EDITORS’ PICKS BEST MENU THAT ACTUALLY OFFERS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE Lighthouse Bistro Global Cuisine 570 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey (831) 601-1880, lighthouse-bistro.com Imagine a game with no rules. Now imagine that everyone wins precisely because there are no rules. So if you want hummus, kibbeh or other Mediterranean favorites, you can have them. Crave a giant Bavarian pretzel? That, too. Lighthouse Bistro also prepares pizza, pasta, fish and chips, fajitas, India’s butter chicken, paella, kebabs and even a few Nepalese dishes. It is truly global in scope, not tied to any one theme. And thus, there is something for everyone. BEST NEW SCHOLARSHIP Rancho Cielo RIDE Program Rancho Cielo Youth Campus 710 Old Stage Road, Salinas (831) 444-3560, ranchocieloyc.org When we were kids, we owned a lot of cars—Hot Wheels, Matchbox, you name it. As Rancho Cielo’s staff was preparing students for moving onto college and work, it became apparent that those students would need identification and transportation—for real. That was the start of the program Rancho Investing in Driver Equity, or RIDE. Committee members matched donated cars with recent graduates who demonstrated a certain level of need and maturity. On Feb. 4, 2025 three grads received the first of the donated cars in a special ceremony before the entire campus community. On Aug. 12, five more recent graduates received cars on the first day of school. “The RIDE program has the largest return on investment of anything we do here,” Rancho Cielo CEO Chris Devers said. BEST REUSE OF FORMER AGRICULTURAL LAND Ensen Community Park 99 La Posada Drive, Salinas (831) 758-7306, salinas.gov A century ago, a series of lakes in Salinas were drained to make way for agriculture. For generations, families farmed the land, despite the routine flooding. The city, meanwhile, expanded around the fields. This story becomes the best because a decade ago, the Big Sur Land Trust leapt in with $4 million to buy 73 acres, a dream and a promise to create a community-serving park. In August 2025, they fulfilled phase one of that promise, with the grand opening of six-acre park that was gifted to the City of Salinas. It’s got all the bells and whistles for you and Fido to play your favorite game—a skatepark, basketball court, slides, a shaded zumba pavilion, a dog run. And the best gets even better, with construction underway on a 67-acre habitat area that will offer walking paths and a place for wildlife, and for humans, to thrive. BEST BREAKFAST/LUNCH SPOT YOU HAVE PROBABLY DRIVEN PAST WITHOUT NOTICING Rocky’s Cafe 1642 Del Monte Blvd., Seaside (831) 747-1414 They call it a “classic American diner with a twist.” So left-hand burgers, right-hand chilaquiles? No, not Twister. The twist is that Owner and Chef Juan Contreras is also a chef at the finest of dining establishments in Pebble Beach. So he brings high-end technique to pancakes and shrimp tacos and everything else on the otherwise unassuming menu. It’s not fancy, it’s simply prepared with a deft touch. First-time guests sit down expecting roadside diner fare near the Seaside Auto Mall, but leave with a satisfied smile. BEST EXAMPLE OF PEOPLE POWER Protect Salinas Renters’ Referendum Campaign protectsalinasrenters.com In politics, there are winners and there are losers. A group of community activists might have celebrated victory a little too soon when, in 2024, Salinas City Council approved a suite of renter protection ordinances, including a 2.75-percent rent control cap. Partly in reaction to that, voters elected a whole new council in November 2024. They swiftly voted to repeal the renter 124 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2025 montereycountynow.com/bestof ’25 Visit us at PHIL’S FISH MARKET & EATERY in Castroville and try Phil’s Famous Cioppino! 10700 Merritt Street, Castroville, CA 95012 Phone 831.633.2152 | www.philsfishmarket.com Proud to Be Your Choice: Best Cioppino and Best North County Restaurant – Thank You Monterey County! ©2025 In-N-Out Burgers In-N-Out.com 151 Kern St. Salinas 1350 Del Monte Blvd. Seaside While we always hold ourselves to the highest standards, it’s the feedback from you that we value most. Thank you for thinking so highly of us. We can’t wait to serve your next fresh, made to order Double-Double®, fries, and shake!
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