traditional Thai food, often with a Monterey Bay touch served in a cozy and convenient downtown spot. And if you’re looking for a filling lunch, the buffet is served Monday through Friday. 131 Webster St., Monterey. (831) 373-1550, siamesebayrestaurant.com Stokes Adobe International Everything about this historic structure, inside and out on the patio, is amazing. So gaze until the food arrives. The chef can present elegant dishes like Wagyu beef or a mushroom pithivier. But the kitchen can also bring elegance to fried yams, crispy potatoes or even simple bread and butter. 500 Hartnell St., Monterey. (831) 264-8775, stokesadobe.com Sunrise Cafe Breakfast, Lunch They can do a lot in this cozy space, from filling breakfast fare to burgers and fries. It’s a friendly, familiar start to a day—and a good place to avoid breakfast crowds on the other end of Lighthouse. 204 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. Sur Burger Burgers It’s all about the beef…actually, that’s not quite true. There’s a vegetarian burger made in house. And the chicken and waffle sandwich (where the waffles serve as the bun) is a hit. 409 Alvarado St., Monterey. (831) 2416064, surburger.com Sushi Kuma Japanese They don’t call them specialty rolls at Kuma. They are designer rolls. So there’s a fun attitude to go along with the familiar lineup. The restaurant also offers a selection of fried or baked rolls. A good place to explore. 414 Alvarado St., Monterey. (831) 324-4745, kumamonterey.com Tarpy’s Roadhouse American An attractive stone ranch house, built in 1917, is the setting for innovative yet familiar entrées that are hearty and heartfelt numbers. This means they can make simple shrimp and grits into a memory. 2999 Highway 68, Monterey. (831) 647-1444, tarpys.com Taqueria Del Mar Mexican Although it doesn’t look like much from the outside, Taqueria Del Mar concentrates on what’s inside, with an emphasis on seafood. And they use locally caught fish, when it’s available and in season. 530 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. (831) 372-7887 The C Restaurant + Bar International, Seafood At the Intercontinental Hotel’s restaurant the menu is designed with three fundamentals: creativity, freshness and sustainability. A full bar, outside seating and on-top-of-thebay placement make it a regional landmark. Clement Monterey Hotel, 750 Cannery Row, Monterey. (831) 375-4800, thecrestaurantmonterey.com The Fish Hopper Seafood If it’s seafood and a view you want, this would be one of Cannery Row’s popular choices. But if you want pasta or prime rib, they have you covered, too. 700 Cannery Row, Monterey. (831) 372-8543, fishhopper.com The Wild Plum Cafe American The Wild Plum is a cafe, a bistro and a bakery open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s designed as a comfortable place with healthy salads and familiar, homestyle dishes. 731 Munras Ave. #B, Monterey. (831) 646-3109, thewildplumcafe.com Toribashi Japanese With a slogan “inspired by Japan, created in California” you know this counter service restaurant is going to bend the ramen rules just a little, while still sticking with traditional technique. Unique bowls, too. 487 Alvarado St., Monterey. (831) 643-9556, toribashi.com Wave Street Cafe American, Breakfast The inviting Spanish courtyard vibe comes with a variety of breakfast and lunch options. Sample one of many egg Benedicts. Interesting burgers and sandwiches abound. Tempting big-bowl salads are aplenty. 550 Wave St., Monterey. (831) 718-8171, wavestreetcafe.com Whaling Station Steakhouse Steakhouse Tender, aged beef—this spot is the perennial winner among Weekly readers for Best Steaks in Monterey County—and seafood dishes are the stars of an innovative-but-accessible menu. Big value bar menu, too, and a cigar lounge next door. 763 Wave St., Monterey. (831) 373-3778, whalingstation.net Woody’s at the Airport American Chef Tim Wood puts an elevated take on American classics, in a dining room with a view of take-offs and landings. A salad- and sandwich-centric lunch menu gives way at dinner to classics like ribeye, salmon, sand dabs and calamari. A good bar, too. Inside Monterey Regional Airport, 200 Fred Kane Drive, Monterey. (831) 373-1232, woodysmontereyairport.com Yama Sushi Japanese This is not your traditional sushi spot. Oh, they will adhere to the old ways, but they prefer their own, contemporary take. In fact, they refer to traditional maki as a “beginner’s roll.” 1290 Del Monte Center, Monterey. (831) 6469262 Little Napoli
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