The Top 96 Places to Eat and Drink Near The Sanctuary Beach Resort
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House-made pasta arrives al dente and generously portioned at this family-run Italian-American spot near the airport. Fresh mozzarella and thin-crust pizzas share the menu with rustic classics that reward a from-scratch approach.
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Rank 2. Maligne
New American
A hip Seaside loft with effortless hospitality and a menu that threads Italian-American and French classics through a California sensibility. Chef Klaus Georis treats even a Caesar salad like a fine-dining exercise in ingredient quality, while a warm tarte tatin with whipped cream proves technique matters as much as sourcing.
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Rank 3. The Sardine Factory
Seafood
A converted cannery on Monterey's waterfront trades industrial grit for silk curtains, monogrammed seatbacks, and a glassed conservatory that feels less warehouse than dowager's drawing room. The kitchen executes classical seafood—crispy sand dabs, lobster ravioli in cream—with the assured hand of a place that has pleased three generations. There's camp in the pageantry, but also genuine care.
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Rank 4. Coastal Kitchen
Contemporary
A staircase descent through a hotel lobby leads to bay views and Chef Michael Rotondo's tasting menu, where local seafood—black cod from the wood-fired oven, pristine halibut sashimi—mingles with global spice and technique across each course. The room is polished; the cooking is restless, layering flavors until each plate becomes a small argument between restraint and abundance.
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Rank 5. Aubergine
Contemporary
In a historic hotel on Carmel's main drag, Justin Cogley orchestrates a tasting menu that marries classical discipline with contemporary flair—think cabbage tacos layered with caviar and braised treviso, or dry-aged beef brushed with wagyu XO. The dining room hums with understated refinement, and the wine list rewards close attention. It's cooking that feels rooted in place yet stubbornly its own.
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Rank 6. Paprika Café
Mediterranean
At this six-table Mediterranean café near the aquarium, the chef-owner moves between dining room and tiny kitchen, greeting guests before returning to cook straightforward, affordable dishes. Spanakopita and baba ghanoush anchor a menu generous to vegetarians, though the homemade baklava—vegan, golden, packed to carry—is what lingers.
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Rank 7. Chez Noir
Mediterranean
In a Craftsman house above their own kitchen, Jonny and Monique Black cook Mediterranean food drawn from California waters—abalone and skate treated with unshowy precision. A prix fixe menu offers choices, but the real reveal comes at the end, when ethereal canelés arrive with their caramelized shells and silken centers, a quiet statement of restraint and technique.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Nominee · Best New Restaurant
- Esquire 2023 · Sungold Tomato Martini · The Best Martinis in America
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Rank 8. Montrio
Contemporary
A converted 1910 firehouse with soaring ceilings and a mahogany bar houses a kitchen devoted to local sourcing and sustainable seafood. Golden-fried calamari arrives with charmoula; the wine list tilts heavily toward California pinots. The place welcomes children and casual diners with equal warmth, making formality feel beside the point.
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Rank 9. Stokes Adobe
French
A historic adobe house in Monterey trades its shadowed past for genuine warmth and graceful hospitality. The kitchen grounds itself in French and Italian fundamentals, turning out maltagliati in prosciutto-parmesan broth and duck confit with roasted apples with quiet confidence. Substance prevails over flourish here, a principle that extends through comforting finales and cocktails by the firepit.
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Rank 10. Lucia Restaurant & Bar
New American
The dining room's garden feeds the kitchen's seasonal intelligence, yielding vegetables of uncommon tenderness and lamb that tastes like the valley itself. Casual elegance—fireplace, vineyard views, patio dining—makes this one of those rare hotel restaurants that guests travel to rather than stumble into.
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Rank 11. Pèppoli
Tuscan Italian
The dining room frames ocean and fairways through windows, but the menu looks steadily toward Tuscany. Owned by the Antinori winemaking family, Pèppoli serves wood-fired rusticity—hand-rolled orecchiette with house sausage and vibrant green pesto, tiramisu that tastes like tradition—while their own bottles anchor an Italian wine list. A lesson in how privilege and authenticity need not contradict.
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Rank 12. Yafa
Mediterranean Cuisine
The aroma of charring meat draws you in; the owner's embrace keeps you coming back. Yafa trades in straightforward Eastern Mediterranean cooking—charred chicken kebabs with tomatoes, lamb and beef kafta rich with Aleppo spice—but the real draw is the mezze: a sprawling plate of hummus, cucumber salad, and sundried tomato dip meant for tearing into warm pita alongside genuine warmth.
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- US Coffee Championships 2025 · #3 · U.S. Latte Art Championship · Marco Monzon
- US Coffee Championships 2025 · #12 · U.S. Brewers Cup · Griffin Hall
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Rank 14. Casanova
Rustic French
A 1920s cottage remodeled after a Belgian farmhouse serves rustic French and Italian cooking in an intimate Carmel setting a block from the main street. The wine cellar, dug by hand, anchors a dining experience marked by simplicity—think grilled peach with pickled onion and torn basil.
