89037 Mon Mar 20 15:15:38 -0800 2006 9 3 California 0 490017 Dh and I are hitting Monterey as part of our 5th Wedding Anniversary CA Vacation. We are planning an early start the day we go to the aquarium. Any great breakfast spots or bakeries in Monterey? TIA! Chris Mon Mar 20 15:15:38 -0800 2006 0 Chris C. 1 490019 My favorite place for breakfast when we went up to see the Aquarium was Whole Foods- we could get coffee, bagels, fruit bowls and anything else we wanted at 7am. And you could stock up on snacks, drinks and the like at the same time. We ate at Bubba Gumps while on a break from the Aquarium- we loved the shrimp po' boy. Whole Foods is on Munras- across from Motel Row. Mon Mar 20 15:32:59 -0800 2006 490017 0 JalamaMama 2 490038 If you want a bit of a drive, go in to Carmel and hit up Katie's Place. Best breakfast in the area, especially their famous Eggs Benedict. Otherwise, I give a second vote to Toasties. Tue Mar 21 13:02:15 -0800 2006 490019 0 Schadenfreude 1 490022 The Old Monterey Cafe on Alvarado is one of my favorites. Parker-Lusseau Bakery on Hartnell is very good. In Pacific Grove Toasties is also worth trying. Happy Anniversery!! Mon Mar 20 16:57:34 -0800 2006 490017 0 jaweino 2 490060 Ditto Old Monterey Cafe- ginormous, rib-sticking breakfasts. My only complaint is mediocre, at best, coffee. I have always loved Parker- Lusseau though over Christmas my son and I thought it was off a little. Don't know if its just a bump in the road or the start of a problem. Their coffee is very good to excellent. Tue Mar 21 17:14:38 -0800 2006 490022 0 Tom Hall 2 490083 I second Toasties. Good food, nice and cozy, and easy to find parking, and convenient. Afterwards you can take a drive along the coastline and enjoy the spectacular scenery for the mile or so it takes to get to the aquarium. Wed Mar 22 10:54:47 -0800 2006 490022 0 monkuboy 1 490041 I'm going to rec my favorite place though it's not in Monterey proper. Pop over the hill on 1 to Carmel Valley Rd, and go about 3 or so miles to the Valley Hills Center, just hidden behind a row of pines. The Wagon Wheel Cafe is cowboy country, with ranchware hanging on the walls and regulars sporting well-worn jeans and boots occupying most chairs. Open early, I think, and the breakfasts are hearty and good. Banana pancakes w/pecans my fav. Decent coffee. (If you can find some, Carmel Coffee Roasting Co makes the best--many spots carry it. They have a store just a few more miles up the valley.) In Monterey downtown on Alvarado is the Monterey Cafe. Nice, funky interior and good food and coffee. Open early. There's a donut shop just down the street if you want some carbs only. They sell out early. Across the street from the Cafe is a Bagel Bakery with decent bagels (note: I'm not a New Yorker) and some good steamed-egg breakfast sandos. Very reasonable and friendly. Lots of regulars. Decent coffee. Whole Foods has a wide selection of goods and fruits and fresh juices and coffee, as well as very good bakery. They have some plastic tables in the front window (nice in the early morning sun) to eat in, but not much atmosphere. Monterey is pretty nippy in the a.m. this time of year, so don't plan on taking food and eating outside. Br-r-r-r! Tillie Gort's down Lighthouse from the aquarium area is nice for breakfast. Decent coffee and espresso drinks. (you won't have to go looking for coffee in this area--it's everywhere!) (Skip the Scotch Bakery in PG if you're tempted. Pretty blah) Tue Mar 21 13:42:40 -0800 2006 490017 0 toodie jane 1 490084 I would highly recommend LouLou's Griddle in the Middle located on Municipal Wharf 2 in Monterey. It is the commercial pier and you can drive onto the pier and park at meters on the wharf and walk right to LouLou's. It is halfway down the pier (thus the "middle" part of the name) in a charming yellow building. It is small, maybe four tables inside with a counter and some patio seating outside, but the food is great and you can enjoy the beautiful location. It is nice to be able to eat at such a great place far away from the touristy crowds at Muncipal Wharf 1. The sourdough french toast is especially recommended for its freshness and awesome fluffiness. My husband has had several of the scrambles and has enjoyed each one immensely. All of the ingredients are fresh and they have several lunch options as well as breakfast. And of course they have a variety of seafood options for both breakfast and lunch. For breakfast they have squid and eggs! And sand dabs for lunch! All the egg dishes for breakfast come with the home fries that have tomato, carmelized onion, basil and Parmesan mixed in. Heaven!! This is defintely a local's hangout and you will see regulars helping themselves to coffee behind the counter (which is great coffee btw). If you get there in the early morning you will see fishermen eating breakfast (probably the squid and eggs) and selling LouLou what she calls the "catch of the hour". My husband and I have driven more than 45 minutes out of the way just to eat at LouLou's. I am pretty sure they are only open from 7-3, so get there early! LouLou's Griddle in the Middle (831) 372-0568 Municipal Wharf 2 N Monterey, CA 93940 Wed Mar 22 11:40:49 -0800 2006 490017 0 glazebrookgirl 2 490090 LouLou's is always my recommendation too. I was going to say it again in reply to this post, but I was trying to avoid sounding like a broken record... parking is not a problem usually, even on weekends, with long term meters generally available right on the dock across from the restaurant. and yes, bring your quarters even on Sunday am, the meters operate every day. However, once you have breakfast, it is a fairly short stroll to the tourists sights near the tourist wharf, and enthusiastic walkers can even go all the way to the Aquarium from here (though that is more like a mile and a half or mile and three quarters walk, albeit a pretty one). btw, someone mentioned Monterey being cold this time of year. True if it is stormy, but between storms it can be balmier than the bay area. I was at LouLou's a few weeks ago, in the midst of a break in the rain, and with the sun out it was definitely pleasant enough to eat at one of their outdoor tables. Wed Mar 22 13:45:04 -0800 2006 490084 0 susancinsf 3 490091 I don't worry too much about the meters any more at LouLou's...last time we were there LouLou bellowed out "METER MAID" every time that poor soul showed her face on the pier. Everyone ran out of the restaurant to check their meters and ran back in to finish their breakfasts! Wed Mar 22 14:31:56 -0800 2006 490090 0 glazebrookgirl