We decided to drop by here for lunch on a whim after going to the Carmel Valley farmers market this past Sunday. The place looked packed out. It was a beautiful day in Carmel Valley. The veranda seating was pretty much filled up, but there were a couple of tables left, but it was too warm outside for me and so we wandered inside and got a table for two. It was very quiet inside except for the busy staff doing their thing. There was only one other table that had customers in the room where we were sitting. My sense was that there were more tables around the corner from the bar where several other people were sitting. They were super super busy, but the head guy who I suspect may be the owner was very attentive and kept a good eye on us. I love it when a restaurant is this busy but so organized they don't miss a beat. That takes good management and hiring good talent. I was thrilled to see German potato salad on the menu. You never see it anywhere you go around here and I grew up eating German potato salad regularly and loved it. My husband and I are in our 70s and we recently in the past few months started making our own German potato salad at home and have just become addicted to it. I ordered the special of day which is a lightly breaded cod that is pan seared covered in a berre blanc sauce and served with a huge helping of German potato salad, and then a huge side of lettuce salad. I was so sad because at this time in my life I have a medical device called an ostomy that prevents me from eating salads or most fresh vegetables, but I snuck a taste of that salad and I got to tell you that vinaigrette they need to sell that by the bottle there. I just wanted to lick it off the lettuce since I couldn't eat the lettuce. The German potato salad had well cooked potatoes not too mushy not too firm still in their red skin jackets, cut into nice large pieces and then marinated in the vinegar and parsley and I believe there was bacon in it, but I didn't see much of it. The cod was delicious flaky perfectly cooked with two large pieces and then a smaller portion too. I took my leftovers home and had a delightful second lunch when I got home. $29 My husband got the pork sandwich which looked good and also came with a side of German potato salad, which he enjoyed, but he said that his pork sandwich was very bland and could've used some type of aïoli or dipping sauce to bring out the flavors better $18. I had a split of Moet Shandon champagne $22. And my husband got a Stella beer x 2. $8 each. We also ordered two pizzas to take home for dinner that night. The Flammekueche $22 Alsatian style, diced prosciutto, caramelized red onions, fresh thyme, parsley & crème fraîche We also got the Dynamite $23 fresh basil, Italian fennel sausage, black forest ham, pepperoni, pizza sauce, and mozzarella cheese These pizzas were the exact opposite of each other, one light creamy and delicious. Both had a lovely thin crisp crust. The dynamite was full of meat with rich bursting flavors in your mouth. We chose this place because I wanted to go and have some Escargots À La Bourguignonne which are hard to find these days. As well as I was looking forward to their steamed clams. Since there will be a next time, I'll get them then. Another thing that looked intriguing to me was the egg salad sandwich that you can add some smoked salmon to. We saw dozens of salads being served, and they are huge portions and they have a very large variety of salads which was nice. So looking forward to the day when I can go back there and just eat a whole bowl of their salads. This place really reminds me of the type of restaurant that my family would go out to when we were kids and young adults. Not too fancy that we felt out of place but special enough to make it a memorable experience. We topped off our meal with the blackberry Cabernet sorbet. I want to tell you it was one of the best sorbets I've ever had and was full of flavors. The blackberry was perfectly mixed with the wine and it was a very smooth and creamy texture, even though it doesn't have any dairy in it. It was not overly sweet like a lot of Italian ices are and was the perfect cleanser for our palette after our lovely lunch $14. I had saved a little of my champagne to have with it and definitely elevated the whole experience. Total bill was $150 plus $30 for tip so $180 for a lovely leisurely lunch on a beautiful Sunday afternoon plus dinner at home with our pizzas. read more

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It has been awhile since I've dined at Cafe Rustica. Tonight I brought my family for dinner here. Although the food was solid as usual, the service tonight was excellent. Lauren was our server, and together with the young men supporting her, the experience was professional, attentive, and genuinely friendly. Food: Although not my choice, we started with the grilled eggplant napoleon (4/5) to share. This is a fresh solid appetizer, surprisingly yummy for an eggplant naysayer. I had the roasted half chicken (4/5). It was good, but nothing to brag about. My wife, daughter, and grandson all ordered pizzas. The Loraine, Dynamite, and a cheese pizza. They all enjoyed their pizzas. I'm still looking for my 'go to' dish at Cafe Rustica, but with such great service, I look forward to continuing my journey through the menu searching for that perfect dish, probably sooner than later. read more

