AMAZING food! Excellent service! Highly recommend the Dynamite Pizza! And bread pudding for dessert! And the calamari!!! You can't go wrong eating here!!! read more

Excellent meal with my family of 5. Great variety of options for kids and adults. Staff was super friendly and accommodating, took the time to share details of various dishes, etc. Pizzas were really good! Great wine and beer list. read more

This was some of the best food we've ever had. The flammenkeuche pizza with prosciutto, crème fraîche, caramelized onions, some other delicious stuff and a great thin, crispy crust. Also the red leaf lettuce salad with pears and blue cheese, and pecans. The people there were really nice without being chatty or condescending. A couple bottles of Celt cider went really well with the pizza and salad. We'll probably go back tomorrow before we leave the area. read more

Entrees offered are some very unique takes on a few European classics. The service was ridiculously slow! The prices are high and many other restaurants are available in the Mid-Carmel Valley Area. Profoundly disappointing Saturday afternoon lunch experience. Will not ever be going back to Cafe Rustica. read more

As a Carmel Valley Village local and restaurant industry professional for over 25 years, my experience this evening was nothing less than comical. A. With a reservation for 5:30 pm . Our party of four was seated in the corridor at the end of the "outdoor dining room", fantastic view of the garden hose and swinging "employee only " door . Again, 5:30 with 3 front patio tables occupied, perhaps 3 interior tables and is. B. In Yelp reviews one reads how impressed that they are of "the chef" coming table side to take your order. I'm sorry, but wearing a dirty apron and rented chef coat with plastic buttons does not make you a chef, even if you are a large man and have a European accent. It gets better / worse . C. Spanish white anchovy, boquerones, on the pizza napolitano? I asked specifically . Yes , I was assured . I requested a side with the Caesar salad . Tomato bisque - directly from a can with perhaps a scant bit of milk. Acidic and insipid. D. No follow up from our "chef" waiter throughout the meal, left to poet our bottle of wine, no regard or inquiry as to our meal satisfaction . E. HERES THE BEST PART : busboys came and boxed leftover bland pizza . We left . 20 minutes later, at home, we realize that we were never served our bill and returned to pay. SO- service??? Negative 10 stars to attention to detail, prioritizing Local customers, food quality and execution. read more

Cafe Rustica - Spanish boquerones? I think not. - French Near Me - Carmel Valley, California

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Discovered this place with my gf while staying in Carmel valley, loved this place instantly. Romatic setting, great food, great service. Johnny was our waiter first time, we loved it so much we came back the next day for dinner again, Diane was also amazing. Few months we made the trip for Valentine's specifically to have dinner at rustica again. Diane was amazing again. Im looking forward to revisiting this place ;) loyal customer read more

With a break in the rain, my coworkers and I headed out to Café Rustica for a team lunch. While it's a bit of a drive, this quaint restaurant out in Carmel Valley serves up some pretty good meals. I'd eaten dinner here a few times, but this was my first trip out to Café Rustica for lunch. We ordered a few appetizers to share--calamari, roasted artichoke, eggplant Napolitano, a mushroom pizza and a beet salad. I was a fan of the calamari--not too greasy and just a touch of breading. The beet salad got rave reviews, but I'm not a fan of beets. (It's a color thing--should I really be consuming something that's leaving a neon purple residue on my plate?) I ordered the herb-roasted chicken breast sandwich, with butter lettuce, Provolone, roasted red peppers and house-caramelized tomatoes on ciabatta. The flavors paired nicely--the caramelized tomatoes were really quite outstanding and added a nice, sweet flavor that was more elegant than simply using ketchup. But wow, this was clearly a knife-and-fork sandwich--I tried to pick it up with my hands and it immediately started to fall apart. The sandwich was simply too big and too messy to eat with my hands. We finished off the meal sampling some desserts--crème brulee, a flourless chocolate cake, an apple galette and a bread pudding. Sadly, I wasn't so impressed with the desserts--with the exception of the bread pudding, they all suffered some fatal flaw (e.g., overcooked crème brulee custard, crumbly chocolate cake, overly crisp apples). Sure, they were tasty, but after such a delicious meal, I was hoping for equally delicious desserts. I guess you can't have your cake and eat it too? Service was quite nice and the location and atmosphere are great. I highly recommend sitting outside--the Valley's sunny weather is the perfect vacation from the gloomy fog that's all too common on the Monterey Peninsula. read more

