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Petra Cafe

4.2 (289 reviews)
InexpensiveMediterranean, Cafes
Open • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Order Petra Cafe Takeout or Delivery

Petra Cafe Mediterranean Restaurant Photos

PETRA CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
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?

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

Daron C.

BLECHHHH WHAT KIND OF DOG FOOD DID I JUST EAT EEWWWWWW!!!! Easily the WORST Greek food I've ever eaten in my life. I just needed something quick before the concert at the Golden Gate but I'd rather have just starved. Sooooo bad!!! It tastes like cafeteria food! What a disgrace! Completely bland, overcooked grilled chicken. No amount of sauce could rescue it. Flavorless clumped up dry tasteless rice pilaf. Hockey puck strips of "gyros" with texture of beef jerky. Tabouleh was like frozen or something. Everything here was completely bland, try, and off-putting. I forced myself to swallow. I can't believe I paid $20 for dog .

Outside

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

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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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4 years ago

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

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3 years ago

Best service on Alvarado street, the food was perfect. Best and most authentic Mediterranean food in Monterey county.

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4 years ago

Meat dishes were dry, overcooked, lacking in flavor. Packaged pita bread was also dry and crumbly.

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Petra Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

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I visited at the recommendation of a friend. I was headed to Carmel and decided to stop for…read morebreakfast. There was quite a line early Saturday morning. It didn't look like it died down which is awesome for this business. I believe I waited 20-30 minutes in line before I reached the display case. There were so many delicious things to choose from, it was a challenge to decide! I opted for a croissant sandwich, a blue corn cookie, and some sweet treats for the beach. I also ordered a seasonal latte, I believe it was cherry chocolate with oat milk less sweet. There's a nice outdoor seating area with many tables in chairs. Since the weather was nice we decided to stop and eat for a bit. The ambience was very nice and calm. The food was delicious and their house made pickles were fantastic. They were crisp, fresh, and complimented the turkey sandwich so well. The blue corn cookie was very interesting and reminiscent of a tortilla chip. I'd definitely come back here if I were in the area.

Charming bakery and cafe with plenty of outdoor seating in the back connecting garden…read more Nice flaky, buttery dough on their pastries. Latte was decent, not too bitter or acidic and it was creamy They try a lot of variations for pastries, both savory and sweet! The savory danish was really tasty and there was some pickled / citrus component that added more depth and made it super interesting to eat! The salmon croissant was alright, had a really nice flaky crust but the filling tasted kinda gamey , would've been nice to have another component to balance it out. Cookies were niceeeee the buckwheat choco cookie had nice amounts of sea salt and was like a brownie texture on the inside. Choco chip cookie was thin and crispy on the outside with chocolate blobs spread around, quite sweet though There was a line going out the door but only had to wait around 15 min!

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Kafe Toribashi - Outside, view, taiyaki, ice cream

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On a rainy afternoon in Monterey, we were wandering around Fisherman's Wharf looking for something…read morewarm, coffee or tea, and a cozy spot with a view of the water. After lunch at Sand Dabs, we stumbled across this really cute café, and it ended up being the perfect stop. When we walked in, the first thing we noticed was that they were making fresh taiyaki, those sweet, fish-shaped pastries. The fillings offered were red bean, Nutella, and Oreo. There's a small discount if you order two, so we started with the red bean and Nutella, and honestly, they were so good that wished we ordered the Oreo too...warm, freshly made, and really delicious. I'll admit, I've had Taiyaki desserts before and was never a huge fan, sometimes they're bland or overly sweet. These were different. Even my friend said the same thing, we were both pleasantly surprised by how good they were. We both ordered hot teas, which felt perfect for the rainy weather, and I was totally intrigued by their ramen vending machines. You pick your ramen, choose your toppings, place it in the machine, and it fills with hot water and cooks right there. A few minutes later, your bowl is ready. It felt very Asia-inspired and not something you see very often around here, especially in a café setting. This spot is the café version of their main restaurant, which I believe is on Alvarado Street (I haven't been there yet). The service was genuinely great. The guys working were friendly, patient, and took the time to explain everything to us without rushing. You could tell they enjoyed what they were doing. Because it was raining, it wasn't crowded at all, which made the experience even better. We ended up hanging out for about an hour, just chatting, sipping tea, enjoying dessert, and looking out at the water. They also carry Marianne's Ice Cream, so I'm already planning a return visit on a warmer day. And honestly, next time I'll probably try the ramen too, if only for the fun of it and all the topping choices. Parking around the wharf is paid. We parked in a nearby lot and walked over, which was pretty easy, just something to keep in mind. Overall, the vibe was fun, cozy, and relaxed. Great desserts, a unique experience, kind staff, and a really nice place to spend a rainy afternoon by the water. I'll definitely be back.

