California’s foodie paradise: What makes Carmel-by-the-Sea special
A favourite of the rich and famous, this quirky coastal haven has a thriving culinary and art scene that’s devoid of pretensions.
Legendary road trip Highway 1 snakes past enchanting small town Carmel-by-the-Sea, a Californian coastal jewel 200km south of San Francisco, where sea otters frolic in rugged coves and mist regularly shrouds the clifftops.
A scenic haven for artists and writers since the 1880s, the village now features a thriving culinary scene; Carmel-by-the-Sea has more restaurants per capita than any other small city in the US.
The folksiness of genuinely friendly local Carmelites comes with an unmistakeable touch of glamour – Clint Eastwood was once mayor and private jets pile up as the rich and famous come to town for the annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance car show in August.
1 Scenic drive
On the magnificent, mile-long white crescent of Carmel Beach, Monterey cypress trees, sculpted by the wind and outstretched towards the sunshine, frame the sparkling Pacific Ocean. Locals gather to see the sunset as it bathes the waterfront homes in golden light. Man-made ingenuity meets the elemental on a 5.5km pathway with panoramic beach views along Scenic Road, hugging the coastline all the way south to Carmel River State Beach. The promenade showcases 1948 architectural gem Mrs Clinton Walker House, a home designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, shaped like a ship’s prow with a hexagonal glass-fronted living room. Ultra-contemporary homes are cantilevered over lichen-covered boulders, or situated on lawns rolling down to surf, where western snowy plovers trot among paper daisies.
2 Taste of Mexico
Locals linger over “cloud chai” by a beautiful stone fireplace at Mexican eatery El Bistro by the Sea, lured by the sinfully decadent praline cornbread pancakes and French toast with limoncello, dulce de leche, or tiramisu cream. Savoury four-egg seafood omelettes are equally generous and homemade biscuits – the rustic staple featured in the great American novels of author John Steinbeck – get a hipster update with healthy garlic coleslaw and vinegar jalapenos.
3 Fairytale architecture
Carmel’s enchanting streetscapes are characterised by whimsical gabled cottages with rippled roofs and attic bedrooms. So-called “builder of dreams” Hugh Comstock built the first two, called Hansel and Gretel, in 1924 to store his wife’s handmade Otsy Totsy rag dolls; his 1927 Tuck Box building downtown still serves devilled eggs and scones for afternoon tea. The township’s private homes have no numbers, just names: Nightcap, Whitecap, First Love, You’re Mine, You’re Not (one local college maths professor called his abode Aftermath). Half are concentrated in the Historic Hill District, with magical gardens where rambling roses and fuchsia bloom. The gnarled branches of Carmel’s trees are draped with lace lichen, forming canopies you can stroll beneath.
4 French restaurant
Le tout Carmel gathers at La Bicyclette restaurant for wood-oven gourmet pizzas and French classics with a coastal twist, among antique tables and mirrored timber walls. Celebrity spottings add cachet but the menu’s inventive sophistication is the star. Lobster vol-au-vents burst with the Californian freshness of golden chanterelle mushrooms and asparagus. Escargots are wood-fired, and the pan-seared fish curry’s secret sauce is simmered coconut water instead of milk. A salted caramel sauce is poured from on high on Le Parisien beignet, cradling fig gelato rich with cognac. The wine cellar stocks fine French drops: consider the Clos Caillou grenache/syrah by the glass, 2014 Roederer Cristal to accompany oysters, and a 2019 Tertre du Bosquet sauterne for dessert.
5 Walking tour
“The four letter word that our town uses is not the nasty one – everything is ‘cute’ here,” laughs guide Gael Gallagher. Just after arriving in Carmel by Volkswagen Kombi van in the early 1970s as a quintessential hippy child with cascading hair, Gallagher saw Eastwood filming a chase scene for his directorial debut, thriller Play Misty For Me, the cinema classic that introduced the world to the township. “When I first saw the ocean here, my jaw dropped open and it never really closed again.” Her anecdotes bring the hamlet’s characters alive as the tour threads through nooks, crannies and courtyards with trickling fountains. Highlights include the exquisite Church of the Wayfarer (“You know it’s midday when the bells ring 12 times”), Hollywood screen legend Doris Day’s Cypress Inn, with its fireside baby grand and movie posters that celebrate her 1960s comedies, and miniature pub at the Hog’s Breath Cafe, an atmospheric man cave complete with taxidermy, where former owner Eastwood used to play poker.
