Readers Poll 2024

Restaurants BEST RESTAURANT - MARINA Salt Wood Kitchen & Oysterette 3295 Dunes Drive, Marina (831) 883-5535, saltwoodkitchenandoysterette.com Cooking over the open fire. Dining outdoors. Animals feeding nearby. If this sounds like evening on the Oregon Trail, try again. Going to the Salt Wood Kitchen & Oysterette in Marina isn’t just about great food, but about the experience. This place offers three dining environments to match your vibe. You can choose indoors or outdoors and from a quiet to bubbly ambience. Try sitting outside enjoying the dunes while sipping champagne while eating grilled oysters or enjoying local caviar. If you prefer red meat, steak and eggs will do the deed. If you bring a furry companion, this place has a special menu, including beef patties and smoked bone marrow. Salt Wood has a live-fire kitchen and a large cocktail menu and high standards—a good combination. BEST RESTAURANT - MONTEREY BEST WINE LIST Sardine Factory 701 Wave St., Monterey (831) 373-3775, sardinefactory.com The story goes that Sitting Bull granted Annie Oakley her nickname, translated to “Little Sure Shot.” In Monterey County, a Big Sure Shot is stopping for a meal and definitely a glass of wine. While it’s not true that Sardine Factory opened when both icons were still around, the restaurant’s longevity speaks for the quality of its dishes. The legendary Sardine Factory hit the bulls-eye with hungry readers in 2024 alongside its bulletproof wine list. There are local wines, bottles from the great French chateaus and even a trove of dusty vintages in the cellar, where Clint Eastwood has a private locker. Sardine Factory is a sure shot. BEST RESTAURANT - NORTH COUNTY Phil’s Fish Market & Eatery 10700 Merritt St., Castroville (831) 633-2152, philsfishmarket.com It’s hard to find many places that harken back to Monterey County of the 1860s, but the Old West is alive in spirit at Phil’s Fish Market & Eatery. You see, owner Phil DiGirolamo squared off against celebrity panslinger Bobby Flay, probably around high noon, and earned the reputation of fastest (and best) cioppino in the West. First opened in 1982, Phil’s Fish Market has long been a staple of Moss Landing. Recently he moved to a space in Castroville that was built as the city’s first schoolhouse in 1869. Other popular options besides cioppino include the cherrystone clams, steamed mussels, and a whole slew of artichokes prepared every which way. BEST RESTAURANT - PACIFIC GROVE Beach House Restaurant + Bar 620 Ocean View Blvd., Pacific Grove (831) 375-2345, beachhousepg.com There were many towns that put the Wild in the West, from Sidney, Nebraska, to Deadwood in the Dakota Territory. Pacific Grove wasn’t one of them. Indeed, the regulations laid down in 1883 banned everything from dancing to profanity to speeding in one’s buggy. Of course, smoking and alcohol were outlawed, as well. Don’t worry. Beach House has a great bar (things have changed since ’83). But it is better known for a range of dishes that will keep everyone happy, from local sand dabs to filet mignon, a great burger and vegetarian options, all at reasonable prices—something important these days. So go wild…within reason. 94 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 montereycountynow.com/bestof “Voted Best Fried Chicken” Order today or join the virtual waitlist www.thebutterhouse.com 1760 Fremont Blvd. Unit B-1 Seaside, Ca. 93955 Open 6am-2pm

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