The Pacific Grove farmers market has been adding a number of new vendors, giving a breath of fresh…read moreair to this small--but mighty--farmers market. One of the latest additions is Panda Kitchen, a small stand offering up Chinese fare. The menu has been expanding in recent weeks. When they first opened, Panda Kitchen only served potstickers. Now, they offer potstickers (fried), dumplings (steamed), steamed buns and steamed edamame. The potstickers and dumplings aren't housemade--they let it slip to me that they buy them premade. (Honestly, I suspect that's the case at many shops around town--at least Panda Kitchen is honest about it.) They're available in chicken or pork--sorry, vegetarians, looks like no potstickers for you. The wrapper is thin and delicate, stuffed with meat. They're flavorful, much better than frozen potstickers from Trader Joe's or Costco. The fried potstickers aren't overly fried and they aren't greasy, just a light golden touch. And the steamed dumplings are light and a good alternative if you don't want something fried. Order six potstickers or dumplings for $4.99 or 12 for $7.99. Today, I tried the combo plate, with potstickers, tofu and steamed edamame ($7.99). They were out of tofu--I got there 30 minutes before closing--so they gave me a couple extra potstickers instead. The potstickers were tasty, as always. The edamame were a little bland--they could have used some salt--but they were a generous portion, maybe 40 pods? And the edamame are available on their own for $2.99. Panda Kitchen also serves steamed buns, stuffed with pork (six for $5.99) and tofu steak (eight pieces for $4.99), but these seem to go quickly--they were sold out when I arrived about 30 minutes before market closed. The food is tasty, but it's clear the guys running this stand are still settling into the groove. They're not the speediest when prepping food so expect a bit of a wait for your order. But despite the kinks, Panda Kitchen is a nice alternative to the usual farmers market vendors.

I've been to this farmers market no less than 20 times. Its good and the perfect size. A nice mix…read moreof fresh produce and good things to munch on. A solid selection of live plants and knickknacks A little bit sparse lately and some homeless noticeably about. Last words...get your steps in.

An easy evening excursion. It operates Tues. from 4-8PM and extends to the bay (convention center)…read moreand the corner Rite Aid pharmacy (a good 7 blocks?). A MIXED VENUE with food trucks, produce, health and beauty products, and some crafts and accessories. I am not sure but sometimes I hear music from a distance. Live music would definitely bring me back and linger longer.

If you're in Pacific Grove, Monterey on a Monday, it's worth a stop. We were visiting down the…read morestreet at the Seven Gables Inn and walked up the street to check it out. We bought some fresh fruit from a produce vendor and found a vendor with home made Hummus and Pita Chips. We purchased supplies for our stay and the rest of our trip. The Hummus lasted one night it was so good and the chips were delicious. The live music was really nice to hear as well.

A cute little evening farmers market next to the beach (Lovers Point). My friends and I were…read morewalking around before our dinner reservation at the Spotted Duck, and we stumbled upon the small businesses selling various things. There were a few food trucks with Thai food, hummus, pupusas, etc. CHECK OUT FRECKLES PICKLES :D

Monterey's Farmers Market (Alvarado)…read more I've never been to this vendor in the past, because the line was always SO LONG...but one day, it was short and we hopped in...and O.M.G. It was so worth it. We got a full chicken, potatoes and Brussels spouts, and lemme tell you...I literally think about it all the time. Words can not even explain how yummy their food is. Plus side, they take card!

Let's talk about roasted chicken! I love a perfectly roasted and seasoned chicken. And this place…read morehas the right ingredients to satisfy my chicken craving. The smells coming from the truck are amazing and mouth watering for sure! The line is usually a bit long, but definitely worth the wait. The sides offered are roasted potatoes and brussel sprouts. All cooking in grills in between the roasting chickens so they soak up all the chicken juices. I usually get the half chicken as it is affordable for me, $8.00. And I can get two meals from it. I have had the potatoes too, but they are honestly not the show of this food truck. The brussel sprouts look so good and I will be trying them next. The five stars is really for the chicken as it is perfectly roasted with a seasoned crispy skin and juicy meat. I defitinely come here for the chicken when I can and crave it. Be sure to hold the chicken upright after you purchase it as they give it to you in a bag on a paper container. You don't want any of the juices to run out of the bag. Next, I will get the brussel sprouts. And of course the chicken.

I come here every time we are in town. The are three specific people I visit. The hummus guy…read more(hummus-Jalapeño and garlic are the standout favs in my family), The Wise Goat (probiotic salsa (she has a bunch of other pro and prebiotic products), and the Kitchen Table Cultures (bone broth). This time around we picked up some berries that didn't disappoint. They have a lot to offer and some stands have long lines (I assume that's a good sign). What I love...no dogs allowed in the market, it makes the ambiance more pleasing (for me personally). Worth a stop for sure. The only downside...no coffee dealers but then again, I go to ACME in seaside for the best coffee in the area.

