TALK ABOUT an embarrassment of riches! Beautiful inns, Michelin-starred restaurants, nature walks … and that’s just the beginning. No matter what you’re looking for, our readers want to point you to the best this area has to offer. And they have exquisite taste.
So, let’s say your best friend from college is coming for a visit next month. They tell you they’d like to have a hearty breakfast, take their dog for a romp, go wine-tasting and then have dinner and watch the sunset. You go to The Pine Cone’s website, click on the icon for the Golden Pine Cones and find all of those lickety-split.
What’s that? You’re a homeowner? Well, if you need an electrician, a contractor or — heaven forbid — an exterminator, we’ve got that covered, too. Top-notch lawyers, money managers and doctors are all here to keep your world and your health in order.
Maybe your granddaughter’s getting married and she’s looking for just the right spot — we have it, plus a florist, a caterer and a shop where she can find the perfect gown.
Seriously, this list is gold. Pine Cone gold. Don’t take our word for it, though. Go ahead and give it a read!
FOOD AND WINE
Best Neighborhood Market
Best Deli
Bruno’s Market — 582 Junipero Ave. - (831) 624-3821, brunosmarket.com
Owned and operated by the Sanchez family for decades, Bruno’s Market at Sixth and Junipero is the quintessential corner market. Shoppers can find just what they need for a dinner party or a quick feast, fantastic (and huge) sandwiches for a day sailing on the bay or an al fresco lunch in the front yard, or provisions for a picnic at Carmel Beach. Its grocery shelves, produce, prime meats, and wine and beer selection give customers plenty of alternatives. When cooking isn’t on the agenda, the deli and prepared-food offerings can take over.
The market promotes lunch specials and online ordering for pickup, a practical combination for residents with a busy day and visitors who would rather spend their time exploring than planning a meal.
There’s a familiar small-town rhythm to a market that accommodates everyday needs and spontaneous cravings. Someone might come in for a single item and leave with much more. As they have many times before, readers recognized Bruno’s in two categories this year, for Best Neighborhood Market and Best Deli.
Best Fruits and Vegetables
Farmers markets — oldmonterey.org, montereybayfarmers.org, everyonesharvest.org, wcfma.org, ci.carmel.ca.us/farmers-market
The colors change with the season, but the appeal is constant: fruits, vegetables, nuts and other produce offered directly to customers by growers who can answer any question about what they’re taking home. The Monterey Peninsula is blessed with farmers markets almost every day of the week, from downtown Carmel and mid-Carmel Valley, to Pacific Grove, Monterey, Marina and beyond. Purveyors bring local farm produce, seafood, baked goods and beyond to the heart of these communities.
Certified organic offerings are part of the mix, and a visit can be as much about discovering what’s in season as crossing ingredients off a shopping list. One week’s inspiration might be greens and herbs for a simple dinner; another could be berries or tomatoes that need little more than a rinse. Buying from growers also gives customers an opportunity to learn which varieties are especially good and how to prepare unfamiliar vegetables. That’s why Pine Cone readers pick their local farmers markets as the best places to find fruits and veggies year after year.
Best Seafood Market
Sea Harvest — 598 Foam St., Monterey, and at the Crossroads shopping center - (831) 646-0547 (Monterey), (831) 626-3626 (Crossroads), seaharvestrestaurant.com
When planning a meal around a beautiful piece of fish or an ideal selection of shellfish, the first decision often comes before the recipe: What looks good at the fish counter today? Sea Harvest has made that question central to its business, combining fish markets with casual restaurants in Monterey and Carmel. The Monterey location on Foam Street and the Carmel location at the Crossroads shopping center serve customers looking for the perfect seafood to prepare at home or hankering for a fresh, well-prepared lunch or dinner. Connections with local fishermen are a major part of Sea Harvest’s identity, and the market format makes it possible to choose seafood by what’s available rather than sticking to the same shopping list every week.
The knowledgeable staff behind the counter are ready to answer questions about portions, preparation, or a substitution when a particular local catch is scarce. The restaurant side offers another route to the ocean, with familiar choices such as fish and chips, chowder, sandwiches and fish tacos. Pine Cone readers named Sea Harvest Best Seafood Market, recognizing the part of the business that puts seafood in shoppers’ hands — and, eventually, on their own dinner tables.
Best Butcher
The Meatery — 1534 Fremont Blvd., Seaside - (831) 656-8810, themeateryseaside.com
There’s a big difference between buying a package of meat at the grocery store, and talking to someone who knows exactly where that beef, pork or lamb came from and what to do with it.
At The Meatery in Seaside, that conversation is part of the point. Chef Todd Fisher and his wife, Ada, run their family-owned butcher shop to bring restaurant-quality cuts within reach of home cooks. The case can include prime steaks, short ribs, pork chops and poultry, while house-made sausages offer another reason to stop in. Customers can ask for custom cuts or specialty orders, and the shop shares cooking ideas for anyone who isn’t quite sure how to tackle the task. The Fishers emphasize relationships with farms and producers whose practices meet their standards. The Meatery also has an eatery with sandwiches and prepared foods for those who’d like the kitchen to handle lunch. But this Golden Pine Cone goes to the butcher counter, where selection, preparation and advice come together.
Whether the occasion calls for a holiday roast or a single steak for dinner, the shop makes the case for buying meat from people who really know what they’re doing and what they’re selling.
Best Bakery
Carmel Bakery — 376 Ocean Ave. - (831) 626-8885, chefpepe.com/carmel-bakery
Some Carmel traditions can be enjoyed without a reservation. A stop at Carmel Bakery on Ocean between Dolores and Lincoln might mean an English scone, a piece of Scottish shortbread, Italian biscotti or a giant soft Bavarian pretzel. The variety reflects a bakery that has had more than a century to become part of the town’s daily routine.
The Pèpe family, which also operates several Carmel restaurants, has owned the bakery since 1986. Its own history dates the business to 1899 and describes it as California’s oldest bakery still operating in its original location. Owner Rich Pèpe’s bakery roots precede his restaurant career, and the family’s guiding phrase is, “We bake while you sleep.” In addition to pastries and breads, the business serves sandwiches, soups and salads, making it a stop for savory dishes as well as sweet treats, but the Golden Pine Cone is a nod to the ovens and the generations of customers who have passed through the door.
Best Bread
Ad Astra Bread Co. — 479 Alvarado St., Monterey and Mid Valley Center, Carmel Valley - adastrabread.com and ateliercarmelvalley.com
Good bread requires patience. Former pastry chef Ron Mendoza’s Ad Astra Bread Co. specializes in handmade, long-fermented sourdough, allowing time to do much of the work of developing flavor and texture. The bakery has built its identity around small-batch production, so popular loaves often sell out. Its Alvarado Street shop gives customers a place to look for bread and other baked treats, while appearances at Peninsula farmers markets extend the bakery’s reach beyond downtown Monterey, and its Ad Astra Atelier in Carmel Valley offers a café vibe alongside delicious baked goods.
Advance ordering is available, too, to accommodate anyone who has particular items in mind and doesn’t want to leave the day’s bread supply to chance. Long fermentation and careful handling are not flashy selling points, but they make a difference in the finished loaf. Consider the crust, the crumb and the flavor that can turn a simple piece of toast into something special. The bakery’s name points toward the stars. Its daily work remains reassuringly grounded in flour, water, fermentation and a hot oven.
Best Caterer
Paradise Catering — (831) 659-3417, paradisecater.com
Paradise Catering has spent four decades building a business around preparing delicious, seasonal and elegant cuisine for weddings, corporate gatherings and private celebrations across the Monterey Peninsula and Big Sur. Founded in 1986 by chef Jon Kasky, the Carmel Valley company became known for seasonal California cooking and food prepared hot off the grill. Nancy Rohan helped shape the business over the years, while Gabe Villagrana brought his skills to the grill and Corine Hanamaikai managed the many moving parts of banquet service.
In 2026, Paradise entered a new chapter under owner Heidi Sebok, who says she intends to preserve its emphasis on locally sourced ingredients, woodfire cooking and welcoming hospitality. That continuity matters in catering, where timing and logistics must be as carefully managed as the menu. A celebration may take months to plan, but guests experience it in a few hours — and the kitchen, service staff and event team must make those hours feel effortless. This Golden Pine Cone recognizes a business whose job is to make their clients’ experience as stress-free and perfect as possible.
Best Wine Store
Nielsen Bros. Market — 688 San Carlos St. - (831) 624-6441, nielsenbros.com
A great wine cellar must offer more than walls of bottles. At Nielsen Bros. Market in downtown Carmel, the well-curated selection stretches from local California producers to wines from France, Italy and other European regions at a range of prices, giving shoppers the ability to choose an everyday dinner companion or something special for a celebration. The market says its offerings include rare bottles as well as approachable choices. That breadth is fitting for a business with deep roots in town.
Founded by Harold and Walter Nielsen in 1930 and subsequently owned and operated by dedicated locals, the market has long combined groceries and specialty foods with wine and spirits. Its present operators emphasize carefully selected products, local sourcing and the convenience of online ordering and pickup. For wine shoppers, the attraction is the chance to compare regions, grapes and styles without leaving the neighborhood. A bottle for a picnic, a gift for a host or a wine to accompany a carefully planned meal can all begin with the same stop on San Carlos north of Seventh.
Best Tasting Room
Best Monterey County Pinot Noir
Best Monterey County Merlot
My Favorite Monterey County Wine
De Tierra Vineyards — 520 Mission St. - (831) 622-9704, detierra.com
In a cozy cottage, De Tierra Vineyards has become a go-to for locals and visitors. Readers have again chosen it as Best Tasting Room, and its pinot noir, merlot and overall favorite Monterey County wine status show the fruit and De Tierra’s winemaking are holding up their end of the bargain.
The operation started in 1998 when Tom Russell, an Arizona agriculture professional, planted organic grapes in the Corral de Tierra area at the foot of Mount Toro — John Steinbeck’s “pastures of heaven.” Today, owners Jeff Meacham and Andrew Schoenfeld keep the focus on handcrafted wines that aim to capture the land itself. The portfolio runs to sparkling brut, pinot gris, riesling, chardonnay, rosé, pinot noir, merlot, petite sirah, cabernet franc and a couple of red blends, all drawn from Monterey County sites.
The tasting room itself is family- and dog-friendly, with locally sourced small bites available and live acoustic music on Sunday afternoons. Guests often mention the laid-back atmosphere and staff who know the wines without the hard sell. With four Golden Pine Cones this year, De Tierra has quietly become one of the Peninsula’s most consistent reader favorites.
Best Monterey County Chardonnay
Best Monterey County Sauvignon Blanc
Bernardus Winery — 5 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley - (800) 233-2533, bernardus.com
Bernardus once again picked up reader votes for its whites, with this year’s Best Monterey County Chardonnay and Best Monterey County Sauvignon Blanc continuing a long run of recognition for wines that began with a Dutch founder’s bet on the valley’s climate.
Ben Pon established the winery in 1989, choosing Carmel Valley for its west-facing slopes, warm days and cool nights. Since his death in 2019, business partner Robert van der Wallen has carried the operation forward. The wines come exclusively from Monterey County vineyards, and thanks to longtime grower relationships, the fruit is always of the highest quality. Chardonnay draws from places like the winery’s Ingrid’s Vineyard and Michael Griva’s vineyards in Arroyo Seco, and the sauvignon blanc is made entirely from a musqué clone block at Griva known for its citrus and white-peach character. The tasting room occupies a converted bank building in Carmel Valley Village, with a sunny patio and a private room for dinners. Reservations are encouraged.
Best Monterey County Rosé
Dawn’s Dream Winery — 697 San Carlos St. - (831) 659-2649, dawnsdreamwinery.com
Dawn Galante’s rosé is a longtime reader favorite, and this year’s award adds another notch for a wine that pairs approachable style with a deliberate effort to support causes for women and children. Galante, born in Michigan and a California resident since 1985, launched the label in 2011 after years helping run Galante Vineyards alongside her husband, Jack. She focuses on pinot noir, chardonnay and rosé from Monterey County, Carmel Valley and Santa Lucia Highlands fruit, with some lots from farther afield. The dry rosé is often described as showing wild strawberry, rose petal and citrus zest notes with bright acidity. The tasting room sits in a courtyard off San Carlos and Seventh. Galante has built the business so that a portion of activity supports nonprofits, and visitors sometimes encounter donation opportunities tied to the year’s chosen charity.
Best Monterey County Cabernet Sauvignon
Galante Vineyards — 645 Dolores St. - (831) 624-3800, galantevineyards.com
Speaking of Jack Galante, his cabernet sauvignon once more earned the reader nod as the best around. The wine carries a family history that stretches back to the founding of Carmel itself. Galante’s great-grandfather, James Frank Devendorf, is credited as a cofounder of Carmel-by-the-Sea in 1900. In 1969, the next generation bought a 700-acre cattle ranch in Carmel Valley, with the first cabernet vines planted in 1983. Jack opened the winery in 1994 and the Carmel tasting room — then the first in town — in 2004. The original ranch sold in 2020, but he continues to source from those historic vines and other California sites. The wines lean bold, with a Western aesthetic that shows up in the leather-tooled labels. The tasting room on Dolores Street keeps a cowboy-ranch flavor while pouring the range of cabernets that readers continue to favor.
Best Place for a Beer
Alvarado Street Brewery — 426 Alvarado St., Monterey and in the Carmel Plaza, with an additional location in Salinas - (831) 655-2337, asb.beer
Alvarado Street Brewery has again been named Best Place for a Beer, a result that fits an operation that started as a neighborhood brewpub and has grown into a powerhouse across Monterey County and beyond. The Hill family opened the original location on Alvarado Street in downtown Monterey in 2014. They now run several breweries — a 10-barrel system in Monterey, a five-barrel R&D setup in Carmel-by-the-Sea and a larger production facility in Salinas — and recently got to work on a new brewery in Castroville. ASB’s efforts consistently earn honors, including Brewery of the Year in the 15,000-plus barrel category at this year’s U.S. Open Beer Championship, along with earlier medals at the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup.
The range of available brews covers hop-forward IPAs, crisp lagers (including favorite Monterey Beer) and experimental styles. Kitchens at the restaurants cook mostly from scratch with local ingredients, aiming for flavors that stand up to the beer, and each location has a unique menu. Whether you’re at the original Monterey pub, the Carmel bistro in Carmel Plaza or the taproom on South Main Street in Salinas, the combination of house beer and approachable food keeps drawing the vote.
Best Cocktails
Best Happy Hour
Best Pizza
Vesuvio — 543 Sixth Ave. - (831) 625-1766, chefpepe.com/restaurants/vesuvio/
Vesuvio’s three Golden Pine Cones reflect the Pèpe family’s knack for making an Italian restaurant a gathering place. Named for the volcano overlooking Naples, the restaurant opposite Devendorf Park traces its cooking traditions from Naples through Hoboken, N.J., to Carmel. Its Neapolitan-style pies emerge from a wood-burning oven, sharing the menu with house-made pasta, eggplant Parmesan and other Southern Italian dishes that draw on seasonal California produce.
Christian Pèpe — who was also chosen as Best Bartender by Pine Cone readers this year — has shaped the bar program to feature house-infused spirits and creations incorporating products from the Doc Pèpe’s Lab distillery, along with several barrel-aged classic cocktails. Among the house specialties are the Dirty Doc 2.0 (Doc’s vodka, house olive-pickle-pepperoncini brine, rosemary olive oil and blue cheese olives) and The Drop, with Pèpecello limoncello, citrus vodka, raspberry shrub and lemon.
Happy Hour features drink specials and deals on food at the downstairs bar and in the upstairs rooftop lounge, where fire pits and comfortable lounge furniture offer more reasons to linger. Diners can choose a relaxed meal downstairs or head up for drinks with a view. With its pizza oven, the cocktail list and the social atmosphere, Vesuvio gives readers at least three reasons to return.
Best Family Restaurant
Sur — The Barnyard shopping center - (831) 620-5456, surcarmel.com
Sur, which was bought by Dudley Ashley and Crystal Andino from founders Bill and Teresa Lee in 2021, has once more been chosen Best Family Restaurant, a title that matches its mix of approachable food, lively outdoor space and welcoming atmosphere for kids and dogs, alike.
Located in what was once the beloved Thunderbird Bookstore before it was converted to a succession of restaurants, Sur offers a spacious heated patio where families can settle in. The menu still reflects Lee’s love of Asian and island-inspired cuisine while offering classic dishes as well. Its famous cheese bread with white cheddar and Parmesan remains a popular pick, along with bacon cheeseburgers, fried chicken and waffles, seafood linguine, tacos and steaks. Desserts include the theatrical Arctic Bonbons served over dry ice.
Dogs are welcome on the patio and can order from their own menu — with a human’s help, of course. Staff have a reputation for being attentive without hovering, and the overall vibe stays lively but comfortable for mixed-age groups. With free parking at The Barnyard shopping center and a menu that covers everyday cravings and celebratory meals, Sur continues to draw the family vote.