We come to Cafe Rustica because the service is great and the food comes out fast. Now, it's a tradition to stop by and eat a meal here. The food is a hit or a miss. Sometimes the food can be great but unfortunately we've had some bland food -- the salads can use more flavor and more ingredients. read more

Six of us had dinner here on a Friday evening. It's a charming restaurant with a warm cozy feel inside. Service was friendly and helpful. Food was served promptly. We tried a wide variety of dishes. Everything was delicious. The only item that was mildly disappointing was the beef stroganoff. Overall we had a very enjoyable dinner experience. read more

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BAIT AND SWITCH: We ordered three pizzas online to pick up for dinner for the family. The prices on the website were all between $13 to $15 for each 12-inch pizza. Sounds great! But when we paid at the restaurant the bill was over $70. It turns out we were charged $22, $22, and $23 for the pizzas. We showed the server the website on our phone clearly showing the prices we saw when we ordered from home. She said, "Oh, those prices online are way out of date. We haven't changed that website in forever." But there was no offer to make it right and charge us what was actually advertised to us. Just a surprise upcharge of over 50%. Oh, and one of the pizzas was clearly pieced together from multiple pies because two slices were far smaller. They pizzas were...okay, I guess. The whole experience was weird and off-putting. The next day we discovered that the website is suddenly updated with the prices that we were charged. It was poor service and unfair practice. We won't be coming back. read more

Cafe Rustica - This was sold to us as one full pizza. - French Near Me - Carmel Valley, California

We grabbed lunch at Cafe Rustica after spending the morning at the refugue. The service was ok. It took awhile for our orders to be taken and then filled. The server refilled our waters. I had a burger. They do not offer gluten-free bread so I just had it on lettuce. They serve butter lettuce so it actually could be used as a bun alternative. The burger was grilled and was cooked medium rare as I requested. It needed sauce for flavor. It was accompanied by a large helping of french fries. My daughter had the salmon sandwich. It came with a side salad. I thought the salad was very tasty. She enjoyed the sandwich. read more

Cafe Rustica - French Near Me - Carmel Valley, California

Went on a weekend to have lunch to celebrate my Mom's birthday. My parents have gone here multiple times and love it! Great atmosphere & friendly staff. We sat outside as it was a lovely sunny day. I ordered the butternut squash ravioli, very flavorful & I enjoyed every bite! :) Well done chef! They even brought out a nice dessert for my Mom and sang Happy Birthday to her. Lovely staff & great food! My whole family was happy & enjoyed their meal. :) read more

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The patio is charming and the service was fast and friendly. But the food was a little dissappointing. The portions are huge! Luckily the waiter recommended we share a salad and frankly we should have shared an entree too b/c we were traveling and had no way to take leftovers home. Even not finishing the entrees we were stuffed when we left. ~Red Leaf Lettuce Salad: 5/5. Delicious and easily serves 2 if not 3 people. ~Butternut Squash Ravioli: 3/5. Too sweet for even the beurre blanc sauce to tame. ~Oven Baked Rigatoni: 3/5. Although the sauce had a deep red color, it lacked seasoning and spice. They have a big menu and the place was busy so might be worth a try if you are in that area, but we'll prob not be back. read more

The food was excellent. All four of us were very pleased with the food, ambiance and service at Cafe Rustica.