6 Art galleries
Travellers can roam 50 art galleries in the area, discovering the work of artists who have called this coastline home. William Ritschel’s (1864-1947) impressionist daubs can be seen at Trotter Galleries, creating a symphony of blues and greens that conjure local landmarks such as Wildcat Cove. A short stroll could reveal sculptor Richard McDonald’s Goddess Diana, arms outstretched to the moon in the window of Dawson Cole Fine Art, then a wall of vintage black and white fine arts photography at the 50-year Weston Gallery just around the corner. Art is everywhere: in classes, gallery windows, street art, Spanish mission-era public sculpture, and the expansive Carmel Art Association, which exhibits affordable art and emerging talent.
7 Fine dining
A homely ambience of a wagon-wheel chandelier and elongate fire pit adds neighbourhood warmth to The Pocket restaurant’s five-star service and cuisine. Hearty bestsellers such as pork osso buco, West Indies-style chicken and Koji-marinated, fall-off-the-bone Angus beef tenderloin will appeal to meat lovers. But it’s the small details that make dishes stand out: smoky, preserved lemon gives flash-fried brussels sprouts a delicious tang; sesame brioche is smeared with sugarcane butter; strawberry salad is paired with candied pecans. The vibrant atmosphere attests to the dining hotspot’s must-try status.
8 Specialty shopping
Carmel’s “mom and pop” heritage boutiques are proudly independent. The Carmel Bakery has been serving cakes and brownies since 1899; the expansive Carmel Bay Company emporium is bursting with niche merchandise, from exquisite children’s clothes to edgy party games, and handy hardcover copies of coffee-table tome Carmel’s Fairy Tale Cottages. Curiosities and antiques at Jane Austen At Home or heavy fountain pens at The Pleasure of Writing have timewarp appeal. Other stores offer a magical setting, such as the secret garden beyond Pilgrim’s Way’s long narrow bookstore. It’s worth leaving room in your suitcase for something special, such as handmade Panama hats at Carmel Hat Company, an exquisite Christmas reindeer hologram, oversized black pearls from Crossroads Jeweller, an evening bag shaped like a three-tiered cake, chic knitwear from The Club. Shoppers can fuel up on freshly squeezed orange juice, Tsar Nicoulai Caviar and Basque cheesecake at Stationaery cafe, tucked away in intimate San Carlos Square.
9 Where to go for steak
Carmel’s crisp air and cool temperatures sharpen the appetite for a superb California carnivore experience at 7D Steakhouse. The sleek decor and barn-like dimensions (in a former bank) have an urban modernity. The enormous bar serves barrel-aged cocktails and fabulous concoctions such as the Millionaire – bourbon, Grand Marnier, egg white and 23k gold flakes. Visitors can try Monterey County wines, like Le Mistral’s oak-forward 2020 chardonnay. The glass-encased kitchen makes magic with Niman Ranch-raised beef, lamb and pork. Hand-cut steak tartare, pinot noir-braised short rib, and 28-day dry-aged steaks are exceptionally tender. Impeccable surf ’n’ turf credentials suit the coastal locale, with juicy, caramelised scallops, an outrageous Grand Seafood Tower (including Royal White Sturgeon Caviar) and Pacific oysters broiled with bone marrow. Even a simple BLT is legendary, substituting crisp bacon with soft, decadent pork belly.
10 Where to stay
Charm abounds in this 1920s English Tudor boutique inn in the heart of the village. Cosy, self-contained brick and timber cottages are clustered around a courtyard, prettily lit at night by festoons strung in the trees. Guests can be social at wine and cheese hour and meet and greet at the communal fire pit, or get plenty of tips at the friendly front desk lounge. King suites have charming heritage windows, freestanding baths, and nice antique touches such as wall clocks, yet lush modern linens and generous smart TVs. Feeling lazy? Have continental breakfast in bed each morning. From $US369 ($581) a night, twin-share.
Cleo Glyde was a guest of Visit Carmel-by-the-Sea.
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