Oof. Comme je suis desole, cher resto! Yeah, I'm sorry to have to say that I was less than wowed by my last meal at Cafe Rustica. Lovely place, of course, and I do love sitting outside on an indian summer night, but the atmosphere is what's keeping them in the three-star range, not the food or the service. We were a large group, but we had made reservations ahead of time so there's no reason the server should have been on the less-than-friendly side of attitude. It was clear that she was not thrilled to be working our group, and while her actual service was error-free, when I wanted to pony up and surprise the group by paying for our four bottles of wine ahead of time, I got a snappish "It's a big group, it's all going on one ticket" response. Sadly, she ended up splitting it off anyway, but by that point she had ticked me off so the gesture felt forced. And the food was inconsistent. I loved the tasty skin of my duck, but the flesh was dry and over cooked. My braised cabbage was really good, but the mashed potatoes were cold. For dessert, the sauce was overly sharp and the pastry was slightly stale. My dining companion's portion of ravioli was small and had no sides or starter, and was in the "OK" flavor range. On the plus side, my mushroom soup starter had excellent texture and flavor. Bottom Line: If you really believe that "Hell is other people", perhaps hospitality is a poor choice of working environments. read more

Oh my god is this place amazing. I had no idea the Carmel "Village" even existed, but one of the locals at a downtown coffee shop tipped us off. It's about a 15 minute drive up the hills, and for a while you'll feel like you're just heading off into the forest -- just be patient. This place has excellent food, wonderful staff, and the space is beautiful. The gourmet pizzas are a great option if you want to keep the cost low, but everything here is well worth the price. My bullshit meter goes way up whenever I go to a pricier restaurant, and there was no bullshit to be found at Cafe Rustica. Everything from the appetizer salad to the dessert was wonderful. Great place to take anyone you want to impress. read more

This was our first time back to Cafe Rustica in four years, and everything was still terrific! Note that we showed up without reservations at 6:45 pm on a Thursday night, and the only available seats were at the bar. The second night we planned ahead and made reservations. We actually ate here twice in three days. Our first dinner included the Lorraine pizza that we had last time, and the Jose's Pizza Verde (Tomatillo sauce, chicken, corn, feta cheese, Monterey Jack, parmesan, cherry tomatoes and cilantro). The Lorraine was perhaps a tick better, but they were both delicious. And we had lots of leftovers for lunch the next day. The Morgan Winery Savignon Blanc was very nice, and for desert the chocolate crescent bread pudding with caramel and raspberry sauce was outstanding. Two nights later we had dinner here again, as we'd both seen some non-pizza items we wanted to try. I had the Hungarian Paprika Beef Goulash on egg noodles, crème fraîche and roasted red peppers, and my wife had the Chicken Sausage with cabbage & peppercorns and potato au gratin. Once again, the entrees were excellent, although my wife could have done without the peppercorns, which kind of overpowered the cabbage. For desert, the lemon pudding cake with strawberries was good, but a little too tart. Although our waitress was a little slow to give us menus the first night (when they were packed), the service was otherwise very good. And while the second night probably rated more of a 4-to-a-4.5, I have no problem rounding up to a 5 for our two visits. read more

There's nothing like Hungarian goulash and a German Riesling. This is a great place for dinner, and the heat lamps outside make it easy and enjoyable. read more

