With illuminated fish sculptures and chandeliers that look like streams of bubbles, Passionfish manages to be somewhere that’s both a romantic dinner spot and somewhere that reminds us of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Their seafood-forward menu is sustainably sourced and creative, with dishes like scallops with caper-walnut relish and mussels in a bacon-fennel broth. Their wine list is pretty reasonable, with a massive selection of half-bottles starting at $18.

If loving Mediterranean food is your personality, then you’re going to be very happy at Jeninni. You’ll find choices like Turkish fried eggplant with urfa biber, Greek lamb shank with tzatziki and olive-herb salad, and French cod and shellfish stew with saffron broth. You’ll want to come here with a big group, so you can order a bunch of small plates, split everything, and maybe even add on a bottle of lambrusco or a Sardinian red wine.

This dinner-only spot makes its own pasta, mozzarella, and gelato, and is one of our top picks for a date night in the area. Be sure to make a reservation if you want to dine indoors or on their heated, pet-friendly patio—the latter is especially ideal if your vision of the perfect date night includes bringing your dog along as a third wheel. Standout dishes include the tre mozzarelle (a mix of fior di latte, burrata, and buffalo) and any of their seasonal stuffed pastas.

Cannery Row can be a mess of tourists, souvenir stalls, and subpar seafood spots, but Bistro Moulin is just one block away to rescue you. Go for a romantic dinner with someone you already like—that way you won't have to worry about breathing on them after you dive into their French onion soup topped with melty gruyère. You can’t go wrong with any entree, like seared duck breast with caramelized peaches, but the best one is the moules frites.

If you want to go all-out at a steakhouse in Monterey, Whaling Station is your best bet. Their dry-aged steaks are sourced from the best butchers in the country and presented on a platter to choose from before being cooked to order. We generally go for the beef wellington, or the prime rib with crispy-airy Yorkshire pudding made from the pan drippings and a side of horseradish cream that cuts through the richness.

It can be hard to find affordable places to dine in Monterey, but at Il Vecchio, you can grab a $4 mimosa or a $5 bellini for the perfect boozy lunch. You should try and sit outside at the trattoria’s painted parklet equipped with its own canopy covering. Skip the sandwiches and entrees and move straight to their pasta selection: the rigatoni with Tuscan-style ragù di carne and the orecchiette with mushroom, sausage, and peas are highlights.

First Awakenings is the perfect spot to grab breakfast before checking out the nearby Monterey Bay Aquarium. They make virtually any brunch dish, whether that’s egg prepared in any style—from omelettes and scrambles to skillets and benedicts—or something sweet like blueberry-ricotta pancakes or cinnamon bread french toast. If you arrive past 10am, you’ll likely wait in line with half of Monterey, so try and stop by around 8am.

Say you’re craving something sweet after trudging through crowded boardwalks and kid-packed aquarium halls all day. Enter the aptly-named Revival Ice Cream. The ice cream here is made from ethically-sourced dairy and vegan alternatives, and their flavors rotate seasonally using what’s fresh and local. In summer, that means lavender honey and strawberry cheesecake, but they always have the year-round favorite: the Bee’s Knees, which combines local Monterey honey with sugar-spun honeycomb candy.

Crepes of Brittany is a great place to go for a quick bite, whether you want a fast breakfast or a light lunch if you’ve got a big dinner reservation later. For something sweet, try their Caramelba crepe, filled with a mix of melba sauce (made from a blend of raspberry, lemon, and red currant jelly) and salted caramel. To go savory, the galette bretonne that’s made with an earthy-rich buckwheat crepe and filled with brie and caramelized onions is excellent.

Alvarado Street Brewery also has locations in Carmel and Salinas, but their Monterey outpost is the original, pouring a bunch of craft beer that pairs perfectly with a lineup of bar food. Taps rotate frequently, but they specialize in ales and sours, like strawberry-banana sour ale or tropical-flavored hazy IPA. Post up in the cozy beer garden out back and order some quesabirria tacos, poutine, loco moco, or fish and chips.

Monterey is not the most vegan-friendly destination since most restaurants want to make use of all the great local seafood. El Cantaro is an exception. You’ll find plant-based spins on traditional Oaxacan and Pueblan dishes, like tlayudas, mole negro, and chile en nogada. Tacos are also a staple here: choose from nopal, mushroom, crispy potato, or a variety of vegan meats as your filling.

This is the perfect Friday or Saturday night dinner spot if you’re craving sushi, especially since the specialty rolls and maki go beyond the standards. We love the Hawaiian maki with eel, avocado, cucumber, macadamia nut, and unagi sauce, as well as the Seaside roll stuffed with lobster and topped with hamachi, tuna, and salmon. They also have plenty of vegetable-centric rolls made with ingredients like fried yams or pickled radishes if you’re coming with some vegan friends.

This casual Mediterranean restaurant is perfect for a quick lunch of things like foul moudamas made with garlicky fava beans, kofta kebabs, and their legendary garlic chicken. If you need a break from making decisions after a long day of sightseeing deliberations, we suggest one of their vegetable or meat combo plates. They range from $18-24, and come with your choice of main dish alongside hummus, saffron-tinted rice, spinach salad, and pita.