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Rank 15. Stationæry
California New American
A sunlit cafe where California meets comfort: potato pancake paired with Korean short ribs and kimchi, avocado toast scattered with radishes and seaweed, a lobster roll on Ad Astra brioche. The cooking is playful without affectation, local without pretense.
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Rank 16. Akaoni
Sushi
A cramped sushiya with two hands and a tank of local spot prawns behind the counter, where the nigiri—simply plated, finely cut—carries a purity that justifies the pilgrimage to this corner of Carmel. The daily specials board matters more than the menu; skip the cooked dishes unless the vegetable tempura calls to you.
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Rank 17. Cultura Comida y Bebida
Oaxacan Mexican
Oaxacan-inflected cooking in a courtyard dining room lined with deep red booths and wrought-iron accents, where house-made mole arrives with warm tortillas for assembly. Desserts like chili-tinged chocolate brownies suggest ambition beyond casual experimentation.
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Rank 18. La Bicyclette
Mediterranean French
A corner bistro in Carmel with hanging copper pots and bicycles overhead, where the kitchen drifts between seasonal California cooking and French classics like duck confit. The wood-burning oven turns out excellent bread and pizza, while a buttery tarte Tatin arrives golden and caramelized.
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- US Coffee Championships 2025 · #3 · U.S. Latte Art Championship · Marco Monzon
- US Coffee Championships 2025 · #12 · U.S. Brewers Cup · Griffin Hall
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- US Coffee Championships 2025 · #3 · U.S. Latte Art Championship · Marco Monzon
- US Coffee Championships 2025 · #12 · U.S. Brewers Cup · Griffin Hall
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- US Coffee Championships 2025 · #3 · U.S. Latte Art Championship · Marco Monzon
- US Coffee Championships 2025 · #12 · U.S. Brewers Cup · Griffin Hall
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Rank 22. Mentone
Pizza
A barn-like room with dark green doors draws a neighborhood crowd eager for pizza that justifies the trip to Aptos. The kitchen moves deftly between indulgences—fried sardines with Meyer lemon aioli, a pesto pie layered with three cheeses—though the real argument is whether to end with pizza or the house-made pistachio ice cream.
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Rank 23. Bad Animal
Parisian
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Rank 25. Solstice
Californian
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Rank 26. Sierra Mar
Californian New American
Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the Pacific from a clifftop perch in Big Sur, where a four-course prix-fixe moves through California's seasons with the ease of abalone and hand-rolled pasta, finishing with chocolate pavé that tastes as composed as it looks. The room itself—rustic modern, unhurried—exists less to impress than to get out of the way.
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Rank 27. La Foret Restaurant
French
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Rank 28. First Born Los Gatos
Fusion Vietnamese
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Rank 29. Plumed Horse
Californian New American
An elegant room in a seventies-modern cottage on the peninsula, where Chef Peter Armellino builds his California cuisine around house-made pastas and the occasional flourish—a black pepper soufflé gilded with uni and crab, vegetables treated with the same conviction as beef cheek ragu. The wine program, visible through glass behind the bar, suggests a proprietor unafraid of depth.
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Rank 30. Jubba Restaurant
Somali
- San Francisco Chronicle Top Doughnuts in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #79 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Top Peninsula and South Bay Restaurants
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Rank 31. Dio Deka
Greek
A fireplace anchors the stylish dining room where Los Gatos money gathers to eat Greek food that transcends taverna conventions. Pan-seared local salmon arrives with roasted peppers and artichokes; braised beef cheek fills delicate grape leaves. The wine list trades predictability for Greek discovery, and the burnt-honey mousse with almond and lemon justifies saving room for dessert.
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Rank 32. ASA South
Californian New American
A sleek dining room with silver-bark wallpaper and a horseshoe bar sets the stage for cooking that balances ambition with levity. The kitchen excels with a rigatoni so layered with mushrooms and supporting players that the menu abandons listing ingredients, and with sustainably sourced fish prepared across a menu that accommodates multiple appetites without compromise.
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Rank 33. The Bywater
New Orleans-inspired Cajun & Creole
The zinc bar gleams under pressed tin, and jazz spills from speakers as an open kitchen stacks bottles of hot sauce like trophies. David Kinch's New Orleans love letter serves andouille gumbo z'herbes, oyster po'boys with white chile sauce, and a chocolate-pecan chess pie that tastes like devotion. Locals arrive early; the spell holds.
