food Zab Zab Thai Cuisine Thai The menu spans some of Thailand’s culinary regions, but the instincts behind it are from Isaan and the country’s north. The kitchen also enjoys spicing things up—the name is said to mean something along the lines of “hot, spicy, delicious.” 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, too, 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, 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, a selection of natural wines, coffee, bulk items… this could go on. 15 Soledad St., Monterey. (831) 373-3737, elroysfinefoods.com Hellam’s Tobacco & Wine Shop Hellam’s has been a tobacco shop since 1893, making it the oldest in the state (and the oldest continuous business in Monterey). Pick a cigar, order a glass of wine and relax. Or buy a few sticks for the golf course. Other tobacco products, as well. 423 Alvarado St., Monterey. (831) 373-2816, hellamstobaccoandwineshop.com Ike’s Love and Sandwiches Monterey’s outpost of the Bay Area chain offers an impressive list of deli sandwich choices. Yes, there are both vegetarian and vegan options. 570 Munras Ave. #70, Monterey. (831) 643-0900, ilikeikesplace.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 the gyros alone are worth it. 580 LIghthouse Ave., Monterey. (831) 3759451, 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 look 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. And flavored varieties. It’s a place to let your taste buds roam. 751 Cannery Row, Monterey. (831) 242-8900, montereystastyolivebar.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. 479 Alvarado St., Monterey. adastrabread.com Alta Bakery and Cafe Alta Bakery captured so many hearts when it opened that Weekly readers named it the best new restaurant. That should have an exclamation mark next to it, for it tells you a lot about the bakery, which serves 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 just across from the Aquarium delivers quality and convenience on Cannery Row. It’s an easy to-go option for pastries, sandwiches and clam chowder bowls. 851 Cannery Row, Monterey, (831) 655-5015, 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 Candyland Your inner child will squeal with joy from the (literal) barrels of candy lined up across the floor. 700 Cannery Row, Monterey, (831) 6557745 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 wharf-side factory, the chocolatier headliner’s Cannery Row shop features creamy and decadent treats for passersby. 660 Cannery Row, Monterey. (831) 373-0997, ghirardelli.com Great American Cookies A national chain’s outpost on Cannery Row sells chocolate chips and a lot more. 751 Cannery Row, Monterey. (831) 641-9300, greatamericancookies.com L’Aubette Belgian Bakery The folks at L’Aubette have big plans that include a large space, a tasting room and a brewery. For now, however, they serve Liegestyle Belgian waffles from their front porch on Sundays. But they are worth waiting all week for. 102 Drake Ave., Monterey. (831) 9054509 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. Vacation. Ice cream. They go together. 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 84 The Best of Monterey Bay ® 2023-2024
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