Best French Restaurant
L’Escargot — 429 Mission St. - (831) 620-1942, escargot-carmel.com
In a quiet residential stretch of Mission Street, L’Escargot has held its place as a local favorite since 1958, when Yvan Nopert, his mother and his brother transformed the former Paris Cafe into a country French restaurant. Chef-owner Kerry Loutas continues that tradition, drawing on seasonal specials and a menu inspired by rural French cooking. Diners find classics such as escargots in garlic butter, frogs’ legs Provençal and a duck-and-pork pâté, alongside dishes that shift with the availability of Monterey Bay seafood and produce from nearby farms in the Salinas Valley.
The setting is intimate rather than showy, and it’s warm with history. The service is personal and professional. Private dining is available in a room that seats as many as 24, with custom menus prepared by the chef, and outdoor seating is offered as well. L’Escargot is Carmel’s longest-running restaurant, offering a neighborhood alternative to the more tourist-oriented spots downtown.
Best Chinese Restaurant
Tommy’s Wok — 639 Mission St. - (831) 624-8518, tommyswokcarmel.com
Tucked into Redwood Court off Mission Street, Tommy’s Wok has served Szechuan, Hunan and Mandarin dishes for years under chef Tommy Mao. The large menu mixes regional Chinese preparations with familiar Chinese-American standards, and house-made pot stickers remain a signature. Everything is prepared without MSG, using fresh produce and cold-pressed oils.
Popular orders include hot and sour soup, orange chicken, and a variety of chow mein and combination plates, with solid vegetarian options as well. The space is modest and the prices are among the more approachable in Carmel, which helps explain the steady local following. It’s very popular for takeout, and the restaurant draws residents and visitors looking for reliable, flavorful Chinese food in a town better known for higher-end European fare. Family-run since its early days, it continues to attract repeat diners who value its consistency and value.
Best Indian Restaurant
Namaste India Bistro — 534 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey - (831) 641-0130, namasteibmonterey.com
“Savor the true essence of Indian Cuisine,” says Namaste’s website. For those who believe variety is the spice of life, Namaste offers plenty of both. From fragrant curries and sizzling tandoori specialties to fluffy naan and flavorful vegetarian dishes, the restaurant brings the rich culinary traditions of India to the Monterey Peninsula. And vegetarians can expect a wide variety of dishes to choose from, too.
The daily lunch buffet looks like a culinary painter’s palette, with saucy reds and oranges and deep green vegetables. Its sheer abundance is enough to stir up an appetite, and it gives diners a chance to sample a little of everything. The extensive dinner menu includes such favorites as butter chicken, lamb rogan josh, and palak paneer, all to be served with warm hospitality and enjoyed amid a décor that features traditional cultural elements.
Best Italian Restaurant
Little Napoli — 696 Dolores St. - (831) 626-6335, chefpepe.com
Little Napoli has been part of the Carmel dining scene since 1994, when the Pèpe family opened it as a home for recipes carried from Naples and from earlier years in New Jersey. Rich Pèpe and his sons oversee a menu that includes house-made pastas, the signature “1944” lasagna, and dishes such as cioppino that have appeared on national television. The Hobo Stew (beef short rib, potato, carrot, celery, gnocchi and black pepper broth) is “rooted in the cooking of Italian day workers near Hoboken, N.J., during the Great Depression.”
The restaurant occupies space in the historic El Paseo building, with an indoor dining room and a pet-friendly outdoor courtyard. Bar Napoli next door offers Happy Hour and a full cocktail program. Guests are asked to remove hats, and the atmosphere is lively and familial. The Pèpe group also operates Vesuvio and Carmel Bakery, and Little Napoli has earned repeated reader recognition for its generous portions and consistent Italian-American cooking made from family recipes.
Best Japanese/Sushi Restaurant
Akaoni — 579 Mission St. - (831) 620-1516
Owned by Shinichi Yamada, Akaoni quietly operates as a small, no-frills sushi restaurant with limited seats and hours, focused on carefully prepared nigiri, sashimi, rolls and a few warm dishes. Local spot prawns from a tank behind the sushi bar and house-made tofu are among the items diners seek out, and the chef will take over decision-making for some lucky guests who prefer to leave the selections to him.
The Michelin Guide has taken note of the restaurant for its pristine fish and restrained style, describing it as one of the region’s more rewarding sushi experiences despite the challenge of securing one of the few tables.
Vegetable tempura provides a cooked option, and the overall approach stays traditional rather than contemporary. With a tiny staff and a quiet atmosphere, Akaoni draws diners who prioritize quality ingredients over elaborate presentation or extensive seating.
Best Mediterranean Restaurant
Dametra Café — 356 Ocean Ave. - (831) 622-7766, dametracafe.com
Dametra Café, whose name combines Damascus and Petra, was founded by friends Faisal Nimri and Bashar Alsneeh many years ago and has become known for a lively Mediterranean menu that draws on Greek, Lebanese and other Middle Eastern cuisines. Lamb shank, shish kebab, hummus, and combination platters sit alongside pastas and sandwiches, and the small kitchen emphasizes fresh, locally purchased ingredients.
Music is a regular part of the evening, and spontaneous singing or dancing is not uncommon. The restaurant, of which Alsneeh became the sole owner in 2024, occupies a corner spot at Ocean and Lincoln and has expanded its presence with related concepts elsewhere on the Peninsula.
Readers continue to favor it for the combination of flavorful food, generous hospitality, and an atmosphere that feels more like a gathering place than a formal dining room. The emphasis on shared plates and convivial energy has kept it a steady favorite.
Best Thai Restaurant
Pacific Thai Cuisine — 663 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove - (831) 646-8424, pacificthaicuisineca.com
Pacific Thai Cuisine has operated since 2008 as a family-run restaurant serving classic Thai dishes alongside a few house specialties. Green and red curries, pad Thai, drunken noodles and lettuce wraps are reliable favorites, and the kitchen also prepares items such as pineapple salmon curry and Thai-style calamari. The space is casual and compact, with an emphasis on fresh ingredients and the familiar balance of sweet, sour, salty and spicy flavors.
Takeout has long been very popular, and the restaurant offers a selection of Thai beers and wines. In a town better known for Victorian architecture and quiet streets, Pacific Thai provides a reliable source of regional Thai cooking that has earned repeated reader support and is particularly popular with locals for its consistent execution of traditional preparations and use of fresh ingredients.
Best Mexican Restaurant
Cultura — 575 Dolores St. - (831) 250-7005, culturacarmel.com
Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Cultura focuses on the cuisine and culture of Oaxaca, with a menu of dishes prepared from scratch and ingredients sourced locally and from small producers in Mexico. Pork mole, enchiladas, queso fundido and other dishes and various tacos sit alongside a mezcal library that highlights the region’s distilled agave spirits. The restaurant occupies space in the Su Vecino Courtyard off Dolores Street, with indoor seating and outdoor tables near fire pits.
Managing partner Sarah Kabat-Marcy and husband Michael Marcy have often described their goals as creating a place that feels distinct from standard American Mexican restaurants while honoring the traditions of the beloved southern Mexican state that inspired it. The Michelin Guide has recognized Cultura for its Oaxacan-inspired plates and approachable setting, and it continues to draw diners seeking more regional specificity than is typical here.
Best Restaurant for Seafood
Best Restaurant for Steak
Best Place to Take Clients
Most Romantic Restaurant
Best Chef — Michael Chang
Best Restaurant Service
Best Restaurant in Carmel
Best Restaurant for a Special Occasion
Foray — 478 San Carlos St. - (831) 250-6100, forayrestaurant.com
Foray’s record-setting wins in eight Golden Pine Cone categories honor the cuisine, the atmosphere and the entire dining experience created by co-founders chef Michael Chang — who took the title of Best Chef again this year — and his wife, sommelier Caroline Singer.
The couple opened Foray in late 2022 after hosting intimate dinners that helped develop the concept and raised money for local nonprofits. The kitchen centers on Monterey Bay seafood, dry-aged meats and seasonal ingredients, some foraged by Chang, Singer and their truffle dog, Falco. Spot prawns and house-aged salmon can appear alongside dry-aged beef, including American wagyu, on the chef’s tasting menu and a three-course prix fixe offered each evening. Small bites like caviar, steak tartare and crudo are available, too.
Reclaimed Monterey cypress, local abalone shells and gyotaku artwork connect the dining room to the coast. The restaurant also emphasizes sustainability, with composting, ocean-friendly certifications and West Coast sourcing, and has a private room perfect for gatherings, whether celebratory or business-oriented. Its awards recognize the ingredients and the attention that turns every dining experience into an occasion.
Best Restaurant for Vegetarians
Julia’s Vegetarian Restaurant — 1180 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove - (831) 656-9533, juliasveg.com
Julia’s has been a familiar name in the Golden Pine Cones for years, and readers selected it again this year as their favorite restaurant for vegetarians. At this spot in the back corner of the shopping center next door to Trader Joe’s, vegetarian cooking is the main event, not an alternative jammed in beneath a long list of meat dishes. The Pacific Grove restaurant has built its identity around plant-based meals, with a menu that gives diners a reason to look beyond the familiar salad-and-side-dish routine.
Breakfast is part of the operation, too, along with lunch and dinner, and vegan alternatives to eggs make huevos rancheros and chilaquiles — among others — accessible to all. That broad array gives vegetarians a place to gather throughout the day, and the delicious food means meat-eaters aren’t “settling.” In fact, the online menu does not mention tofu once, but offers a selection of pizzas, main-dish salads with hearty grains, curries, faux orange chicken, and Mexican-inspired dishes like tamale pie with a spicy poblano red sauce. Check the website for foraging classes and live entertainment.
Best Salad
Lalla Grill — Del Monte Center, Monterey - (831) 324-4632, lallagrill.com
A salad can be a light accompaniment, but at Lalla Grill it can also be the whole point of lunch. The restaurant — a stone’s throw from the movie theater — gives greens plenty of company, tossing them with fruit, nuts, cheeses, main-dish size portions of protein and house-made dressings. Bright colors and bold, contrasting flavors with a variety of textures and fresh ingredients ensure that the plates are anything but dull.
The beet salad era isn’t over — check out Lalla’s combo, with greens, roasted beet, anjou pear, gorgonzola and candied pecans, tossed in a house-made mango dressing. The popular pistachio-crusted chicken salad tops Salinas Valley organic greens with roasted onion, tart Granny Smith apple, dried cranberries and goat cheese. There’s also a barbecue chicken salad with black beans, corn, tortilla chips and avocado, and, with influences from a different part of the world, ahi tuna gets a nicoise treatment with roasted potatoes, poached egg and the twist of a raspberry vinaigrette. Diners can add grilled portobello mushrooms, shrimp, steak and salmon to salads, too. Lalla’s menu ranges well beyond salads, but our readers put the meal-sized servings front and center this year. Whether you want a lighter plate or a substantial meal with enough ingredients to keep every forkful interesting, the salad menu offers several ways to go.
Best BBQ
The Crossroads BBQ — Crossroads shopping center - (831) 250-7616, thecrossroadsbbq.com
Barbecue rewards patience. The Crossroads BBQ builds its menu around the idea that smoke, fire and time can do more for meat than a complicated sauce ever could. It serves the kind of food that invites diners to settle in with friends rather than hurry through a meal. The family-owned eatery comes with family recipes from a clan that’s been smoking meat and winning awards for years.
It isn’t fancy — metal trays, paper napkins, self-serve soda fountain — the better to spotlight tender brisket, juicy pork, flavorful tri-tip and delicious chicken. Add classic sides such as potato salad, baked beans, macaroni and cheese and coleslaw that might evoke memories of family picnics. The meats can be served on sandwiches and salads, too. There’s a great selection of beer, and if you can, leave room for dessert — the homemade berry cobbler is exceptional.
The restaurant also offers catering and bulk takeout, as well as a private dining room for special occasions. If you can order one in time, the smoked turkeys make for a memorable Thanksgiving. The restaurant’s emphasis on gathering is fitting. Barbecue is food made for sharing, whether the occasion is a family meal, a celebration or simply a craving for something from the smoker.
Best Fish & Chips
Brophy’s Tavern — 368 San Carlos St. - (831) 586-5566, brophystavern.com
A plate of fish and chips sounds simple enough: fish, batter, potatoes and hot oil. Getting all the elements right at the same time is another matter. Brophy’s Tavern seems to have it dialed in, though. The tavern combines the atmosphere of a neighborhood gathering place with that of a sports bar. Seven large-screen televisions make it a great place to catch a game, while the food menu ranges from wings and a giant pretzel to filet mignon sliders, salads and other substantial pub fare. Its drink list includes draft beer and cocktails.
But for fish-and-chips devotees, the struggle to find the best is real. The fresh halibut at Brophy’s is prepared so that the crust doesn’t shatter or disintegrate at first bite. Golden brown batter surrounds the tender fish. Everything is properly seasoned straight out of the fryer, and the same temperature — searingly hot — when it hits the table. Except the cole slaw, of course. Brophy’s has won this category before, so the 2026 vote is a well-earned return engagement.
Best Place to Get Ice Cream
Revival Ice Cream — 463 Alvarado St., Monterey - (831) 747-2113, revivalicecream.com
Revival Ice Cream takes the familiar pleasure of a scoop and gives it a decidedly Monterey twist. Its eucalyptus mint chip uses local eucalyptus and fresh mint steeped in the ice cream base before chunks of chocolate are added. The signature Bee’s Knees combines honey and a honeycomb-style candy, a flavor that also turns up in the shop’s ice cream cakes. Revival makes its ice cream in small batches, emphasizing locally sourced ingredients and organic bases prepared from scratch. Customers who avoid dairy have choices, too, including vegan sorbets such as cold brew coffee, passion fruit-mango, and pistachio.
Even on a foggy day, it’s not uncommon to see people strolling out of the Alvarado Street store with loaded cones. There are scoops as small as 3 ounces in dishes, pints, ice cream sandwiches and cakes, and the shop offers nationwide shipping for selected products. There are even gluten-free, dairy-free waffle cones. For locals, a reusable pint container garners a discount on a refill, while a birthday promotion offers a free scoop on the customer’s special day. Those details reflect the business’s stated interest in reducing waste and building a community around its frozen treats. Think of it as a place where nostalgia, inventiveness and eco-awareness can happily share a cone.
Best Sandwich or Burger
r.g. Burgers — Crossroads shopping center - (831) 626-8054, rgburgers.com
At this spot, the word “burger” doesn’t necessarily mean beef. The restaurant also lists turkey, bison and chicken among its choices, giving diners several ways to approach the classic sandwich. Char-grilled burger flavor is part of the appeal, but the menu extends to hot dogs, other sandwiches, salads and soups. A burger can be a straightforward affair or a complex concoction like the Hawaiian with pineapple and barbecue sauce, the California with avocado and Monterey jack cheese, or a burger topped with pastrami and Swiss. Vegetarians can get their favorite combo with a falafel patty. This category is all about what’s between the bread, but it’s worth mentioning that there are more than 15 flavors of milkshakes, and they make good old-fashioned ice cream floats.
It’s pretty kid-friendly, too. Sometimes the answer to “Where should we eat?” is simply a place with enough options to satisfy everybody.
Best Breakfast
From Scratch — The Barnyard shopping center - (831) 625-2448, fromscratchrestaurant.com
Breakfast has its own rituals, and From Scratch has made a business of giving diners time to enjoy them. Located on the lower level of The Barnyard shopping center, the restaurant serves breakfast throughout the day — helpful if you’re not really a morning person. Its name makes a promise about its approach to food, and its casual setting suits diners who want to sit down for a proper breakfast. “Proper,” by the way, apparently includes portions large enough to fuel a day of whaling — or whale-watching.
Tables are seated on a first-come, first-served basis, and you’ll often see people patiently waiting in line on the weekend and discussing the platters of food as they go by. “Was that a fluffy biscuit under savory gravy? Wait, did you see the size of those pancakes? Is that real corned beef hash?” Yes, yes and yes. The granola is so popular you can get it in bags to go, and there are plenty of other possibilities. The coffee is excellent.
Wash it down with the house bloody mary, made with jalapeno wasabi vodka and the bartender’s special blend of ingredients, or have a mimosa with orange, guava or mango juice.
Best Coffee
Best Coffeehouse
Carmel Valley Coffee Roasting Co. — 336 Ocean Ave. and the Crossroads and Barnyard shopping centers - (831) 626-2913, carmelcoffeeroasters.com
Carmel Valley Coffee Roasting Co. has taken both sides of the counter by storm this year with its beautifully roasted beans and pleasant places to enjoy sipping the finished drink. Founded in 1994, the family-run company emphasizes certified organic, fair trade coffee roasted in small batches. Its lineup includes Foglifter, a dark roast, and Eastwood, a medium roast named for a former Carmel-by-the-Sea mayor, along with other blends and single-origin offerings. Customers can buy beans for home brewing, and the company ships coffee directly to consumers.
For those who prefer someone else to make the cup, its coffeehouses offer places to linger. The location in Carmel-by-the-Sea has indoor and sidewalk seating, while the locations at The Barnyard and Crossroads shopping centers have indoor seating and an outdoor patio. Whether you’re in the mood to chat, peruse the latest issue of The Pine Cone, or sit and doomscroll in public, you can’t beat the combination of great coffee and a convivial spot to sip it.
