Innovative regional cuisine is served at this pretty restaurant on the Quail Lodge property. The menu changes nightly but always includes the best fresh local seafood, vegetables, game and poultry. On any given night, the menu might include fresh-caught fish, free-range poultry, and venison. Wine aficionados will have fun perusing the extensive wine list, while other can ask the maitre d' for a recommended wine pairing. Its serene lakeside location makes this a perfect place for a relaxed meal or drink.

Casual dining is offered here, but do not for an instant misunderstand the meaning of "casual" in Carmel. Located in the ultra-swank La Playa Hotel, it means cream-colored linen tablecloths, bud vases and a patio with a wrought-iron fence and sunsets by the seaside over a glass of aged port. The bar offers pub food, but the formal (oops, casual) dining room serves rack of lamb and Petrale Sole. The pastry chef whips up mouthwatering delights every day. The service is outstanding; the clientele mature.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

Hidden away inside the Redwood Court area sits this affordable Chinese restaurant that has been serving up fresh Hunan, Mandarin and Szechuan cuisine for years. You can dine either on the patio next to the Buddha statues, or inside the small restaurant. Everything is 100 percent homemade. Princes Prawns and Scallops in Garlic Sauce are perennial favorites. Several dim sum plates are available, and the restaurant also offers many cheap lunch specials. This is a hidden treasure of a restaurant in Carmel By The Sea.