Quite expensive and often has a line outside. Drinks are good and there is an interesting and varied selection of snacks and pastries and savory food at the counter. Not a place I would bother waiting for, but if it's empty check it out. There is not a ton of seating. read more

Service: 1/10 Horrible attitude from both the pastry attendant (Sophie) and the cashier this morning. We were asking questions about the pastries/drinks and they rolled their eyes at my family then answered pretty reluctantly. We were excited to try this place out since we were vacationing and so it was very disappointing. I personally noticed others get the same attitude as well so if you do decide to try it out be prepared for that. Food/Drink: 6/10 Service aside the drinks were pretty decent. We ordered a couple iced lattes and an iced matcha latte. A little too milky across the board but the roast seemed to be real nice. The matcha could use a bit more powder or less milk like I said. The pastries were pretty good too- we had the chocolate croissant as well as a banana bread The interior was a little small so it was crowded but very nicely decorated. We had to wait a bit for this place so it was pretty disappointing we were met with such bad service. Usually I don't write a bad review but since my family was pretty excited to try this place only to be met with service like this I felt I had to especially since I noticed other people visiting get the same bad attitude as well. read more

ALTA Bakery & Cafe - Inside - Cafes Near Me - Monterey, California

This place was busy! When there is no visible line, go while you can -- typically outside of breakfast and lunch rush. They have an amazing assortment of food and drinks, pastries, sandwiches, eggs plates, coffee, pies, specialty bakery items etc. I ordered a cappuccino, dry with chocolate powder on top for a light flavor. A blue corn cookie (a must for me and anyone who likes cornbread, tamales, corn meal, etc.)-- yum! They also had chocolate chip which I always want to order but knew I couldn't finish it. I ordered a prosciutto sandwich which you can't go wrong with, and also tried a lemon milk bun. The bun, like a brioche, was $8 though so I thought that was overpriced but people pay. They also had a savory milk bun with cheese, also $8. They had Rueben croissant, lemon hazelnut merengue pie, desserts, like cake, and many many more. If the line is long, it can take a bit of time, but the staff is situated for efficiency. Once you order, it's not much longer to receive your food or drink. I went on a Sunday morning too. There's seating in the back for those that want to dine in. Seemed comfortable enough! This is a must stop shop when in the area. read more

What a jewel of a place to find on a walk-about through downtown Monterey. Arrived around 12:30pm and they were still bringing out fresh baked goodies from the kitchen to the pastry counter! The staff is super friendly and helpful with any questions regarding their offerings. I absolutely had to try the Blue Corn Cookie as I've never heard of corn in any kind of cookie and holy smokes that is hands down the best cookie I have ever had! I also ordered the avocado toast which I split with my daughter and we were both really impressed by the taste and freshness and portion of it all. We ordered a Mocha which tasted like it was made with dark chocolate and was so delicious and she had the chai latte which was also very good. We found a table in the little courtyard in the back that had a French countryside aesthetic. The sun broke through the few clouds in the sky and warmed us up as we sat enjoying our drinks and food and watched the restaurant next door set up for a wedding. read more

ALTA Bakery & Cafe - Obligatory Avocado Toast - Cafes Near Me - Monterey, California

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Wonderful bakery cafe for breakfast, lunch or coffee with one of their amazing pastries or cakes. The courtyard in this historic building is a perfect backdrop to sit and enjoy your meal. read more

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First time to go here, quick service. We got the matcha latte and 5spices and citrus latte and it was soo good! Citrus sounds interesting for us but when we tried it we were like "wow!!!" Matcha latte--- 8 out of 10. I have been trying alot of matcha and into my matcha era, i think it has too much milk and less matcha taste but overall still good The workers have smiling face, chill and good vibes :) read more