IN GENERAL If you are in Carmel, you have to give this place a try. Yes, the food isn't cheap, but the portions are just right and the food is FANTASTIC. ATMOSPHERE Like the name of this restaurant implies--Café Rustica has an atmosphere of eating on the countryside of wine country. Noise was at a minimum since I was seated outside. Speaking of seating, my party of three had no problems getting seated even though we didn't have a reservation. We were there around 6:30pm on a Tuesday--but I wouldn't be surprised if it is hard to get seating. This place ranges from casual to semi-formal. The parties that ate here tonight ranged from some couples, families, and groups of friends. I personally felt a bit underdressed since I walked in with flip-flops and my exercise clothes--which is too informal. But it wasn't a big deal since this is California. SERVICE We were seated and attended to promptly. Did not have to remind anyone to refill my water or bread basket. Our server's name was Mike and he was courteous as you would expect from any decent restaurant. FOOD I only ordered their vegetarian plate--but I can tell that this place is serious about food from the quality of what they set on my table. Every aspect of my plate was cooked well from the string beans to the crispy artichokes. The highlight of the dish for me was the potatoes au gratin. This is a place I will definitely come visit again. Their pizza and dessert menu look very enticing. I'll be sure to bring an empty stomach too! read more

This place gets rave reviews and compliments from friends - but we didn't feel the hype. Reservations are a must - it was a 3hr wait for an inside table (we opted for the covered veranda out back - cooler, but not as cold as out front). The waiter(chef?) was helpful but it was quite a wait between sightings of him. The dishes are a little pricey but we were expecting great quality. The various salads and the soup were great, raising our expectations for the main menu... but the ribeye steak, a pasta dish, and tortolline dish were huge in portion size, but so-so on taste. They came back strong with tasty desserts, but for me - the now-and-then wait service (not to be confused with the ninja-like water filler) and the so-so main entre make me not likely to return. read more

Lining the streets of Carmel Valley are several quaint restaurants. Cafe Rustica was one of those restaurants lit up by heater lamps and lanterns lining the roof top. On a cool night, the outdoor seating is abuzz with both locals and tourists eating under the stars. It's more than just a rustic cafe, it's a full restaurant with lots of specialties on the menu. From starters, salads and mains you'll find plenty of great dishes on the menu. The wood fired pizza is excellent and is served warm and crispy. Just the way I like it. You can't go wrong with their calamari appetizer as well as their ceasar salad complete with homemade croutons. They also have a pretty extensive wine menu--it is Carmel Valley where wine is plentiful so I wouldn't expect anything less Open for lunch, an afternoon snack or dinner, when you're in town you definitely have to check this rustic cafe out. Expect a quaint, relaxing and delicious meal. read more

This was the perfect place for my husband and I to have dinner. We were staying at the Carmel Valley Ranch Lodge and it was a quick drive from there. We sat inside right next to an open door - best seat, really. Got to experience the coziness of being inside while taking in the fresh open air. Ok, now on to the food... We started with the pear, gorgonzola salad. It was huge; good thing we shared it. The pecans were the perfect crunch and sweetness. We looked around and all the other salads looked delicious also. Hubs got the duck special and raved about it. Again, huge portion. I got the Pasta Rustica with all of my faves: roasted eggplant, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives and sundried tomatoes - all in a flavorful sauce. Not too heavy either. I got through a 1/4 of it and then took it to go. Oh and we shared a bottle of the Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc. Nice accompaniment to our dinner. Sadly, no room for dessert for us! read more

I really don't want to give a superlative rating to a restaurant unless it deserves it. Cafe Rustica is worthy, and is an extraordinary pleasure in a time where great food and excellent service is very hard to find. My party did not order anything fancy. Rather, we had pizzas (one mushroom and one vegetarian) and vegetable salads. As bland as that may sound, the chef (super nice guy) did such a great job with everything that we we practically licked our plates. We finished everything off with an amazing chocolate gelato that was as good as the stuff you get in Paris. Carmel Valley is a very nice place to stroll and do wine tastings. When you're there, and you get hungry, go to Cafe Rustica to cap off a great day. I will return to try other items as soon as I can. read more

