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    ALTA Bakery & Cafe

    4.2 (992 reviews)
    Open • 7:00 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    ALTA Bakery & Cafe Photos

    ALTA BAKERY & CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - ALTA Bakery & Cafe

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    Paul H.

    They say a line is good for business and this bakery is known to be one of the best in Monterey. Location is right downtown and was in walking distance of the hotel. Plentiful sweet and savory baked goodies, coffee and tea options are available. Ended up selecting the ham and cheese croissant, a cinnamon pull apart muffin and a matcha tea with vanilla syrup (other syrups are also available). Ordered a medium matcha but it is totally a small sized one by my measure. Really like the cinnamon muffin and the ham and cheese croissant wasn't bad either. Don't forget the gooey yummy section at the bottom of the cinnamon muffin !!! Would recommend sitting in the nice courtyard tucked away in the back of the bakery. The Cella Restaurant Bar is also located in the courtyard also and I'm sure this would be a cool romantic spot to chill in the evenings. This appears to be a shared space with the bakery, restaurant and the Cooer smokers Adobe Flower Bouquet Bar/Museum. I was seated next to a small garden where lemon thyme, calendula, artichoke and other herbs and vegetables were planted. Would also suggest taking a stroll through the courtyard and take it all in.... Such a nice area to have a private party or event !

    Pastries
    Vivian Q.

    Wow, the pastries here are absolutely incredible! I came right around opening on a Sunday, and there was already a small line (which moved steadily). Staff patiently explained items and were constantly restocking the display with fresh pastries. I ordered the sausage croissant and the cinnamon bloom - both were SO delicious. I was blown away by the sausage croissant - it's flavored with fennel, and the meat filling vaguely reminded of the Asian bao-style meat fillings. The cinnamon bloom looks like a muffin but is made of croissant dough so it is incredibly flaky, and it's so fun to break off little pieces to pop in your mouth. (The coffee is just average, but that's not supposed to be the star here.)

    Maisie W.

    There is a line to bakery but it does move fairly fast. The space is really nice. Stopped by here before riding our bikes so we were kinda rushing. Note to self: i should get the food as to eat there because they will warm it up for you and you can still request box for left over. Everything we got were really good and they have such a pretty sit down place.

    Blue corn meal cookie
    Alexandra I.

    Line is longgggg! Staff is super sweet and help with explaining everything. It sucks that they can't keep up with having all bakery items in stock to choose from since it's very busy. So basically it's a hit or miss if what you can choose from by the time you get to the front of the line. I heard from previous reviews that these Blue Corn cookies are great. By the I got to the front of line, fresh batch came out. They are delicious and highly recommend! Avocado toast was also phenomenal! The seating area is a huge in outdoor area and super beautiful! I'd definitely come back.

    A selection of delicious baked goods that change all the time!
    Hayden G.

    If you're not willing to wait in the line stretching down the street-- then you don't deserve to eat here. It's a part of the experience. That might seem like a hot take but I promise, the locals know it's not! The pastries are incredible, variable, and delectable! The drinks are better than any other place on or adjacent to Alvarado, and the access to the garden area and outdoor seating is what puts this over the top for me. I would even give 5.5 stars if I could, the overworked bakers and baristas are still nice to everyone amidst the most chaotic mornings!

    Amani S.

    Not bad, overall it's all there for the hype. Service is good! We did not like our gold milk latte but they happily swapped it for a vanilla iced latte without charging. The coffee mouse cake was 10/10. If you don't get their early the pancakes/ waffles are sold out sadly did not get to try

    Menus
    Sophia H.

    After seeing a line out the door the day before, we figured Alta Cafe had to be worth the hype. We made 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.

    Goat Cheese & Fig Tartine
    Shayla T.

    This place does sell out!! Their pastries are fresh and super unique. We got the goat cheese & fig tartine and the reuben croissant. The fig was sweet and balanced well with the sharp goat cheese flavor. The reuben had sauerkraut which added a nice crunch. Got the hot orange cardamom latte and it was very fragrant. Would get again. Last time I got the star anise latte which kind of tasted like the Vietnamese pho lol. Cute outdoor garden shared with Cella restaurant. Service was quick and efficient even with the long line out the door.

    Chocolate mousse
    sanjana m.