ALTA Bakery & Cafe - Matcha latte - Cafes Near Me - Monterey, California

5 Stars - A Magical Coffee & Bakery Experience! This sweet coffee and bakery spot was absolutely worth the wait outside! The food was excellent, and the experience of heading out back to enjoy it in an atmosphere that felt downright majestical was the cherry on top. Let's start with the coffee. Their house coffee was just right--rich and flavorful, without that watered-down taste that some coffees have. Even though their espresso machine was temporarily down, the coffee they served was more than worth it. Now for the baked goods: we started with a cinnamon roll that was perfection! It was light, flavorful, and topped with the perfect dollop of homemade cream cheese frosting--just the right amount without being too heavy. I also tried a pastry that was like a croissant-bagel hybrid, topped with thick-cut bacon, cream cheese, and fresh chives. The flavors were incredible, and the freshness of the herbs (which they grow right there on-site) really stood out. To top it all off, we got a Pavlova to go, and it was equally delicious! If you're in the area, this spot is a must-visit. The combination of great food, incredible coffee, and a serene garden setting makes it a truly magical experience. You won't be disappointed! I can't forget to mention the service was all with smiles ! You can feel the employees work well as a team in this busy place . They all had patience to my questions for every pastry. I will 100% go back! read more

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Seating area (especially outdoors) is beautiful -- great for a weekend or morning visit to sit in the garden and enjoy pastries + coffee. Get here early - everything sells out especially on the weekends. You kind of can't go wrong here, the pastries are delicious. The avocado toast (a bit pricey but what isn't these days) is yummy and the croissants are delicious. read more

ALTA Bakery & Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Monterey, California

We stumbled across this bakery around 10am and there was already a line outside. It moves relatively quick and the employees are quite helpful. We ordered the chocolate croissant, milk bun, and almond financier. ALTA also offers a variety of heavier breakfast foods and coffees/beverages. The croissant was very flakey, although could use more chunks of chocolate. The almond financier tasted like a soft, sweet muffin. Our favorite was the milk bun: the perfect combination of tartness from the fruit, dough from the bun itself, and sweetness from the powdered sugar. I would recommend trying the latter. They have an outdoor patio in the back which makes you feel like you've been transported to a vineyard. It's the perfect spot to sit, chat, and eat under sunny weather conditions. Check it out if you're in the area! read more

Every week I get Alta Bakery and I am never disappointed. Avocado toast & a matcha latte with almond milk is the go to order. Best avocado toast I've ever had it's absolutely amazing. Service with a smile, if they make even the smallest mistake they make up for it with an extra beautiful avocado toast scene. Ambiance is chill & peaceful for a morning drink & pastry. read more

ALTA Bakery & Cafe - Avocado Toast - Cafes Near Me - Monterey, California

Delicious food, hands down the best cinnamon roll I've ever had. Staff are sweet and the decor is lovely. I especially like the outdoor patio, it's so nice to sit out on a sunny day and have a coffee! It gets very busy though so be ready for a long line! read more

Cool vibe with cute back patio. Ordered a dirty chai and pistachio raspberry croissant. The dirty chai was not great, tasted pretty watered down and not flavorful. Wouldn't recommend the drink. The croissant was really good and unique flavors. Service was pleasant. This place is on the pricier side. read more

ALTA Bakery & Cafe - Back seating area - Cafes Near Me - Monterey, California

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This place offers an incredible variety of pastries, breads and delicious treats. There is always a line out the door but it moves quick. Always worth the wait in the morning. It's such a great historical location and their restaurant next door had incredible brunch. Can't wait to return for lunch at Alta and dinner at Cella. read more

ALTA Bakery & Cafe - View of their pastry case in the morning. - Cafes Near Me - Monterey, California

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The food was good. The latte was average. Matchbox was ok. Still a nicenplace with outside seating.

I don't understand why this place is so popular maybe because the pictures of their food look really good? I went and there was a line of course because it's so popular, which is fine. You order at the counter pay there and then they bring your food to you. They have a cute set up outside, but unfortunately, all of the tables were full. It was a nice patio with garden type vives. We sat inside. There were flies flying everywhere. I got my drink, mocha latte, which was really good and I ordered the avocado toast, and it looks really delicious and pretty, it did not taste very good. I'm not really a fan of the bread here either because the outside crust was a little too hard for me to chew. If you like hard bread, then this is the place for you but if you like soft warm bread, then I suggest go somewhere else. All of their pastries and everything looked amazing, but after that avocado toast, I did not want to try anything else just because of the way that they looked. And the service was just OK. read more

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I'm a local who comes here at least once a month and can say there's a good reason the line is long. The coffee is delicious with great monthly flavors (the mochas are smooth and so good). The desserts are just as good with selections of sweet and savory breakfast options, small cakes and doughnuts (the passion fruit doughnut is our favorite). They do have more meals for lunch and another restaurant next to it that is their own which makes healthy and tasty meals too. Made out of a historic building, the inside has neat architecture and a gorgeous back eating area with flowers all around. read more

Ambiance is great and the food is delicious . Service wonderful . quiche of the day , pistachio rose pastry, ham and cheese roll , not very sure the exact names but Ahmad helped me at the checkout counter and helped me with my coffee choice ! read more

ALTA Bakery & Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Monterey, California

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Came here because of review , after trying can confirm it's all hype , very mediocre pastry not worth lining up for.