Rustica had been a longtime family favorite. Carmel Valley has a handful of restaurants and this is the best, in my opinion. Yes, Corkscrew Cafe and Will's Fargo are also great, but for consistency, all-around delicious menu, and lovely dining experience, it's always Cafe Rustica for me. The butternut squash ravioli is my favorite dish, and the red leaf salad with blue cheese and pecans is the perfect starter. I also love Jose's Pizza--the tomatillo base inspired us to replicate it at home. They always have a few specials which are worth trying. The wine list is great--nice French selections but also local vineyards like Chesebro, which is especially fun since their tasting room is just down the street. The wines are well-priced--moderate to expensive, but always interesting picks. We love going on summer nights and sitting on the patio. They have gas heaters, so when the sun goes down, you can still comfortably enjoy the outdoors. It's worth the trip out to the Valley to try this gem, but also nice to schedule a day of wine tasting at all the tasting rooms within walking distance before settling into a wonderful meal. read more

If not for a big glob of dirt in my salad, which was mostly eaten before I discovered it, my experience may have been better. When brought to the staff's attention they did comp me for the salad, but considering I most likely ate some of the mud, I was expecting a bit more from the management. The pizza we got was pretty good, so I can recommend those. Dessert had a bit of a chain restaurant feeling to them so I would pass or maybe recommend the ice cream if you need something sweet (always a safe bet!). Atmosphere was nice and the place was busy so I do recommend a reservation if you have time. We waited about 25 minutes for seats at the bar. read more

We felt fortunate to get a table outside at this well reviewed restaurant. The service was attentive and friendly . We had the fish special, the sauce was a bit thick and unappetizing and the fish overcooked, and simple vegetables were unseasoned and perhaps only steamed then flashed on the grill. The calamari was not as described, it was not crispy and perhaps even frozen. The Caesar salad was fine. Perhaps we were there on an off night. We also wonder if the many takeout orders during Covid plus the seating restrictions have impacted the kitchen staff's abilities during this time. We do understand it's a tough time to keep up quality. read more

My friends and I (a group of 9) went there on a sat evening and had a great time! Waiter was a little shaky on remembering our drink order, but it worked out on our end because we ended up with some comp wine! Food was great--had the sea bass dinner special and it was cooked perfectly. My friend had the duck--skin was perfectly crispy & delicious. and the wood baked rigatoni's marinara sauce 100% comfort food goodness. We were stuffed by the end of our meal & shared a creme brulee--which was not too eggy, not too sweet, and had a nice thick crust of carmelized sugar on top. Restaurant ambience was super cozy with wooden beams & stone interior. the large group booth was cozy and perfect for us. I would def go back if I'm ever in the area again. wine servings are huge! Almost 2 glasses worth (at least to me). read more

Visited again for lunch, and was even more pleased by the varied menu. I ordered my basic Caesar with grilled shrimp, and was delighted with Italian parmesan and real Caesar dressing, with the lightly garlicked shrimp. We shared some fried Calimari, a generous portion, and slightly spicy, The walnut pear and cranberry salad was sweet and refreshing, and my beau's turkey, bacon and cheese hot sandwich was enough for two meals. I sampled his german potato salad, and dug right in! A glass pitcher of sauvignon blanc turned into two glasses of wine for my order, and a wedding across the street provided a sweet seranade in the dappled afternoon light1 read more

It doesn't get any better...the food, the service and the ambience! A true Locals Favorite for lunch and dinner. When asked for a great place to go, Cafe Rustica always is my first response. read more

Our last several meals were a big disappointment. Volume seems to be the priority over quality ingredients. The beets in the beet salad tasted canned, inexcusable. The pizza crust was tasteless, the tomatoes - canned? Rustica seems to have lost its way. read more

Caesar and Tri-tip salads were very good. Service was just awful. We were not asked if we wanted bread, nor were we asked if we wanted coffee or a dessert. We waited 15 minutes after our lunch plates we picked up and decided we better find the waiter and ask for our check. I know Cafe Rustica can do better and has in the past. Repeat the service was awful. read more