Best Desserts
Pâtisserie Boissiere — In Carmel Plaza shopping center, 526 Ocean Ave. - (831) 624-5008, patisserieboissiere.com
There’s a certain pleasure in going to a restaurant that starts you thinking about dessert before you’ve even been seated. At Pâtisserie Boissiere, sweets are not an afterthought to the French and European menu — they’re part of the restaurant’s identity, right down to its name. The establishment has long been known for its pastries and desserts, even as its kitchen serves savory dishes for lunch and dinner. The charming dining room offers a traditional European atmosphere, and the business says some members of its staff have worked there for more than 20 years.
The dessert case is right by the door, providing an incentive to save room for a piece of apple tart, a helping of chocolate mousse cake, an apricot bar — so many choices. They even make something as ordinary as carrot cake or banana bread something special. And yes, there are croissants, brioche and traditional Paris-Brest, the elegant pastry-and-praline cream created to commemorate a bicycle race.
Best Special Occasion Cake
Layers — 9 Soledad Drive, Monterey - (831) 655-1544, layerscake.com
A celebration can begin with a cake, and at Layers the possibilities range from a classic birthday centerpiece to a wedding confection built around a couple’s own design. The Monterey bakery has been in the business of marking occasions since 1989, when Antonio and Hazel Nuovo started it in a small kitchen on Lighthouse Avenue. It moved to Soledad Drive in 2007, and the family business now spans three generations. It offers familiar favorites with distinctly different personalities: Death by Chocolate, lemon butter, red velvet, carrot cake and a princess cake, among others.
For a wedding, customers can discuss decorations and serving sizes with a coordinator to make sure the big day has a particularly sweet finish.
Sheet cakes are available for larger gatherings. The choice doesn’t have to be elaborate, and cake picked up for an impromptu gathering can be just as welcome as a carefully planned creation.
Layers also makes cupcakes, cookies and other sweets, so a dessert table need not depend on a single showpiece. Custom designs require coordination and pricing depends on their complexity, making advance planning worthwhile for especially ambitious orders.
Best Wine List
Grasing’s — 483 Sixth Ave. - (831) 624-6562, grasings.com
A wine list can be anything from an afterthought to a destination in its own right. At Grasing’s, it’s emphatically the latter. The Carmel restaurant’s collection numbers more than 3,000 selections from around the world, stored in two temperature-regulated cellars. Wine Spectator has recognized the program with its Grand Award, including in 2026. The collection is notable not only for its breadth but for deep selections from particular producers and vintages, giving enthusiasts the opportunity to explore a favorite wine across years.
Chef and co-owner Kurt Grasing founded the restaurant in the late 1990s, and although the food program has steakhouse roots, the dining experience also draws on seafood and produce from the surrounding region. A meal might be an opportunity to discover an unfamiliar Italian wine or to find a California bottle for a special celebration.
The restaurant’s bar and dining spaces allow for different sorts of visits, but this award belongs to a cellar assembled with unusual range and attention. Even a diner who arrives with a favorite grape in mind may find a new direction to explore.
Best Sommelier
Dave Sidener, The Sardine Factory — 701 Wave St., Monterey - (831) 373-3775, sardinefactory.com
The Sardine Factory’s wine program has long been part of the restaurant’s identity, and this year, Pine Cone readers singled out Dave Sidener for Best Sommelier. The restaurant, opened in 1968 and still owned by Bert Cutino and Ted Balestreri, has spent decades building a reputation for food, hospitality and wine.
Its cellar has a distinguished history: Fred Dame worked there before becoming one of this country’s pioneering master sommeliers. That history provides context for Sidener’s award, but the recognition this year belongs to Sidener himself. A sommelier’s job involves far more than memorizing labels or recommending an expensive bottle. The work calls for understanding what guests enjoy, matching wines to food, navigating different budgets and making a potentially intimidating list approachable. The best recommendation may be a familiar varietal from an unexpected producer or a bottle that complements several courses at once. This Golden Pine Cone recognizes the human element of a restaurant’s wine service: someone who helps translate a substantial cellar into a good evening at the table.
Best Brunch
Best Outdoor Dining
Mission Ranch — 26270 Dolores St. - (831) 625-9040, missionranchcarmel.com
The view from Mission Ranch is one of those “more than the sum of its parts” affairs — a composition seemingly out of a bucolic painting, with sheep grazing in a meadow, the Santa Lucia Mountains beyond and the coast in the distance. The setting is a strong draw for the outdoor-dining crowd, and it has a lovely classic Sunday brunch. Diners can make a morning of it, enjoying food while watching the light change over the meadow.
The ranch’s story adds another layer to the experience. Once a dairy farm, it was preserved and restored by former Carmel Mayor Clint Eastwood after a proposed condominium development threatened the site. The historic ranch now includes an inn and restaurant, but the open landscape remains the feature that makes it immediately recognizable. Outdoor seating makes it feel close at hand, while the indoor dining room offers its own vantage points. For brunch or dinner, however, the most distinctive companion to the meal may be the scene beyond the windows — a pastoral landscape just minutes from downtown Carmel.
Best New Restaurant (opened in last 12 months)
Gromada Carmel Valley — 6 Pilot Rd., Carmel Valley - (831) 238-0946, gromadacarmelvalley.com
Gromada opened as Gather Aug. 6 in the former Roux space on Pilot Road, bringing a new family-run restaurant to Carmel Valley Village. (The change to Gromada came after some confusion with another California restaurant.) Chef Matthew Zimny leads the kitchen, with his sister Heather, a certified sommelier, overseeing the front of house. Zimny’s wife, Michelle, also helps run the operation. The siblings grew up in Hamtramck, Michigan, a community with strong Polish traditions, and that helps explain the restaurant’s culinary direction.
The menu combines Polish influences with Japanese ideas and regional ingredients. Zimny’s experience includes kitchens in Chicago and Alaska, along with several Monterey Peninsula restaurants. The family developed its own concept, drawing on their varied backgrounds. The result is an unusually personal addition to the valley’s dining scene. Its Best New Restaurant award comes just two months after opening, an early welcome from Golden Pine Cone voters.
Most Dog-Friendly Restaurant
Best Hotel (tie)
Most Dog-Friendly Hotel
Best Place to Relax and Listen to Music
Cypress Inn / Terry’s Restaurant + Lounge — 684 Lincoln St. - (831) 624-3871, cypress-inn.com
The Cypress Inn and its Terry’s Restaurant + Lounge earned four reader honors this year. The inn’s long association with actress and animal advocate Doris Day explains why dogs are part of the welcome rather than an exception. In fact, the restaurant recently celebrated a return to its popular Yappy Hour from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday. It includes drink specials as well as $2 off the Canine Delights menu, which offers the Strutz Special with a ground beef patty, rice and carrots, and the Hearty Hyden with chicken breast, rice and carrots.
Terry’s — named for Day’s late son, Terry Melcher — offers coastal cuisine, cocktails and a pet-friendly garden patio. Live performances — including jazz, singers and acoustic acts — make the lounge a place to linger even for visitors who aren’t spending the night. An old-school glamorous Hollywood atmosphere pervades the property.
For overnight guests, accommodations range from standard rooms to suites, some with fireplaces, verandas or balconies. The hotel advertises pet-friendly amenities including bowls, blankets and a place to rinse sandy paws. With dining, music and comfortable lodging in one location, Cypress Inn gives people and their four-legged companions several reasons to stay.
Best Hotel (tie)
La Playa Hotel — 827 Camino Real - (831) 293-6100, laplayahotel.com
Located a short stroll from the beach and the heart of downtown Carmel, La Playa Hotel is an historic Carmel landmark with a fresh look following a major renovation — a $20 million remodel in 2023 that transformed its 75 guest rooms, public spaces and event venues. The property was built in 1905 as a gift from an artist to his wife, and it has been welcoming guests since 1915, when it was a boarding house. Its gardens, period architecture and ocean views continue to bring visitors back.
Rooms and suites offer different ways to enjoy the property, including ocean-view and garden-oriented accommodations. Guests can also spend time around the outdoor pool, in the gardens or on the Pacific Terrace. La Playa’s appeal lies partly in the contrast between its long history and the modern amenities introduced during the renovation. It’s a hotel with a gracious past, but carefully updated for the 21st century.
Best Bartender
Christian Pèpe — Vesuvio, 543 Sixth Ave. - (831) 625-1766, chefpepe.com/restaurants/vesuvio
A bartender’s contribution can shape an evening as surely as the kitchen’s cooking: listening to what a guest wants, balancing ingredients and keeping service moving while making a crowded room feel welcoming. The Pèpe family’s Carmel restaurant history includes Vesuvio, where Christian was reportedly part of the opening team alongside GianAntonio Pèpe.
The family’s restaurants have long emphasized Italian food and lively bar settings, including Vesuvio’s downstairs bar and rooftop Star Bar. In that environment, a mixologist needs to serve guests who may be ordering a familiar classic, trying a house cocktail or simply stopping by to catch up with friends, and our readers believe strongly that Pèpe is more than up to the task.
Best Restaurant in Big Sur
Nepenthe — 48510 Highway 1, Big Sur - (831) 667-2345, nepenthe.com
Some restaurants are inseparable from their setting. Nepenthe, perched above Highway 1 in Big Sur, has an expansive coastal outlook that is as memorable as the trip to reach it. The Pacific Ocean and coastline unfold below, offering the sort of panorama that encourages diners to linger. The restaurant is a familiar landmark for travelers making their way along the Big Sur coast, with full-service dining and a long-established place in the region’s visitor experience. Its menu and terrace give guests a chance to turn a scenic drive into a meal rather than merely a roadside stop.
The property also includes Café Kevah — an expansive outdoor deck with simple but well-prepared breakfast and lunch offerings — and the Phoenix Shop, a great place to find unusual gifts made by local artisans.
Nepenthe’s restaurant stands on its own, however, and its Ambrosiaburger has become famous in its own right. The view may bring people up the driveway for the first time, but a successful restaurant must also offer a comfortable place to gather around a table. Its dinner offerings, like diver scallops with polenta cakes, and the Nepenthe steak, an 8-ounce filet mignon, served with cabernet demi-glace, a walnut-crusted Point Reyes blue cheese crouton, portabella mushroom and garlic mashed potatoes, are complemented by an exceptional wine list. In a landscape famous for dramatic vistas, Nepenthe has made dining with the view a tradition of its own.
Best Restaurant in Carmel Valley
Cafe Rustica — 10 Del Fino Place, Carmel Valley - (831) 659-4444, caferusticacv.com
Café Rustica makes a persuasive case for slowing down in Carmel Valley Village. Its name suggests an unpretentious approach to dining, and its menu draws on European country cooking in a setting suited to lingering over a meal. Diners will find dishes influenced by French and Italian traditions, including starters such as marinated olives, country soup and escargots, alongside heartier choices. Menu details change, so the attraction is less a single dish than a familiar combination of comfort and craft.
The restaurant occupies a convenient spot on Del Fino Place, within reach of the village’s numerous wine-tasting rooms and delightful shops. It’s a place to finish an afternoon exploring the valley or to meet friends for dinner without leaving the village. In an area with an ever-changing array of places to eat, it’s a familiar establishment whose appeal is grounded in its food and welcoming village setting.
Best Restaurant in Pebble Beach
Roy’s — The Inn at Spanish Bay, 2700 17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach - (888) 990-1723, pebblebeach.com
“Best in Pebble Beach” is quite a compliment. Del Monte Forest is not exactly bristling with eateries, and the competition is pretty fierce. At Roy’s, the view takes in the Pacific Ocean and the fairways of The Links at Spanish Bay, but the cooking takes its cues from a much wider world.
The restaurant at The Inn at Spanish Bay serves Hawaiian-fusion cuisine inspired by chef Roy Yamaguchi, whose first namesake restaurant opened in Honolulu in 1988. Seafood has a starring role, with such dishes as misoyaki butterfish and crab-crusted scallops illustrating the kitchen’s appetite for bold flavors.
The menu also makes room for meat dishes, including rack of lamb and beef short ribs, as well as sushi. Chef de cuisine Pablo Mellin brings his own interest in Asian cooking to the restaurant’s mix of traditions. The setting is distinctly Pebble Beach: sweeping views of the water and golf course, with a dining room that can accommodate both a celebratory evening and a casual resort meal. Roy’s offers a different culinary accent from the Peninsula’s many California-coastal restaurants, pairing island influences with the dramatic scenery of Spanish Bay.
Best Restaurant in Pacific Grove
Passionfish — 701 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove - (831) 655-3311, passionfish.net
Passionfish has made seafood the centerpiece of its Pacific Grove identity, but part of the restaurant’s appeal isn’t immediately apparent on the plate. Its approach emphasizes thoughtfully sourced ingredients and the relationship between dining and the ocean. Located on Lighthouse Avenue just a few blocks from Lovers Point, the restaurant offers diners an intimate setting. Fish and shellfish are central to the concept, while the kitchen’s preparations reflect a willingness to put fresh ingredients ahead of unnecessary fuss.
Guests also appreciate the outstanding wine program, offering the opportunity to find a pairing that complements rather than overwhelms a meal. Visitors who spend the afternoon exploring the coast can continue that connection at the table. For readers choosing a restaurant in Pacific Grove, Passionfish represents a combination of seafood, wine and a clear sense of place.
Best Restaurant in Monterey
Cella — 525 Polk St., Monterey - (831) 920-1046, cellarestaurant.com
There’s a lot of history around Cella, but its dining experience is firmly rooted in the present. It occupies space at the Cooper-Molera Adobe in downtown Monterey, where historic surroundings meet contemporary design. Inside, long banquettes, locally crafted woodwork, and art by landscape designer Bernard Trainor contribute to a room that is polished without feeling remote. Outside, a heated pergola looks toward citrus and peppercorn trees, with passionfruit vines adding greenery to the scene.
Meals can begin with Alta Bakery bread, freshly baked next door and served with cultured butter and optional anchovies. Chef Tyler Eaves' menu might include a twist on dolmas — stuffed Greek treats wrapped in rainbow chard instead of grape leaves — or beautifully plated Monterey Bay halibut crudo. The bar program has been celebrated by locals for some time for its creative cocktails.
The property also includes a garden space for private gatherings and a dining room suited to everything from a small dinner to a larger reception. Locals and out-of-towners can enjoy a meal in a downtown landmark that doesn’t ask guests to treat the surroundings as a museum. The result is a Monterey restaurant whose architecture, courtyard and sense of hospitality are as much a part of the evening as the food.
Best Restaurant in Seaside
Maligne — 600 Broadway, Seaside - (831) 920-2103, restaurantmaligne.com
Maligne’s name suggests cleverness, and the Seaside restaurant has built a reputation for making familiar dishes feel fresh. Within the walls of a decidedly nondescript storefront, chef Klaus Georis — of the Carmel restaurateur and vintner family known for superb food and wine sensibilities — draws from Italian-American and French traditions while imparting a distinctly Californian sensibility. Everything is served in an easygoing room with a loft-like atmosphere and a menu that can feature traditional favorites like beef carpaccio and sweetbread pot pie alongside a double cheeseburger and fries.
Local ingredients are a key part of that approach, lending new character to dishes that might otherwise seem predictable. Maligne offers a useful reminder that inventive dining doesn’t always mean unfamiliar ingredients or elaborate explanations. Sometimes it means a chef knows precisely how to make a recognizable dish memorable. Its presence on Broadway adds another destination to Seaside’s growing range of places to sit down for a carefully prepared dinner.
RECREATION AND THE ARTS
Best Local Artist
Nicole Cromwell, Nicole Cromwell Gallery — 575 Dolores St. - (831) 200-1836, nicolecromwellart.com
Before Nicole Cromwell devoted herself to painting full time, she spent 25 years working as a critical care nurse — an experience that continues to influence her art. Cromwell explores how color, space and atmosphere can affect the way people feel. Her artist-owned gallery in Carmel’s Su Vecino Courtyard features original acrylic paintings, particularly contemporary seascapes and expressive abstract florals. Some evoke the coastline without attempting to reproduce it literally, while others draw attention to shape, movement and the interplay of color.
The work is intended to leave room for a viewer’s interpretation. Cromwell has lived on the Monterey Peninsula for nearly three decades, and the region’s light and natural surroundings continue to shape her creative journey.
Best Local Photographer
Michael Troutman, DMT Imaging — (831) 596-7569, dmtimaging.com
Whether he is capturing the action during a fight against a wildfire down in Big Sur or documenting the creativity expressed at the annual Burning Man celebration in Black Rock City, Nev., Michael Troutman of DMT Imaging adds a human touch to any subject he points his camera at. Through DMT Imaging, Michael offers photography services for news events, weddings, business meetings, corporate conferences, sporting events, portraits, product promotion, advertising, marketing campaigns, private receptions and special life events. With more than three decades of experience, he’s a familiar face at local gatherings. Among the many honors he has received, Troutman was presented with the Robert C. Littlefield Lifetime Achievement Award by the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce. It’s given annually to a resident who embodies an overall love of the Monterey Peninsula, has had a positive impact on the business community, and has demonstrated community leadership.