    Food mid. I have high expectations with croissants. It was not crispy at all but the flavors were there. Need to try more of the menu though. Also only two current coffee flavors vanilla and lavender ... place had a line out the door, hype or stellar food, who knows ? Handicap accessible Chocolate croissant 3/5 Glazed donut 4.5/5 Ambiance 5/5 decorations so cute Service was 5/5 staff was so nice and sweet

    Special sign
    Jennifer D.

    When I first walked by in the morning at 9:15, there was probably 30 people standing in line outside the shop, and I thought "this place must be AMAZING". So on my way back around 11:30, I decide to get in line. It moved at a decent pace, and they had a good selection of menu items and baked goods. But when I sat down to my sandwich and coffee...it was good, but I didn't think it was mindblowing. The coffee was meh, there was a lot of tendons in the chicken that made it unpleasant to chew, but the croissant was perfect- flaky and buttery and delicious. I would probably try other places in Monterey before I went back. The staff was ok, they seemed very focused of pushing people through the line and not engaging them.

    Trees and blossoms
    Jeremy C.

    The new gold standard Alta is the new gold standard by which I will unfortunately be judging every bakery from now on. Get there early or prepare to wait in line--the secret is very much out. And deservedly so. The staff is exceptionally friendly, the setting is wonderful, and somehow the food tastes even better than it looks, which is an accomplishment considering the artistry coming out of the pastry case. Alta occupies part of the historic Cooper-Molera Adobe complex, and its back garden may be one of the loveliest places I've ever eaten breakfast. Passionflowers tumble over walls and trellises, potted plants and mature trees soften the courtyard, and shade sails make it an incredibly pleasant place to linger over coffee and pastry. It feels less like café seating and more like breakfast in a particularly lovely California garden. And then there's the food. I came back two mornings in a row. The first day's quiche was ham and roasted pepper; the second was cheese and mushroom. Both were outstanding. The egg filling had this almost impossibly silky quality, with a beautifully browned top and crisp, buttery crust. I found myself deliberately slowing down because I genuinely wanted to savor every bite. The pistachio-rose swirl was exceptional: delicate, flaky layers with honey, pistachio and rose playing off one another without becoming cloyingly sweet or perfumey. It's the sort of pastry that reminds you what laminated dough is actually supposed to be. The maple-bacon swirl was the only thing that didn't quite reach the same stratospheric level. The flavor was good, but the rendered bacon fat seemed to fuse some of those beautiful layers together during baking. At most bakeries I probably still would have called it very good. Alta had simply set an absurdly high standard for itself. Then a table beside me ordered the smoked-salmon toast, I saw it arrive, and resistance became pointless. Warm, hearty, thick-cut bread topped with crème fraîche, radish, pickled red onion, greens and a genuinely generous amount of smoked salmon. A triumph. Even the pistachio-honey latte was a dream. I can't rave about Alta enough. My only complaint is that I didn't have more mornings in Monterey to work my way through the rest of the menu. It was one of the culinary highlights of the entire trip and is now my benchmark for what an excellent bakery can be. Alta, you have ruined lesser bakeries for me. Five stars. No notes. Except: make more pastries. I have unfinished business.

    Whole grain pancakes
    Courtney R.

    Food was beautiful to admire and also exceptional. The outdoor courtyard provided a hidden garden vibe. The wait time for food wasn't bad,even while they were busy.

    Jennifer T.

    Cute bakery and cafe located in Old Monterey. Stopped by two days in a row for breakfast pastries. ( didn't have a chance to try lunch menu). Pastries are well worth the wait.most of the selection gets sold out by noon so it's better to come when the bakery just opens. Loved the pavlova, tomato danish and avocado toast here. Service is order and pick up. There is a courtyard and indoor seating. Outdoor seating is pet friendly.

    Special Sandwich

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    ALTA Bakery & Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - ALTA Bakery & Cafe

    Any gluten free pastries?

    Sadly, no. They had a GF goat cheese frittata. It was delicious!

    Will you be open on Christmas?

    They are closed on Christmas.

    Is there parking nearby?

    Yes at Trader Joe's or street parking next to Alta.

    Anything gluten free?

    Gf pizza

    Do they use Oatly oat milk?

    I believe they make all of their own milks. The oat milk was delicious.

