86 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2026 montereycountynow.com/bestof Restaurants BEST FAMILY RESTAURANT BEST COMFORT FOOD Rosine’s 434 Alvarado St., Monterey (831) 375-1400, rosinesmonterey.com A deep-fried Mars bar, peanuts and a funnel cake may be considered comfort food for a couple of hours at the circus, but when locals crave a real meal—think a juicy French dip, chicken parm and cake slices that weigh nearly as much as a newborn—they come home to Rosine’s. The warm, quick and attentive staff buzzing around the crowded dining room, plus the consistency and quality of simple but decadent staples, is just like eating at your favorite grandma’s house—that is, if your grandma was a professional cook and baker. BEST RESTAURANT IN A SHOPPING CENTER Lalla Grill 1400 Del Monte Center, Monterey (831) 324-4632, lallagrill.com A mall can definitely feel like a sideshow, but Lalla Grill is your calm within the shopping storm. Well, maybe not totally calm as it’s a busy and beloved stop, but the broad menu from steaks to salads can certainly offer respite during your shopping expedition. Feel like a sourdough burger? How about ceviche? Or maybe you’re at Lalla Grill for their full brunch menu every weekend, including egg and waffle standards but also birria tacos and organic chicken and poblano enchiladas. Consider Lalla’s the main event between the parking lot and the checkout line. BEST RESTAURANT FOR VEGETARIANS BEST RESTAURANT FOR GLUTEN FREE Julia’s Vegetarian Restaurant 1180 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove (831) 656-9533, juliasveg.com Who is coming out to play, at least on our taste buds? Why, mushrooms of all different varieties, of course. At Julia’s Vegetarian in Pacific Grove, guests have a slew of “freaky fungi” vegetarian and gluten-free friendly options to pick from, such as the candy cap french toast, cordycep brunch bowl and the Big Sur pizza with extra lion’s mane. And it’s not just mushrooms. The team at Julia’s bring extraordinary flavor to vegetables of all kinds. This is no illusion, just really good food. BEST FOOD TRUCK Big Sur Taco (831) 917-1244 A circus travels. It brings everything along, from seating for the audience to kitchens that serve both performers and the crowd. That’s what a food truck does (not the seating, but the kitchen). And that’s what Big Sur Taco is best at. Handmade tortillas and a variety of meat are made into tacos wherever the truck may stop—often on Del Monte in Monterey, near beautiful beach views. BEST DOG-FRIENDLY DINING Terry’s Lounge Cypress Inn, 684 Lincoln St., Carmel (831) 620-7454, cypress-inn.com/terrys When it comes to the circus, dogs are at work, training for acts like the hind-leg walk or leaping through hoops. When they’re done, it’s time to relax, and there is no better place for a pooch to get pampered. The dog menu offers a choice of chicken breast or ground beef with sides of carrots and rice. Yappy Hour features drink specials like the bark-arita (that one is for the human companions). Designated dog cushions invite four-legged friends to hang out in the piano lounge (yes, there are limits: They are not allowed on the furniture). Quite simply, as supervisor Jossie Antopia put it: “We love dogs here.” The dogs, and their humans, love Terry’s Lounge back. BEST RESTAURANT ON A GOLF COURSE Hay’s Place 3253 Stevenson Drive, Pebble Beach (800) 877-0597, pebblebeach.com There are so many great golf courses in Monterey County, but The Hay may be the most fun. It’s a par-3 layout designed by Tiger Woods. Hay’s Place is equally unusual for the setting: a Mexican restaurant with inspired cooking and cocktails, but none of the fussy resort-casual atmosphere. Don’t get us wrong, there is an elegance to the restaurant with its fire pits, walls that open to allow the outdoors in and contemporary design. But this Best Restaurant - Fisherman’s Wharf, Best Restaurant - Monterey | Old Fisherman’s Grotto
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