Found this place on Tiktok! My mom and I stopped by for some drinks and some pastries while we were visiting Monterey for the day. My mom got the watermelon matcha and I got a normal iced matcha latte. Both were really good! As for pastries, my mom and I shared their chocolate cake. It was thick and dense but incredibly rich and delicious. And the main reason I wanted to come was the salmon croissant! And it was HELLA good. We enjoyed our food and drinks in the patio in the back which was lovely! read more

ALTA Bakery & Cafe - watermelon matcha - Cafes Near Me - Monterey, California

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Made it ONE MINUTE before closing and SO glad we did! We came here for their pastries especially the croissant after hearing recommendations from everywhere. However, what surprised me was their cake! We ordered: -Plain croissant (~$5): the croissant was huge but flavor wise, it tasted like a basic croissant to me, nothing stood out in particular -Olive oil cake with an outer shell of early grey and huckleberry meringue (~$9.50): although this cake was tiny, it was *DELICIOUS*!! It was unlike other cakes I've had; the outer shell is thin with strong early grey flavor (which I love), and after you break the shell the inside is a lovely olive oil cake that's light and fluffy with hints of lemon. The huckleberry meringue on top added a more acidic taste to balance the sweetness of the cake itself. I savored every single bite. Since it was super close to closing time, there was no line. The inside is spacious and there's plenty of indoor seating, and there's also a shaded back garden area that was really cute! All the staff are very friendly as well. I'd definitely visit again next time I'm in Monterey! read more

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Every pastry I've gotten has been amazing. My 2 star review pertains to customer service. It's a very busy place and understandable that the workers may be overstimulated. However, that doesn't excuse being rude to anyone over a croissant. Didn't catch the name but someone with a nose ring running cash register was short with us and had an attitude which really through us off guard. Not asking for extreme fake niceness or anything crazy-just common decency. Don't know if I'd come back solely off that. read more

We made a quick stop here for breakfast. I am not a coffee person but I saw they had some matcha and pastries. I was excited for the pastries. The line was long but expected since it was early morning. After 10-15 minutes of waiting we finally reached inside. The place was nicely decorated and pastries were coming in and out. We ordered the savory milk bun that has mushrooms in it and also the salmon croissant. The did not have matcha so I was disappointed. Maybe next time have a sign letting people know, especially since we waited so long outside. My friends said the coffee was decent but a little watered down. read more

Cute little bakery , love the decor especially the back garden area ( huge and pretty) That is actually part of the historical site of copper molera adobe property. They have one of the best croissant in the area, very fluffy and buttery , sausage roll was recommended but was just ok, I think it will be better if they can warmed up first. Cinnamon bloom was also very good , crispy top with just right amount of sweetness.. read more

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My family visited ALTA during our stay in Monterey. We arrived a few minutes after they opened on a week day and tried a number of their delicious-looking pastries - along with two of their latte drinks. I got an iced coconut rum latte with almond milk, which our barista said was made with real rum that they cook down. The flavor was great - not overpowering at all, but warming in the best way. My sister got a hot vanilla latte with oat milk which was also very good - their espresso is rich and delicious. For pastries, we tried the two donuts they had available that day - I'm not sure what the flavors were, but my family members loved them, and they were also gorgeously made. I tried the chocolate croissant and it had the perfect amount of rich chocolate inside, which complimented the buttery, flakey croissant beautifully. We also ordered two of the ginger scones which were delicious! I'd recommend getting there as early to opening as you are able - the nice guy serving us let us know they run out of everything pretty quickly! read more

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The zucchini bread is my favorite item here. Be sure to come early to get first selection of their pastries before they sell out. I also enjoyed the banana bread with chocolate chips! read more