    Is this cafe dog friendly?

    Yes, they are dog friendly!

    Do they have vegan options?

    Yes! The Avocado Toast is fabulous

    Are there gluten free options? And I saw in a review there are no dairy alternatives, is that correct?

    View All 9 Questions

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    Kafe Toribashi - Outside, view, taiyaki, ice cream

    Kafe Toribashi

    4.5(53 reviews)
    0.5 mi

    The staff seemed super friendly and were able to get my drink out quick despite it being a busy…read moretime. The ambiance was quite interesting. You're hit with the smell of ramen the moment you walk in and it's a bit loud. I ordered to-go so I can't say much about the dine-in experience but it was nice that they had seating both inside and outside. I got the Mango Matcha Latte with soy milk which was great! The purée was sweet but not overly sweet and balanced out the matcha. I'm not a matcha snob so I can't tell you if it's high quality but I loved the color and it tasted rich. My only complaints are that the matcha was a bit bitter and this drink was $10. They charge $1 for soy or almond milk substitution so keep that in mind if you don't drink cow milk! Overall, I think it taste great but I feel like it should be around the $7-8 range instead of $10-11. This is definitely a touristy area so I was expecting higher prices.

    Been here a couple times while roaming the wharf because we love the little outdoor balcony…read moreoverlooking the ocean! Such a calm and beautiful spot to relax for a little. The coffee is delicious. Our latest order was a lavender latte and it's got a great flavor. We haven't tried their pastries yet, but they have some available if you need a snack, as well as Marianne's ice cream. The inside of the cafe is nice too! There's plenty of tables to sit at and they have board games to play. Been here a couple times while roaming the wharf because we love the little outdoor balcony overlooking the ocean! Such a calm and beautiful spot to relax for a little. The coffee is delicious. Our latest order was a lavender latte and it's got a great flavor. We haven't tried their pastries yet, but they have some available if you need a snack, as well as Marianne's ice cream. The inside of the cafe is nice too! There's plenty of tables to sit at and they have board games to play.

    Photos
    Kafe Toribashi - Lovely place to stay

    Lovely place to stay

    Kafe Toribashi - Ramen with a view at the patio

    Ramen with a view at the patio

    Kafe Toribashi - Prepare your own ramen

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    Prepare your own ramen

    East Village Cafe - Breakfast Burrito (Plant Based) - Impossible Sausage

    East Village Cafe

    4.4(149 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    •$

    Super friendly lads behind the bar. We asked if we could see the art work on the other side of the…read morecafe and very kindly welcomed in. We then asked about the wonderful spicy aroma in the air, and were told that was the daily fresh brewed chai. So we ordered a two iced chai with oatmilk, I instantly loved the abundance of cardamon in my drink. My wife and I are going to try and stop by when ever we are in town. On our way out we also had the pleasure of meeting the owner and a regular who had been coming in since the opening of the East Village Cafe. If only we lived closer we'd become regulars too.

    I was honestly pretty annoyed with this experience. I ordered a matcha with raspberry syrup, and…read morewhen I got it, my matcha was literally white. I asked the employee about it, and he told me it was because of the raspberry syrup, which honestly made absolutely no sense. I went back to the counter and asked if I could just get an iced coffee instead. Rather than making a new drink, he said he could add more matcha powder to the cup I already had. He did that, and somehow my matcha went from being white to gray. At that point, I was already pretty frustrated. I finally just asked for an iced coffee because I was over it. They handed me a completely black iced coffee. So I essentially paid $6 for them to pour coffee and water over ice. By that point, I was genuinely so irritated hearing the two coworkers make jokes about doing better next time etc that I just walked out. I completely understand that mistakes happen, but the entire situation was handled so poorly. I tried multiple times to resolve the issue, and somehow I still ended up with a drink I didn't want, after wasting both my time and my money. $6 might not seem like a lot, but paying for something you didn't order and then having the situation handled this poorly is incredibly frustrating. Definitely not the experience I expected, and unfortunately, not one I'd want to repeat.

    Photos
    East Village Cafe
    East Village Cafe - Breakfast Burrito (Plant Based) - Impossible Sausage

    Breakfast Burrito (Plant Based) - Impossible Sausage

    East Village Cafe - Oat milk Cappuccino

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    Oat milk Cappuccino

    Tidal Coffee - Ham and cheese crossiant.

