January 6, 2023 – When it comes to this best restaurant of the year game, we’ve got some issues to digest.
Number one: You can make a compelling case that the best tortillas, ribs and pizza in the area all arrived in 2022, but not one spot appeared in any of Monterey Bay’s Best New Restaurants of 2022.
Number two: Comparing a swanky Carmel eatery—with multiple Michelin-level chefs—to a Cannery Row shop serving burgers on donut “buns” seems nonsensical.
Number three: Not many people want to, let alone can afford to, hit splurge spots more than every once in a while.
So while it’s helpful to assemble a list of the year’s best new full-service restaurants, in many ways it’s even more fun and functional to put together this one.
So here it is, before we go pinballing too quickly into 2023 and all the Monterey Bay restaurant openings to look forward to.
The featured spots are more affordable, accessible and (often) over-the-top, delivered by food truck, upstart brewery and spirits shop, no reservation or white tablecloth needed.
18. Trout Farm Inn – 7701 E. Zayante Rd. Felton
Before closing for pool renovation, it was such a vibe. Amid redwoods, poolside play, ample craft beer, adult slushies and straightforward food truck fare, life is good. When they reopen and add the restaurant this Beer Thirty sister will rocket to the top of Best New Restaurants.
17. Marv’s BBQ – Monterey Pop Up
Thanks to slow-and-low ribs, family recipes and a buoyant pitmaster, Marv’s snared Edible’s attention with a residency at Urban Kitchen and would land higher on this list if he still had a brick-and-mortar spot. But he’s still very trackable by Instagram.
16. Brew-N-Krew – 155 Main St. Salinas
The giant pink feather walls and disco balls alert guests this isn’t an old-school ale house. Pointwoman Marlene Garcia schemes that side and partner in life/ fellow Salinas native Steven Corona—who she first met in middle school—will handle the fermentation. “Our biggest thing is to be different, and bring those different things to the people,” says Corona. House drafts include Ponte Las Piñas, Arcoíris and Bate Que Bate De Vainilla Latte.
15. The Whisky Club – 425 Alvarado St. Monterey
The area hadn’t ever seen anything like TWC and may not for a long time. Given the glowing—and soaring—wood shelves stocked with highly curated spirits and the similarly exacting cocktails, it’s fast becoming an institution. Would be higher if it did stronger food, but that’s not the focus.
14. Barba Azul – 1301 Fremont St. Seaside
The family behind cult obsession Pollo Rey and its charbroiled chicken now have a seafood-centric taco and ceviche spot in the former Turtle Bay. The must-try listhere includes the melty shrimp taco “gobernador” and Baja-style fish tacos.
13. El Guapo Kitchen – Hollister Food Truck
Juicy free range chicken tacos, double-sauced al pastor tacos and salsa fries rank among chef Alejandro Ceja’s favorite plates. The operating philosophy, meanwhile, is to take skills learned in white tablecloth hotels to craft handmade Mexican for a Hollister community short on thoughtful mobile options.
12. KC Cruz BBQ – 9210 E. Zayante Rd. Felton
This might be the mascot business for this list: a small one-man operation, hidden in a remote convenience store, with some of the most crave-able barbecue in recent memory.
11. Venus Pie Trap – 113 Esplanade, Aptos
A fun and functional addition to the growing Venus galaxy, with pizza pies, fruit pies, bagels and coffee, next to Venus Spirits oceanside spot on Esplanade in Aptos, which made 2022’s top 10.
10. Rock n Roll Donut Bar – 685 Cannery Row, Monterey
RNRD is outright ridiculous in its creativity and artery clogging daring-do. I took a niece and nephew there and haven’t seen them happier with the choice between eye-poppers like chocolate five ways, jelly-stuffed PB&J with peanut butter icing, and the Piña Colada packed with rum-pineapple filling and covered in coconut shavings, pineapple, cherry and an umbrella. Savory stuff was just added too.
