y10k

My parents are coming to visit me soon and I will take them to Monterey for Saturday. Do you have any suggestions over lunch/dinner places we can go to?

It would be great if we could find some food that's special & local (does such thing still exist in the US?)

Thanks in advance

cblaisd

The Fishwife Restaurant in Pacific Grove, adjacent to Asilomar Beach (a fascinating place to walk and look at the great architecture from the original buildings).

camargo

I've eaten at the Chop House in Carmel a number of times and always enjoyed it. A couple of times Clint Eastwood was there with his wife for dinner (if you like that sort of thing ).

And, the village is a charming place to walk off a few calories after you've eaten.

allset2travel

Passion Fish in Pacific Grove. Lunch and dinner.

JerryFF

Casanova in Carmel.

Pacific Edge at the Highlands Inn in Carmel Highlands.

lili

Fandango in Pacific Grove. Very nice. haven't been to Casanova, but will go there next time, if possible. (Friends, family, have their preferences also.)

trekwars2000

I'm going to bump this. I'm drinking from Paso Robles (SBP area) to Napa for my honeymoon and will drive up Route 1 and will be passing Monterey at lunch time. I looked at the fishwife website - does it overlook the beach? How about the Turtle Bay (linked in off the Fishwife website).

What would be a nice place for lunch to start off our honeymoon (we will have been married for less than 24 hours), that won't take too long (becuase we still have a decent drive in front of us? Any suggestions are appreishated.

TIA and as always, safe travels.

CDTraveler

On your honeymoon, what you want is the restaurant at Lover's Point. These days, it's called Latitudes, http://www.lattitudesatloverspoint.com/.

Fishwife, and most Pacific Grove/Monterey restaurants are a ways from the water, unless you want to eat at the wharf, which offers great views, but mediocre food.

DJ_Iceman

I moved away from Monterey over five years ago, but I remember enjoying:

- The Old Bath House. Elegant but unpretentious, on the water in Pacific Grove. I know they're open for dinner, but maybe lunch too?
- Hula's. A casual eatery on the main drag (away from the water) in Pacific Grove, but with authentic Hawaiian fare and the ridiculously friendly attitude to go with it.
- Billy Quon's and Bahama Billy's. Both are owned by the same guy (can you guess his name) and feature slightly different takes on upscale casual fare, but it's the outstanding service that really kept us coming back.
- Tarpy's Roadhouse. On the outskirts of Monterey heading toward Salinas, this little nugget generally provided good food at a good price, but the service was a bit inconsistent. We still often took out-of-town visitors there because the menu was quite varied and the decor unique.

And finally, our absolute favorite:
- Baum & Blume. Even most life-long residents of Monterey don't know about this absolute marvel in Carmel Valley. It's owned by a family who specializes in catering to the rich and famous of the area, but they operate a tiny (~6 table) restaurant on nights when they're not out putting on events. You MUST call first to get a reservation. The menu is chosen daily based on what they've gotten at local farmer's and fish markets, and you have to bring your own wine. But I can guarantee you've never had a dining experience as wonderful and pleasurable as what they will provide. It's like dining at a friend's house, only the friend has a family who give the finest chefs in the world a run for their money.

lili

Little Red House Cafe in Pacific Grove. It's cute, honeymoney, popular with locals and has really nice food as well as marvelous burgers. Not on the water though.

Hula's has more of a sports bar atmosphere and it is LOUD, at least at night.

GadgetFreak

I am a huge fan of the restaurant at the Ventana Inn at Big Sur. It is south of Monterey but if you are driving up the coast anyway you could go a bit less far for lunch. I have always found the food there to be outstanding. The views are stunning, it is about a thousand feet up from the coast at the edge of a redwood forest. They have fireplaces inside but if it is warm you can sit outside and at some times of the year there are hummingbirds flying around. It is one of my favorite places anywhere.

JerryFF

I absolutely agree. There is nothing else quite like it - food is excellent and the view is unbelieveable.

echocrest

^totally agreed.

Also, the Sand Bar is pretty good if you're looking for tasty food w/out much ambience. It's on one of the docks.

birdstrike

The Old Bath House closed. Too bad. I liked it as well.

Massaro and Santos is a local place with a great view.

Their specials often outnumber the fixed menu offerings.

DJ_Iceman

What a shame! Do you know what took over that prime piece of real estate?