We actually called ahead and took out pizza to enjoy at home. It was great and well enjoyed so was an unexpectedly good alternative when we couldn't get everyone coordinated to go out. The staff was helpful and precise on when it would be ready and it was hot and fresh. read more

It was a busy night at Cafe Rustica, we were just passing through, and we ordered three of their pizzas to-go. They weren't all together bad (we were hungry and not in a position to be picky), but if you're looking for traditional Neapolitan pizza, where everything goes into the over at once, this is not that. They were more like large crackers covered in topppings. Even the Margherita was quite unusual. It was essentially a big clump of cooked (canned?) tomatoes, a few lumps of barely-melted mozzarella, and a whole lot of raw basil -- on a thin, dry, pre-baked crust. That said, the red leaf salad was large and well-done and the servers were kind and generous. read more

We sat outside last night under the heat lamps, which kept us warm. I enjoyed the napolitano pizza and had the leftovers for lunch today. Dad's partner and I shared a spinach salad. She had Jose's pizza and dad had the pork chop. My dad also ordered the Tuscan white bean soup (one of the specials) but they forgot to bring it out. Waitress was friendly. Yesterday could have been an off night but we would still come back when we're in Carmel. read more

Cafe Rustica - Spinach salad & pizza Napolitano - French Near Me - Carmel Valley, California

Stopped by after wine tasting and live music. This place actually seems to be the most happening and packed spot in the area. No reservations but got here when they opened so we chose to sit outside. Greeted fast and nicely and seated to our choice. Great host. Immediately got a waiter to check in. He was pretty nice and awesome. We started with bread and butter which was great and a Cesar salad. The salad was almost perfect. House made croutons would have made it flawless. Got the dynamite with extra cheese and the pork medallions. The pizza was decent. Fresh ingredients and cheesy. Now if you follow me you know I rate a lot of pizza spots. So my nitpicks are the pizza had almost no sauce. So it was more like pizza bread. Considering how fast it came out. They could have done a little extra cook so that it came out gooey. But it was a lil cooler and hard. Other than that it's a good pie. Thin crispy. Good ingredients. Best in Carmel valley. Just not the best. Or near or. Pork medallions were delicious. The size portion flavor was good and the pile high of spinach was great as I love spin. Only issue. They advertised it with potatoes. But it was not mash potatoes. It was yams. To sweet for me. Either way. It's a great spot with good service and food. I wish I could give them a five if they adjusted some things read more

Cafe Rustica - Oven Roasted Pork Loin Medallions - French Near Me - Carmel Valley, California

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A hidden gem in the serene, pastoral village of Carmel Valley. Excellent dishes. The Hungarian goulash has red pepper. It is made with pot roast. I did not expect spinach soup; it was the highlight of my meal. It is to die for. It was not expensive for this special soup. The passion fruit sorbet and the latte were an excellent ending to my meal. Our waiter made some suggestions. He was friendly. It is a small restaurant. We had reservations, as it is very popular. There is plenty of outside seating. As it was a cool day, we sat inside. It was a long trip, but worth it. read more

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My favorite! I have been coming for years the food is great and service is matched. This is a hidden gem only 20 minutes from Carmel hwy 1. The servers are all pros. read more

My friends and I made a reservation during MLK weekend and called a week in advance. We did arrive 30 minutes early so they accommodated us by seating us outside - it was a cold weekend but luckily they had ample heaters. The service was wonderful and everyone was super quick and sweet. We ordered a salad and two pizzas to share between three (BLT salad, Lorraine, and Mushroom). If you like flatbread style pizza, this is your place but unfortunately for us, it was not. We do enjoy thin crust but the size was small and it was not the best we ever had. We enjoyed our time overall though and parking was also very easy. read more

Wow! What a great place...from the moment we walked in, we knew we found our kind of place. The inside is cozy and warm. The staff were amazing and so accommodating. And the food...outstanding! I highly recommend making reservations. We arrived at 5:00pm and they said they had two seats at the bar open, so we enjoyed a bottle of wine and the clam appetizer, then ordered a pizza to take back to the inn we were staying at. read more

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We ordered the soup of the day which I believe was a mushroom soup, Smoked Salmon on Crème Fraiche, Crispy Calamari Cattleman's Rib Eye Steak, and a kids pasta with marinara sauce (huge portion) for our main meal. Dessert we had the gelato and the root beer float. The pizza was phenomenal. read more

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We really enjoyed our dinner here after tasting some delicious wines at Scratch. We didn't have a reservation on a Wednesday night and luckily they were able to accommodate us. The Calamari and steamed clams were very very tasty and the pizza was delicious. Our server was very attentive and we loved the Apple Tart with vanilla ice cream. read more

