PHOTOGRAPHY BY HANIF PANNI
There’s nothing gourmet about a Cobb salad.
No chef is getting a James Beard Award for arranging neat sections of meat, cheese and veggies over lettuce.
Yet this basic assembly of chopped ingredients has maintained its place on American menus for nearly a century.
A Cobb is defined by its ingredients: traditionally chicken, bacon, egg, avocado, blue cheese and tomato over robust greens, dressed in a red wine vinaigrette.
Equally definitive is its presentation, with most elements finely diced and colorfully clustered.
In my quest for the finest examples in Monterey Bay, I discover why this California classic endures: It delivers reliable comfort through its winning balance of flavors and textures, providing a satisfying, nutritionally complete meal in salad form.
“Summer is peak Cobb season in Monterey Bay, when both ingredients and parklands are at their prime.”
I find myself oddly obsessed with the mission. This humble protein pile would lead me across three counties, inspiring offbeat conversations and adventures off the beaten path.
The salad’s origin traces to the 1930s when, reportedly, a hungry Bob Cobb—manager of the Brown Derby in Los Angeles—improvised with restaurant leftovers in a late-night fridge raid.
According to The Brown Derby Cookbook, four of Cobb’s pals shared his multicolored mélange.
They later requested the salad by Bob’s name. When the second Brown Derby opened, its menu featured a Cobb that became the Derby’s signature dish and spread to menus nationwide.
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Credit the contrast of textures: creamy (avocado and blue cheese), crunchy (crisp bacon and lettuce) and tender (chicken, tomato and egg).
Or the mingling of flavors—salty, subtly sweet, buttery and tangy—on a crisp bed of lettuce, with a bright, acidic vinaigrette tying everything together.
Then there’s the Cobb’s power to satisfy without carbs, as Executive Chef Fernando Reyes of Carmel Valley Ranch’s Valley Kitchen points out.
“We’ve observed increasing guest demand for high-protein options, and association with dietary trends like keto has further contributed to its appeal,” he says.
Dozens of menus throughout Monterey Bay feature Cobbs, many with the restaurant’s own twists.
One variable is the dressing.
The Brown Derby’s “Old Fashioned French”—made with red wine vinegar, oil, Worcestershire sauce and English mustard—set the standard for the red wine vinaigrette variety. Most modern Cobbs are finished with vinaigrettes or creamy blue cheeses, but I also encounter local versions tossed with Russian, green goddess or ranch.
A low-stakes swap is the lettuce: Variations on iceberg or romaine include butter lettuce and mixed greens, sometimes with flavor enhancers like watercress or chicory. The key is to choose sturdy leaves that can support the toppings and dressing.
Protein is another interpretive zone. Victoria’s Italian Deli in Hollister serves an “Italian Cobb” featuring chopped deli slices of salami, ham and turkey.
At The Wild Plum in Monterey they poach rather than hard-boil the egg, at the Running Rooster in Hollister they pickle it and at Carmel Belle in Carmel-by- the-Sea, they skip the egg altogether.
Still, there’s a tipping point.
Too many departures from tradition, and a salad can no longer rightfully claim Cobb’s name.
One local deli offers what they call a “plant-based Cobb” that has only the tomato in common with Bob’s OG creation.
Summer is peak Cobb season in Monterey Bay, when both ingredients and parklands are at their prime. The salad’s balanced fats, vegetables and protein provide ideal energy to explore coastal bluffs, redwood forests and mountain ridges.
After soliciting recommendations, checking menus and sampling six contenders—each followed by a nature walk—I’m happy to share these standouts.
MONTEREY COUNTY
At Carmel Valley Ranch’s Valley Kitchen, the Cobb presents cherry tomatoes and hard-boiled egg cleanly halved, avocado quartered, grilled chicken breast in strips and smoky, golden-brown lardon.
The decadent housemade dressing, starring Point Reyes blue cheese and crème fraîche, thinly coats a medley of small, tender lettuces.
“We take great pride in featuring our own homegrown produce, harvested directly from our property,” Reyes says.
Up the road and by-the-Sea, Carmel Belle co-owner Jeff Nelson says the Cobb is their most popular salad. Free-range chicken is roasted and shredded alongside crispy bits of Hobbs’ bacon on a bed of organic mixed greens. In a signature twist, they roast the tomato and present it halved.
“I like the flavor of roasted versus plain tomatoes,” Nelson says. “The roasting makes them sweeter.”
PAIR IT WITH A HIKE: At Palo Corona Regional Park, the moderate hike to Inspiration Point offers breathtaking views of Carmel Valley (no dogs).
Accessible option: The 1.5-mile South Bank Trail makes for a charming stroll along the Carmel River (dogs allowed).
SAN BENITO COUNTY
Seabrisa’s Eatery at Hollister Municipal Airport, run by husband-wife owners Lupe Farias and Kaley Arie, feels like the eclectic country home of world travelers. Sonoran-style cacti share space with nautical ropes and suspended wooden airplanes.
My husband and I order the traditional Cobb from the menu and the seafood Cobb from the specials board. Each arrives meticulously arranged, chopped ingredients sectioned neatly over crisp iceberg, topped with dressings of our choice.
The seafood special—with baby shrimp, baby scallops and cucumbers replacing the chicken, bacon and blue cheese—lacks the savory depth that makes the traditional version so satisfying.
But the classic Cobb hits the spot, thanks to judiciously seasoned chicken, crisp bacon and an artfully arranged avocado.
PAIR IT WITH A HIKE: At Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area, pass the motorbike and ATV tracks to get to Bird Creek Trail, a pedestrian path along the San Andreas Fault.
Accessible option: Closer to the restaurant in Hollister, get some fresh air at the Brigantino Park Loop, a wheelchairfriendly, 1.2-mile gravel path.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
At The Farm Bakery, Cafe & Gifts in Aptos, the emphasis is on fresh, local and organic ingredients. The counter-service operation delivers a generous Cobb that stays true to the classic.
The romaine is chopped and topped with sliced hard-boiled egg, half an avocado, diced chicken, bacon and tomato, and finished with a blue cheese crumble.
Generously portioned red wine vinaigrette makes this a sourish salad, but a touch of salt helps balance the flavors.
Cafe owner Michelle Whiting says the key to The Farm’s Cobb is its high-quality ingredients: thick smoked bacon, organic chicken and local Glaum eggs.
PAIR IT WITH A HIKE: The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park offers the glorious Monte Toyon Vista Loop, with towering redwoods and wide trails.
Accessible option: The Waggoner Overlook Trail is a short, paved path through the forest to a scenic picnic spot.
About the author
Kera Abraham is a Seaside-based writer, community advocate and communications consultant. A few things that give her joy: schooling sardines, fresh-baked sourdough and wooden stairs in the woods.
