Where To Eat
Breakfast / Brunch
Stationaery: Hip brunch spot in the heart of downtown. Our go-to place to eat before leaving town.
Little Swiss Cafe: A Carmel staple for french toast and eggs benedict.
From Scratch Restaurant: Classic diner food featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives
Alta Bakery and Cafe: Small bakery located in the Cooper Molera historic adobe preservation sites.
Dinner
La Bicyclette: Cozy European bistro with great pizza. They’re old school, so call ahead and make a reservation to be safe.
Seventh & Dolores: Amazing steakhouse with great cocktails and a wine list featuring some of our favorites.
Chez Noir: Upscale Michelin Star restaurant serving California cuisine.
Brophy’s Tavern: Classic Irish pub fare and sports bar.
Where To Drink
Buds: The old school bar at La Playa Hotel. Once a day they have “dime time” at the bartender’s discretion where all drinks are 10 cents for the next 10 minutes. Exact change only.
A.W. Shucks Cocktail and Oyster Bar: One of our favorite happy hour spots in Carmel with a quality clam chowder
Pearl Hour: Speakeasy-style cocktail bar in Monterey.
Barmel: The best (out of two) bars that stay open late in Carmel. We’re having our afterparty here, but if you can’t wait definitely stop in for a cocktail.
Alvarado Street Brewing: Classic spot in Monterey’s historic Cannery Row for pizza and beers. There’s also a newer location in Carmel-by-the-Sea which shares an outdoor seating area with several tasting rooms.
Other Brother Beer Co: Small brewery near Fort Ord Dunes State Park north of Monterey.
Where to Explore
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve: If you’re going to do one hike while in town, this is the one we recommend! It’s not too difficult and offers some amazing views of the seaside cliffs. Parking fills up quick, so be prepared to park on the side of the road and walk to the entrance.
Carmel Beach: Scenic beach walking distance from Carmel-by-the-Sea restaurants and shopping
Explore the Cities: Carmel-by-the-Sea has plenty to do, see, and eat. But if you’re feeling adventurous, we recommend going to up to Monterey to see the historic Cannery Row and iconic Monterey Sea Aquarium, Pacific Grove for their downtown and beaches, or Sand City to explore the dunes or eat at the closest In-N-Out to Carmel.
17 Mile Drive: The iconic drive through Pebble Peach offers amazing views even for those not interested in golfing (aka Ward and Hilary).
Wine Tasting: There are plenty of options in Carmel-by-the-Sea, but we also recommend exploring Carmel Valley if you have the time after our Sunday farewell brunch. The small downtown has roughly a dozen tasting rooms and several restaurants. Holman Ranch, Bernardus, and Pelio Estate are some of our favorites.
Big Sur: If you’re planning to spend more time driving or staying in Big Sur, feel free to reach out to us directly for a more extensive list of suggestions
