30 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JANUARY 1-7, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com It was a year of fire and loss, a time of adventure and great achievement. In the 12-month span, establishments opened and closed, people came and went. In other words, 2025 presented some of the usual tumult that makes for a unique and interesting year. But even within a familiar passage are notable moments. Both Aubergine (two) and Chez Noir (one) in Carmel held on to their coveted Michelin stars. Chez Noir Chef Jonny Black was named as a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: California. Ad Astra Bread Co. continued its rise, opening a second location—an atelier and coffee shop in Carmel Valley’s Mid-Valley Center. Winning big. Caraccioli Cellars received Best U.S. Sparkling Wine honors at the 2025 Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships, held in London. It was the sixth time Caraccioli has earned top honors in the last 11 years. Alvarado Street Brewery came away from the 2025 World Beer Cup with a gold medal for its Howzit Punch, a sour ale. Honored many times over the past decade, the brewery also claimed a silver and bronze at the prestigious event. Meanwhile, High Top Ranch in Carmel Valley picked up gold at Athena, an international olive oil competition held on the Mediterranean island of Crete, for the second consecutive year. “The decision weighs heavily on our hearts.” The year began with an eruption of fire. In January—and again in February—flames engulfed the Vistra battery storage facility in Moss Landing, causing temporary evacuations and road closures, as well as concerns over potentially toxic fallout. In the wake of the Vistra fires, owner Kim Solano decided to close Haute Enchilada, a restaurant and gallery that had been a popular destination for 25 years. On the morning of April 3, smoke began billowing from the Carl’s Jr. at Lighthouse and David avenues in Monterey. By the time firefighters arrived, just minutes later, flames were flaring through the roof, causing it to collapse, along with several walls. No one was injured, but the building was a total loss. The franchise owner, DMF Restaurants, promised to rebuild. (The wreckage remains.) Some iconic gatherings were not so resilient. In 2025, Monterey County’s restaurants, bars and wineries were buffeted by tariffs, government shutdowns, rising costs and demographic trends. In April, organizers of the Salinas Valley Food and Wine Festival decided to put the event on hiatus, at least for a year. A month later, the Artichoke Festival—a summer mainstay for 65 years—also dropped off the 2025 calendar due to “insurmountable” financial woes. Its board cited the rising costs of insurance coverage, permits and event operations. “It will look even better.” Power Plant coffee house, a Moss Landing favorite, survived the Vistra damage, only to suffer smoke damage from a fire of its own in May. But it reopened again in September with improvements—a beer and wine bar dubbed The Landing, along with a food truck venue. The coffee house wasn’t the only establishment to come out ahead in 2025. When Pebble Beach Company shuttered The Lodge for renovation following the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February, it shut down Stillwater for a facelift. But The Bench went on a roller coaster, moving three times in seven months, remaining open in spaces ill-suited for the full scope of its menu. Yet when it finally returned home in October, both restaurants had been fitted with dream kitchens and other upgrades. Un-wine-ding. Global wine sales are in a slump, with the market in the midst of a fiveyear downturn. At the same time, an apparent demographic shift in wine consumption is underway, with younger people turning to other beverages. As a result, 2025 saw significant Monterey County vineyards such as Massa Estate, Jouillian and Marinus put on the market. With some winemakers no longer able to keep up with dues, the board of directors for the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association pulled the plug in August. The organization had promoted local wineries and lobbied on their behalf for 40 years. But according to MCVGA spokesperson Scott Caraccioli, the financial hit meant it could not provide the right level of support to its members. Through ups and downs. Chef Philip Wojtowicz’s Oystertown in Monterey is the most lauded new opening of 2025. The space is handsome, the vibe cool-casual and the dishes remarkable. Oystertown, which began serving in the spring, was followed by Lighthouse Bistro Global Cuisine—“global” including Nepalese flavors—and the reopening of the dive bar favorite Segovia’s helped confirm the happening status of Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey. The renovated Monterey Beach Hotel added The Lantern Room and Tidewater—the latter a unique seasonal beachfront firepit experience. Colette’s in Pacific Grove and Scoops in Monterey made ice cream a 2025 treat. The year saw trade-offs. The authentic Vietnamese kitchen Rice & Roots replaced the Greek spot Epsilon in Monterey, for example, and Carmel’s new comfort destination Nora’s filled the old Basil location. Yet there are notable losses. Forge in the Forest shut down in February when its Carmel landlord refused to renew the lease. The much-loved Point Pinos Grill could not reach agreement with the City of Pacific Grove and closed on the same day it received Best of Monterey Bay Readers’ Poll awards from the Weekly. Monterey County’s original brewpub, English Ales in Marina, was the bearer of good news in April, when new owner Mark Francis took over the venerable location. But with new taprooms providing competition, he closed in November. In 2025, we also said goodbye to Ted Walter, the pioneering chef who made Passionfish in Pacific Grove a destination. He died in September. This is just a snapshot of the year now past. The new year will bring the opening of The Caledonian in P.G., Benny Walkers in Monterey, Corner Market in Carmel and more. FIRST COURSE Comfort food made its mark on the Carmel dining scene in 2025 with the opening of Nora’s. The restaurant’s menu features favorites like meatloaf and a bologna—or mortadella—sandwich. Oystertown is the most lauded new opening of 2025. EAT + DRINK DANIEL DREIFUSS Fare Well A look back at just some of what defined the dining and drinking scene in 2025. By Dave Faries
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