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Rank 34. Manresa Bread
Bakery
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Rank 36. Saapaaduu
Indian
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Rank 37. Alexander's Steakhouse
American/Japanese
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Rank 38. Bo Ne Phu Yen
Vietnamese
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- San Francisco Chronicle 2025 · #42 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Top Peninsula and South Bay Restaurants
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- Sprudge The Sprudge Guide To Coffee In San Jose, California
- San Francisco Chronicle The Best Coffee in the Bay Area
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Rank 40. LeYou Ethiopian
Ethiopian
The dining room at LeYou breathes with tall plants and coffee-bag tables under glass, a contemporary setting for chef Aida Taye's lighter take on Ethiopian cooking. Her tuna kifto and crisp, chili-dusted kategna suggest a kitchen intent on reimagining tradition rather than merely preserving it.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- San Francisco Chronicle 2025 · #46 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Top Peninsula and South Bay Restaurants
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Rank 41. Orchard City Kitchen
International
A shopping-center outpost where Jeffrey Stout orchestrates a roving menu of global small plates meant for shared eating. Hamachi arrives with avocado-dill purée and sunomono's bright vinegar; shrimp-and-pork dumplings carry a dusting of peanuts and chili oil heat. The room—polished bar, sprawling patio—rewards the kind of crowd willing to order wide.
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Rank 42. Tai Zhan
Hong Kong-Style
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Rank 43. Mi Rinconcito Oaxaqueño
Oaxacan Mexican
- The Infatuation The Best Restaurants In San Jose
- San Francisco Chronicle Top San Jose Restaurants
- San Francisco Chronicle Top Peninsula and South Bay Restaurants
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- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #87 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Top Peninsula and South Bay Restaurants
- San Francisco Chronicle Top San Jose Restaurants
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Rank 45. Petiscos
Portuguese Mediterranean
At a corner bar alive with the hum of Portuguese conversation, small plates arrive meant for sharing—broa, octopus salad, grilled sardines—each one a study in restraint and imported authenticity. The braised pig ears, dressed in citrus and herbs, taste like home cooking elevated just enough to matter.
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Rank 46. Lookout Coffee
Coffee
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Rank 47. Be.Stéak.Ă
Steakhouse
Chef Jeffrey Stout's steakhouse trades in Mediterranean flourishes—clams casino with pepperoni, rigatoni all'amatriciana—but the real draw is beef handled with precision: a bacon-wrapped filet arrives glossy with horseradish cream and demi-glace, sided by king oyster mushrooms. The room maintains an elegant composure that feels neither fussy nor austere.
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Rank 48. Tay Ho
Vietnamese
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Rank 49. Le Papillon
European
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Rank 50. A Slice of New York
NY-Style
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- San Francisco Chronicle Top San Jose Restaurants
- San Francisco Chronicle Top Peninsula and South Bay Restaurants
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Rank 52. Kunjip
Korean
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #67 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Top Peninsula and South Bay Restaurants
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Rank 53. Thiên Long Restaurant
Vietnamese/Chinese
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Rank 54. Bertucelli's La Villa
Italian
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Rank 55. LUNA Mexican Kitchen
Mexican
The moon rises over San Jose in the form of a kitchen where owner Jo Lerma-Lopez sources Rancho Gordo beans and Mary's chicken, then presses fresh tortillas by hand for crisp fish tacos and sizzling parrilladas that taste of real conviction. The cantina hums with the ease of a place built on principle rather than trend.
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Rank 56. Hue
Vietnamese
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Rank 57. Manresa Bread
Bakery
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Rank 58. Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant
Ethiopian
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Rank 60. Pho Duoi Bo
Vietnamese
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Rank 61. Lacàphê
Vietnamese Coffee
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Rank 65. CA Bakehouse
Southeast Asian
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Rank 72. Fitoor
Modern Indian
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Rank 73. Walia Ethiopian Cuisine
Ethiopian
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Rank 74. Pho Ga Nha - Chicken Pho House
Vietnamese
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Rank 75. Falafel's Drive-In
Middle Eastern
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Rank 77. Green Lotus
Vietnamese Vegetarian
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Rank 80. ADEGA
Portuguese
Adega pairs a Portuguese tasting menu of sardines, bacalhau, and octopus with one of California's deepest collections of Portuguese wines. The understated dining room lets the kitchen's contemporary technique and wine program command attention.
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Rank 83. Back A Yard Caribbean Grill
Caribbean
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Rank 84. Zona Rosa
Mexican
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Rank 86. MYSelera Bistro
Malaysian
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Rank 87. Mommy's Bánh Mì
Vietnamese
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Rank 88. Mariscos El Charco
Mexican
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Rank 89. Acopio
Mexican
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Rank 90. MoDo
Hawaiian
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Rank 91. Gombei
Japanese
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Rank 92. La Jacaranda Oaxaquena
Oaxacan
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Rank 93. Mariscos Costa Alegre
Mexican
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Rank 94. Nanos Chicharrones
Mexican
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Rank 95. Mariscos El Aguachile 8
Michoacán-Style
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