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Petra Cafe

4.2 (295 reviews)
InexpensiveMediterranean, Cafes
Open • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Order Petra Cafe Takeout or Delivery

Petra Cafe Photos

PETRA CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for kids
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Petra Cafe

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Little Mediterranean place for dinner.
Steven G.

My wife and I came here for a casual dinner the first long day of the seminar in Monterey. We had reservations at a fancy place, But we were both tired and this place was close to our hotel. It's a small place with a Mediterranean color scheme. Their menu includes enough variety where you can find something you like. They serve beer and wine, though I didn't see a menu or price list for them. The guy that takes your order brings the food. He was fine. My wife ordered a bowl of lentil soup and a side of hummus. She really liked the hummus. I tasted it and it was creamy and rich. She didn't have enough pita to finish the hummus, but we got her a to go container to bring the rest back to the fridge in the hotel. She thought the soup was fine. It was a bit under seasoned for her and needed salt and pepper. I had a Greek salad topped with gyro meat. The gyro meat appeared to not be the preformed frozen type. It had pieces of different shapes and thicknesses. The meat was tender. It wasn't as strongly flavored as most gyro I've had. But it tasted good. The tzatziki served with it was mostly yogurt, again a little under seasoned. The salad was ok. There was one sliver of red pepper and one of green, some thick red onion partial slices, a few cherry tomatoes, and some feta. The feta tasted pretty good. The dressing was very vinegar forward with few other seasonings. The lettuce was romaine, and 80% were the ribs with attached leaves. The salad was not a great choice. At more than $20 with gyro, was not worth it. It's not about the money. It just wasn't that good. When I saw the small salad was $11 and was served on a 6" diameter plate, I should have reconsidered my choice. The real reason this gets no more than a 3 is that it was freezing inside. It was about 50 outside and inside. The order/server guy was bundled up. The temperature was not pleasant. So the food was mostly just ok (except the hummus), it was freezing inside, and the service was fine. How is that more than a 3?

Chicken Shawarma bowl

I've walked by this place many times and kind of wanted to try it, so I finally did. The place seemed very dingy, but I wanted to give it a chance. I had high hopes, but I was really disappointed. I ordered the chicken shawarma bowl , and for $20 I was shocked at how small the portion was -- maybe six small pieces of chicken in a tiny bowl. The chicken was horribly seasoned and super dry, and the rice wasn't much better. I honestly don't even know what to call it. I left still hungry and feeling like I completely wasted my money. The best thing I had was the Dr. Pepper -- because they didn't make it. I would walk a block down the street and go to Nick the Greek instead. This place is not worth it. Save your money.

kafta kabab combination & petra combination
Liz B.

A great Mediterranean spot for casual eats that's located in a busy downtown street with many other shops! The Petra combination is a great way to try two different meats. The tzatziki was delicious and complemented the meats well, and the kafta kabab was seasoned well. The cashier was also very friendly and help clean out our plates after we finished eating. Overall I'd recommend it!

Petra combination and kafta kabob combo
Natalie Y.

for the tzatziki alone, 5 stars. it was soooo delicious!! i thought I didn't like tzatziki sauce but thanks to Petra cafe, i think i love it the meats were also pretty delicious, esp when paired with both the hummus and tzatziki. the salads are also great for adding some fiber to ur diet~ we were craving something light for dinner and this was the perfect spot. the pita bread was a little bit dry and thin, not what I'm used to but still does the job nonetheless. i would come back solely for the tzatziki :) service is order at the counter and they'll bring out the food to you if you choose to dine in. the inside is pretty small! just a handful of tables. its right in the middle of downtown Monterey so theres much to explore after you're done eating

Menu
Lita S.

This is a nice place. The food cost is high, and I was surprised it was about $50 for two meals and rice. Especially because it's a small place. I was also surprised that my receipt for each item was higher than what is listed on the menu. In addition, $7 for a side of rice seems excessive. The cashier was polite and the food came out fairly quickly. For a Thursday evening at 7pm there weren't any other patrons and I wonder if it was the chilly evening or the high prices. Over all the vegetarian combo was good. The fish and chips were ok - not great like a fish place but ok. The pita bread was from a store and a bit stale. The stuffed grape leaves were ok. The hummus was really good. I wonder if the y lowered the prices a little and maybe had some specials, people might be willing to go there for a meal. But with the high price I probably won't be going again.

a man ordering food at the counter
Jonathan C.