Best Photo Gallery
Center for Photographic Art — Sunset Center, 908 San Carlos St. - (831) 625-5181, photography.org
With a growing membership, a busy schedule of exhibits, workshops, talks and receptions, and a welcoming space next to Sunset Center, the Center for Photographic Art is a refuge for anyone who loves fine art photography.
The center’s roots date to 1967 when Ansel Adams and others formed the Friends of Photography. Founded in 1988, the center celebrates the history of photography by exploring early processes through exhibits and honoring pioneering photographers like Adams, who will be the subject of a show opening in February 2027. The center also aims to shape the future of the medium by showcasing contemporary photographers and providing space for them to display their images.
Besides the many events that pack its busy schedule, the center organizes the annual Photo Carmel Festival, with the next one set to start April 27. For a town with a deep heritage of photographic art, the Center for Photographic Art provides a place where the medium remains vital, alive and evolving.
Best Sculpture Gallery
Richard MacDonald / Dawson Cole Fine Art — 353 Sixth Ave. - (831) 624-8200, dawsoncolefineart.com
Famous for capturing the beauty, strength and grace of the human form in motion, figurative sculptor Richard MacDonald has been displaying his work at Dawson Cole Fine Art since 1993.
A leading advocate of the neo-figurative movement, MacDonald has created a number of high-profile public monuments and commissions, including a 26-foot bronze sculpture, “The Flair,” that was installed at Georgia International Plaza in Atlanta for the 1996 Olympic Games, and a 15-foot-tall bronze sculpture, “Momentum,” that was installed in 2000 at what was then The Peter Hay golf course in Pebble Beach to mark the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Open.
Working out of a 25,000-square-foot studio in Monterey, MacDonald seeks to capture “the beauty of the human body and the spirit that drives it.”
Best Art Gallery
Carmel Art Association — 555 Dolores St. - (831) 624-6176, carmelart.org
Offering local artists a place to hang or display their creations since 1927, Carmel Art Association is not only one of the most enduring galleries in the region, but it can easily be described as the creative heartbeat of the town.
In its early days, it displayed work by artists who would one day be recognized among California’s finest, including Armin Hansen, Mary DeNeale Morgan, Francis McComas and E. Charlton Fortune. In all, 550 artists have been part of the group over the past century.
Today, the gallery features monthly exhibits, showcasing painters, sculptors, printmakers and mixed media artists who are among its 79 members. It also serves as a space for talks, demonstrations, youth shows and fundraisers. It’s operated by its many member-artists, some of whom serve on its nonprofit board of directors.
Best Performing Arts Company or Group
Pacific Repertory Theatre — Golden Bough Playhouse, 851 Monte Verde St. - (831) 622-0100, pacrep.org
Making live theater a big part of Carmel’s vibrant cultural scene, Pacific Repertory Theatre presents plays and musicals that bring together actors, designers, technicians and audiences. PacRep also fosters the next generation of stage talent by offering youngsters performing arts training through its Peppy Garner & Darnell Whitt School of Dramatic Arts.
Utilizing two unique stages at the Forest Theater and the Golden Bough Playhouse, the theater company offers a packed schedule of events for the 2026-27 season, including the musicals “Come from Away” (Nov. 19 through Dec. 20 at the Golden Bough) and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (Nov. 28-Dec. 20 at the Forest Theater) and the tribute concert, “The Beat Goes On” (Jan. 1-10 at the Golden Bough).
Best Concert Venue
Sunset Center — 908 San Carlos St. - (831) 620-2048, sunsetcenter.org
Formerly a school, Sunset Center was transformed into a state-of-the-art performing arts venue that attracts world-class talent. It hosts a broad range of music and theatrical events — this season’s schedule includes performances by jazz trumpeter Chris Botti, gospel singer Mavis Staples, the Martha Graham Dance Company and many others.
The theater’s convenient location on San Carlos Street puts it within walking distance of downtown restaurants and galleries, allowing a performance to become part of a larger night out. Sunset Center also hosts art exhibits in its Marjorie Evans Gallery and promotes arts education in schools through its Classroom Connection program.
Best Local Music Group (classical)
Monterey Symphony — 697 San Carlos St. - (831) 646-8511, montereysymphony.org
Featuring the only fully professional symphony orchestra in the region — and led by music director and conductor Jayce Ogren — the Carmel-based Monterey Symphony is dedicated to fostering an appreciation for classical music’s rich past, while striving to keep it fresh and vibrant in the 21st century. This season’s schedule features seven concerts at Sunset Center and the outside Forest Theater that not only celebrate classical music’s most important and enduring compositions but showcase the symphony’s many gifted musicians and an array of world-class singers and instrumentalists.
Best Local Music Group (rock, jazz and pop)
Bubba Pickens Band — bubbapickens.com
A seven-piece ensemble, Bubba Pickens was founded in 2018 by three local teachers and a friend. Another teacher and two students later joined the band, expanding its sound with “richer harmonies, new textures, and an extra dose of joy.” The band serves up an irresistible mix of “bluegrass classics, original songs and reimagined rock hits,” delivering “a full, toe-tapping sound with harmonies that move both soul and feet.”
They don’t perform too often, but when they do — at venues like the Trailside Cafe, the Big Sur River Inn and Earthbound Farms — they attract a devoted local following.
Best Place to Take Visitors
My Favorite Park
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve — Highway 1, 3 miles south of Carmel - (831) 624-4909, parks.ca.gov
There’s no shortage of scenery on the Monterey Peninsula, but Point Lobos has a way of making even longtime residents stop and look. The state natural reserve brings together wind-shaped Monterey cypresses, rocky headlands, sheltered coves and water that can turn startling shades of blue and green.
Its trails provide very different views within a relatively compact coastal landscape. Visitors can explore the shoreline around Sea Lion Point, watch for marine life offshore or follow paths through pine woods toward the coves. The North Shore Trail is more rugged than its postcard views might suggest, with rocky footing, roots and stairs. Point Lobos is also an important protected marine habitat popular with divers, not simply a scenic overlook. Comfortable shoes, a little patience and time to linger are worth bringing along.
Best Family-Friendly Activity
Monterey Bay Aquarium — 886 Cannery Row, Monterey - (831) 648-4800, montereybayaquarium.org
A trip to Monterey Bay Aquarium can start with a sea otter and end with an entirely new appreciation for the ocean. The nonprofit institution occupies a spectacular waterfront site on Cannery Row, where its galleries bring visitors face to face with animals and habitats found in Monterey Bay and far beyond it.
The towering Kelp Forest exhibit puts fish, sharks and swaying fronds of kelp in a setting that reflects the nearby coastline. The Open Sea gallery offers a different perspective, with large windows that open into a world of enormous fast-moving swimmers. Elsewhere, visitors can watch jellies drift, examine rocky-shore life and encounter the extraordinary adaptations of a giant Pacific octopus.
The aquarium’s Into the Deep exhibit explores animals living far below the sunlit surface. Behind the exhibits is the aquarium’s broader mission of ocean conservation, including work to protect marine ecosystems and wildlife. It’s a day out with a purpose that reaches well beyond the tanks.
Best Local Festival
Monterey Jazz Festival — Monterey County Fairgrounds, Monterey - (888) 248-6499, montereyjazz.org
For three days each September, the Monterey County Fairgrounds becomes a place where you can watch a jazz legend perform next to a gifted local student-musician playing in front of a big crowd for the first time. One of the Monterey Peninsula’s most important annual cultural events, the Monterey Jazz Festival just celebrated its 69th year with performances by trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, keyboardist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter and many other luminaries.
The longest-running jazz festival in the world since its inception in 1958, the three-day extravaganza celebrates “iconic jazz masters and emerging artists.” The festival offers live jazz on five stages, along with a bustling marketplace of food vendors and artisans.
Best Faith-Community Sponsored Event
Jewish Food Festival — Congregation Beth Israel, 5716 Carmel Valley Road - (831) 624-2015, jewishfoodfestivalcarmel.org
One of the Monterey Peninsula’s most distinctive food events, the annual Jewish Food Festival at Congregation Beth Israel serves not only as an introduction to a tasty and varied cuisine, but a welcoming opportunity to learn more about Jewish culture.
The festival’s menu features delicious dishes — like latkes, babka, blintzes, kugel and rugelach — that have roots in Jewish communities around the world.
Preparation is a community effort, with volunteers gathering for baking and food-preparation shifts well before festival day. The festival traces its beginnings to 1988, when about 100 volunteers helped stage the first foodie event in the congregation’s parking lot.
Best Place to Watch the Sunset
Best Place to Walk Your Dog
Best Beach
Best Place to Get Married (non-church)
Carmel Beach — Foot of Ocean Ave. and along Scenic Road - ci.carmel.ca.us
There is nothing more quintessentially Carmel than a sunrise or sunset stroll along white sands of the town’s famous beach. It’s an idyllic setting, not only for people who want to get their toes wet, but also for dogs, who can run free on the edge of the surf — although leashes are required on the pathway above the beach. It’s a lovely place to watch the sunset, as the sky turns shades of pink, yellow, orange and then shocking crimson and purple.
At the very end — if you’re very lucky — you can see the famous “green flash” as the sun slips below the horizon. No wonder Carmel Beach is a popular place for people to get married — so popular that couples should check out current city requirements before making plans.
Best Place to Read The Pine Cone
At home — carmelpinecone.com
For many readers, the perfect start to a weekend includes a comfortable chair, a cup of coffee and the latest edition of The Carmel Pine Cone. This year’s winner for best place to read our newspaper isn’t a café, park bench or scenic overlook. It’s inside the comfort of your own home.
Some readers will settle in at the kitchen table, while others will stretch out on a sofa or carry the paper to the patio when the weather cooperates. A particularly good reading spot may come with a snoozing dog or cat.
Regardless of where you read The Pine Cone, the Friday morning ritual is a great way to stay informed and up-to-date on the news and events that shape the Monterey Peninsula and make it such a special place.
Best Hiking Trail
Garland Ranch Regional Park — 700 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley - (831) 659-6065, mprpd.org
Garland Ranch Regional Park’s varied terrain makes it a favorite of hikers, with trails that pass through willow-lined streambanks, sycamore groves, oak woodlands and chaparral, and elevations rising from roughly 200 to 2,000 feet. The Garzas Creek Trail provides a quieter, shaded route toward a side canyon with redwoods. Other paths climb into open country where the views become part of the reward for the effort.
The Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District, which manages the property, offers downloadable self-guided hikes with maps, distances and elevation information. Other options include the Buckeye Nature Trail, Garzas Canyon and Snively’s Ridge, so walkers can choose an outing suited to their time and energy.
In spring, the Lupine Loop — a relatively short, flat trail — lives up to its name as the blue wildflowers and other spring blossoms dot the landscape. Garland Ranch also preserves traces of Carmel Valley history, including indigenous habitation sites and remnants of earlier ranching and homesteading.
The park was the district’s first land acquisition, purchased in 1975 from William Garland II. Whether the goal is a vigorous climb, birdwatching or a gentle walk, there’s plenty of ground to explore.
Best Fitness/Health Center
Carmel Valley Athletic Club — 27300 Rancho San Carlos Road, Carmel Valley - (831) 624-2737, cvaclife.com
Carmel Valley Athletic Club treats fitness as something that can be challenging, restorative and sociable, rather than a chore to squeeze into the day. Its offerings include swimming, tennis, pickleball, Pilates and group fitness classes, all offered in a setting designed to make staying active part of a larger routine. Founded in 1968, the club combines a two-story fitness center with a heated 25-yard pool, tennis courts and dedicated pickleball courts.
Members can also take advantage of personal training and a schedule of classes that ranges across different interests and levels of experience. Families have options of their own, including a Kids’ Club, summer day camps and organized activities. The club’s social side is part of the attraction: sports gatherings, seasonal events and casual conversations around the café give members reasons to stay after a workout.
Best Yoga Studio
Salty Soul Sanctuary — Carmel Plaza, 526 Ocean Ave. - (831) 877-0042, saltysoulsanctuary.com
A yoga practice can be athletic, meditative or anywhere in between. Salty Soul Sanctuary takes this to heart, offering a diverse range of classes, workshops and events, accommodating every level of experience. Owned and operated by Amanda and Kyle Hoff, the serenely decorated studio reimagines the former Seaside Yoga Sanctuary.
Amanda, an instructor as well as co-owner, began studying Bikram yoga before being drawn toward the more expressive movement of Vinyasa. The studio offers classes in Vinyasa, ashtanga, and hatha, as well as customized private and group sessions. With a focus on proper alignment, Salty Soul Sanctuary creates a warm, welcoming space — whether you are deepening a lifelong practice or stepping onto the mat for the first time.
Best Golf Course
Pacific Grove Golf Links — 77 Asilomar Blvd., Pacific Grove - (831) 648-5775, playpacificgrove.com
The front nine at Pacific Grove Golf Links rolls through a landscape of pines and cypresses, while the back nine opens toward the ocean, where the coastal breeze and sweeping views of Monterey Bay help define the game. The municipal course’s character is rooted in its history. Former U.S. Amateur champion H. Chandler Egan designed the original nine holes, which opened for play in 1932.
His efforts brought traditional golf architecture to a stretch of the Peninsula that was already well known for its scenery. Today the 18-hole course blends tree-lined fairways with a more exposed, links-like finish. It’s often described as an affordable and accessible alternative to some of the Monterey Peninsula’s more famous golf destinations.
Best Museum
Monterey Museum of Art — 559 Pacific St., Monterey - (831) 372-5477, montereyart.org
Located across Pacific Street from historic Colton Hall, Monterey Museum of Art hosts a busy slate of exhibits and events celebrating painting, sculpture, photography and mixed media art, with a particular focus on showcasing historic and contemporary California artists.
The museum’s collection features more than 14,000 works dating to the late 19th century, and includes pieces by notable artists like Armin Hansen, William Ritschel, M. Evelyn McCormick and E. Charlton Fortune.
More than just a place to view art, the museum offers visitors an opportunity to explore their own creativity by participating in a variety of art workshops. The museum has a second site at the nearby La Mirada estate, which is used for special events.
Best Library
Harrison Memorial Library — 325 Ocean Ave. - (831) 624-4629, ci.carmel.ca.us
In a town that’s long attracted artists and authors, Robinson Jeffers’ stone house still stands and you can find a spot that once hosted Robert Louis Stevenson just a few miles north in Monterey.
It’s unsurprising to find a thriving population of reading enthusiasts here, and Harrison Memorial Library is the perfect place to find your next good book. Readers can browse, ask questions and discover resources that extend well beyond the shelves.
While Harrison Memorial library opened in 1928, library service in town dates to 1906, when the very first residents were moving in. Besides offering locals and visitors a quiet and comfortable place to read a book, magazine or newspaper, the library is a gathering place for programs and events for all ages. A separate Park Branch, which opened in 1989 on Mission Street at Sixth Avenue, houses a children’s library and local history resources.
Best Inn/B&B
Carmel Garden Inn — 589 Fourth Ave. - (831) 624-6926, carmelgardeninn.com
The Carmel Garden Inn’s name offers a clue to its appeal — this is a small pet-friendly property where the garden setting is part of the experience. The inn has 10 guest rooms with wood-burning fireplaces. Five are mini-suites with private patios, king beds and kitchenettes, giving guests room to settle in for more than a quick overnight stay.
Breakfast is another part of the inn’s identity — its menu features favorites like homemade granola, fresh local coffee, scones and more.
The property provides off-street parking, and its location puts visitors within walking distance of the village’s shops and restaurants as well as Carmel Beach. For travelers who prefer an intimate property over a large hotel, the inn offers a different kind of Carmel stay.
RETAIL
Best Florist
Fleurs du Soleil — 598 Fremont St., Monterey - (831) 656-0455, fleursdusoleil.com
Whether you’re looking to decorate for a wedding, woo a new love, or just spruce up the dining room table, Fleurs du Soleil is ready to help. From the time you step through the door, you’re enveloped in pleasant smells of damp earth and sweet flowers. Designers work tirelessly to bring beauty to the smallest arrangements but don’t shrink from making a brilliant statement in a large foyer.
A lifestyle shop in the same location offers an array of items suitable for gifting, including home decor, tableware, candles, vases, books, wood and stone pieces. You don’t have to shop for someone else, of course. As Miley Cyrus once said, you can buy yourself flowers.
Best Furniture Shop
Mum’s Place — 246 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove - (831) 372-6250, mumsfurniture.com
Remember when furniture was worth keeping? When someone delivered it to your house and put it together for you? When you didn’t know what an Allen wrench was?
The folks at Mum’s Place do. They’ve been in the furniture business for 40 years, and they’ve developed a keen sense of what works, what lasts and what will fit someone’s lifestyle. With a beautifully appointed showroom and a wide selection of furnishings for every room, you can put together an interior decorator’s fantasy. Choose a sofa and the upholstery. Bring a picture of your dining room to show a salesperson where the new table’s going to go, and they’ll help you pick out just the right item for years of holiday dinners.
“Quality” doesn’t just describe the exceptional furniture — it includes the people who work with it.