Such a quaint restaurant and hidden gem! Last minute idea of mine to dine in at cafe rustica and I left so full and satisfied with my meal. I sat down at the bar top and was greeted right away with lemon water and a basket of bread & butter by my server max. He was very knowledgeable about the menu and drinks. I went ahead with his suggestion of the dinner special, a butter lettuce salad with chives, cherry tomatoes in a champagne vinaigrette and the entree petrale sole with au gratin potatoes and veggies on the side. The salad and entree were great! Such a relaxed atmosphere and I enjoyed taking my time eating and drinking my wine I loved it. Once dessert time came around I let max surprise me. I let him choose my dessert and he brought me an apple galette that came with ice cream, whipped cream, caramel sauce..... so an espresso was logical alongside it right? I think so. :) Love, love, love this place I can't wait to dine here again read more

Cafe Rustica - Sole special - French Near Me - Carmel Valley, California

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Had dinner for two on a Saturday in the early evening. We had a reservation for an inside table and they seated us immediately. The cafe is kind of small inside and the tables are close together. The patio looked roomier. There seemed to be lots of wait staff. I had the chicken apple sausage with braised apple red cabbage and au gratin potatoes and it was SO GOOD. The flavor of the cabbage was especially wonderful. I can't say enough about how good it tasted. My friend had the grilled salmon with mashed potatoes and veggies. She thought the salmon was dry and the mashed potatoes "tasted funny." She recently had the pan-seared salmon and mashed potatoes at the nearby Los Laureles Restaurant and thought it was much better than Cafe Rustica's. Service was good. Food came out fast. We checked out the dessert menu and a couple items sounded yummy (lemon pudding cake with strawberries) but I was too stuffed to try it. I would go back for more of the chicken apple sausage! Would also like to try their pizza. Prices were reasonable. read more

Great experience. We were wine tasting near by and I want to try his place. We got a table outside. ( very cozy nice outside) we start with calamari with chili aioli sauce. Very tender calamari and delicious. I got baked rigatoni and my husband got mushrooms pizza. Both very delicious. We share everything both of us agree great taste. Also we shared bread pudding. Not to sweet perfect size. Definitely recommend. read more

The waitstaff was excellent, but my question is who is cooking at Cafe Rustica? Granted I have not been there in a while, but I ordered one of my favorite dishes, Butternut Squash Ravioli, and received a barely sauced dry ravioli bombarded with cinnamon. So disappointing and NOT inexpensive. My husband's pizza, which used to be fabulous, was equally disappointing. Should have gone to Corkscrew! read more

Good food, on time for take out, did ask for med well steak but it was medium,like raw, only complaint really.

Totally amazing food. I had the Oven baked rigatoni, so good. My brother had the Chicken apple sausage, loved it. The waiter suggested a bottle of Cyrano to go with it. Excellent choice. Great service, great food. If you find yourself in Carmel Valley it's a must go. read more

Ambience is rustic Carmel Vally, with lots of open air patio seating. Butternut squash ravioli is "out of this world" delicious! Service was great. A great spot to go when you need a relaxing setting with fabulous food! 4stars! read more

My wife and I really enjoyed our food and general experience there. We had our 18 month old with us and they provided crayons and coloring for him which is rare for a restaurant to provide. Much appreciated! I had the cheese tortellini, it was delicious. Better than I expected in many ways. Normally when I see this dish on the menu it is pretty basic. Sauce and tortellini but I took a chance after reading the ingredients with the pasta. Worth it. Highly recommended. My wife had the ribeye, delicious char on the meat. Really added to the dish. 10/10. May try it next time based on the pieces I ate. Very good. All and all I enjoyed it and the service was very good and accommodating with a toddler. Great experience. read more

Stopped in for lunch sat in the outdoor patio that's well heated. We had the Napolitano pizza spinach and broccoli soup and the lemon pudding cake sooooo delicious! Service was attentive and friendly. Highly recommend!! read more

We have been here numerous times for lunch. The menu is extensive, and we especially like the pizzas. Service is excellent, and the ambience is cozy, with indoor and outdoor seating. read more

