I first heard about Corkscrew Cafe on "Check Please!" and knew I had to try it when I'm in Carmel…read more We came here yesterday (4/23/26) and were not disappointed! Initially I wanted a mimosa but they were out of Prosecco. :( Instead I had the white wine honey mojito, which was sweet and not too heavy on the alcohol. We shared the elote (special!) and mushroom pizzas. The pizzas were cooked perfectly and were even better the next day. The elote pizza has a bit of a kick but not super spicy. I also tried a little of the pear blue cheese salad, which was tasty. Waitress was friendly and the food came out quickly. Plenty of indoor and outdoor dining options. We sat outside and it wasn't too chilly or noisy. Would come next I'm in Carmel!

Service was fast and friendly. Ambiance outside was cozy with bistro table on decomposed granite…read more But while tree canopy was romantic the droppings were frequent. Food and drinks: Michelada 3/5. Tasted watery; didn't finish. Calamari 3/5. Small portion was tender but not warm enough. Cocktail sauce was really good. Lemon prosciutto pizza 3/5. Crust was delicious but needed more prosciutto and parmesan; less arugula. Our hopes were so high but sadly we wouldn't recommend.

We just love this place. Utterly charming, make their own cheese, have an A+ coffee bar and…read morebarristas and the best coffee in the area. Chill outdoor firepit seating. Highly recommend. One thing we noticed - the cheese makers not wearing hair nets.

I can't rave about this place enough. This spot is super cute, had great coffee, and amazing…read morecheese. Our barista was really kind and took a moment to give us free samples after we had already bought some cheese.

I brought my family of 8 (6 adults/2 children) for breakfast here last Sunday. The restaurant was…read morepretty busy, which was great to see. Beth greeted us and organized a table for us. I was pretty amazed how Beth and her colleague were able to keep up with all the tables, inside and outside. Nicely done! We ordered a diverse cross section of breakfast dishes. I ordered the Monty Cristo sandwich special (3/5) with the trailside potatoes. It was a ham and cheese sandwich using French toast. The ham was just thin deli meat and would have been better if made with a thicker ham steak. The trailside potatoes (4/5) were also not as good as my first breakfast here, but still pretty good. My wife order the jalapeno popper omelette (5/5) and really enjoyed it. The rest of our party had a good experience with their meals. So while the food was pretty solid, Beth was a rock star on the service side. Although she appeared a little hectic, she did a great job keeping everything straight and every table served with a smile. As a local, we are lucky to have Trailside Cafe. This is a solid breakfast choice.

Went to the valley for an appointment and stopped at this cute place for a bite to eat…read more Had a rustic feel, beautiful local art for sale on the walls, and it looks like they host music events as well. Food was delicious! I ordered a Three Cheese Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Tomato Basil soup and it was melty and buttery and it warmed my soul on this rather overcast day. Service was superb! I was able to choose my own table, she always made sure my Sprite was never empty, and she rushed a second sandwich order for me when I still had some soup left over and wanted more to dip. I didn't catch her name, but she was awesome. Thanks for the experience and I'll definitely be recommending this place to folks willing to travel to Carmel Valley. It's worth it!

best matcha ever!!!!! was able to order as soon as i walked in, cashier answered all my questions…read more got my drink super fast, my friends and i all got drinks and the wait was only like 5 minutes. such a cute coffee shop. will definitely be back!!!

The 17 mile bike ride was amazing and definitely worth the $75 per person! As someone who hasn't…read moreridden a bike in 10 years Leslie made it so fun and relaxing with small and quirky fun facts! I love every moment of the ride. I plan to bring my family here to experience this wonderful experience.