Best Golf Shop
Pebble Beach Pro Shop — 1700 17 Mile Drive, Pebble Beach - (831) 622-8723, pebblebeach.com
Pebble Beach Golf Links is known the world over for its championship pedigree and breathtaking views, and while these attributes draw amateurs and pros alike, the friendly staff really take care of players of all levels. For many, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime round, and the folks who help you gear up know that.
Each morning, the team is up with the sun and there around the clock until well after the final group has finished. Whether it’s souvenir golf balls to remember a once-in-a-lifetime round, an extra layer against the morning fog or a few calming words of encouragement before guests approach the 1st Tee, the Pebble Beach pro shop staff delivers the same world-class standard as the course itself.
In 2027, the U.S. Open returns to the course, and Pebble Beach already has plenty of merchandise to commemorate the occasion. You may not end up driving like Jordan Spieth, but you’ll look and feel your best as you play a round in paradise.
Best Hardware Store
Ace Hardware — The Crossroads shopping center with one additional location at Mid Valley and two in Pacific Grove - (831) 293-8050, acehardware.com
A loose hinge or a leaky faucet can turn a quick errand into a hunt for a surprisingly specific part. That’s where a neighborhood hardware store earns its keep.
Departments include hand and power tools, electrical and plumbing supplies, paint, cleaning products, lawn and garden merchandise and housewares. Customers can pick up the essentials for a small fix or start gathering materials for a larger job. The store also carries automotive items and products for patios and outdoor living. If you need duplicate keys, they can make them.
Ace is a national cooperative, but its member stores are independently owned. The Carmel location describes itself as a family business with local roots dating to 1964, and the emphasis is on practical advice as well as merchandise. For shoppers who know exactly what they need, the goal is to find it. For those arriving with a broken piece of something important and a vague description of the problem, knowledgeable assistance may be the more valuable item.
Either way, hardware shopping is often about solving a problem before it becomes a bigger one.
Best Housewares Store
Shoshin — 597 San Carlos St. - (831) 877-6300, studioshoshin.com
A home can be furnished without feeling finished, and expressing yourself through just the right accents and materials is the best way to fix that. Shoshin, a Carmel shop and colorful interior design studio, concentrates on details that give rooms their character: linens, tabletop pieces, decorative accessories, art and furnishings chosen with an eye toward how people actually live.
Interior designer Alexis Smith opened the retail shop in 2022. Its name comes from a Zen concept often translated as “beginner’s mind,” an invitation to approach familiar things with curiosity. That spirit suits a store where a shopper might come in for something small and leave with a new idea for an entire room.
The selection includes items for setting a table, layering textures and adding a finishing touch to a shelf or sitting area.
Whether the purchase is a practical household item or a decorative piece that simply catches the eye, Shoshin encourages customers to think of home as something continually evolving — not a project that has to be completed all at once.
Best Pet Store (tie)
Stone’s Pet Shop — 1122 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove, and in Carmel Valley - (831) 375-4471, stonespetshop.com
Stone’s Pet Shop has been helping Peninsula residents care for their animals since 1957, when it was founded by Pacific Grove teachers Don and Nancy Stone. Nearly seven decades later, it has two retail locations and a self-service pet wash — evidence that caring for your fur babies involves a good deal more than filling a food bowl.
Stone’s carries pet supplies and offers resources to help owners find local animal services. Its website includes directories of veterinarians, trainers, boarding facilities and pet sitters. Attentive employees are happy to offer advice, too.
At the self-service wash, dog owners can use raised tubs, shampoo, towels, dryers and grooming tables without turning their own bathrooms into splash zones. The shop supplies the equipment and takes care of the cleanup, a welcome arrangement for anyone whose dog considers bath time a sporting event.
Diggidy Dog — 325 Ocean Ave. - (831) 625-1585, diggidydog.com
In a town where dogs accompany their people to beaches, shops and outdoor tables, Diggidy Dog fits right in. The Carmel boutique caters to four-legged visitors and residents with treats, toys, clothing and the sort of accessories that can turn an ordinary walk into a fashion outing. After all, one’s companions’ sartorial choices are important, too.
The shop emphasizes natural, nutrient-rich treats, pet-safe toys and apparel chosen for both usefulness and appearance. “From our selection of all-natural, nutrient-rich treats to our hand-selected, pet-safe toys and unique apparel made for form, function and fashion, our boutique has everything you need to keep your four-legged friend happy and healthy and out on the town in style,” its website says.
The selection isn’t entirely about indulgence. Diggidy Dog also stocks practical supplies for travelers in need.
The store has been a Carmel fixture for two decades, and its website offers suggestions for pet-friendly accommodations, restaurants and local activities. For an out-of-town dog, that information might be almost as useful as a fresh toy. For the dog’s person, it can make the visit considerably easier.
Best Garden Shop (tie)
Griggs Nursery — 9220 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley - (831) 626-0680, griggsnursery.com
Gardening can start with one plant and spread like oxalis on Miracle-Gro. At Griggs Nursery on Carmel Valley Road, that single purchase can lead to a much bigger project, thanks to an assortment that includes trees, shrubs, flowers, houseplants, pottery and outdoor furnishings.
Ken Griggs and his wife, Catherine, have owned the nursery since 2006. The business grows and selects many of its own plants and stresses advice suited to the Monterey Peninsula’s own challenges — from clay soil and hungry deer to dry conditions and varying amounts of sun. Shoppers can look for something suited to a small patio, a large landscape or a bright corner indoors.
“It is by far the best nursery I have ever been to, ever,” one of Griggs’ many satisfied reviewers wrote. “Its owner has a great attitude about his plant buying, he looks for the best, and it shows!”
The garden shop also carries fountains, benches, planters and sculpture. You can get local delivery, special orders and help with potting plants or assembling outdoor pieces. That can be useful when the perfect container turns out to be heavier than expected, or a fountain arrives in more pieces than a customer wants to tackle alone.
Griggs serves home gardeners and landscape professionals. For beginners, the staff can help narrow the choices. For experienced gardeners, the variety offers an excuse to make room for just one more plant.
Valley Hills Nursery — 7440 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley - (831) 624-3482, vhnursery.com
Not every garden needs another rosebush. Sometimes the missing ingredient is a collector’s specimen or the right combination of plants for a shady corner. Valley Hills Nursery on Carmel Valley Road offers those possibilities along with more familiar greenery and the tools to care for them.
The nursery carries indoor plants, trees, shrubs, seasonal color, aquatic plants for the koi pond, and soils, fertilizers and garden supplies. Customers can bring photographs of problem areas to get advice.
The business also offers consultations and landscaping services, including irrigation, hardscaping, maintenance and edible gardens, with an emphasis on selecting plants that suit the site.
Having a party? You can even rent plants for the event. Whether the goal is to create an outdoor gathering space, raise food at home or keep an indoor plant thriving, the nursery provides both materials and guidance.
A garden, after all, rarely stays exactly as its owner first imagined.
Best Place to Buy Athletic Wear
The Treadmill — The Crossroads shopping center - (831) 624-4112, thetreadmill.com
Running shoes are not one-size-fits-all, even when the number on the box is right. At The Treadmill, the emphasis is on finding footwear that works with an individual’s feet and the way they move.
And it’s wonderful to get help from people who know that jogging around the Lupine Loop at Garland Regional Park is a different kind of challenge than, say, climbing the steep hill to Inspiration Point in Palo Corona.
The specialty store offers personalized fittings for runners, walkers and hikers. Staff members consider foot shape and biomechanics before suggesting shoes, recognizing that comfort and support depend on more than color or brand. Also, feet can change over time, so a style that worked years ago may not remain the best choice.
Athletic clothing and equipment complement the footwear selection, making the store a destination for people preparing for a race, getting serious about daily walks or replacing gear that’s seen too many miles.
Best Pharmacy
Carmel Drug Store — 435 Ocean Ave. - (831) 624-3819, carmeldrugstorerx.com
Carmel Drug Store has been part of life in Carmel-by-the-Sea since 1905, combining prescription services with the practical assortment of a neighborhood drugstore.
The family-owned business fills prescriptions and carries over-the-counter medications, first-aid products, vitamins, personal-care items and travel essentials.
Its services include prescription delivery, curbside pickup, help with prior authorizations and more.
The store’s location on Ocean Avenue serves residents and visitors alike. Someone who needs a prescription refill may also be looking for sunscreen, a forgotten toiletry or a basic first-aid supply.
For customers juggling several medications, or simply trying to understand a new prescription, the opportunity to ask questions is as important as the products on the shelves. The hometown service they find at this spot is just what the doctor ordered.
Best Children’s Clothing Store/Boutique
Best New Business
Rosebuds Kids Co. — 535 Foam St., Monterey - (831) 884-5345, rosebudsmonterey.com
Owner Greta Grimm said she started this children’s clothing resale boutique because as a mom, she knows how quickly kids outgrow their clothes — “sometimes before the tags even come off.”
“At Rosebuds Kids Co., every piece is thoughtfully curated with growing families in mind,” Grimm explains on the shop’s website. “From baby basics to big-kid favorites, we carry gently loved clothing, shoes, and accessories that are ready for their next adventure.”
The shop makes it easy for customers to pass along what their little ones have outgrown by offering cash or store credit for items, including baby and kids clothing — newborn to size 10/12 — shoes, maternity and nursing clothing, accessories, including hats, bows and backpacks, toys, games and books, and other items.
“I started Rosebuds because I believe families deserve a better way to shop for stylish, affordable kids’ clothing, without sacrificing quality, sustainability, or charm,” Grimm said.
Best Men’s Clothing Store
Khaki’s — Carmel Plaza, 526 Ocean Ave. - (831) 625-8106, khakisofcarmel.com
A man’s wardrobe may begin with a good pair of trousers, but it certainly doesn’t end there. Khaki’s of Carmel brings together tailored clothing, casual pieces, and shoes and accessories for customers who want to build a wardrobe rather than simply pick up an item on a list.
The shop’s emphasis is on clothing that can move between occasions, from an ordinary afternoon stroll along Scenic to a gala at Sunset Center. For customers who are uncertain about fit, fabric or how to coordinate a jacket and trousers, the appeal of a specialty menswear store is the chance to compare pieces and ask questions. And Khaki’s invites its customers to make an appointment with its stylist, which can be done online or in person.
“We are ready to go at any time,” the shop says.
An Atlanta resident wrote in a glowing online review that Khaki’s of Carmel is the best men’s store he’s been to.
“Fantastic variety of all things cool for men,” he said. “The best part — the bespoke options and highly informed staff.”
Best Men’s Shoe Store
Hedi’s — 485 Ocean Ave., The Barnyard shopping center – (831) 624-5880, hedi.com
Shoe shopping can be a matter of finding the right fit as much as the right look. Hedi’s is a recurring favorite in a town that’s proud of its walkability. Haydar “Hedi” Movahedi’s goal has always been to make sure customers feel just as good as they look as they stroll along the coast or enjoy brunch at the Mission Ranch. He opened his first Carmel shoe store more than 30 years ago.
A pair of shoes must meet several demands — appearance, comfort and suitability for the places its owner plans to go. Hedi’s sells shoes that tick all those boxes. While Hedi’s won the men’s shoe store category, women also praise the shop for its selection and customer service.
Best Women’s Clothing Boutique
Best Resale/Consignment Shop
Best Women’s Accessories
Best Place to Buy Designer Clothes
Best Vintage Clothing Store
Foxy Couture — 517 San Carlos St. - (831) 625-9995, foxycouturecarmel.com
Five awards, one very distinctive approach to fashion: Foxy Couture specializes in designer and vintage resale, making the search for a remarkable piece feel more like a treasure hunt than an ordinary shopping trip. Founded in 2012, the family-owned Carmel business sells carefully selected clothing, handbags, jewelry, shoes and accessories, including pieces with histories that reach beyond the current fashion season. Its inventory combines consigned merchandise with items the store buys for its own collection.
Authentication matters in a shop dealing with luxury labels, and the business says it uses trained staff and high-tech verification for designer handbags. Consignors can contact the store to discuss pieces they hope to sell. Whether you’re buying or selling, giving cherished items a second life is good for the wallet and the environment, especially around here, where discerning shoppers choose high-quality items designed to last. Foxy Couture’s emphasis is on giving well-made clothes another chapter.
Best Women’s Shoe Store
Lloyd’s — 416 Ocean Ave. - (831) 625-1382, lloydsshoes.com
Lloyd’s Shoes has been a family-owned Carmel business since 1975, a long run in a retail category where trends can change as quickly as the seasons. Its specialty is women’s footwear, with handbags and accessories rounding out the selection. The store describes its buying approach as a balance of value, function, style and comfort, rather than a single fashion formula.
Its team looks for merchandise at trade shows and through relationships with manufacturers, including sought-after Italian shoemakers. That range matters when one customer wants comfortable shoes for walking and another is shopping for an occasion. The business’s website offers a tempting array of boots, new arrivals and featured designers. After half a century, its central task remains deceptively simple — helping a customer find a pair that feels as good as it looks.
Best Jewelry Store
Devine & Co. — 373 Sixth Ave. - (831) 200-8100, devinejeweler.com
Devine & Co. takes a different approach to jewelry shopping. Rather than relying on a busy sales floor, this company works by appointment. Owner Shelly M. Devine, a GIA Graduate Gemologist and Certified Master Appraiser, has more than 20 years of experience in the jewelry industry.
The business offers custom jewelry design, estate jewelry consultations, diamond services, certified appraisals and gold buying. That range serves customers at several different moments, from choosing or designing a meaningful gift of today, to understanding the value of a piece that has been in the family for years.
Appraisals and estate consultations call for personal conversations, and the private setting gives customers room to discuss the details.
Devine’s appointment-based approach gives each client a transparent, highly personal experience rooted in education, trust, and expert guidance.
Customers can call or text to arrange a visit. In a town where display cases and sparkling windows are easy to find, Devine & Co. puts the conversation at the center of the experience.
Best Shopping Center
The Crossroads — 243 Crossroads Blvd. – (831) 625-4106, thecrossroadscarmel.com
The Crossroads shopping center makes it possible to accomplish a surprising number of errands without moving the car. Its mix of tenants includes an independent bookstore next to a locally owned coffee shop, a large grocery store, hardware store, beauty salons, wine-tasting, fresh fish, a place to ship packages, and a handful of Golden Pine Cone winners all in one spot. The variety is part of its appeal.
A customer can arrive for a practical purchase and find a gift or a new place to eat along the way. Individual storefronts and offerings can change, but the underlying idea is consistent — bringing everyday needs and more leisurely browsing together in one place.
Best Antique Shop
Wittpenn’s Antiques — 727 San Carlos St. - (831) 624-1336, wittpennsantiques.com
Wittpenn’s Antiques offers the pleasure of serendipity. Its eclectic inventory ranges from antique pottery, silver and vintage toys to early California art and musical instruments. Its website highlights guitars and mandolins as well as pottery from makers such as Roseville, Rookwood, Fulper and McCoy. Those specialties give collectors several reasons to linger, but the appeal isn’t limited to experts.
A shopper might come in for a decorative object and become absorbed by the story of an old instrument or a decades-old piece of pottery. And there’s nothing quite like coming across an item that sparks an unexpected memory.
Wittpenn’s is a reminder that shopping for something old can produce a genuinely new discovery.
Best Bookstore
River House Books — The Crossroads shopping center - (831) 626-2665, riverhousebookscarmel.com
We still love books around here, and thank goodness River House Books in the Crossroads shopping center is ready to supply readers’ needs. Its shelves range from fiction and nonfiction to children’s books, science, history, travel and subjects closely tied to Monterey Peninsula interests, including architecture, art, gardening, photography and wine.
The staff is truly the heart of the store — they’re knowledgeable and always ready with a fresh recommendation. River House Books also offers special orders, shipping and gift wrapping.
The store’s independent identity is part of its character: the inventory reflects decisions made by booksellers rather than a bland national assortment.
In addition, the shop supports local authors by hosting book signings and highlighting their works on the shelves. For readers, the reward may be the book they didn’t know they were looking for.
Best Bike Shop
Mad Dogs & Englishmen — 496 Ocean Ave., Carmel, and 400 Cannery Row, Monterey - (831) 709-0007, maddogsandenglishmen.com
Not every bike shop keeps dog-friendly sidecars in its offerings. Then again, not every town takes dogs-as-sidekicks quite so seriously. Mad Dogs & Englishmen does, along with conventional and electric bicycles, cycling apparel, helmets and accessories. Its Carmel flagship also offers rentals, guided rides, bicycle repairs and a coffee bar, while the location in the Monterey Plaza Hotel provides another starting point for exploring the coastline. Customers can shop for a new bicycle, arrange a tune-up or try a rental before deciding what suits them.
Mad Dogs & Englishmen emphasizes carefully chosen equipment and experiences. That makes it a great resource for serious cyclists, vacationers and families who want to explore the area at a different pace. In a place where scenery is a major attraction, two wheels offer a particularly charming way to take it in.
Best Car Dealer (tie)
Porsche Monterey — 1781 Del Monte Blvd., Seaside - (831) 920-0744, porschemonterey.com
For some buyers, choosing a car is about much more than transportation. You say the name — Porsche — and you can practically hear the engine rev. Porsche Monterey represents a marque associated with performance engineering, distinctive design and an unusually strong following among driving enthusiasts.