Expresso was good the rest of the food was ok we got the cattleman's steak for 38 bucks it was chewy and didn't really have a sear. It was like they marked it in the grill and then threw it in the salamander for a minute. stick with sides and salads. Salmon unfortunately was very dry and the butter lettuce salad was all the yellow pieces and about two pieces of cherry tomatoes cute place though. Oh and the FLIES were HORRIBLE. read more

We came back to Cafe Rustica after a ten year absence and it's still great! We sat outside for lunch and had a great meal with a charming and attentive server. My husband had a swordfish special with warm German potato salad and veggies. I had a turkey melt with bacon and pepper jack cheese. We shared a lemon pudding cake that was divine. read more

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First time trying this cafe in the Carmel Valley. Good option for a meal in the area on a nice sunny day (especially if it is too foggy at Carmel by the Sea). We ordered... * Grilled Eggplant Napoleon -- Not quite what we expecting... with a name like a Napoleon I was thinking of the Mille Feuille dessert and was expecting thin sliced eggplant layered with mozzarella. Nevertheless, lovely fresh flavors of grilled Eggplant, mozzarella, peppers, onions and a thick toasted brioche over some fresh butter lettuce and endives. Great share dish. * Smoked Salmon Thin Crust Pizza -- Solid! My favorite dish for our lunch. Generous portion of good smoked salmon with creme fraiche, red onion, capers and chives over a perfectly thin and crisp crust. * Butternut Squash Raviolis -- Decent dish, but didn't wow us. Sage butter was rather muted. Overall, we enjoyed the food and the ambiance in the pet friendly patio. Server had a nervous, rushed energy... never really spent enough time with us at each point he checked in... never bothered asking us if we wanted any drinks with our meal or about the timing of our courses (so appetizer and 1st main came together). read more

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Adorable restaurant! The service was excellent and the food was so tasty. I got the cheese tortellini and it was the best pasta I've ever tasted. If you like artichoke, you will love this dish. Lovely dessert. Great complimentary bread and fun drinks!! 100% recommend. read more

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Great service , food and dining area. Greeted with a smile and seating pretty quick. Inside or outside dining. Casual and comfortable Must try read more

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We came to Carmel for a weekend getaway and were pleasantly surprised to find Café Rustica in Carmel Valley Village. Although the name sounds Italian the cuisine was mostly French. We were walking our dogs and wandered by the restaurant just off the Main Street. We made reservations because they have a dog friendly heated patio and the yelp reviews were good. The patio was warm and inviting on a chilly evening. The service was amazing from the moment that they seated us. They brought us water, warm bread, and our drinks immediately. Their wine and beer menu had a great variety of options from all over the world. They were quick to answer any questions and take our order. Several staff members were attentive to our needs and kept our table cleared. The special for tonight was fillet of sole with scalloped potatoes and roasted vegetables. It was served with soup or salad and the portions were very generous. I ordered the pork medallions topped with mushroom gravy with mashed sweet potatoes and sautéed spinach. All of the items were beautifully plated and were delicious. We were too full for dessert but the crème brûlée looked delicious. The food was fresh and prepared with creativity and care. It reminded us of dining in France and England last year. read more

Cafe Rustica - The red glow of the patio heater doesn't do this dish justice. Filet of sole special. - French Near Me - Carmel Valley, California

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Meh I just didn't think the food was that great. The service was nice. The people were nice. It's clearly a long-standing local establishment. But I just wasn't impressed. read more

Came in for dinner with my family. While we were seated quickly, the service and food were disappointing. Our server didn't write down the order, got confused, and made a snide comment to my pregnant wife about how much she was ordering -- completely uncalled for. When the food finally came, it was cold and underwhelming. What should've been a pleasant family meal instead felt careless and disrespectful. read more

What a wonderful dinner! Total experience from service to food was awesome! We had the special which was sole with capers and scalloped potatoes. Delicious! The scalloped potatoes were the best I have ever eaten. Will definitely be back to this charming restaurant. read more

Cafe Rustica - Special Sole and scalloped potatoes! - French Near Me - Carmel Valley, California

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Consistent good quality food. Great staff. Most people's go to place in the village for a sit down meal. read more

Best place to eat in Carmel Valley. All was very consistent. Staff is very professional menu is really interesting.