9. Tricycle Pizza – 1950 Fremont Blvd, Seaside
In some ways, it’s not new, as Tricycle was a pre-pandemic hit on a corner near the Monterey-P.G. border. In many ways it is new, with ramped-up take-and-bake options (also appearing retail at local shops), new combo creations, and outstanding new square pizzas like the truffle mushroom that’s stuck on repeat in my head.
8. Great British Bake Shop – 8 W. Gabilan St. Salinas
The traditional ham-and-egg pies are as satisfying as the decor is cute and the spot’s identity is English. Owner-operators Lesley Everett and Chris Swainson, who built the cute biz out of a P.G. Pyes popup, welcome guests with a smile, sweet and savories treats alike, and addictive millionaire’s shortbread.
7. Mission 19 – 598 Lighthouse Ave. Monterey
The salsa bar alone earns Mission 19 a secure spot on this rundown. It’s that fresh, homemade and massive. But plenty else recommends the family-owned spot on Lighthouse, including Tijuana-style tacos, quesadillas and authentic birria soup.
6. El Charrito Express – 483 Calle Principal, Monterey
This might be the simplest entrant on the list, but that’s a feature, not a flaw, as it exports the speedy burrito model built around abuela’s recipes—and the best tortillas by the bay—from Salinas to Monterey. Sibling spot Alejandro’s, which opened this fall too, shares the Alvarado space and made 2022’s Top 10.
5. Hapa Bros Food Truck – San Juan Bautista Food Truck
Edible contributor Robert Eliason calls the brother’s fried chicken the “tenderest, juiciest, most flavorful” he’s found. “Hapa” is a Hawaiian for “mixed parentage,” like the Japanese-Norweigan-American Hapas, and that inspires habit-forming flavor across the menu—think bulgogi egg rolls and tofu-peanut “tacos” in a scallion pancake wrapping.
4. Nece’s Gluten-Free Bakery – 25 Soledad Dr. Monterey
When Nece’s opened, a collective sigh whooshed around Monterey Bay. Sigh, as in a happy one from, say, a delicious specialty cake. And SIGH, as in OMG sigh, this amazing cinnamon roll is gluten-free. The rolls are the headliner, and the coffeecake and blueberry muffins rank among the best sellers, but there’s a lot more where that came from, including a solid and savory lunch roster. Flour-free power lives—and thrives—here.
3. Albatross Winery + Kitchen – 316 Alvarado St. Monterey
The grape juice would be enough to land this on the list, but the fact Albatross’ award-winning Pinots now can be tasted in concert with blending activities and a full kitchen pumping out smart pairings is next level. This downtown Monterey spot suddenly represents one of the most dynamic and interesting tasting rooms in the tri-county area, full stop.
2. Sunny Bakery Cafe – 18 E. Carmel Valley Rd. Carmel Valley
Talk about a ray of sunshine. Every detail here is homespun, thoughtful and flavorful, and can also range from life-affirming to cheat-day indulgent. Food critic, cookbook author and celebrated chef owner-operator Analuisa Béjar recently transplanted from Mexico City and gracias-a-Diosa transformed the former Wild Goose Cafe into a cheery and tasty spot. Any direction—cinnamon roll or pound cake, fresh coffee or squeezed-to-order juice, BLT or Cookie Monster—proves a rewarding one.
1. Bookie’s Pizza – 1315 Water St. Santa Cruz
The cult phenomenon is real, with the line out the door to prove it. Owner and chef Todd Parker comes over from celebrated stops at Bad Animal and Manresa, creates otherworldly pizza worthy of Sante Adairius’ similarly obsessed-over creations. “We wanted to make a product that would stand up to a world-class beer,” Parker says. Victory.
About the author
Mark C. Anderson, Edible Monterey Bay's managing editor, appears on "Friday Found Treasures" via KRML 94.7 every week, a little after 12pm noon. Reach him via mark@ediblemontereybay.com.