Monterey & Carmel is blessed with several legit french patisseries, we have tried all of them & this one was slightly underwhelming. Was 2nd in line when it opened @7. They didn't have any almond croissant, WTH? Settled for chocolate croissant, salmon cream cheese croissant and blueberry strudel. I love salmon & cream cheese but not sure if they belong in a croissant. It lacked the multi-layer crunchy flakiness of a classic croissant, it was more like a puffed up pastry with a hallow center. Choc croissant & blueberry strudel were ok. Based purely on the qualities of almond croissants alone our fav local patisseries are still Parker lousseau & lafayette bakery. Paris Cafe is good but lacked the crunch, Alta didn't have almond croissants but offerred other interesting varieties. read more

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Came in on a Tuesday around 10 am and they had already started running out of baked goods so I definitely recommend coming early. Overall the food and coffee was decent, I wouldn't say anything exceptionally amazing but everything was good. I got an espresso tonic with vanilla syrup which was a bit more bitter than what I would have hopped for. The chai latte is definitely fresh chai and less sweet than expected as well. Overall good but probably just not for me. read more

Fries were amazing. Best thing at Alta. If you go, these are a must no matter what else you are ordering. The pickles on top are also a nice touch. You have two options for a dipping sauce ketchup and a dill ranch sort of sauce that is green and has tons of herbs! The green sauce is fantastic! It really brings out all of the flavors. Steak Sandwich: The bread was nice and crunchy but was too hard. I think it could have been softer on the bites. The vegetables were well grilled and provolone well melted. The steak was also juicy. Dessert at Alta is always a must. I posted the chocolate cake with rose petals. This specific dessert melted quickly as soon as it came out of the casing. I have tried other desserts and given their other options I would not recommend going for this specific dessert. I do, however, recommend the chocolate raspberry cupcake or the brownie which always hits. read more

ALTA Bakery & Cafe - Garlic Herb Fries - Cafes Near Me - Monterey, California

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The best bakery I have yet to try. Not just their pastries which I tried one of each but also their garlic fries are so delicious and the beet salad. The matcha and coffee is not bad as well. And the service was amazing everyone is super sweet and the place is very clean. The whole vibe of the place is so nice and the outside seating area is beautiful. There is always a line through the door and for good reason! If you are in the area you won't regret stopping by! read more

Spent a weekend in Monterey and had read about several great bakeries so, as a morning person, I ventured out while the family slept to pickup treats from multiple stops. Alta was the clear winner! The seasonal latte was something special! The traditional croissant was perfection and if you have a sweet tooth, don't skip the flourless chocolate brownie. If you can only visit one bakery while on Monterey, make it Alta, and if you can only visit two... Come here twice! read more

ALTA Bakery & Cafe - Ube lavender oatmilk latte - Cafes Near Me - Monterey, California

I love bakeries and enjoy visiting them throughout the world. Stumbled along the huge line around 1130am and so thought this must be amazing. By the time I got to the front of the line (25 mins) there was literally 3 things left in the bakery section plus a bunch of veggie wraps. I ended up purchasing each of the items (blondie, brownie, ginger scone). All of them were quite good actually so the quality is there but I'm knocking a few stars because I don't think would have ordered any of those items but for waiting in that long line. They should try to make more items knowing that holiday weekends should expect more foot traffic. read more

That banana bread though!!! Now picture that with the clapping emoji in between each word because that's how I was saying it. Stopped in at Alta a few weekends ago while on the way to Carmel for some morning treats. Ended up ordering a chocolate croissant for the morning and some car snacking banana bread for later. I have very high standards for chocolate croissants and was very pleased that this one lived up to what one should taste like. Wonderfully flaky and buttery, crisp yet soft, and best of all richly chocolatey. One of the better ones I've had. What I wasn't expecting was how good that banana bread would be! So dense, so moist, a nice crispy top and soft sides and interior....so good that it didn't entirely turn into a "for later" snack and a few bites were taken immediately. Unfortunately it was raining while we were there so we didn't get to eat outside in the quaint courtyard patio liked we had planned, but we still walked through it and it was as dreamy as I imagined. We sat inside at one of the shared tables, it felt a little cramped as we were sharing the table with a few different groups, but it's California and it was drizzling, so what else can you expect from a state that doesn't know rain? read more

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Cute cafe in monterey, lots of history. Expected there is a line in the morning. So many special pastries when you are waiting in line. Food looks amazing. They have a lot of outdoor seating. Love the fruit strudel with banana chocolate and crispy outside. The cashier also recommend the 9 grains pancake with fresh figs on top and their special for the month pumpkin spice latte. read more