Around Town
Best scandal, surf spot, place to eavesdrop and more.
Arts, Entertainment, Nightlife
Best clubs, bartenders, local artist, band and more.
Restaurants
Best restaurants by city, cheap eats and best restaurant of the county!
Specialty Foods
Best coffee shop, best bakery and more.
Shopping and Services
Best places to shop, best plumber and more.
Editor's Picks
Our picks for the sometimes less obvious winners.
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Best Use of 18,000 Feet
Skydive Monterey Bay -
Best Inspiration for Crime
Axe to the Pacific Grove Welcome Sign -
Best Politically Incorrect Substitute for a Visit to the Zoo
Hunters Supply -
Best Geometrically Oriented Bargains
Marina Donuts and Bagels -
Best Parking Lot
Toro Creek Trailhead Access -
Best Simple, Functional Facebooking by a Business
Recycled Records -
Best Kitchen Attitude
Esalen Institute -
Best Reason Osama Bin Laden Was Assassinated
Child Labor in Local Restaurants -
Best Place To Check Yourself And Wreck Yourself
Monterey Bay Derby Dames Roller Derby -
Best Nod to Reality in a Theater Venue
ARIEL Theatrical’s Wilson Children’s Theatre -
Best Upset No One Heard About
Carmel High Water Polo -
Best Way to Terrorize Your Intestines
Sushi Challenge -
Best Way to Experience Timothy Olyphant
Justified, executive produced by Carmel Valley’s Graham Yost -
Best Interpretation of a Really Irritating Trend
Cake Pops -
Best Place to Feel Like Survivorman but Still Get Cell Phone Reception
Jacks Peak County Park -
Best Musical pucker up of the decade
The Flaming Lips at Henry Miller Library -
Best Place to Spend a Surreal Night in History
Mission San Antonio de Padua -
Best Portals to the Past
Gardens of Closed Historic Adobes -
Best Tortillería
El Saltillo -
Best Workout with a View
Golden Staircase Hike -
Best Excuse For Neighborly Nosiness
Sustainable Seaside Tour -
Best Example of Art Imitating Music
Chuck Close at Monterey Museum of Art-La Mirada -
Best Place to Discover Borscht
Bay View Deli & BBQ -
Best Call by Obama
Designating Pinnacles as a National Park -
Best Developer to Star in a Reality Show
Nader Agha -
Best Food Item That Can Be Used as a Weapon
The Jumbo Burrito -
Best Paleo Diet Disguised as a Doggie Menu
The Dog Pound Menu at Forge In the Forest -
Best Desal Proposal
A Small Plant at NPS -
Best Eatery We Don’t Know the Name Of
Nak Won Korean (Or Royal Korean BBQ or Nak Won Galbi or Paradise Ribs) -
Best Manic Bulldog Conductor
Marci Bracco Cain -
Best steak Behind a Gate
Filet of Beef -
Best Free Million-Dollar Idea
A Sustainable Sushi Spot -
Best Earthly Integration
Portola Hotel -
Best Reason to Re-Evaluate Going Out in Salinas
Tom Rodriguez -
Best Sardine Invention Since Canned Sardines
Sardine Scorpion by John Cox
