Food

carmel city guide

05.28

Carmel City Guide | The Style Scribe

Carmel City Guide | The Style Scribe

Carmel City Guide | The Style Scribe

Carmel City Guide | The Style Scribe

Carmel City Guide | The Style Scribe

Carmel City Guide | The Style Scribe

Carmel City Guide | The Style Scribe

Carmel City Guide | The Style Scribe

Carmel City Guide | The Style Scribe

Carmel City Guide | The Style Scribe

Carmel City Guide | The Style Scribe

After another incredible trip to Carmel, I decided it was time to share a few favorite destinations, restaurants and activities to do while in and around Carmel-By-The-Sea. Be sure to scroll all the way down to see the rest of the photos I took from my visit!

Carmel City Guide | The Style Scribe

For breakfast, you’ve gotta stop in Katy’s Place. It’s got a diner feel and a huge menu full of bomb items like biscuits and gravy, banana pancakes, and an entire section dedicated to variations of eggs benedict. In addition to the diet-breakers, there are also a number of healthier items like steel-cut oatmeal, buckwheat and gluten-free pancakes, and egg white omelettes.

If you’re looking for something a little quicker, or you just want a good cup of joe, walk down to the village to the Carmel Bakery & Coffee Co. The baked goods are out of control (I wish I’d gotten a photo of the cinnamon rolls), and the cannoli in the window had me drooling. They also had a mean almond milk latte. So yum!

Looking to sit outside for lunch? Village Corner has a great little patio and a pretty extensive menu filled with yummy salads, sandwiches, pastas, fish and more. I also hear their breakfast is pretty delicious too. Another cute little lunch place right in town is Basil. Everything on the menu is locally grown and organic – they’ve got everything from shishito peppers to Albalone, black squid ink linguine to pork belly sliders. For weekend brunch with a kick, pop over to the Cypress Inn for their Jazz brunch outside! Featuring a small but delicious menu and live jazz music, it’ll be a brunch you’ll never forget.

Another must-eat for lunch is Rocky Point Restaurant. It’s about a seven minute drive from the center of Carmel and sits along the rocky California coast. It has the most beautiful views (both inside and outside seating available), and the menu is sure to please. All of the seafood is divine! Last but not least, Forge in the Forest is another fab spot. The patio is pretty (and dog-friendly) and they’ve got really good apps, sandwiches, salads, and a sinful skillet cookie.

For pre-dinner drinks, head over to Pebble Beach and sit outside by the fires at The Bench. Sip your drinks while overlooking the famed 18th hole! Another great place for a cocktail outside is the rooftop at Vesuvio. Finally, on Sunday, head to La Playa Hotel at 5pm for 10 cent wine and their signature bruschetta. For after-dinner fun, head to Mission Ranch and sit at the Piano Bar – while you can definitely sign up to sing, a lot of the locals come weekly and are usually very good. It’s a little intimidating!

For a nicer dinner or date night, get a reservation on the back patio at Casanova. Authentic Italian, an extensive wine list and the most charming ambiance. I haven’t been to this place yet, my mom’s fave place these days is L’Escargot. It’s a fancier dinner spot, but she says the food is outstanding! A few other favorites include The Tap Room (at Pebble Beach), La Bicyclette, and La Balena.

Carmel City Guide | The Style Scribe

There is quite a bit of shopping you can do in the village, both for clothing and for home goods. My favorite store is GBG (Girl Boy Girl), which carries brands like IRO, Isabel Marant, Theory, Alice + Olivia and more. GBG’s sister store Paloosh is also worth a look, but it’s definitely got a more casual vibe. Think Joie, DVF, Wildfox, and other similar brands. As far as home stores go, be sure to stop in Beachwood Home. Here you’ll find soft neutral palettes, seashell and coral-themed accessories, beautiful seaside paintings, and more. Oh, and a pretty adorable shop dog.

If the weather is really nice and you’ve got time to spare, drive the 45 minutes north to Big Sur. Have brunch at Big Sur Bakery (best scone I’ve ever eaten, hands down) or make a reservation at the Post Ranch Inn. Even if you don’t have any plans once you get there, the drive itself is worth it. There are many places to pull over for photos of the gorgeous California coastline!

Another thing you MUST do while the sun is shining is spend a few hours hiking around Point Lobos. This was one of my favorite parts of my last visit to Carmel. There are a bunch of different parts to the trail, but my favorite was the birthing beach of the seals (photo above). There were about thirteen seals basking on a white-sand beach, with stunning blue water and gorgeous greenery surrounding them. Such a miraculous vision, if I’ve ever seen one! I recommend going early in the morning (around 8:30 or 9am) to miss the crowds.

When it’s raining, take a little drive down to Monterey and check out the aquarium. On my last trip my mom and I spent the better part of an afternoon examining the electric jellyfish and other beautiful sea life. See pics from my trip to the aquarium here!

Finally, be sure to take the 17 mile drive. It’s recognized as one of the most scenic drives in the world and takes you on a tour of the luxurious Pebble Beach neighborhood, as well as some of the most beautiful parts of the California coast. Here you’ll find The Lone Cypress, Spanish Bay, and more points of interest.

Check out all of my pictures from my latest trip by clicking through each one below. I would love to hear all about your favorite spots so that I can add to my list for my next trip!

PS – if you like to work out on your vacations like I do, check out In-Shape Carmel. Day passes are inexpensive, and they have a bunch of great classes in addition to all the gym equipment you’ll ever need!

{ all photography by The Style Scribe® }

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