Specialty Foods BEST DELI SANDWICH Compagno’s Market & Deli 2000 Prescott Ave., Monterey (831) 375-5987, compagnos.com Compagno’s sandwiches are a circus on their own—from the towering menu of choices to the towering sandwiches that require both hands. Like clowns spilling from a miniature car, dozens of sandwiches leave the counter of this small shop. And you just know Compagno’s is never going to change, parked outside the presidio and decorated with military memorabilia. With all the classic sandos, plus plenty of originals and options to customize, this old-school act still knows how to put on the best sandwich show in town. BEST BURRITO El Charrito 122 W. Market St., Salinas, (831) 424-9446 483 Calle Principal, Monterey, (831) 884-5143 98 General Stilwell Drive, Suite 10, Marina, (831) 901-3617 elcharrito.com The humble burrito can be elevated with attention to any component. Simmer the beans to a perfect texture, soft but not mushy, well seasoned but not too salty. The rice should be fluffy and buttery, the salsa packed with flavor but not too overpoweringly hot or vinegar-forward. The meat is tender—delicious enough to stand alone, but complementing all the other ingredients. And of course, the tortilla that holds it all together is not to be overlooked. El Charrito is beloved for its attention to all of the components, but those tortillas are a sensation (if you’re lucky, the original Salinas location may have a bag available for sale, but they go fast). Family matriarch Teresa Moncada immigrated from Mexico to Salinas and made these recipes into a perfect formula and now, 45 years later, her grandchildren are operating three locations. BEST FOOD ON A STICK Monterey County Fair 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey (831) 372-5863, montereycountyfair.com Perhaps more important than being fun or classic, foods on sticks are ergonomical. After all, how is one supposed to get to all there is to see at a circus, amusement park or fair without being able to take the cloud of fluffy pink sugar or the sticky, caramel-covered green apple on the go? The Monterey County Fair understands this well, expanding its offerings from apples and sugar to everything from Tajin-covered mango, and apples covered in chocolate and nuts, and of course, corn dogs of all kinds on sticks to grab and go. BEST FISH & CHIPS London Bridge Pub 256 Figueroa St., Monterey (831) 372-0581, lbpmonterey.com Because P.T. Barnum was a master promoter, many people credit him with creating the modern American-style circus. But historians point to Philip Astley, a 19th-century Londoner. The first known fish and chips shop opened in either Lancashire or London in the 1860s. And because London Bridge’s owner, John Eales, is English and has lived in many places, including London, he grew up with the proper stuff. And that’s what they serve at the Monterey restaurant, fish and chips as you would find at the neighborhood shop anywhere in England, ready for a splash of malt vinegar. BEST CLAM CHOWDER Old Fisherman’s Grotto 39 Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey (831) 375-4604, oldfishermansgrotto.com Old Fisherman’s Wharf can seem like a stroll on a midway. There are colors and crowds, distractions and barkers—the last often trying to tempt you with a sample. While there are many worthy dining options on the wharf, only one can be said to have invented Monterey-style clam chowder. Yes, Old Fisherman’s Grotto. The secret? It’s creamier than New England’s version, with a nip of garlic. And it is so good Layers Sensation Cakes www.layerscake.com 9 Soledad Dr. Monterey 655 1544 ’25 Thank you for voting us BEST CAKES! and BEST CUPCAKES ’26 106 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2026 montereycountynow.com/bestof
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