A man sat down at the convivial bar in Monterey’s Sandbar & Grill in Monterey and called for an unusual combination—a Bloody Mary from a base of Crown Royal. Bartender Wells Leavitt admits he was taken aback, but proceeded to make the drink. After all, the guest explained that while he craved the brunch cocktail, Crown Royal was his go-to. While vodka is the most common base, there are acceptable versions that start with tequila, gin—or without alcohol, for that matter. But the veteran bartender still cringes a bit at whiskey. “He finished it,” Leavitt recalls with a chuckle. “In fact, I think he had two. I wouldn’t try it.” Yet the Bloody Mary has become a versatile concoction, with garnishes as basic as a stick of celery or as lavish as an entire buffet. The version at Stillwater in Pebble Beach suits the restaurant’s seafood emphasis, decked in shrimp. But the Supreme Plaza Mary at Schooners in Monterey starts with a peppercorn-infused vodka for a kick, topped with two strips of bacon, four large shrimp, a pickle and a pickled pepper, as well as olives. In that crowd, the lone celery stalk appears almost comical. At Pangaea Grill in Carmel, one option adds meatballs, sausage, taquitos, tamales and deepfried dumplings to the above. “That’s a little over the top,” Leavitt says, laughing. Sandbar’s simpler garnishes—celery and olives—puts the focus on the restaurant’s mix, made from scratch. “On Sundays we go through four or five quarts in four hours. It’s good stuff.” Whether the Bloody Mary is dressed with meat and vegetables or not, the tomato-based mix makes it a hearty cocktail. At Monterey’s Estéban Restaurant, Sunday brunch features a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar, with 42 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® EAT + DRINK 2026-2027 IF YOU BUILD IT… The Bloody Mary evolved from a morning pick-me-up to a meal, showcasing its versatility. By Dave Faries Pangaea Grill
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