To find specific information on dining and restaurants in Monterey County, search the "MyMonterey" itinerary tool. There you can plan your trip, gather information or forward an itinerary to a friend.
Monterey County is home to hundreds of delightful places to eat—from casual family-oriented cafes to elegant, award-winning restaurants, and every kind of eatery in between—so don't leave home without your appetite.
With fresh produce available year 'round from the Salinas Valley ("America's Salad Bowl"), chefs from Big Sur to Carmel to Salinas take pride in creating menus that reflect Monterey County's seasonal bounty. Paired with fresh-caught seafood from the Monterey Bay and a nice bottle of Monterey County wine, local chefs create meals you will be talking about long after you have returned home. If you've never sampled the tender heart of an artichoke, meltingly tender sand dabs or fried calamari, Monterey is the place to try these local favorites.
Whether you're arranging a romantic dinner for two or a 'power lunch' with colleagues, we suggest you make reservations at your desired restaurant. The most popular times (lunch 11:30am-1pm; dinner 7:00pm-8:30pm) fill up well in advance, so try to be flexible—we guarantee it will be worth the wait! If you do make a reservation, try to arrive a few minutes early, or call ahead to let the restaurant know if you will be late. Because some diners forget to cancel their reservations, many local restaurants will only guarantee a reservation with a credit card, especially on busy weekends.
In partnership with Monterey County and the cities of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Del Rey Oaks, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Salinas,
Sand City, Seaside, Soledad, Pebble Beach, Moss Landing, Carmel Valley, Big Sur, and Salinas Valley.