My partner & I got into Carmel around 8:30am on a Saturday and had a long list of places to stop at…read morefor breakfast, but ultimately ended up stopping here for the easy parking & delicious looking food. We were seated right away without reservations. The place looks smaller than it is - they have a bunch of outdoor seating. It is a typical diner style establishment. And I'm not sure how accessible it is unless you know exactly where to park - there's a lot of stairs around. But it is a really cute location with lots of nice flowers and landscaping around. I can't remember our servers name - but he was really wonderful & had a great attitude. I ended up going with a custom skillet & my partner chose the biscuits & gravy and brisket chili. My custom skillet was super yummy & I was pleasantly surprised they had vegetarian sausage! It was well seasoned & the mushrooms were thinly sliced & cooked to perfection. I actually really enjoyed this meal. My partner really enjoyed his biscuits & gravy and thought it was one of the best ones he's ever had. He also was starstruck over the brisket chili, so I would definitely say to get a cup of that if that sounds like your thing. I would definitely stop back here on my next visit to Monterey/Carmel. I usually drive out to Carmel when visiting Monterey just because I like the food options more.

Really tasty breakfast spot in Carmel that definitely gets busy, so expect a wait during peak…read moretimes. The food was worth it though, and everything tasted fresh and homemade like the name suggests. Loved the little store attached to the restaurant too. It was fun to browse after eating. The surrounding shopping area is also really nice to walk around and explore. A highlight for my daughter was the Mickey Mouse pancake! Overall a solid stop if you're visiting Carmel and looking for a good breakfast or brunch spot.

Earthbound Farm Stand is a total gem. We stopped by on a Sunday morning for some grocery shopping…read moreand were so impressed by how beautifully maintained the entire market is. Everything is fresh, organic, and well-organized. The experience is more than just shopping, though. Their cafe serves delicious sandwiches (perfect for a quick lunch), and there is a great seating area to relax. For those with kids, the garden space is a lifesaver--it's a safe, open area for them to run around and play while you enjoy your meal. Definitely a must-visit for families in the Monterey area!

A really cute farm stand with a garden in the back! We came to check out the market inside which…read moresells Earthbound produce, local specialty food products, flowers and doubles as a cafe. We grabbed a cold brew to go and then wandered around the garden in the back. It wasn't the season for berries but I loved walking through herb garden and trying to identify what herbs there were. The backyard space is great for dining outside on a sunny day and it's the ideal spot for a picnic. They also sell local beer and wine which you can get by the glass!

Looking for a spot in Carmel-by-the-Sea? Stationaery is a must-visit. We stopped by for breakfast…read moreand had a fantastic experience from start to finish. The service was incredibly welcoming, making us feel right at home as soon as we walked in. Tip.. don't try and get in early though :-) As for the food--it was excellent across the board. I ordered the Potato Pancake, which was perfectly crisp and flavorful. My wife went with the Breakfast Plate, a solid and delicious choice, and our friend tried the Ceviche, which was fresh and bright. Everything was beautifully presented and tasted even better. Highly recommend, perhaps a little Instagram trendy and a tad too much tourist tax but I couldn't fault the delivery or the content !.. Thank you ....

We came to try their dinner after one of the servers mentioned they serve dinner now…read more.. Wonderful friendly service & beautiful aesthetics. The local Ad Astra breads are yummy! Hamachi crudo was fresh & balanced. Cavatelli pasta was a bit too al dente and dense, but the fixings were delicious. Lobster roll ($48) needs more flavor (should have read the reviews), and the double burger is huge! Overall very pricey (see website menu for current prices), and the dinner entree menu options are pretty limited. For the high prices I would want to be wowed by every dish and flavor, and to have more options, to be enticed back.

Omg what a pleasant cafe!!!! We stopped in on a road trip back down south and decided to check and…read moresee if they had matcha- and lo and behold - yes they did AND Gluten Free pastries!!! Oh my gosh what a happy surprise, I was so grateful! Hubby ordered a vanilla latte and a chocolate almond scone and before I could even ask him how it was, I looked over and noticed it was gone... In like three bites lol. Needless to say we both loved our pastries and our hot beverages. The staff was super sweet and friendly as well. Service was a 10 out of 10.

Checked out this coffee spot before eating at Toro Cafe next door. Super cute inside and they have…read morea lot of coffee/baked good items. The coffee was good, but this spot is kinda out of the way unless you live near by.

