Very cool and hip cafe in old town Monterey. I think it is in a historic building as it totally…read morelooks like a Spanish Mission era type of building. Super open and airy, there's a separate room off to the side with some haphazardly laid out tables and seats. The main retail area is pretty busy with people lined up placing orders/waiting for an order, or people fixing up their coffee drinks. Now even though I took my goods to-go I had to go out to their patio to find a restroom. That outdoor area is totally cool, totally out in the open but you're like in a square inside a fort, surrounded by walls, so you can't see any street action. But you're totally open to roam in here from the street. Next time I'm in this area, I'm definitely gonna make time to chill on that patio. Cold Brew ($6.50/5*) Perfect to my taste, smooth and mellow on the roast. Pricey for a small cup but this is a touristy area. Banana Bread Slice ($5.25/4*) Very thick slice. Super soft yet moist in the center but firmer and more well done on the edges. Pretty dark in color, maybe some cocoa powder went in but there were also tiny hits of dark chocolate throughout. Mild natural banana flavor, wished it were stronger but that's me. Blue Corn Cookie ($5/5*) Never had a cookie like this before but I was pretty impressed. Kinda like a cornbread but made into the texture of a good cookie, so it was crisp and buttery on the bottom and moist and chewy in the center. All whilst having a pronounced corn meal flavor and texture. Major props for exposing me to something new that I enjoyed immensely. Went great with sips of black cold brew. Most other things in their pastry case seemed a tad fancier than most other regular coffee shops. I'm just glad I was able to run into and choose a more special cafe to end my beautiful trip out in the central coast.

After seeing a line out the door the day before, we figured Alta Cafe had to be worth the hype. We…read moremade it a point to come back the next morning and were actually the first people in line when they opened. Unfortunately, our experience didn't quite live up to our expectations. The biggest letdown was the service. The staff seemed irritated to be open, and not one person smiled or appeared welcoming throughout our visit. It wasn't rude, but it definitely didn't make for a great first impression. They have a great selection of baked goods, so we tried the blueberry muffin, donut holes, and chocolate croissant. The blueberry muffin was just okay--the oats on top weren't really my favorite. The donut holes were soft, fluffy, and generously coated in sugar, making them a solid choice. The chocolate croissant was easily the star of the meal. It was incredibly soft, buttery, and filled with perfectly gooey melted chocolate. I also ordered a latte, which was fine but nothing particularly memorable. For breakfast, I had the smoked salmon toast. The salmon itself was delicious, but it was served on a very large slice of grain bread that didn't have much flavor, so the dish felt a little underwhelming overall. Looking back, I wish I had ordered the avocado toast instead. Overall, I can see why people stop by for the pastries--especially the chocolate croissant--but based on our experience, we left feeling a little disappointed considering all the buzz.

We had a great time on our tour of Carmel-by-the-Sea! Kathy was knowledgeable and helpful and we…read morelearned so much and had fun doing it. Highly recommend this company!!

This review is for the Carmel guided bike tour. Our guide was Leslie who was very knowledgeable and…read morelively which made the experience memorable. She was also very helpful and patient in setting us up with the proper equipment and going over the functionality of the electric bike before the tour. Having been to Carmel and 17 Miles before I had not expected much, but experiencing it on the bike with a guide was much much better and rewarding and enjoyable. I highly recommend this tour! My wife and I had a blast! And don't worry about not being able to handle the heavier electric bikes over the hilly terrains, you'll get use to it and the boost from the electric motor makes the climbs simple!.

Walked to this cafe from our hotel. They welcomed our pups right away. We sat in the beautiful open…read morepatio. Enjoyed a delicious latte in a cute mug and the New York crumb cake. Left NO crumbs! Absolutely delicious and would go back!

Very cute coffee shop around the corner. I had hot mocha white chocolate with oat milk, it was…read moregood. The customer service is good, they have plenty of seats, cute decorations.

