Oldtown’s New Caffe Soleil Now Open, and Adorable

Aug. 26, 2025—Cafes don’t have to be cute. But it can’t hurt.

Brand new Salinas City Center spot Caffe Soleil Bistro & Deli has that box checked, in bold, to the tune of checkered floors, sidewalk tables with cushioned chairs and a polished wood slab counter overlooking the street.

Staffer Jeanette Montenegro notes the look works as a primary draw for newbies. (The sidewalk bistro-style seating definitely had that effect on me, and incoming umbrellas will only amplify that.)

“A lot of people come in because how it’s decorated,” Montenegro says. “It catches their attention.”

Fortunately Caffe Soleil has a number of other qualities to recommend it.

At the top of that list would be a menu that surprises with its robustness.

We’re talking four breakfasts ($13.50-$14.50) like the fennel sausage-egg crossaint panini and smoked-salmon-caper bagel; six salads ($11.41-$16.60) including the Asian chicken and Greek; and a bunch of wraps and sandwiches on Palermo Bakery breads ($12.45-$18.69) that range from crispy calamari steak panini to BBQ brisket, plus a traditional Chicago dog.

Then there’s the popular flatbread of the day and soup du jour too.

Baked goods ($1.82-$3.11) also bear mentioning, as do popular fresh fruit juices and smoothies ($6.23-$8.30), which feature standards like the Mango Tango and Beautiful Beet and another daily special.

Also sharing the top of good indicator list: 1) The fact Irene Mondragon and her husband Jesse Juarez Jr., who co-owns/operate the spot, are longtime Salinas locals; and 2) Their partner Faisal Nimri brings a metric ton of restaurant experience to the table.

Juarez Jr. was born and raised in the county capital, and Mondragon has operated a beauty salon in the county capital for three decades, the last dozen years with Tu Estilo Hair Studio on Main Street across from Fox Theater.

So they have a read on the community and what it might’ve been missing.

Mondragon borrows inspiration from visitors’ reaction to the aesthetic of her salon and cafes further afield.

“The idea was to do something here in Salinas with a concept that’s cozy, with the spirit of a European cafe, or even [one in] New York,” she says in Spanish. “It’s a function of my favorite places I’ve visited—a pleasing feeling, a sense of tranquility.”

Meanwhile Nimri has long demonstrated he what he’s doing, as Edible recently observed with his latest Carmel collaboration, Nora’s Carmel Comfort Cuisine.

“It’s a partnership with two of my best friends,” says Nimri, who met Juarez Jr. and Mondragon as they became regulars at the Dametra spot in Carmel that Nimri helped launch. “We’re inspired to offer something that meets a need, to bring in a place with French cafe style and really great food.”

The caffeine service centers around Illy Coffee sourcing and involves single, double and triple Americanas, mochas, cappuccinos, chai lattes and the like ($3.89-$4.93), in addition to straightforward coffees and teas.

Those pair nicely with the cookie inventory, where the most-purchased items so far are the snickerdoodle and chocolate chip.

Hours are 7am-4pm daily, though the spot stays open later when visitors keep coming, and longer hours are in the plan going forward.

Each of the partners emphasize that they are eager to evolve things further, from the menu to the outdoor table action.

“Our place isn’t big, but it’s a little patch of sunlight,” Martinez says. “A sun that shines with different cultures, where you can enjoy all sorts of flavors and tastes, something that we really want to have for Salinas.”

More at Caffe Soleil’s Facebook page.