montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 81 Best New Restaurant of 2024 Woody’s at Del Mesa 500 Del Mesa Drive, Carmel (831) 624-1854, woodysmontereyairport. com It may seem surprising that the county’s best new restaurant this year is in a retirement community, but Chef Tim Wood is full of surprises. After the success of Woody’s at the Airport, the Bernardus and Carmel Valley Ranch alum turned his sights south to Del Mesa Carmel. With a large selection of attentively sourced salads, great sandwich deals at lunch and an expanded menu at dinner—with Wood’s signature steak bites on the app menu and his favorite, steak frites, among the entrees—Woody’s at Del Mesa has something for everyone, and is open to everyone. Just tell the kind folks at the gate you’re going to see Woody. Best Outdoor Dining Best Place For A Business Lunch Tarpy’s Roadhouse 2999 Highway 68, Monterey (831) 647-1444, tarpys.com There is a story from the Old West about some doings at Tarpy Flats, land where an angry mob settled things with the vigilante Matt Tarpy. So the land has an actual connection to the outlaw side. As a restaurant, however, Tarpy’s is casual sophistication along a highway. But unlike a typical fast food joint or diner on a major throughway, this locals’ favorite makes use of nearby land and sea with offerings like Monterey abalone and Castroville artichokes, served side-by-side with thick USDA prime cuts of steak and center-cut porkchops. Plus, they have a beautiful shaded stone patio to dine al fresco. It’s a far cry from a dusty saloon—maybe that’s why it’s the best in two categories. Best Parklet Wild Fish 545 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove (831) 373-8523, wild-fish.com For the fourth year in a row since the category was created, Wild Fish has been voted “Best Parklet” by Weekly readers. Born out of pandemic times, Wild Fish owners Liz and Kelvin Jacobs invested in a sturdy and attractive shelter with heaters, shade, protection from the wind and a jazz band Friday and Saturday nights. It’s been a big draw for diners and jazz lovers ever since. The band’s days may be numbered, however: A Pacific Grove City Council majority voted in June 2024 to eliminate the parklets at the corner of Lighthouse and Fountain avenues, including Wild Fish’s, and replace them with sidewalk extensions with enclosed dining areas. While people will be able to enjoy outdoor dining, there probably won’t be enough room for the musicians. If that happens, like the Old West itself, the musical era of parklet dining in P.G. will fade off into the sunset. Best Restaurant For A Special Occasion Best Restaurant For Romantic Dining Pacific’s Edge 120 Highlands Drive, Carmel (831) 622-5445, hyatt.com When the vibe is dramatic, say for a special or romantic occasion, Weekly readers understand the assignment. For another year, Pacific’s Edge takes the prize for Monterey County’s most important meals. Located inside the Hyatt Carmel Highlands, Pacific’s Edge delivers jaw-dropping scenery and delicious local favorites like a Dungeness crab benedict and seasonal berry salads. Consider a few compare-and-contrast visits to enjoy that rugged and breathtaking view at breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. When Charlie McCorry came to court Laurie Jorgensen in The Searchers, he brought boiled sweets and his guitar. He wouldn’t stand a chance against another beau and Pacific’s Edge. Best Restaurant More Than 10 Years Old Best Restaurant - Fisherman’s Wharf Old Fisherman’s Grotto 39 Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey (831) 375-4604, oldfishermansgrotto.com Just about every Western town had a restaurant, from lean-tos frying beans and sowbelly to the fancy Harvey Houses, staffed by women of good moral character. In fact, the Harvey House chain started on the plains and lasted into the 1960s, which means a few locations were still around when Old Fisherman’s Grotto opened. But no Harvey House could match the menu at the Monterey destination. Chef Juan Ponce prepares dishes like seared scallops in a sundried tomato sauce, local abalone over a citrus beurre blanc, macadamia-crusted halibut and the restaurant’s world-famous clam chowder. If the chef stooped to sowbelly, it would be on bruschetta with pecorino and chimichurri. Best Appetizers/Small Plates Estéban Restaurant 700 Munras Ave., Monterey (831) 375-0176, hotelcasamunras.com At places like Keystone Hall in Laramie or Tombstone’s Crystal Palace, a shared plate meant passing the bottle. The folks at Estéban have elevated that idea, more than a little bit. The Spanish-inspired menu features empanadas, patatas bravas, black cod croquettes and more. There is a list of paellas and local artichokes set to the grill. The restaurant even holds tapas hour, as if to emphasize the beauty of appetizers and shared dishes. Of course, no one is likely to share a bite of the bone-in Iberian pork chop. Even at Estéban you have to stake your claim once in a while. Best New Restaurant of 2024 | Woody’s at Del Mesa
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