This charming bakery has been in business for more than 45 years. This is a great place for a delicious cup of coffee and snack or quick lunch. The menu features a variety of homemade scones, pastries, soft pretzels, deli sandwiches, and huge strawberries dipped in chocolate. Try the Pecan Shell pastry and a large cup of coffee made with fresh-roasted beans. In addition, the bakery serves tea (both hot and iced), as well as coffee drinks and juice. Note: Cash only.

This Internet cafe is conveniently located in the Crossroads Shopping Village. Here you can keep in touch with the office, family and friends. The coffeehouse features fresh roasted coffee, coffee drinks, tea and more. There is a selection of deli sandwiches, salads and breakfast pastries. The coffeehouse offers a selection of gifts and accessories such as embroidered denim shirts. Both the indoor and the patio seating make this a great place to relax or meet friends.

This quaint downtown restaurant is split into two eateries - the raw bar, for oyster-slurping seafood fanatics; and the grill, for people who prefer something a little more formal. Both the grill and the raw bar serve a mouth-watering array of shellfish and fresh-caught fish. The grill also offers a few pasta and meat choices. The wine list is heavy on Sonoma and Napa wines, with a few Italian vintages thrown in for good measure. The interior of the restaurant is cozy and warm, with rosy tablecloths and a few pastel paintings on the wall. Open daily from 11am.

The decor of this upscale restaurant in downtown Carmel is sophisticated yet comfortable. The airy dining area has an exposed-beam ceiling, arched windows and white linen tablecloths. The menu features Beef Carpaccio, Duck Ravioli and a number of other items that balance on the fine line between eclectic and pretentious. Favorites such as rack of lamb and fresh catch are also available. The not-too-lengthy wine list features vintages from Napa, Sonoma and Monterey.

Culinary influences from everywhere have played a part in this restaurant's menu. Some dishes, such as Spiced Prawns and Shoestring Potatoes, can only be classified as California Cuisine. The breakfast menu is simple yet immensely tempting. Choose from gourmet omelets, build-your-own skillets, half a dozen varieties of pancakes, or several variations on Eggs Benedict. At lunchtime, a gourmet sandwich or salad may be the best bet. The decor is pointedly Mediterranean. With its old-fashioned frescoes and sand-colored sponged paint job, the place looks like an artist's rendition of an old-school Italian cafe. Open daily from 7am.

Some of the Oaxacan specialties on the menu at this place seem more nouveau than any California Cuisine chef's latest offering. Take, for example, the grilled fresh catch topped with a banana saute. The flavors are new to many diners, but they are traditional to certain regions of Mexico. Less adventurous eaters can stick with enchiladas, tostadas and fajitas. The wine selection is practically nil, but the selection of rare tequilas more than makes up for it. The decor strikes the right note: elegant, but not too stuffy. Open on Mondays and Wednesday to Sunday from noon and Tuesdays from 5pm.

Hawaiian super-chef Roy Yamaguchi brings his signature cuisine to the Monterey Peninsula. While California Cuisine is nothing new to foodies, Roy's mixture of ancient Asian cooking traditions and cutting-edge Pacific Rim techniques can make even jaded palates take notice. Try Slow-roasted Mongolian Pork Tenderloin, Steamed Hawaiian Onaga or Crispy Pumpkin Wontons. Accompany the meal with a red wine from Roy's own label. Relax in sophisticated surroundings, attended by an expert server. You will understand why Roy's is an island treat and a new mainland favorite.

The dramatic, panoramic view of Big Sur is probably this restaurant's primary claim to fame, but the cuisine and wine list have also earned a reputation among well-heeled travelers to the Monterey Peninsula. Dine on creative and contemporary dishes like Roasted Day Boat Sea Scallops or Grilled Colorado Rack of Lamb. Most of the vegetables and many seafood items are harvested just outside the hotel. The several-course prix fixe menu can be ordered with or without wine pairings. Needless to say, the ambiance is elegant and exclusive; dress accordingly.

The food at this pleasant bistro is prepared under the same direction as the fine cuisine at Marinus, but the ambiance is quite a bit more casual. Indoor and outdoor seating is available. The outdoor seating overlooks the croquet lawn, hence the restaurant's name. Visitors and locals dine on light California-Mediterranean fare. Try the Yellowfin Tuna Tartare for an appetizer, followed by a dish of rich Paella. A glass of Bernardus wine makes the perfect accompaniment. The place is appropriate for family dinners or for relaxed cocktailing.

Experience unforgettable views of the green hills of Big Sur dipping dramatically downward hundreds of feet to meet with the azure Pacific Ocean. The secluded woodland location seems a million miles away from anything else, though Silicon Valley is only an hour away. Diners enjoy rich game, fresh seafood, and prime cuts of meat prepared California-style Nouvelle Cuisine, which means that portions are small and artistically prepared. Many Monterey and Carmel vintages are stocked in the cellars. There is shuttle service to convey diners up the hill to the restaurant.