Was looking for a quick healthyish bite in the area and decided to stop by here. Ordered a Falafael sandwich combo with fries, Petra combination platter and a small baba ghanouj (comes with pita). The gyro was a bit on the salty side and wasn't a big fan of their grape leaf. The falafel and baba ghanouj were solid and their pita has a nice texture. Overall, flavors were fine, but nothing special. It's not a bad place to pop by for a quick bite, but wouldn't seek it out.

Gyro combo plate
Dexter F.

Great little spot in downtown Monterey. The Mediterranean food was excellent. The Gyro combo plate was spot on with a soda for a bit $15. I think this is my favorite in downtown Monterey for lunch/dinner. It is simple and very good.

Chicken gyro platter Baklava  Lemon Turkish delight
Grace C.

Cozy Greek restaurant w a couple tables outside and indoor seating. Chicken gyro platter was fun to eat as we made our own gyros with the tasty thin strips of gyros. Note: the chicken gyros can sell out. Lemon Turkish Delights- refreshing Baklava- pretty good

Outside

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6 years ago

Best Gyros, falafel, Kefta sandwiches and best chicken salads specially the dressing!

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3 years ago

Perfect Tzatziki and Avalemono soup. Very fresh tasting. Cute restaurant tucked behind Alvarado street. A must go

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5 years ago

Lamb Gyro is so freaking good. Owner is super sweet and friendly as well. Definitely going back for more. Highly recommend this place.

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The absolute best food I have ever had delivered to my hotel. Unbeatable. Can't go wrong with anything.

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Is the meat halal?

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Kafe Toribashi - Outside, view, taiyaki, ice cream

Kafe Toribashi

4.5(56 reviews)
0.4 mi

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.

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.

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.

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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(410 reviews)
1.0 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.

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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(830 reviews)
3.4 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

Saw this place ranked among Yelp's Top 50 Best Coffee Shops in America and knew I had to try it!…read more This review is strictly for the coffee shop! The coffee shop is located at the front, with bike rentals in the back. The store itself is super cute and extremely dog-friendly, which is always a huge plus. Parking: No designated parking lot, so you'll have to find street parking. It was pretty difficult on a Sunday, but honestly, that's nothing out of the ordinary for downtown Carmel. We got 3 drinks from their seasonal menu, and unfortunately, they were all just okay. Strawberry Fields -- $8.50 The matcha was decent, and I appreciated that they used strawberry purée. However, it wasn't memorable enough for me to order again. Vanilla Cardamom Latte -- $7.50 The cardamom was SUPER strong, and I felt like it overpowered everything else. The description mentioned rich espresso and creamy vanilla, but both were definitely lacking. Velvet Noir -- $7.50 This tasted as described: dark chocolate and cherry espresso. It was not overwhelmingly sweet. Service deserves a shoutout! Despite my mixed feelings about the drinks, the service was AMAZING! The cashier was super friendly and even made a special pup treat for my dog, which I genuinely appreciated. My dog absolutely loved it! As an avid coffee drinker, I'm not sure I'd personally consider this one of the "best coffee shops" based on the drinks alone. I was hoping for stronger espresso flavors, especially given the recognition and price point. That said, the customer service and dog-friendly atmosphere were fantastic! I didn't get a chance to rent a bike this time, but I'd definitely stop by again on my next visit to Carmel. Maybe I'll have better luck with a different drink next time!

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Mad Dogs & Englishmen  - Ham and cheese

Ham and cheese

Mad Dogs & Englishmen  - Hot vanilla latte

Hot vanilla latte

Mad Dogs & Englishmen  - Busy Sunday afternoon

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Busy Sunday afternoon

Petra Cafe - mediterranean - Updated October 2026

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