Always a great choice in the Village. You have the choice of sitting inside or out on the patio which I prefer especially on nice days. They offer a lunch menu which is smaller than the dinner menu. Both have many good options. Three of us went today and all of us had the BLT salad. The other two added chicken to theirs. I had a bowl of tomato basil soup. Delicious. If you go for dinner, try the butternut squash raviolis. Great food, excellent and attentive service and reasonable prices. Give it a try, you'll love it. read more

Perfect for a romantic dinner. My boyfriend and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary here. Nice ambiance and waitress gave helpful recommendations. 1. To start: Napolitan Pizza 2. Entrees: Herb roasted chicken with ratatouille, artichokes, and au gratin - artichokes were fried and crisp, tasted initially like fried eggplant but finished with a bit of sour artichoke flavor - chicken was prepared very well, red gravy sauce was savory with a bit of spiciness -ratatouille was a nice compliment to the dish Special: Petrale Sole in mushroom sauce with mixed vegetables and au gratin, served with soup or salad. I chose the soup de jour which was tomato basil. (dipped the pizza crust in the soup!) - fish was cooked wonderfully with bits of crisp skin with savory and tasty mushroom sauce - delicious creamy cheesy au gratin. balanced perfectly with the simple broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. 3. Dessert Pecan bourbon bread pudding with whipped cream and a strawberry on top. (Happy that we chose this dessert over butterscotch bread pudding) - Pecans were caramelized, bread pudding had a soft not soggy texture. - the sauce comes on the side ( which is nice because sometimes restaurants drench it in sauce) good flavor that wasn't too sweet with just the right viscosity -fresh strawberry on top is a nice touch read more

Cafe Rustica is AMAZING! Someone recommended this restaurant to me while I was in the Monterey/Carmel area. I went with 2 friends and we all agreed that it was the best meal we had while in the area for a 4-day conference. I would highly recommend the duck special and the pork medallions were superb. The creme brulee was a great way to end the meal as well. I would definitely recommend getting reservations at least one day in advance if you plan to go on a weekend. Definitely a must-try. read more

WHAT A TREAT! The green tomatillo pizza was SOOOOO yummy. The environment was so cute and cozy. We went during our lunch, and it was not super busy. Lovely. read more

Great food and exceptional service. Special shoutout to Diane who went to extra mile by even giving us some wedding planning advice :) read more

Cafe Rustica - Tasty burger - French Near Me - Carmel Valley, California

Rustica, as the name implies, serves up basically simple, well, rustic, dishes properly done. No foams or stacks of little unidentifiable things in the middle of a huge plate. i think there is a good balance of inventive cooking and a reasonable price. I can navigate and even afford much of the wine list. So, if you are entertaining someone, or yourself, and want to go to a reasonably high-end kind of place that is informal and not terribly expensive, Rustica is a good choice. The seating is fine either inside or out. It is not a Miami night club, but the customers always seem to be enjoying themselves. It is not a loud place, but not a hushed-tone atmosphere either. I am not a service freak. I hate hovering more than anything. Still, the service I have gotten here has always been just fine and I would think most people would be happy enough. Rustica is an excellent restaurant, one of the places I like down here in Carmel Valley. read more

Outstanding thin crust, wood fired pizza. Red leaf/butter lettuce salad with pears, candied walnuts and blue cheese is out of this world. Mushroom soup is delicious, creamy, really mushroomy :) In the summer, heirloom tomato salad is divine. Lemon pudding cake is worth a visit in and of itself!! One of my fave restaurants. read more

Wonderful food at a reasonable price. Very nice and attentive staff, wish it was closer to home we would love to visit more often. And they allow you to bring your dog with you out on the patio. Make reservations, you won't be sorry. read more

Still dreaming about the roasted half-chicken. So glad I ordered that with the potatoes au gratin and yummy vegetable mixture. My bf got the beef goolash and that was quite delicious as well. We each had a bit of the other's and he thought mine was better, because my sauce and flavor was so good. The service was good, even though it was very crowded and we didn't have a reservation we were seated quickly and attended to well. I liked how each table had a cute plant. The view of the mountains behind us was amazing. The ambience outside is very nice, but maybe a little crowded, though I didn't mind and felt that at our table for two we were in a little world of our own. Definitely going to go back again to try more delicious food! read more