Coffee shop & bookstore all in one location! My family and…read moreI were visiting from out of town and in search of some coffee. We ordered and iced and hot Mexican mochas and they were delicious! I appreciated them having decaf espresso as an option as well for those of us with caffeine sensitivity. The bookstore in the back had so many options, including kids books! My son had a great time looking at their options while we waiting for our coffee to be made. There was plenty of seating both inside and outside which made it easy for us to snag a spot and enjoy our coffees while enjoying the nice day!

This shop embodies the COZY feeling of working out of a bookstore which is nestled right in the…read moreback of the coffee shop. Adorable warm accents with lots of comfortable seating and WiFi. Seems like a local favorite. Latte was delicious with SOY milk as an option which I love to see. The MARZIPAN PISTACHIO was a must try for me. Deliciously nutty and buttery. Can't wait to return to this UNIQUE spot and try more things.

What a sweet place! Beautiful and great oat milk latte…read more Gorgeous courtyard with pond and a turtle greeted us. The concrete bench that wraps around pond is HEATED! Happy buns!! In the room next door the owner was selling CDs and Vinyl for a dollar each, an added bonus. Picked up a few records... ;) Great little surprise stop! Don't miss it.

Waffle was nice and crispy, with lots of fruit. Made fresh to order! The gentleman who made my…read morewaffle I would have guessed was the manager/ owner, obviously seasoned knew peoples names..but Coffee was a let down but I don't think it was this places norm the worker told me if was his second day. So ‍ If I was a local I would go back and try again

The food was great, I had never had that good of an eclair. Also the staff were great,extremely…read morenice and welcoming.

Holllyy. The best bakery I've ever had! & I'm that person…read morethat seeks out bakeries everywhere I go! Super cute decor inside & such nice welcoming staff! - get there by 10:30/11 for the best baked goods! - try: fruit tart, almost croissant, kouign-amann & rectangle shaped filled cream puff pastry (forgot name but incredible, in top R of last pic) Cute, homegrown, very nice staff!

Pleasant and inviting place near my hotel. I've a standard morning meal and Plumes Coffee House…read moreprepared my breakfast to a tea... coffee actually but you get the reference. Rather comfy wooden chairs at a dozen tables and a recliner leather chair and couch. Music is pleasing without toning out conversation. Not being from Monterey, I observed several locals, then even more locals, so indicator is that Plumes has solid clientele for good cause. Staff are pleasant in manners and efficient in their jobs. Prices decent for really good smoothie, two eggs, coffee and steel cut oatmeal. Big windows views of boulevard scenery and historic architecture. Plumes is clean and tidy without being a sterile chain coffee house. Decent variety of coffee, and pastries look tempting... maybe a treat after a long run. Plumes is a cozy, casual vibe worth your dimes, times and appetites.

3 stars $9.75 Tuna…read moreon multi-grain: solid, tastes like homemade. It's not plentiful buts at least affordable.

This is it. Varied and various choices to indulge from. Staff was able to help me curate a half…read moredozen of their classics. I was lucky and he also let me try the dried fruit candy and it was the best. They offer boxes of all different sizes and styles so you can take back a gift. You cannot leave without bakalava, i was able to enjoy some with ice cream ghardelli and it made for an amazing combo. Just stop by before your aquarium trip or walk to the beach. Parking is abysmal but if youre able to walk by you have to take some home. There are seating options but they are rather tight but quite the experience considering the vast decor.

Wow!! Ok I was on a quick 24hr turn around road trip from…read moreOC up to Monterey, I needed coffee, I love sweets, I have never had Turkish anything. Omg the chocolate and other baked goods were delish!!!! I really felt like I was in Turkey, the decor, the music, the staff.... I think there were all family... once I entered they were so happy nice and willing to share the history behind the baked goods and coffee. One of the lady's there ( I think owner) over heard I ask my wife about coffee in Spanish and she corrected me, have some in-site and left me wondering.... Yes I had the tiny cup of coffee and it was worth it. Strong bitter tasteful, I could have had about 3 Thank you for the experience and knowledge and next time I'm in town I shall stop by and order more pastries!!!!