    Tidal Coffee

    3.9(407 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    •$

    With no schedule on a Friday morning, I decided to get something for breakfast. A short walk from…read moremy hotel on the less busy side of Cannery Row, I walked in a little after 9 am. A few people were waiting to order and more customers walked in as I studied the menu. I jumped into the line and after a short wait, placed my order. Rather than carrying my breakfast and beverage back to my hotel, I decided to enjoy the sights and sounds from their outdoor dining area. The expediter called my name and I shortly brought my purchases to a table facing the bay. I started with a hot chocolate, medium (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=SGdMOIoQV6_t-uothYYbfw, perfect for this foggy Friday morning. It was perfectly hot and not overly sweet. I enjoyed this as it's been a while, drinking this. I also got a sausage English muffin, cheese, egg, jalapeno aioli, onion (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=WgF_AQ-xeUkLIxZF6dRZlg); I was surprised by the size as it towers over the golden arch version of this. The jalapeno aioli was subtle and the onion added a nice crunch and flavor to the sandwich. The filling (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=NZaPMZCiCXJhrKg3VKuZgw) is generous. I also brought an item that I'd never seen to take back for a future snack or breakfast, the peach fritter (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&start=0&select=t303wZ8QRnuNuXk6rP16bw). With the staggering number of things that I bought from a downtown bakery, I didn't get to it till several days later. The dining room was about half full and the outdoor dining area was about the same on this cool, slightly foggy morning. Here's a shot of my view as I had breakfast (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&start=0&select=GTQiFiqy226JtcYrGIauwg). Big thanks to the kind and efficient cashier and expetiter. I would return here for breakfast if wanting something light and quick. It's directly next to the Monterey Plaza Hotel.

    Five stars for the location alone. Huge patio overlooking the bay. I ordered a raspberry iced…read morelatte. Not too sweet but I wish I could taste the coffee a little more. I should have asked if their syrups are made in house and/or the brands. I did not get a chance to try any food items but they sounded delicious! Service was very kind, casual, and patient! Their website is awesome by the way! Very coastal zen.

    Photos
    Tidal Coffee - Check out

    Check out

    Tidal Coffee - Monkey bread & Cold Brew

    Monkey bread & Cold Brew

    Tidal Coffee - Wonderful view on a beautiful morning.

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    Wonderful view on a beautiful morning.

    Mad Dogs & Englishmen  - Fall special cardamom latte at the beach

    Mad Dogs & Englishmen

    4.6(822 reviews)
    3.3 mi
    •$$

    Bike & coffee review!!…read more Let's start with the coffee. By far the best I had my whole trip to Carmel/Monterey. Absolute perfection. We actually all got drinks from their seasonal menu. Highly recommend using the pistachio milk! Presentation was gorgeous and service was SO good. Friendliest people fr. The space is so clean and so trendy, welcoming, and smells amazing. Don't forget a pup cup for your pup! DO THE BIKE RENTALS! Absolute highlight of our trip. BUT the team at this location recommended we actually rent from their Monterey location based on what we wanted to experience (literally biking on the coast / 17 mile drive route- hello!!!). They were also able to recommend what bikes we should book, etc. Only thing that wasn't cute was the prices on the flyer at the bike shop are inaccurate. Said $50 all day ride from Monterey but in fact it was $75. They said the flyer was out of date. Regardless, Mad Dog is so fab

    Super cute spot with fun decor…read more No line to order midday on a weekday. Employees weren't the friendliest, unfortunately. We asked what flavors they offered for lattes and they just pointed to the sign on the other side of the counter... Then once our coffees were made, we asked which one is which and we were met with annoyance and additionally were told the wrong drinks so we started drinking the other person's coffee. It was a bummer to feel like a burden and not a welcomed customer. The velvet noir latte was delicious, the vanilla cardamom was just ok.

    Photos
    Mad Dogs & Englishmen  - Ham and cheese

    Ham and cheese

    Mad Dogs & Englishmen  - Hot vanilla latte

    Hot vanilla latte

    Mad Dogs & Englishmen  - Front entrance

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    Front entrance

    ALTA Bakery & Cafe - cafes - Updated October 2026

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