Food - the goods at this market look spectacular. They are grown very locally...just leave town…read moreand you'll see where. Service - it's a Farmers Market. They're all the same. Ambiance - it's at the Del Monte Shopping Center parking lot. A mall. The only mall for miles and miles. (Carmel doesn't count. Maybe Seaside/Sand City is getting bigger and Salinas is a world apart) There are others such as the one in downtown Monterey à la Alvarado Street but this looks to be the one in the mall parking lot. Luckily this mall isn't full the majority of the time (if ever?) because the parking lot is enormous and provides enough space for vendors. Little pricey for a farmers market. However, I did end up purchasing some salmon fresh off the boat, brought it home and cooked it that evening. ~$30 per pound so like I said, a little pricey. But dang it was good. The "Del Monte Market" location and the "Monterey" market are the same place according to the website. The parking lot of the mall. Who knows...

Quick and convenient amazing food truck tacos. I usually opt in for the fish tacos, more…read morespecifically the fried fish tacos, and they are very large so an average customer would probably only need two if you don't get the fries or something on the side.

The fish taco was delicious. Best fish taco I had while in California. The guy running the food…read moretruck was a little grumpy, however great taco. Everything complimented every well, typical baja style. The rockfish was fried well. They had other non seafood options but the fish taco is where it's at. A little expensive but everywhere in California is.

Really enjoyed the quesabirria here! It was my first time trying this spot, and I loved that they…read morelet you order ahead--my food was ready right when I got there. The tacos were nicely crispy (not soggy), full of flavor, and came in a set of 3 which was perfect. The meat was tender and juicy, and everything tasted fresh (except I didn't get any sauce but that's ok). Definitely a solid spot to check out if you're in the mood for good quesabirria.

Food is realy good taste and freshness are very exelent I realy recomend this foodtruckread more

I was driving through Monterey on a Saturday afternoon and saw this food truck parked near the…read morewharf. I was craving Mexican food, and after scrolling through Yelp with nothing catching my eye, I figured this was a sign to pull over. They have a great menu with more than reasonable prices. I ordered the Papas Volcan along with a few chicken and beef tacos. The Papas Volcan consisted of french fries, jack cheese, carne asada (my choice of meat), jalapenos, and salsa. It also came with another sauce that wasn't mentioned on the menu. I'm not exactly sure what it was, it was slightly sweet and didn't ruin the flavor at all, but I'd suggest asking if you think you'd mind it. The tacos were wrapped in handmade tortillas with perfectly cooked meat that wasn't greasy. I preferred the chicken over the beef, but both were good. Their green salsa is great for flavor and the red salsa is good for heat. I added both and thought it was a perfect combo. I'm not a fan of too many taco spots in Monterey, so I'll definitely come back when I'm back in the area!

Los tacos están bien chiquitos por $4 casi no le ponen carne. Cuando llegue a mi casa y abrí los…read moreplatos casi me regreso para que me regresen mi dinero. Llo se que la economía está muy mal pero los tacos están peor. Señores dueños del volcán por favor dediquen más tiempo ala comida, tan buenas trocas y bonito logo pero la comida debería ser un poco más.

Ordering is easy convenient, order ahead as they sell out quick. Nice location, Always great…read moreservice, food is amazing ten stars!

Prices posted were not honored. Employee very aggressive when asked why prices were different. Cook…read moregrabbing stuff from pockets and not washing hands

This is an amazing weeklong event that has been celebrated over 100 years in Pacific Grove…read more Conceptual artists, take note; It is completely made up! Begun as the closing ceremonies to the annual summer Chautauqua lectures, some think as early as the 1890's. No one is positively sure when it started but the official year is now 1905. Well worth bringing the kids to see this day long pageant and pet parade as well as chicken dinner and many other events including Wednesday which is cake cutting day and kids get to draw on the sidewalks outside Chautauqua Hall. All free! Don't miss the great fireworks including Chinese fireworks! Update in response to the very poor review by AJ: Feast of Lanterns has very little to do with any real Chinese history. It is a faux Chinese pageant which is based on an English play. It has been offensive to some Asian people who don't understand that it started as a celebration of other cultures and was an American interpretation of the Japanese Obon festival circa 1900, in the 1920's it turned into a bathing beauty contest, was not celebrated during WWII, then re-emerged as a faux Chinese American festival, probably due to anti-Japanese sentiment. What has remained are small vestiges of the original Obon with lanterns being lit down at the beach as well as the boat parade. It is a celebration, like many in America which has changed with the times and has only traces of actual history. Pacific Grove had the longest active Chinese fishing community on the west coast. Feast of Lanterns was very Japanese oriented when the Chinese lived there. As far as their involvement, it was probably limited to the lighted boat parade, one of the few consistent traditions of the event. As far as the history of the actual Chinese families that lived at the village, it was a fairly peaceful relationship until the end when several entities were interested in the land. Not the local residents, but rather developers and Stanford University. I do agree, this event should have some basis in actual Asian history, but it has become it's own unique event. To that end, it is hard to be offended by something that has no roots in any particular culture but it's own, and yet, started because of a very open-minded interest in other cultures circa 1900.

Location is beautiful, event amazing, but the food is such a rip off. We got a "philly cheese…read moresteak" which was some cooked deli beef with jalapeños inside a tiny hotdog bun for $11. No cheese. Yes, no cheese for a cheese steak. For a tiny cup of hot chocolate it was five bucks, for a sparse and minuscule amount of curly fries, $6. Such a waste of money so strongly suggest bringing your own food.