I thought the cafe name was super cute. After browsing the menu, I decided to give this place a…read moretry. It's the only place that offers matcha/taiyaki so I thought it was worth a go. I ordered the mango matcha latte, which was a whopping $8.75 ($9.55 after tax). I gulped pressing the "pay" button; part of me wanted to swallow the doubt and see if it was any good. TLDR: it was bad. I'm not sure what the mango is made out of, but it is not smooth like a mango jam or puree. The texture is like blended up unripened mango meat. I will say, matcha taste is there, but the entire drink was just extremely sweet and there was little to no mango taste, besides chewing on the chunks in each sip. It's as if the drink was purposely made extremely sweet to hide the quality of the matcha and fruit. I tried finishing the drink since I paid nearly $10 for it but I couldn't, and had to throw the rest away. However, the worker who made my drink was kind and seems very friendly. The interior is very simple and cute, and there is a nice view of the ocean from the outside seating. I just wouldn't recommend the matcha here. Especially for what I paid for, I am pretty disappointed! :(

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Kafe Toribashi - Lovely place to stay

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Kafe Toribashi - Ramen with a view at the patio

Ramen with a view at the patio

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Paris Bakery Cafe - B.L.T. Sandwich

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4.0(1.1k reviews)
0.1 mi
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I had a delicious cherry croissant and clam chowder bread bowl at this cafe. My boyfriend…read morethoroughly enjoyed the free hot coffee they had at this location! The cherry croissant was perfectly buttery and flaky, with the acidity of the cherry adding just the right kick to this breakfast pastry. I was initially hesitant on getting the clam chowder at a bakery and was thinking of getting it at a seafood restaurant on Cannery Row, but the reviews were glowing and the price was reasonable. I'm glad I took a chance on it, because the bowl was chockful with clams, potatoes, celery, and a briny creamy seafood broth base. The ambiance in this bakery is great- there's a beautiful wall mural on the back wall of this bakery and lots of inside seating. Don't miss out on this spot!

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Paris Bakery Cafe - Calamari Sandwich

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Excellent little Paraguayan snack bar!!…read more I saw this spot while scrolling thru Yelp's nearby function and curiosity of their yerba mate and empanadas brought me in. I was still feeling kind of sick but wanted something hot to drink so I ordered a mate latte with oat milk. I also had one of their beef empanadas to take away so I could eat it later. Mate latte was great and definitely would get this drink again. They also have a smoked mate drink and I would definitely come back to try this too! You have to like yerba mate to fully appreciate this drink. The mate latte is kind of a light version of what mate is like. Maybe start with this first to prepare you for traditional mate. If you get traditional mate, be prepared to have your mouth jolted and doing jumping jacks, its definitely stimulating and I love it! Later when I reached my destination, I ate the beef empanada with chimichurri sauce provided and it was delicious! After I polished it off, I had wished I brought a few more to take with me. But, at $9.50 a piece, they aren't cheap, so keep that in mind. They also have other Paraguayan/South American offerings here and I was so tempted to get a mini alfajor as it was eyeing me in the display case that said EAT ME (like Alice in Wonderland), but I did not give into this, but I so wish I did!! I will definitely come back here again and again when visiting Monterey! A true gem and next time, I have to check out their secret back garden too!

K this was not our first pick but we wanted to go to 1st awakening which is half a block away but…read moretheir wait was 2 hrs so we stumbled upon this cafe and we were lucky to. No long wait times. Outdoor seating in the back patio. The empanadas are sooo good. Best ones that I've had. So crispy and filled with vegetables and soy. The soy croquettes were so tender and creamy. We are vegetarian so that's what we got. got. I wanted to go for more seconds.

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Petra Cafe - mediterranean - Updated May 2026

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