The dealership serves shoppers interested in new vehicles — including, perhaps, the 2026 Macan Electric 4 or the 2026 Taycan — as well as those exploring pre-owned options and ongoing maintenance and service. Monterey’s proximity to famous roads and automotive events gives the brand a natural local audience, but the practical work of helping customers select and maintain a vehicle remains central. The dealership shares this year’s Best Car Dealer award with BMW of Monterey.
BMW of Monterey — 1 Geary Plaza, Seaside - (831) 920-0743, bmwmonterey.com
BMW of Monterey shares this year’s Best Car Dealer award, giving readers two winners in a category that encompasses everything from a first showroom visit to years of exceptional service. The longtime local fixture represents a German brand known for performance-oriented sports cars and sedans, sport utility vehicles and technology-rich interiors.
“You’ll find a relaxed atmosphere and helpful team when you visit our showroom, so come by today or give us a call to learn more,” the business says on its website.
Service and maintenance are another important part of the relationship after a car leaves the showroom. BMW of Monterey operates in a county where driving can mean hitting the farmers market one day and hugging the curves in Cachagua the next. Those varying uses make queries about comfort, handling and practicality especially relevant. The staff at the Seaside dealership is ready to help with all those questions.
Best Gas Station
Best Auto Repair Shop
Lemos 76 — 544 Carmel Rancho Blvd. - (831) 624-2925, lemos76service.com
Lemos 76, just off of Carmel Valley Road, has two very different ways to help a driver: filling the tank and keeping the vehicle in working order. Unassuming though it is, our readers think it does a bang-up job. Locally owned since 1961, it offers full- and self-service fueling. Its repair shop handles maintenance and repairs, including oil changes, belt work and smog testing. Lemos 76 works on vehicles across manufacturers, models and years. There’s also a snack shop, a reminder that a fuel stop can be about the driver as well as the car. More than six decades after opening and multiple Golden Pine Cones, Lemos combines the quick task of refueling with the more involved work of diagnosing and repairing problems. For motorists, having both services in one familiar place is a practical advantage.
Best Car Wash
Swift Car Wash — 26265 Carmel Rancho Blvd. - (831) 622-7060, swiftcw.com
A clean car can be a small pleasure, especially after a stretch of coastal fog, road dust or muddy weather. Swift Car Wash on Carmel Rancho Boulevard offers several levels of automated washing, allowing drivers to choose from a range of options. And if you’ve ever been disappointed by a lame coin-op service-station vacuum, Swift’s will really wow you. There are options for a single wash or an unlimited monthly membership. The approach is straightforward. Let customers select a level of service and get back on the road with less of the dirt they arrived with. Sometimes the appeal of a car wash is simply the convenience — and water savings — of not doing the job in the driveway.
Best Place for Brides to Shop
Epiphany Bridal Boutique — 539 Mission St. - (831) 626-7700, epiphanyboutique.com
Purchasing a wedding dress can be fun or fraught, and the difference depends in large part on the people helping the bride-to-be. Taking into account the person wearing it, the setting of the ceremony and a day that may have been imagined for years, Epiphany’s staff provides professional advice.
A dedicated bridal business can help a customer think through those questions in one place. Epiphany said that its experienced team of bridal stylists are available to make their clients’ wedding dreams come true — and that includes plus-sized brides, too. “We work with you to find a gown that not only makes you feel beautiful on your wedding but also create an experience that you will remember for a lifetime,” Epiphany says on its website.
Best Gift Shop
Ami Carmel — 536 Dolores St. - (831) 620-1600, amicarmel.com
Ami means ‘friend’ in French, and the name gives a good indication of what founder Annee Martin hopes customers experience at her Carmel gift shop. The selection includes clothing, jewelry, accessories, tabletop pieces, art and home décor, giving shoppers several ways to find something personal to share with a friend. Martin’s background includes hospitality, design and other creative businesses, and the shop’s presentation reflects that range of interests. She also emphasizes community connections and events. The shop’s website invites visitors to browse online as well as in the store, where even a quick look for a gift may become a longer exploration of objects for the home or wardrobe. Ami Carmel describes its mission in terms of giving and connection. Those ideas can sound abstract until they take the form of a thoughtfully chosen present — or a small item bought simply because it will make someone smile. And if you’re lucky, there will be a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie waiting just for you.
Best Candy Shop
Lula’s — The Crossroads shopping center and 2 Harris Court, Monterey - (831) 626-3327, lulaschocolates.com
A repeat Golden Pine Cones winner, Lula’s Chocolates offers a sweet reminder that a locally made gift doesn’t have to be complicated. Owner Scott Lund learned the art of candy-making from his grandmother, Lula, who spent decades producing handmade chocolates. After Lund’s own treats were a hit at events surrounding the 2002 Winter Olympics, he decided to turn the family recipes into a business, moving to the Monterey Peninsula and launching Lula’s Chocolates in 2006. Today, the company continues to make small-batch, hand-dipped confections using Lula’s recipes, selling them through its shops — where you might be able to snag a sample — other retailers and online. Customers can choose something to share, assemble a gift or find a treat for themselves. Lula’s keeps the central idea simple: Make something appealing, package it for giving and leave room for the occasional impulse purchase.
Best Carpet and Flooring Store
Carpets & Floors — 471 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey - (831) 372-2300, carpetsandfloorsmonterey.com
A floor represents a decision that will literally remain underfoot for years. Carpets & Floors on Lighthouse Avenue — which says it offers the largest selection of flooring in Monterey County — helps customers compare materials, textures and finishes that can change the character of a room. The Monterey shop’s offerings include carpet, hardwood, luxury vinyl, cork, custom area rugs and stair runners. Each material presents a different balance of appearance, maintenance and durability, especially in homes where children, pets and outdoor activity are part of daily life. Carpets & Floors also offers design assistance and installation, so the conversation can extend from a sample in the showroom to the finished surface at home. Its website includes a room visualizer intended to help customers imagine how a floor covering might look in a particular setting, because a swatch doesn’t usually cut it. Whether the project involves a single room or an entire house, Carpets & Floors’ specialty is helping customers find a surface that suits the space and the people using it.
SERVICES AND HEALTHCARE
Best Place to Work
Best Real Estate Company
Carmel Realty Company — 696 Dolores St. - (831) 622-1000, carmelrealtycompany.com
Carmel Realty’s awards this year see the business from different sides, one through the people who work there and the other through its service to clients. If you talk to the realtors at Carmel Realty, you quickly realize that they love working as a team in this 100-plus-year-old family-owned and operated business. Working in high-end real estate can involve more than showing a house. Transactions may require knowledge of unusual properties, local regulations and the expectations of buyers and sellers.
Carmel Realty’s folks do all that and more. They know the area and its history, and they don’t just sell a home — they can tell you where to find a good housekeeper, landscaper and, usually, a nice pedicure besides. Its website features residential sales, vacation rentals and long-term rentals, giving the company several points of contact with the local housing market.
Best Place to Volunteer
My Favorite Nonprofit
SPCA Monterey County — 1002 Monterey-Salinas Highway - (831) 373-2631, spcamc.org
Is there anything more fun than working with puppies and kittens? SPCA Monterey County gives animal lovers plenty of ways to help, and readers recognized its contributions to the community. The organization’s work extends beyond dogs and cats to horses, rabbits, goats, birds and wildlife in need of rehabilitation.
At its Monterey-Salinas Highway campus, the SPCA offers adoptions, veterinary services, training classes and animal-welfare programs. Its wildlife team cares for a wide variety of injured or orphaned creatures, with the goal of returning those that can recover to their natural habitats. Preventive services include spay and neuter procedures, vaccinations and microchipping.
Volunteers can help at the adoption center, in the barn or benefit shop, with outreach and special events, and in programs supporting shelter animals. Some foster animals, while others contribute to wildlife rehabilitation or clinic work. Whether someone can offer time, a donation or a home, the SPCA provides ways to support animals across Monterey County.
Best Place to Get Married
Carmel Mission — 3080 Rio Road - (831) 624-1271, carmelmission.org
For couples planning a Catholic wedding, Carmel Mission offers a setting with centuries of history and a continuing religious purpose. Ceremonies can take place in the basilica, with its stone floors worn smooth by decades of hopeful brides, or the smaller Blessed Sacrament chapel. The gardens and courtyard, with a lovely central fountain, add to the picturesque setting.
Since it’s a popular place to wed, the staff there has the staging of weddings down to a science, often moving more than one party through — without undue haste, of course — in a day. However, the basilica is an active parish church, not simply a picturesque venue, and its wedding guidelines reflect that distinction.
Couples considering the mission should consult its current guidelines early, since religious requirements and scheduling are part of the planning process. The Golden Pine Cone recognizes a place where the beauty of the surroundings and the significance of the occasion are closely connected.
Best Retirement Community
Carmel Valley Manor — 8545 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley - (831) 624-1281, cvmanor.com
Carmel Valley Manor has been part of the valley since 1963, when it was established by a nonprofit organization to provide retirement living. On its 28 acres you can find residential options and different levels of support, from independent to assisted living and skilled nursing services, along with a calendar of activities designed to keep residents engaged. And they seem quite happy with the arrangement. The complex underwent a major renovation in the early 2020s, and the results are beautiful — particularly the dining room and the art installations.
Activities range from fitness and aquatics to art, books and outings. The grounds and gardens are stunning, to be sure. The community remains connected while residents’ needs change.
The facility is governed by a local volunteer board, with residents represented through a residents’ council. Choosing a retirement community involves financial, medical and personal considerations, so prospective residents should consider their options carefully. The award recognizes a place where the daily experience of living — not simply the availability of a residence — is part of the appeal.
Best Electrician
Cate Electric — (831) 624-5361, cateelectrical.com
Electrical work is usually invisible when it is done well, and people take it so for granted that even when power goes out, they still absent-mindedly flip switches while going from room to room. Since 1960, Cate Electric has been keeping homes and businesses up and running. To win Best Electrician, a business has to perform everyday repairs and be able to complete more involved projects, including commercial work. Homeowners may call an electrician for a faulty circuit, an upgrade, new lighting or work associated with a renovation.
Each job requires attention to safety and the applicable electrical code. The practical value of a skilled electrician is easy to appreciate: Reliable power is one of the foundations of a comfortable, functioning building, and our readers believe Cate is the company to ensure it’s always there for you.
Best Plumber
After Hour Plumbing & Drain — 5 Harris Court, Monterey – (831) 717-7329, afterhourplumbingmontereyca.com
A plumbing problem rarely announces itself at a convenient moment. After Hour Plumbing & Drain serves Monterey and surrounding communities with repairs and services ranging from leak detection to drain cleaning and water-heater work. Its website also emphasizes trenchless sewer technology and hydro jetting, approaches that can be useful when a problem lies beyond the visible pipes in a home. Emergency service is part of the business’s offering, because a broken line or overflowing fixture can’t always wait.
For property owners, plumbing decisions can involve more than stopping a leak. Identifying the cause, understanding the condition of existing lines and choosing a durable repair all matter. After Hour Plumbing & Drain’s services cover that range, from immediate problems to more extensive sewer work.
For plumbing issues, the best outcome is often a system that quietly returns to normal, and our readers say After Hour can pull it off.
Best Architect
Samuel Pitnick — (831) 241-1895, samuelpitnick.com
Samuel Pitnick’s architectural work is rooted in the Monterey Peninsula, where he grew up and where his firm now concentrates on custom residential design.
A graduate of the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Architecture degree, Pitnick has practiced since 2010 and established his own company in 2017. If you check out his web page, you can see his work’s appeal.
His experience includes residential and other building types, and the firm emphasizes homes shaped by their owners and their sites.
The practice assists clients from early design through permitting and the selection of a builder.
Pitnick’s website describes sustainability and environmental responsibility as important considerations, particularly the relationship between a building and the landscape around it.
That concern is especially relevant on a coastline where views, terrain and established neighborhoods can place demanding, and even competing, constraints on a design. A successful house must meet practical needs while feeling at home in its setting.
Pitnick’s work approaches those questions as part of a single architectural problem.
Best Engineer
Monterey Peninsula Engineering — 192 Healy Ave., Marina - (831) 384-4081, mpe2000.info
Monterey Peninsula Engineering works on the infrastructure that makes development and everyday life possible. Founded in 1980 as a small family firm, the Marina-based company has grown into an engineering contractor whose projects include grading, excavation, underground pipelines, paving, subdivisions and steel buildings. Its customers range from homeowners and developers to utilities and public agencies.
That variety means the work can take place beneath a street, across a large site or around the foundations of a new project. The company says it maintains its own equipment fleet and employs local workers. Its website also highlights water-treatment and community infrastructure projects, examples of work that may be largely out of sight once completed but remains essential for years.
The award for Best Engineer recognizes a business involved in the less glamorous but indispensable steps of building and maintaining a community. Before a finished structure can be admired, someone has to make the ground and the systems beneath it ready.
Best Interior Design Business
Best Staging Company
Sea Blush Studios — 787 San Carlos St. - (831) 238-7598, seablushstudios.com
Interior design and home staging are deceptively similar. Both involve the way a room looks and feels, but they serve different purposes. Interior design starts with the people who will live or work in a space. It’s personal and the designers get to know them.
Staging prepares a property to appeal to prospective buyers, each of whom might have a different vision of how the inside of their dream home looks. The trick is to make it attractive, but in a neutral way.
Sea Blush’s Carmel-based studio offers both. Founded in April 2022, the business takes its name from a hardy regional wildflower. Its staging services range from consultations and do-it-yourself guidance to partial and full staging, with attention to furniture, accessories and the presentation of a home before it goes on the market. Interior design work includes residential and commercial spaces, with an emphasis on a relaxed coastal sensibility.
Our readers recognize the company’s eye for rooms at two moments: when someone is making a home their own and when a seller is preparing to introduce that home to someone else.
Best Home Technology
Axiom — 501 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey - (831) 645-9900, axiomhometech.com
A home can be filled with technology without feeling especially smart. Axiom Home Tech specializes in making lighting, window shades, audio and video systems work together more smoothly. The Monterey company designs and installs automated lighting, motorized shades, home theaters and distributed audio systems that allow music or other sound to be controlled across rooms by someone without a Ph.D. in electrical and computer science.
Its website describes work for residential and commercial clients, including new construction, renovations and upgrades. Axiom has been involved in custom home integration on the Peninsula for nearly 25 years.
The practical challenge is not simply selecting devices — it’s designing a system that fits the building and the people using it. Lighting, concealed speakers and convenient controls can change how a room functions without making the technology the most visible feature. When a system works as intended, the result should be less time managing devices and more time enjoying the space.
Best Roofing Company
Scudder Roofing — 3342 Paul Davis Drive, Marina - (831) 373-7212, scudderroofing.com
Peter Scudder’s family business has come a long way since 1982. He and his family know that a roof has to do two jobs: protect a building and contribute to its appearance. Scudder Roofing has worked on both sides of that equation serving residential and commercial customers across the Monterey Bay region.
Services include new roofs, replacements, repairs, waterproofing, gutters, maintenance, and the company also works with solar installations. Materials range from cedar shingles and tile to metal systems, each with different visual and practical characteristics. Coastal weather makes roofing decisions especially important, since wind, moisture and salt air can expose weaknesses over time. And of course, being fire-safe and not annoying the neighbors are also on the list.
The company’s showroom allows customers to compare materials and see examples of roofing systems. Its related solar business addresses another aspect of what goes on above a building.
The company is based in Marina and serves a wider area including Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties. For property owners, the question isn’t simply which roof looks best on installation day, but which system is appropriate for the building and can be maintained over time.
Best General Contractor
Kasavan Construction — (831) 794-2633, kasavanconstruction.com
A major home project begins with ideas, but it succeeds or fails in the details of construction. Kasavan Construction specializes in custom homes and renovations on the Monterey Peninsula, working with clients and design teams to turn plans into finished spaces. Owner David Kasavan founded the company in 2018.
A third-generation Monterey County native, he grew up with an understanding of building through his family’s connections to architecture and construction.
Local experience is key to success when navigating local approvals from cities and the county.
The company describes a process that starts by clarifying the scope, budget and schedule before work begins. It then coordinates the project with an emphasis on communication and consistency.
Those steps are especially important in custom residential work, where existing conditions, site constraints and personal preferences can make each job different. Kasavan’s projects include new construction and substantial renovations in Carmel and surrounding communities.
The readers’ award for Best General Contractor recognizes a business whose work is not limited to one specialty, but to coordinating many moving parts into a completed home.
Best Painting Company
Cypress Painting — 224 Reindollar, Marina - (831) 624-9018, cpdpros.com
The views around here are beautiful, but you have to come indoors sooner or later. Paint can refresh a room, but on a building’s exterior it also helps protect surfaces exposed to weather. Cypress Painting & Decorating has served the Monterey Peninsula since 1983, handling residential and commercial work, interior and exterior painting, restoration and specialty finishes.
Work ranges from the proper restoration of a Victorian home in Pacific Grove, to a library remodel, cabinet refinishing and work involving epoxy floors. Each calls for different kinds of preparation and materials, from preserving the character of an older structure to creating a durable finish in a work space.
