Readers Poll 2024

34 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 montereycountynow.com/bestof Arts & Entertainment Best Tasting Room Scheid Family Wines 1972 Hobson Ave., Greenfield. (831) 386-0316 San Carlos and 7th, Carmel. (831) 626-9463, scheidvineyards.com The Old West’s hooch of choice was typically whiskey, or perhaps a fresh brewed choc. But in storybook Carmel as well as near the winding Salinas River, wine is the name of the game, and Scheid Family Wines are here to serve. The family first started their vineyards back in 1972, with the goal of building off the patriarch’s experience in entrepreneurship. Now, the family owns 12 estate vineyards across 70 miles of the Salinas Valley, and pours some of their wares for passersby from an inviting Greenfield tasting room adjacent to their production facility and vineyards, as well as in downtown Carmel. The wine tastes equally excellent in either setting. Best Winery To Visit Folktale Winery & Vineyards 8940 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel (831) 293-7500, folktalewinery.com After a long week at the ranch, you need a good place to put your boots up. What could be better than pullin’ up a stool at the saloon for an adult beverage? But it’s more than just what’s in your glass at Folktale. Hell, you can get barrel fever anywhere. But live music featuring everything from singer-songwriters to Monterey Jazz Festival Regional All Stars pairs real nice with a glass of Chardonnay and the seasonal menu of California-inspired dishes. Weekly readers know that Folktale is one heckuva place to bend your elbow. Best Place for Karaoke Britannia Arms 444 Alvarado St., Monterey (831) 656-9543, britanniaarmsofmonterey.com You know the words, sing along: “Yippee ki yi yay, git along little doggies…” Don’t know that one? How about “Rose of Alabama”? Caterwauling around a campfire can be fun, but it’s way better to do it among friends and with a drink in hand. Turns out there are several places to raise a ruckus with a microphone, but readers agree—the best is Britannia Arms. With a professional outfit setting the stage four nights per week, even the biggest howler can transform into Jenny Lind there. Nothing beats a good (or bad) performance on that stage. Best Place to Go Dancing Compact Disco 420 Tyler St., Monterey (831) 920-2518, compactdisco.org Dancing here is dressier than a hoedown or square dance, but not as fancy as a military ball. At Compact Disco, it’s relatively easy to find a spot to nod to jazz, sway to country and spin to salsa, but real uncontrollable dancing belongs to house music. The tiny spot in Monterey brings big joy, colors and contemporary electronica to this old fishermen’s town. No need to go to Detroit or Chicago; grab your friends and dance it out locally. Best Selection of Craft Beers Post No Bills 600 Ortiz Ave., Sand City (831) 324-4667, postnobills.net 3744 The Barnyard, Carmel (831) 574-8423, postnobillscarmel.com If you’re riding into town after a long day on horseback, a cold one is in order. Belly up to this bar for a dizzying array of beers. Options vary daily due to a rotating tap list and you’re likely to find rare, small-batch and far-flung kegs on the line. If none of the draft beers interest you, check out the ice boxes for an even more diverse selection of cans and bottles. For a bite with your beer, head to the Carmel location and choose from a menu of small bites, shareable plates, flatbreads and sandwiches. Yee-haw. Best Selection Of Wines By The Glass A Taste of Monterey 700 Cannery Row, Monterey (831) 646-5446, atasteofmonterey.com Wine by the glass? After a hard night as a wrangler, bulldogging a runaway steer, a whole bottle is the answer. But assuming your life is a mite less troublesome, wine by the glass is a classy way to go—especially when it comes with a view that isn’t endless prairie. A Taste of Monterey has over 30 wines available by the glass, all of which are from these here dusty Monterey County vineyards. You can taste your way around the county by going on your own tasting journey or choosing one of their many carefully crafted flights. Best Bloody Mary Sandbar and Grill Wharf 2, Monterey (831) 373-2818, sandbarandgrillmonterey. com Was there more than just whiskey, rum and beers served up in saloons in the Old West? As it turns out, there were cocktails slung across bars back then. Take the “Stone Fence,” a combination of whiskey, bitters and apple cider, which sounds pretty darn good. Years after the West was won, city Best Coffee Shop | East Village Cafe

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==