It's a larger space than the one in Monterey, with tables to sit down to enjoy your baked goods and…read moredrinks. I walked in, immediately gravitated to the wall of bread, picked up a loaf, immediately put it back when I saw they had slabs of focaccia as well and got one of those instead. The other baked goods of the day were on display, so I got a piece of raspberry-iced olive oil cake and a slice of the pumpkin loaf. Will definitely be back - this is right down the road from a place we've been staying in Carmel Valley. Exciting to see this bakery in a quieter area that we happen visit every year. We'd definitely been getting our Ad Astra fix over the entire weekend: we had stopped by the other location the day before, and our friends who we stayed together with even brought some stuff from this one for us to try. But eager to see the place with my own eyes, I ventured out in the rain on our last morning in Carmel Valley. Excellent as always. We enjoyed the focaccia at home over the next few days; the cake and loaf piece were tender and moist.

We tracked down Ad Astra Atelier after falling in love with their baked goods at a Carmel pop-up --…read moreespecially their enormous, nostalgic PB&J cookie (which, as it turns out, leads back to their main bakery in Monterey). While the Carmel Valley location doesn't carry all the pastries from their bakery, including those delectable cookies, it's a good spot for breakfast or lunch with a casual, order-at-the-counter feel. We arrived right at the 11 am lunch switch and enjoyed the mushroom and ricotta toast with candied hazelnuts on really good bread -- rich and satisfying. Their breakfast sandwich was good (we added bacon), though the spongy frittata-style egg was an acquired taste (um, texture.) The chimichurri and soft egg bread helped to bring the flavors together. Service was friendly, and their baked goods were excellent. We left with a loaf of their seeded sourdough, which makes excellent toast. We hope to visit to their main location, Ad Astera Bread and Bakery in Monterey for pastries and more of those delicious, enormous pb&j cookies.

Massive glass cases filled with fresh French pastries and even a meat filled option or two. I've…read moretried several over many visits and all have been delicious. However---I've eaten pastries in Paris, France and these American made versions seem much less soft. It could be the local water or some other factors. According to Google--there are 4 factors--1. higher fat butter used in France 2. specialized soft flour with no flour additives used in France 3. France has strict baking regulations 4. French people expect hyper fresh artisanal products. This bakery is locally made top quality. There is an outside seating area that's a little shabby and neglected. Very limited indoor seating. Service is ok. But, for someone such as myself, who has travelled around the world, lived overseas as an expatriate, and has formally studied multiple languages in universities in other countries, it's kind of ridiculous for a French girl behind the bakery counter to repress a laugh--that she obviously wanted me to see--at my pronunciation of one of their products. Give me a break! She clearly understood what I said since she retrieved it for me.

This pastry shop has been a local favorite in Carmel for good reason. It has been around for about…read more12 years, and I have been coming here at least once every two weeks for that entire time. There are a lot of great bakeries, pastry shops, and cafés on the Monterey Peninsula, but this one has always stood out to me for its quality, consistency, and charm. They usually have at least 15 different varieties of French pastries, along with mini cakes, bite-size tiramisu, brownie bites, and premade sandwiches. Everything is beautifully presented, and you can tell they care about the details. I also order large amounts for my staff at least once a month, and they absolutely love when I bring these treats in. One of the best things they offer is their fresh focaccia flatbreads on Saturdays. If you're lucky enough to come in around 10 in the morning, you may catch them while they're still warm. They usually make three or sometimes four different varieties, depending on what the chefs decide to create that day. There isn't really a set menu for them, but in true French fashion, they put out whatever they feel inspired to make, and it is always amazing. The only problem is that they usually sell out within an hour, so you have to get there early. I honestly don't understand why they don't sell those focaccia flatbreads throughout the week, but I'm guessing it comes down to quality. They seem like perfectionists, and that is probably part of what makes everything so good. When you get one warm, it is absolutely worth the trip. The pastries are excellent, the quality is consistent, and the shop has become one of those dependable Carmel places that locals truly appreciate. Personally, I'm not the biggest fan of their coffee, but I'll admit I'm a bit of a coffee snob. That doesn't take away from the overall experience at all. After 12 years of coming here regularly, I can confidently say this place is special. It is warm, consistent, high quality, and very much part of the Carmel community. Five stars for sure.