In a region with older houses, damp winters and a wide range of architectural styles, the condition of the surface beneath the paint matters as much as the color of the final coat. Cypress Painting’s range of services reflects that distinction. A beautiful visible result depends heavily on careful work that may disappear beneath the finish.
Best Landscaper-Gardening Service
PM Landscaping — 2611 Garden Road, Monterey - (831) 324-0637, pmlandscapingmonterey.com
A landscape on the Monterey Peninsula — where there are more microclimates than you can shake a thermometer at — must contend with more than a homeowner’s desire to have hydrangeas or geraniums. Sun exposure, wind, soil, irrigation and the amount of maintenance required can all shape the result.
PM’s Golden Pine Cone recognizes its work beautifying properties, and when the dread words, “El Nino” occur in the forecast, it’s good to know the company also helps with storm cleanup. A successful garden may need seasonal attention, pruning and adjustments as plants mature. Even a well-planned landscape changes from year to year, and you want competent professionals to make sure it’s evolving harmoniously, not taking over your neighbor’s property.
Best Tree Service
Tope’s Tree Service — 26700 Rancho San Carlos Road, Carmel Valley - (831) 373-7765, topestreeservice.com
Trees generate a lot of strong emotions around here. In some places, they have the right of way, your BMW be darned. In others, they spark conflict with PG&E’s desires for safety. But no one can argue that they’re part of the Peninsula’s character, and caring for them can require more than a ladder and a pruning saw. Tope’s Tree Service serves Carmel and communities throughout Monterey County, providing professional tree work for properties where safety, appearance and the health of established trees all matter.
Tree work can involve assessing branches near buildings, addressing storm damage or planning maintenance around older specimens, not to mention occasional aerobatics with a chainsaw. Other specialties include stump removal, checking on the health of your tall green friends, and improving fire safety. Our readers think that the Tope family is the answer to “who you gonna call?” for all of them.
Best Pest Inspection (tie)
Casner Exterminating — 11025 Commercial Parkway, Castroville - (800) 655-4044, casnerexterminating.com
Nothing makes a homeowner — or potential buyer — quite as nervous as witnessing a termite swarm that’s too close for comfort. Pest inspection is an important part of understanding a property, particularly when a home changes hands. Inspectors look for signs of wood-destroying organisms and conditions that may lead to damage, providing information that can affect repair plans and a buyer’s decisions. Casner shares this year’s Best Pest Inspection award with Ailing House.
Perhaps best known for their unusual “electro-gun” method of pest control, Casner also does work with tree infestations, rodent control and more.
Ailing House — (831) 624-8211, ailinghouse.com
Ailing House Pest Management combines pest-control services with inspections that can help property owners understand what may be happening out of sight. The Carmel-based, family-operated company provides inspections for wood-destroying organisms, including termites, along with services addressing rodents and other pests.
Inspection reports are especially important during a property sale, when buyers and sellers need information about conditions that may require treatment or repair. In a field where detailed observations and clear explanations can make a substantial difference to a homeowner’s next decision, isn’t it nice to know that our readers have found not just one, but two superlative alternatives?
Best Real Estate Rental Company
Sanctuary Vacation Rentals — 789 Mission St. - (831) 233-6340, sanctuaryvacationrentals.com
Seasoned travelers know that if you really want to appreciate a city or region, it’s best to live like a local. Sanctuary Vacation Rentals offers homes in communities including Carmel, Pacific Grove, Monterey, Pebble Beach and Carmel Valley, with options ranging from shorter stays to monthly and longer-term rentals. Having a whole house with a kitchen means out-of-towners can enjoy restaurants or shop our farmers markets and local fishmongers and make their own gourmet dinners.
Sanctuary’s website allows guests to browse by community and by features such as ocean views or pet-friendly accommodations. That approach is useful for travelers whose needs don’t fit a conventional hotel room, whether they are arriving with family, planning an extended visit or looking for a kitchen and more living space.
For property owners, rental management involves another set of concerns, including the presentation and care of a home. Sanctuary’s Golden Pine Cone recognizes its role in connecting visitors with properties and helping owners navigate the rental market.
Best Real Estate Lender
Chad Hawker / Synergy One — 688 San Carlos St. - (831) 521-9378, s1l.com/loanofficer/chadhawker
A home purchase involves two negotiations: the price of the property and the financing that makes the purchase possible. Chad Hawker of Synergy is the person Pine Cone readers turn to when they need a mortgage professional who can explain loan options, help a borrower assemble documentation and coordinate with other parties as a transaction moves toward closing.
Those steps can be particularly important in a market with unusual properties and substantial differences in purchase price.
Hawker is professional, patient and genial, and he excels at explaining the intricacies of mortgages. In a field where communication and attention to deadlines can matter as much as the numbers on a loan estimate, he and his team are people you want in your corner.
Best Personal Bank
Chase — 463 Sixth Ave., 26378 Carmel Rancho Lane, and other Peninsula branches - (831) 624-8224, chase.com
Chase serves personal banking customers through a network that combines local branches with digital services. Customers can use the bank for everyday accounts and other financial needs, with ATMs and online or mobile access supplementing in-person contact. With a wide variety of services — checking, savings, credit cards, auto loans, home loans, just for starters — Chase seems determined to be a one-stop shop. For some people, a branch is most useful when opening an account or discussing a complicated transaction, but for others, the ability to manage routine banking from a phone is the central convenience.
The bank’s website provides a branch locator and lists services available at individual locations.
Best Business Bank
Monterey County Bank — 601 Munras Ave., Monterey, and additional Peninsula and Salinas branches - (831) 649-4600, montereycountybank.com
With a strong emphasis on helping locals for 49 years, Monterey County Bank emphasizes its relationships, particularly with businesses that need more than a place to deposit checks.
The bank offers business and personal accounts, online banking and services such as ACH payments, remote deposit capture, assistance with Small Business Administration loans, and tools intended to help businesses monitor transactions.
For a business owner, banking can involve payroll, incoming payments, cash management and financing decisions, so access to knowledgeable staff is an important part of the service. MCB also provides information about security and fraud prevention, subjects that matter to companies handling frequent transactions.
This year’s award for Best Business Bank recognizes the institution’s paramount role in the local commercial community.
Best Investment House/Advisor
Melanie Pitnick — Merrill Lynch, 200 E. Franklin St., Monterey – (831) 264-9172
Investment advice is most useful when it begins with a person’s goals rather than a particular financial product. Melanie Pitnick is the readers’ choice for Best Investment House/Advisor, an award recognizing an individual in a field that involves long-term planning and changing financial circumstances.
Investors may seek help with retirement, asset allocation, risk tolerance or questions that arise after a major life event. Those subjects require careful discussion of time horizons and the amount of uncertainty a client is prepared to accept.
It’s not easy to impress clients in a sophisticated local market, but our readers obviously think Melanie Pitnick has done a great job.
Best Accountant
Finn & Cohen — 425 Pacific St., Monterey - (831) 375-5166, fc-cpa.com
Taxes may be the most visible part of an accountant’s work, but their clients usually don’t stop needing them on April 16. Finn & Cohen in downtown Monterey is there for individuals and businesses.
The firm’s website describes personalized guidance on financial and business matters and offers practical resources such as tax forms, publications and calculators.
Those services are all terrific, but it’s even more meaningful when clients can get professional assistance and answers tailored to their needs.
A small business may need support with accounting decisions, while an individual may be planning for a major financial change and trying to understand tax obligations. In a profession where rules and deadlines change, the value of a trusted accountant often lies in translating complicated requirements into manageable steps.
Pine Cone readers selected Finn & Cohen to help them translate numbers and legal terms into understandable, actionable concepts.
Best Veterinarian
Heart Dominguez — Romie Lane Pet Hospital, 755 East Romie Lane, Salinas – (831) 424-0863
The Monterey Peninsula is home to more than its share of pampered pets. Heck, folks who live in Carmel are so used to seeing water dishes for their dogs on every block that they probably don’t even notice them anymore.
And local pooches know which businesses keep bowls of treats on the counter, too. Veterinary care involves everything from routine prevention to difficult decisions when an animal is ill, and clear, compassionate communication is an essential part of that work.
Knowing how valued local critters are, Dr. Dominguez brings a range of medical and surgical interests to veterinary care. A graduate of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, he has a particular interest in and fondness for brachycephalic dog breeds, such as bulldogs and pugs, whose distinctive anatomy can create special health considerations. He took over Romie Lane Pet Hospital in May 2026, after a year at the Animal Hospital in Mid Valley, but loyal clients in these parts clearly still think of him as their hometown vet.
Best Pet Boarding
Casa de Amigos — 715 Foam St., Monterey - (831) 373-0482, casadeamigosanimalhotel.com
Not every place is as accommodating as, say, the Cypress Inn when it comes to welcoming pets, so when your best friends can’t come along on a trip, finding a suitable place for them to stay becomes an important part of the travel plan. Casa de Amigos Animal Hotel on Foam Street in Monterey offers overnight boarding for dogs and cats, with individual attention.
Boarding includes meals, and owners may bring their animals’ usual food in sealed containers. Casa de Amigos also describes outdoor play and relief areas where dogs can take turns during the day. For owners, the details matter: a familiar diet, a comfortable sleeping arrangement and opportunities for activity can help make an absence easier. The facility’s staff encourage prospective customers to ask about current rates and visit to see the facility.
The votes are in, and our readers think Casa de Amigos lets you enjoy your trip in peace, knowing your pet is in good hands.
Best Pet Care
Suds n Scissors — Crossroads shopping center - (831) 624-4697, sudsandscissorsinc.com
Since we’ve just spent several paragraphs emphasizing how important pets are to their people around here, it’s not surprising that locals want their little buddies to look their best, too.
A grooming appointment can involve considerably more than a shampoo and a trim. Suds n Scissors at the Crossroads shopping center provides grooming services for dogs and (bless their hearts) cats, including bathing, clipping, nail care and other coat and hygiene treatments. The business also offers specialty products and services intended to help young pets become accustomed to grooming.
Owner Todd Harris lays claim to an extensive background in animal care and professional dog handling.
That experience is relevant in a salon where animals may arrive with different temperaments, coat types and comfort levels. The shop’s history stretches back decades, making it a familiar name for Peninsula pet owners. Its work combines appearance with an animal’s everyday comfort and cleanliness. A tidy coat may be the most visible result, but careful handling and attention throughout the appointment are equally important to the experience.
Best Auto Body Shop
Gene’s Import Auto Body — 531 Shasta St., Sand City - (831) 899-0343, genesimportautobody.com
You don’t have to have a car that could do laps at Laguna Seca or sit proudly on the lawn of the Concours d’Elegance to know that a dented bumper can conceal a surprisingly complicated repair.
Modern cars tuck sensors and cameras into places that once needed little more than straightening and paint, and Gene’s Import Auto Body has built its services around that changing landscape.
The family-owned Sand City shop handles collision damage, frame repairs, paint chips and dents, along with restoration work on classic and special-interest cars. Its equipment includes computerized frame-measuring and color-matching systems. The shop also lists calibration of driver-assistance systems among its services — an increasingly important part of putting a vehicle back together.
Despite the “Import” in its name, Gene’s works on domestic vehicles, too. The business emphasizes following manufacturers’ repair procedures and explains its approach to original-equipment parts on its website. There’s also the paperwork. Gene’s offers free estimates and says its staff will explain the repair plan and work with your insurance company. For drivers sorting out damage, deductibles and transportation, having someone who can make sense of the process is part of the service.
Best Dry Cleaners
Vapor Sudden Service Cleaners — 1193 10th St., Monterey - (831) 375-5221, vaporcleanersmonterey.com
The stain you can see isn’t always the whole problem. Vapor Sudden Service Cleaners pays particular attention to wedding gowns, whose spills may dry clear but leave trouble behind. Its cleaning process includes a step intended to remove those less-obvious residues before a dress goes into storage.
That’s one specialty in a business that handles everyday shirts as well as garments requiring more elaborate care. Clothes are inspected before cleaning, sorted for dry cleaning, wet cleaning or hand cleaning, then pressed, finished and inspected again. Leather and suede services extend to restoration, repairs and replacement of linings.
Vapor also does on-site alterations, including hems, cuffs, buttons and other repairs, along with tailoring for a better fit. Free pickup and delivery are available around the Monterey Peninsula.
The business’ environmental approach includes GreenEarth cleaning, which uses a liquid silicone solvent, and some practical housekeeping. Garment bags made from recycled material can be returned for recycling, as can hangers. Get your tux freshened up, and make sure that sequined evening gown is ready for those galas — or just keep your favorite leather jacket looking good.
Best Travel Agent
Paula Arnold, Carmel Monterey Travel — 2511 Garden Road, Monterey - (831) 649-4292, carmelmontereytravel.com
Sure, you could try to do it all by yourself online, but let’s face it — choosing a destination is the fun part. Matching flights, hotels and activities to the people making the trip takes a different kind of enthusiasm — and that’s where Pine Cone readers’ choice for Best Travel Agent, Paula Arnold, comes in.
Arnold is associated with Carmel Monterey Travel, the independent, family-owned agency that handles both leisure and business travel. The company’s approach starts with the traveler’s budget and interests, whether the plan calls for a cruise, a land vacation or a hotel stay. Its Signature Travel Network affiliation provides access to destination expertise and additional benefits at participating properties.
The agency lists private villas, city apartments and private-island stays among the accommodations it can arrange, along with activities tailored to individual clients. You don’t have to sort every option yourself.
Personal service also matters after the reservations are made. The agency says its advisors remain available by phone, email or in person and help resolve problems when a trip doesn’t go as planned. After all, it’s great to visit Machu Picchu, but you don’t want to stay there indefinitely. An itinerary may look straightforward on paper, but having a person to turn to when the pieces stop fitting can make all the difference.
Best Hair Salon
Oya Salon — 201 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey - (831) 656-0570, oyasalon.com
A salon appointment can be a practical errand or the beginning of a completely different look. At Oya, the work also draws on founder Brian Bode’s background in fashion, product development and educating other hair professionals.
He comes on the business naturally — his aunt, Geri Cusenza, is one of the founders of Sebastian Professional, a name anyone who’s spent more than five minutes in a salon knows well. In an interview, Bode talked about playing with Hot Wheels at Sebastian when he was 5.
His career has included styling for New York Fashion Week and working with professional hair-care brands, experience that helps explain the salon’s interest in the creative side of its trade. Oya’s website shows off a variety of cuts, color and styling alongside images from fashion and industry events.
The salon’s fans have added a Golden Pine Cone to the honors accorded the business that’s approaching three decades on Lighthouse Avenue. Pricing and booking are available through Oya’s website.
Best Skin Care
Shelley Bennett Skincare — 588 Houston St., Monterey - (831) 324-4611, shelleyskin.com
Shelley Bennett’s esthetic wisdom has grown from her own experiences with troubled skin. Dealing with acne and pigmentation issues as a teenager, the process of searching for solutions gradually piqued an interest in helping other people work through their own concerns.
She’s a familiar face at The Spa at Pebble Beach, where she began working in 2000. Before that, there was the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire, Le Merigot Hotel and Spa in Santa Monica, training at Hotel George V in Paris, as well as opening the facial room at the Jurlique Wellness Spa on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica.
At her Monterey business, Bennett combines considerable experience with a custom approach for every new face. In a calm, no-judgment setting, Bennett levels up a relaxing facial with her clinical knowledge. Continuing education and industry conferences are essential aspects of her work.
The appointment is only the beginning, since her Shelley Bennett Skincare line — available through her online store — offers products for home use to sustain and enhance skin health between visits.
Best Nail Salon
Tina Nails — 709A Lighthouse Ave., P.G. - (831) 372-1334, tinanailspg.com
A fresh manicure can be as understated as a color change or as elaborate as a tiny work of art. Tina Nails Pacific Grove offers both, with a service menu that includes over-the-top pampering as well as details only you might notice (and appreciate).
The Lighthouse Avenue salon provides men’s and women’s spa manicures and pedicures, with add-ons including gel polish, acrylic sets, and French tips. Its special menu includes sea-salt scrubs, hydrating foot and hand masks, cooling gel and paraffin treatments.
There are practical stops on the menu, too: repairing a nail, shortening a set, removing nails or changing polish on hands or feet. If you’re primping for a special occasion or want something more individual than a single shade, Tina and her detail-oriented staff bring a fine hand to nail art, too. (There’s even a kids’ mani and pedi.)
The salon’s posted schedule runs seven days a week, with shorter hours on Sundays, and its website provides an online booking link — though, as if by magic, a call always seems to turn up same-day appointments.
Best Spa
Refuge — 27300 Rancho San Carlos Road, Carmel Valley - (831) 620-7360, refuge.com
An important note: This year’s Best Spa winner is taking a break of its own. Refuge’s website announces a scheduled closure through Oct. 31 for maintenance and facility improvements, with a planned Nov. 1 reopening. November reservations will be released once that date is confirmed.
At Refuge, quiet is part of the treatment. The outdoor spa’s silence policy makes room for a kind of relaxation that doesn’t involve conversation, notifications or the next item on a to-do list.
