There are pairings that become accepted and then—as time proves their worth—become arbitrary. Peanut butter and jelly is an obvious one. Rosé and lingering summer afternoons is less so, but still fitting. Barbecue and brisket? In Texas maybe. Culinary rules aren’t necessarily made to be broken. No chef, for example, would shave aged gouda on a trout filet. Yet as we learn in these pages, some of the food world’s certainties are fraying at the edges. Barbecue is an example. Once the territory of low and slow smoking, purists are beginning to accept quicker methods over open flame into the lexicon. The rules regarding wine, meat and fish have been loosened, as well. A dressy affair decades ago, date night is now open to interpretation. The culinary world is always changing as people are exposed to new flavors and chefs push boundaries. The Weekly’s annual Eat+Drink magazine offers a glimpse of Monterey County’s dining scene—one that is changing in a positive direction. There are, for example, two Michelin Star restaurants and others that earn national recognition. There are hidden gems—some elegant, some neighborBeach House Restaurant + Bar DANIEL DREIFUSS 10 Save The Date | 16 Happy Time | 22 ’Cue Shot 26 Hide And Seek | 32 Out Laws | 36 Rosé In Bloom 40 Mezzed Up | 44 Signature Dishes | 56 Signature Drinks Founder & CEO Bradley Zeve Publisher Erik Cushman Project Editor Dave Faries Editor Sara Rubin Associate Editor Erik Chalhoub Art Director/Production Manager Karen Loutzenheiser Contributing Writers and Copy Editors Celia Jiménez, Pam Marino, Agata Pope˛da, Katie Rodriguez, David Schmalz, Jacqueline Weixel, Taryn Yudaken Graphic Designers Alexis Estrada, Lani Headley, Kevin Jewell Advertising Keith Bruecker, Diane Glim, George Kassal Business Development Director Keely Richter Photographers Nik Blaskovich, Daniel Dreifuss Cover Photo Sardines as presented by Solstice at The Village in Big Sur by Daniel Dreifuss The Best of Monterey Bay® is published by Milestone Communications, Inc., a California corporation. The entire contents are copyright 2025. No portion may be reproduced. 831394-5656. www.montereycountynow.com. INSIDE hood dives. In other words, there is much to discover here. Pick up a copy of the Weekly, check online at montereycountynow.com or sign up for our email newsletter to learn more. We hope you enjoy the stories we chose to tell. -Dave Faries 8 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® EAT + DRINK 2025-2026 Subscribe to the newsletter: montereycountynow.com/subscribe Go to montereycountynow.com We Deliver… NEWS • ARTS ENTERTAINMENT FOOD • DRINK CALENDAR Fresh Local News Served Daily MCNOW_1-3v_ED25_kpr.indd 1 4/17/25 3:55 PM
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