Roy’s, Pebble Beach
Golfers will love the casual yet stylish atmosphere at Roy’s, one of the signature restaurants at the iconic Inn at Spanish Bay. Whether you’ve negotiated Big Sur’s 17 Mile Drive or Pebble Beach’s super-challenging links, you can settle back for a sundowner on the terrace followed by superb Hawaiian Fusion food by master chef Roy Yamaguchi—wood-grilled barbeque ribs, blackened ahi and crispy crab cakes, not forgetting his hole-in-one hot chocolate raspberry cake. The service is efficient but unhurried, leaving ample time to ponder just how many balls you lost in the rough.
The Inn at Spanish Bay, 2700 Seventeen Mile Dr., Pebble Beach CA 93953 |+1 831 647 7500 | www.roysrestaurant.com
Cielo at Ventana Inn, Big Sur
Cielo means ‘heaven’ or ’sky’ in Spanish, and there’s plenty of both at this lovely restaurant at Ventana Inn. The views of the Big Sur coastline and Pacific Ocean are magnificent whether you’re sitting in Cielo’s warm, rustic interior, or enjoying lunch or dinner al fresco out on the terrace. The outdoor cocktail lounge and fire are instant draw cards, but guests don’t linger too long when chef Anthony Calamari’s menus beckon. A blend of Californian and Mediterranean coastal cuisine—with influences from France, Italy and Greece—his dishes are based around organic produce, some of it grown in Cielo’s own garden.
Ventana Inn and Spa, Highway 1, Big Sur, CA 93920 | +1 831 667 4242 | www.ventanainn.com
Sierra Mar at Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur
Nothing says Big Sur like sweeping views of the rugged coastline and Pacific Ocean, and perched 1,200 feet above the water with floor-to-ceiling picture windows, Sierra Mar at Post Ranch Inn doesn’t disappoint. Don’t eat beforehand, because chef Craig von Foerster’s four-course, prix-fixe menu offers generous portions of French and Mediterranean-inspired Californian fare. The 1,200-bottle wine cellar will need serious attention, but the efficient and friendly staff are helpful, knowledgeable, and can guide you through wine director Dominique DaCruz’s terrific selection of new and old world labels.
Post Ranch Inn, Highway 1, Big Sur, CA 93920 | +1 831 667 2800 | www.postranchinn.com
Marinus at Bernardus Lodge, Carmel Valley
Given Bernardus Lodge has its own vineyard, it’s no surprise to find a wine cellar, but this one is outstanding—a perennial Wine Spectator Grand Award-winner offering more than 30,000 bottles and 1,850 different vintages. The Lodge’s formal dining room, Marinus, offers indoor dining by a grand fireplace or on the magnificent outdoor terrace for beautiful garden and mountain views. Choose from chef Cal Stamenov’s three-, four- and five-course California-Natural menus, based around garden, sea, game, meat and cheese themes—there’s also a Chef’s Tasting Menu ($150), but the whole table needs to order it.
415 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley, CA 93924 | +1 831 658 3400 | www.bernardus.com
Pacific Edge at the Park Hyatt, Carmel
Don’t worry about getting a table with a view at this glass-walled, cliff side restaurant at Carmel—Pacific Edge doesn’t have a bad seat in the house (a fabulous place to be at sunset). Rich earth tones, wood trimmings and a stone fireplace compliment the natural beauty of the scenery. Chef Mark Ayers delivers seasonally changing contemporary American menus, placing Pacific Edge in Zagat’s top 100 restaurants in the US in 2006. Make sure you leave room for dessert, from white chocolate bread pudding, to lemon grass crème brulée.
120 Highlands Drive, Carmel, CA 93923 | +1 831 622 5445 | www.pacificsedge.com
Sardine Factory, Monterey
I usually run a mile when a restaurant trades on celebrities, but the Sardine Factory in Monterey is such a hit with everyone from the late President Reagan to the very much alive Rachael Ray, that you have to take it seriously. Located in the center of town on Wave Street, just behind historic Cannery Row, the Sardine Factory is a complex of four dining venues: The Lounge, serving cocktails and tapas; the intimate Steinbeck Room; the pretty glass-domed Conservatory (or Bridezilla Central as my dining companion called it); and the maritime-inspired Captain’s Room. The food won’t blow you away, but it’s a fun place for a weekend lunch or dinner.
701 Wave Street, Monterey, CA 93940 | + 1 831 373 3775 | www.sardinefactory.com
The Restaurant at L’Auberge, Carmel
If you can snag a seat at this tiny restaurant (there are only 12 tables and demand is almost always high) you’re in for a treat with Executive Chef Tim Mosblech’s tasting menu—running to between six and eight courses—a mix of European influences and top produce from local farmers’ markets. Don’t rush this experience, each dish is something to linger over, backed by a 4,500 wine collection stored in an underground wine cellar beneath the hotel’s courtyard. Zagat describes it as a “culinary journey,” so pack your bags and enjoy the trip. Bistro offerings are also served in the lobby’s salon.
L’Auberge Carmel, Monte Verde St. (Between Ocean and 7th), Carmel By The Sea, CA 93921 | + 1 831 624 8578 | www.laubergecarmel.com
Fresh Cream, Monterey
Don’t be put off by the location of this terrific French restaurant, tucked away on the second floor of a sprawling Monterey office complex, because its food, service and views of Monterey Bay are the cat’s whiskers. It’s only open for dinner, so book an early table to enjoy a sunset cocktail, and then tuck into classic French cuisine—dishes range from heavenly lobster bisque to duckling with blackcurrant sauce, topped off with a chocolate gateau Celestine, dripping with vanilla bean ice cream. The dining room is atrium-style, filled with light through floor-to-ceiling windows to take full advantage of the Heritage Harbor view.
100C Heritage Harbor, 99 Pacific Street, Monterey, CA 93940 | +1 831 375 9798 | www.freshcream.com