Its thermal cycle moves guests through heat, cold and rest. The warm-up options include a cedar sauna with a Himalayan salt wall, eucalyptus-infused steam rooms and hot or warm pools with waterfalls. Plunge pools supply the cool-down, followed by a pause in a comfy recliner or Adirondack chair — with fire pits available when the occasional fog bank creeps into Carmel Valley.
Guests can repeat the sequence, spend additional time in the pools or arrange a Swedish or deep-tissue massage, a facial, or other spa treatments. Overlooking the Santa Lucia Preserve, Refuge is a place where haste, anxiety and cell phones are checked at the door.
Best Dentist
Eric Brown — 2 Via Joaquin, Monterey, and 108 Mid Valley Center, Carmel Valley - (831) 375-2322, ericbrowndds.com
It’s easier to understand a dental problem when you can see what the dentist sees, and Eric Brown’s practice uses digital X-rays and intra-oral cameras to show patients their teeth in detail and help explain the work being recommended.
That emphasis on understanding fits Brown’s approach to care. The Marquette University School of Dentistry graduate practiced in Wisconsin and Southern California before moving to the Monterey Peninsula.
He served as president of the Monterey Bay Dental Society in 2018, and he continues to mentor dental students and serve as an evaluator of dental products.
Prevention gets prominent attention at Brown’s practice, which has offices in Monterey and at Mid Valley Center. Fellow dentist Nate Ward is also on the team, assisting with thorough exams, including oral cancer checks.
Routine cleanings and advice for education about home care are part of the same effort, and both doctors are happy to discuss options like Invisalign, implants and other cosmetic fixes to bring out your best smile.
Best Dermatologist
Joseph Rheim, Rheim Dermatology — 757 Pacific St., Monterey - (831) 373-4404, rheimderm.com
For Joseph Rheim, dermatology is both a profession and a family connection. He joined the practice founded by his father, James, in 2004, after earning his medical degree at Tulane, the same school James attended. After his late father’s retirement, Joseph has carried on his legacy at Rheim Dermatology, which for 45 years has served Peninsula families at its office on Pacific Street in Monterey.
Rheim’s training included a residency at LSU Health Sciences, and he can take care of cosmetic enhancements like laser procedures, micro-needling, Botox and fillers. His clinical work addresses a range of skin types and considerations, including moles, acne, eczema and skin cancer risks. A patient’s needs can change considerably over a lifetime, for reasons ranging from a persistent outbreak to a spot that looks different than it used to. Rheim can help you keep a close eye on those concerns, with practical advice for improving the health and appearance of your skin.
Best Ophthalmologist
Philip Penrose, Eye M.D. Monterey — 880 Cass St., Monterey and 21 Upper Ragsdale Drive, Monterey - (831) 373-0183, eyemdmonterey.com
Pine Cone reader favorite Philip Penrose has loyal patients as far away as Guatemala, Mexico and Paraguay, where for years the bilingual ophthalmologist and eye surgeon has participated in service trips to underdeveloped communities.
Penrose is a board-certified ophthalmologist and an active member of numerous professional societies, including an affiliation with California Pacific Medical Center, training ophthalmology residents.
Closer to home, Penrose has performed cataract surgery on patients as senior as 102, specializing in procedures with premium intra-ocular lenses and wavefront LASIK. He even uses a vision simulator on an iPad so patients can test those options before they take the leap.
Eye MD Monterey has offices on Cass Street and in Ryan Ranch, which offer everything from simple check-ups and lens/contacts fittings — including for kids — to medical and surgical care for glaucoma and diabetic eye disease. Scheduling and patient information portals are accessible on Eye MD’s website.
Best Optometrist
Blink Optometry Carmel — Crossroads shopping center - (831) 250-6999, blinkcarmel.com
Picking frames is the fun part of getting new glasses, but what leads up to it — a comprehensive eye exam, prescription assessment, all the charts and bright lights — can be drudgery.
Not so at Blink Optometry, Pine Cone readers’ multiple-time selection for the best exam experience, plus a broad selection of optical and sunglass frames as a reward for ticking a vision test off your to-do list.
The shop stocks upscale glasses from Gucci, Tom Ford, Ray Ban and others, as well as sporty everyday options from brands like Oakley, Nike, Costa and Salt. (And, without judgment, they’ll also tell you all the reasons prescription readers are better than over-the-counter “cheaters.”)
Optometrists Telma Barseghian and Trevor Fogg lead the practice, where services also include contact-lens fittings, emergency eye care and coordination of care for cataract surgery.
They can also talk you through the perks of anti-reflective, scratch-resistant and photochromic lenses to meet your needs, whether you want to read more comfortably, avoid fatigue while working at the computer, or take in the wonders of Point Lobos with new eyes.
Best Orthopedist
Christopher Meckel, Montage Orthopedics and Sports Medicine — 12 Upper Ragsdale Drive, Monterey - (831) 648-7200, montagehealth.org
Christopher Meckel’s orthopedic training took place, impressively, at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. But what came after — a fellowship in joint reconstruction at AOS Medical Center in Glendale — introduced him to cutting-edge techniques for hip replacements and computer-assisted knee surgery, which later became central to his own practice.
Meckel is a co-founder of Monterey Spine & Joint, now Montage Orthopedics and Sports Medicine.
His focus remains total hip replacement and computer-assisted knee replacement. It’s high-tech work, but with very ordinary ambitions, like helping patients walk more comfortably, take the stairs, or return to a favorite activity.
After surgery comes rehabilitation, and Meckel’s prescription includes detailed instructions for physical and sport-specific therapy — and to that end, the practice recently opened a new rehab clinic in Carmel.
Best Pediatrician
Blake Bischoff, Monterey Peninsula Pediatric Medical Group — 2 Upper Ragsdale Drive, Monterey - (831) 333-0999, mppmg.com
Blake Bischoff’s route to Monterey included Utah, Australia, Louisiana and Wisconsin, and fluency in Spanish is among many practical skills his travels have fostered. Born in Ogden, Utah, Bischoff earned his bachelor’s degree at a state school, attended the University of Queensland-Ochsner medical program, then completed his pediatric internship and residency at Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin.
He joined Monterey Peninsula Pediatric Medical Group in 2024, and his dual-language skills have benefited the practice serving families throughout Monterey County, beginning with newborn care and continuing through the college years. (Children from 6 months through age 5 receive a book to take home through its Reach Out and Read program — much more memorable than a lollipop and a pat on the head.)
At Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, the group provides sick visits, newborn and pediatric hospital care so families can receive help from their chosen clinic at all hours, and expectant parents can arrange a complimentary introductory visit before their baby arrives.
Best Plastic Surgeon
Douglas Sunde — 856 Munras Ave., Monterey - (831) 372-0200, drsunde.com
Among those honored with Golden Pine Cones, Dr. Sunde — who splits his time between Monterey and Stanford, where he’s an adjunct surgery professor at his eminent alma mater — is one of the longest-running award winners. Similarly exceptional are the results that patients credit to Sunde. Within his overlapping disciplines of cosmetic and reconstructive procedures, everything from mole removals and scar revisions to a neck lift are treated with attention to detail, since every intervention is individualized to a patient’s specific health concerns, their age and gender.
Their relationship begins with an extensive consultation — with the perk of state-of-the-art imaging technology to understand options and visualize possible results.
In Sunde’s view, the surface benefits are merely secondary.
“Plastic surgery is about more than looking good. For a lot of men and women, it helps correct years of discomfort, improving their quality of life,” Sunde says.
Best Primary Care Physician
John Obert-Hong, Montage Medical Group — Crossroads shopping center - (831) 718-9701, oberthong.com
John Obert-Hong puts prevention and early detection at the center of his approach to family medicine. He also sees care as a team effort, with a patient’s lifestyle and personal concerns at the center of their wellness plan.
The readers’ choice for Best Primary Care Physician earned his medical degree at UTESA and completed his residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where he was chief resident.
Obert-Hong has been recognized by readers for his empathy, responsiveness, and a desire — driven by his own passion for fitness, surfing and scuba diving — to make an active, healthy lifestyle accessible to all patients.
Best Chiropractor
Brian Rector, Monterey Chiropractic Group — 2511 Garden Road, Monterey - (831) 899-5900, montereychiropracticgroup.com
Brian Rector has been practicing chiropractic care since 1994, long enough to see some patients return during different stages of life.
Thirty years of experience has also informed a holistic approach to musculoskeletal improvements, with support for scoliosis and spinal compression, as well as massage therapy and myofascial release.
That’s a type of massage that treats the web of tissues surrounding large muscle groups, which can be responsible for chronic muscle tension.
Rector and chiropractor Madison Ferrante utilize traditional chiropractic techniques for spine, joint and mobility benefits at their clinic on Garden Road near the Monterey Airport, serving patients of all ages and activity levels.
Best Physical Therapist
Terrapin Physical Therapy — 5 Harris Court, Monterey - (831) 372-3579, terrapinphysicaltherapy.com
A swimming pool isn’t the first thing everyone expects to find at a physical therapy appointment. But at Terrapin Physical Therapy, aquatic rehabilitation is a signature feature of the program, since working in water can offer a different way to exercise when movement on land is difficult.
The clinic has a Hydroworx pool equipped with underwater treadmills and resistance jets, as well as video equipment to observe how patients walk.
At its Ryan Ranch office, Terrapin also provides conventional physical therapy for sports injuries, back and neck pain, balance problems and rehabilitation after surgery. Owned and operated by physical therapist Tony and retired nurse Heidi Pazzaglia, the clinic also has private treatment rooms and an exercise gym, with an emphasis on treatment based on a patient’s goals, whether those involve returning to sports, recovering strength or managing daily activities more comfortably.
Manual therapy, joint mobilization and personalized exercise programs are part of the package, because the ultimate aim is for patients to regain useful, fluid movement — and reduce the likelihood of another injury.
Best Divorce Lawyer
Sarah Cavassa, Cavassa O’Connell — 50 Ragsdale Drive, Monterey - (831) 655-6868, cavassaoconnell.com
If only divorce law were as simple as dividing the pie in half. Then attorney Sarah Cavassa wouldn’t have five Golden Pine Cones to her name.
Nearly two decades of experience in family law have informed a deep and compassionate understanding of custody arrangements and other matters affecting families after a separation, including parental coordination beyond the table in her Monterey office.
That role is distinct from that of a judge or a lawyer representing one party, and it can extend well beyond filing to help parents manage ongoing disagreements within their established custody framework.
Divorce matters can involve straightforward agreements or extensive negotiations, and Cavassa is sensitive to each family’s circumstances to determine what issues need special attention, and how they can be resolved as justly and efficiently as possible, so all parties can move forward.
Best Estate Planning Attorney
Jeannette Witten, Hudson Martin — 26515 Carmel Rancho Blvd. - (831) 375-3151, hudsonmartin.com
Estate planning is more than writing down who should inherit a house, a savings account, or an heirloom wedding band. Who will make decisions if a person becomes unable to do so? How will property be divided? And who will ensure nothing slips through the cracks and into probate?
In addition to all the above, esteemed local attorney Jeannette Witten documents and executes her client’s wishes with clarity, precision and sensitivity.
As the managing partner of Hudson Martin, P.C., her nearly 30 years of legal experience includes executing sophisticated business transactions, which frequently intersect with estate planning and wealth management.
Best Lawyer if You Need to Sue Somebody
Best Defense Attorney
Christina Goebelsmann, Hudson Martin — 26515 Carmel Rancho Blvd. - (831) 375-3151, hudsonmartin.com
Not one, but two Golden Pine Cones for attorney Christina Goebelsmann capture her expertise on both sides of the legal divide: building a lawsuit and defending a client. Goebelsmann’s previous — and varied — career as a federal attorney involved representing agencies in civil litigation and bankruptcy, investigating alleged fraud and abuse, and providing legal advice into federal loan programs, government contracts, employee standards of conduct, and administrative appeals.
She holds a Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, was admitted to the bar in 2010, and is senior litigation attorney with Hudson Martin, which is helmed by multiple-time Golden Pine Cone winner Jeannette Witten.
Best Public Relations Company
The Buzz PR, Marci Bracco — (831) 747-7455, thebuzzpr.net
For a major event or nonprofit campaign to be successful, people need to hear about it before it happens. Strategic timing and impactful delivery are the specialty of Marci Bracco and her team at The Buzz PR.
Bracco seems to have boundless energy and is great at making connections. The public relations firm has elevated major nonprofits, arts groups, community organizations and many Monterey County businesses, but beyond that, Bracco specializes in brand development, helping entrepreneurs or longtime local business owners to find new eyes through copywriting and ad visuals, search engine optimization, social media, and website development.
Bracco and her team are noted for their media connections, effective press releases, and responsive communication under all circumstances, not just when a crisis arises. Their work teaming businesses with nonprofits — especially those that benefit animals — is well-known in the community, as are her faithful French bulldog staff members. The Buzz delivers on its name.
Best Insurance Agent
Jeremy Carter Insurance Agency — 327 7th Avenue - (831) 204-0393, getinsurancecarmel.com
Insurance can be straightforward, until you — the homeowner, driver or business owner — need to understand exactly what a policy covers. For clients looking for personal and commercial insurance, including auto, home and a variety of business types, Jeremy Carter Insurance Agency in Carmel also welcomes “hard to place” Peninsula homes which may be vulnerable to fires, other natural disasters or environmental risks. Insurance needs can also change after a move, a renovation, a new vehicle or an expansion of business operations, and Carter and his associate Matt Menke pride themselves on “Service that doesn’t stop at the sale.”
With new or existing policies, they’re committed to helping clients digest thorny insurance documents, understand their deductibles, limits and exclusions, as well as understand California’s ever-shifting insurance landscape.
The Pine Cone recognizes Carter in a field where responsiveness and clear explanations are just as valuable as a price quote.
Best Shoe Repair
Federico’s Shoe Service — 542 Abrego St., Monterey - (831) 312-1187, federicosdriveinshoeservice.localsearch.com
Even if you’ve never pulled up to the window, you know Federico’s, the drive-in shoe service on Abrego St. in Monterey. Let this be a reminder to pull out those boots that need buffing or to take off your well-worn belt and hand it over to the experts at Federico’s, which has been giving leather goods a second life since before World War II. Soles, heels, zippers, shining, dyeing and more have remained in the capable hands of Jose Perez — who in 2020 took ownership of the Federico family shop, where he had worked since 1999 — and dedicated employees, whose work has been recognized by the Shoe Service Institution of America.
Repairing a well-made pair of shoes can preserve both the fit and the memories attached to them — Federico’s serves customers who would rather fix a familiar favorite than start breaking in something new.
Best School
All Saints Day School — 8060 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley - (831) 624-9171, asds.org
Families grow at All Saints, from a child’s earliest classroom experiences into the middle school years. Core academics, foreign languages, science, arts, athletics and extracurriculars abound, and several programs connect students across grade levels.
Specialists and aides ensure no student is left behind — and this particular Golden Pine Cone is awarded in the same spirit, recognizing every student, family, teacher and staff member who embody the spirit of All Saints.
Headed by Sara Brown, the warm and welcoming school is animated by a diverse community and anchored by a Christian mission of “honoring and celebrating the inherent worth of each individual.” All Saints was founded in 1961, when three Episcopal parishes got together to form the school in Pacific Grove.
Four years later it moved to its “present, beautiful, permanent” location on Carmel Valley Road, according to its website.
Since then, the school has remained small, with fewer than 300 students total and a 5:1 student-to-teacher ratio that ensures personalized attention for every developing mind.
Best Teacher
Melanie Klaumann, All Saints Day School — 8060 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley - (831) 624-9171, asds.org
An art teacher can introduce students to more than paints, pencils and paper, and Melanie Klaumann’s talent for teaching students to observe and represent the world around them — and the contents of their own imaginations — has earned due praise.
In the words of head of school Sara Brown, “One of Melanie’s many special gifts is helping every student see themselves as an artist. She builds their confidence as they explore different mediums, develop new skills, and are introduced to artists and ideas that inspire them.”
All Saints introduces arts education to its youngest students, and the program layers new creative challenges with every subsequent grade.
“Our young artists explore several techniques in a variety of media including painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, ceramics and sculpture.
Students learn about the work of modern artists and expand their visual vocabulary by talking about these works in relation to the elements of art and design,” according to the school.
Best Principal
Sara Brown, All Saints Day School — 8060 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley - (831) 624-9171, asds.org
A principal is the Swiss Army knife of administrators, tending to each individual classroom while ensuring the entire campus works in harmony.
The multifaceted Sara Brown, a repeat Golden Pine Cone winner, has the added distinction of leading All Saints Day School for more than 25 years.
The challenge is not insignificant, since the co-ed program serves students from preschool through eighth grade — guided by a faculty including classroom teachers, subject specialists and division leaders who, like Brown, have served generations of Monterey Peninsula families.
A message from Brown on the school’s website describes the magnitude of their collective duties.
“Beyond science, math, reading and writing, we believe in nurturing the whole child,” she says. “We want our children to feel confident in who they are, to understand their own feelings and the feelings of others, to advocate for themselves, and to speak their minds.”
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