First of all I would like to say the ambience was superb. Very comfortable surroundings. However...when my husband and I ordered a glass of wine, it had leftover food particles stuck in the glasses. Very disgusting..and NO apologies! Not good... The food was a little bland..not very impressed with the pizzas. We are traveling from Alabama and decided to stay in Monterey before we hit San Francisco...very disappointed in the choice of food we chose... read more

We have been to Cafe Rustica in the Carmel Valley Village many times over the last six years and always enjoyed our meal. A great casual, bistro to have lunch, sitting outside in their enclosed patio area. The salad with pecans and blue cheese is wonderful. Add a skewer of grilled shrimp and it's a meal in itself. The deep fried calamari is outstanding; the best I've had anywhere. They stop serving lunch at 2:30 PM, so don't be late! read more

Cafe Rustica - Cozy inside. There's patio dining too. - French Near Me - Carmel Valley, California

Great food and staff. You will not be disappointed with any thing they make. Try the wood fired pizza oven and roasted dishes. Superb wine and beer list. Nice outdoor seething in beautiful Carmel Valley. read more

Delicious! I went here on a tip from a friend of a friend, on a weeknight in January, alone (awkward, I know). Excellent, prompt, and totally friendly service (with available outdoor/patio seating). Most importantly, the food was unbelievable. I stuff my face with an appetizer in the form of some shrimp skewers (very nice!), some cream of mushroom soup, and the special, which was sole fillet with potatoes au gratin under the fish itself. All three items were just really good... especially the sole, which was tasty in a subtle way. Very impressive. Would go again. read more

This is mine and my husbands favorite place to go for brunch. Their German Potato salad is to die for. Literally! It fairs up their with my grandmothers. The salads are amazing as are the sandwiches. We usually have to split items as neither of us can ever decide what to order. Everything is so amazing. The setting is romantic and casual. We love the outdoor setting and the service we receive here. The chef often comes out to our table and greets us which I love. The beet salad is one of my favorites. I cherish this little gem and savor my time here. read more

I have met the perfect creme brulee, and it lives at Cafe Rustica. My ex-husband and I spent much of our marriage searching for the perfect creme brulee. We found one which had a great crust but was in a very narrow and deep ramekin. Another was in a shallow, wide ramekin, providing the perfect ratio of brulee and creme, but the crust wasn't quite dark enough. We'd talk about the perfect creme brulee deep into the night - and even now, post-divorce, whenever we see each other, we hunt for it. Perhaps, had we been to Cafe Rustica while we were married, their creme brulee would have held our marriage together longer. Oh, sure, there were other wonderful things. The heirloom tomato and mozzarella salad that was perfectly salted. The pungent, yet fruity olives that still held an almost grape-like texture. My boyfriend's roast chicken, which he said would be worth giving up my vegetarianism to try (I was tempted...) My tortellini with cream sauce, which despite being rich wasn't overly heavy. And the wonderfully curated wine list. But all pales in comparison to the creme brulee, which is the platonic ideal of what creme brulee should be. I thought I would only ever taste creme brulee like this in my dreams. Cafe Rustica has brought my dessert dream into the waking world. read more

Our entire meal was fantastic. From the restaurant's rustic elegance, to the service, to the food itself--everything was perfect. I had the Butternut Squash Raviolis, topped with bread crumbs and fresh sage in a beurre blanc sauce. I have had many a butternut squash ravioli in my life and these blew all others away. My boyfriend had the Chicken Apple Sausages, served with braised apple-red cabbage, au gratin potatoes, and caramelized red onions. After I polished off my ravioli, I tried his meal, and it too was sublime. For dessert, we shared the apple tart. It was very different from other tarts I've had, and I liked it more than I anticipated. With many apple pies/tarts/cobblers, I expect to be disappointed by a somewhat goopy consistency. This was different. It was served warm, but was very solid and not at all mushy. Absolutely delicious alongside a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. The whole experience was phenomenal. read more