Old Monterey District Blog

Calling all soccer lovers! Britannia Arms in Monterey will have all the 12pm games for the UEFA's 2024 European Football Championship playing on our big TV screens, June 14 - July 14.

Enjoy a delicious lunch, cold beer, and great soccer at 444 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

About Britannia Arms of Monterey

Since opening our doors in 1999, this British owned and operated pub has become the place to go for locals and tourists who are looking for a drink or a bite to eat in a friendly atmosphere. We're proud to offer 24 beers on tap as well as a full bar and a full-service kitchen.

Alvarado Street Brewery is now offering grab and go salads ($10) and sandwiches ($12), Monday-Thursday, 11:30am-3pm. We're located at 426 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

Grab and go salads, $10

Spring Beet Salad
Swank Farms roasted beets and frisee, mascarpone yogurt, beet vinaigrette, citrus gremolata, pepitas

Caesar Salad
Chopped hearts of romaine, sourdough croutons, creamy caesar dressing, freshly grated Parmesan

Rainbow Grain Bowl
Purple rice, red quinoa, asparagus, bell pepper, radish, cucumber, edamame, chives, cashews, house balsamic vinaigrette (served cold)

Grab and go sandwiches, $12

Pub Burger
Grilled Angus beef patty, American cheese, iceberg shredduce, dijonaise, house pickles, tomato, Ad Astra milk bun

FC Sandwich
Katsu fried chicken, tonka sauce, pickled furikake cabbage, sliced Ad Astra milk bread

Pesto Chicken Panini

Update: Thank you to all of our wonderful 2024 4th of July volunteers!

The Old Monterey Business Association and Old Monterey Foundation are seeking volunteers for our 4th of July Parade in Downtown Old Monterey!

Parade Details

This old fashioned community parade, with marching bands, dancers, giant balloons, and community groups is a wonderful Monterey tradition that draws thousands of locals and visitors of all ages for a morning of family-friendly fun.

Volunteer Details

Volunteers will serve 8am-12pm on Thursday, July 4. As a volunteer, you may end up marching in the parade or placed along the route for crowd and parade control. Because of this, it is very important that you be able to walk a mile and stand for a few hours.

Interested? Fill out this short form and you'll be contacted by the Parade Volunteer Coordinator. If you have questions, please phone the OMBA office at 831-655-8070.

High Scores just moved a bunch of fresh games into our arcade at 459 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey! Come and check them out.

On the arcade floor we now have Joust, Punch-Out!!, Missile Command, and Rampage, joining our other classic games such as The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Brothers, Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, Frogger, Tetris, Tron, Mortal Combat II, and much more.

Hours & Pricing

Price is $10 for 1 hour of unlimited gaming, or $22 for a full day of unlimited gaming with in-and-out privileges. Our summer hours, which begin May 31, are Sun-Thu, 12:30pm-10pm. and Fri-Sat, 12:30pm-11pm.

About High Scores Arcade

We're a family-owned business focused primarily on the golden age of arcade gaming, mostly featuring games from the early to mid 1980s. Our collection of classic arcade games is much bigger than our physical arcade; of 170+ games, we feature apx. 40 on the floor at any one time. If you're itching to play one particular title, give us a call to see if it's currently being showcased, 609-468-3083.

The Monterey trolley is returning! This free service will operate May 25 - September 2, 10am-6pm daily. Trolleys run every 10-15 minutes. Look for the green MST Trolley signs to board along the route.

Park and Ride

Park in the Downtown Monterey Garage (340 Tyler Street) or the Cannery Row Garage (601 Foam Street) and get a free ride to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, the Lighthouse District, Downtown Old Monterey, and Old Fisherman's Wharf.

The Pearl Works is partnering with the Monterey County Business Council (MCBC) to offer new small businesses and entrepreneurs in the Monterey area subsidized access to The Pearl Works community co-working space for people who wouldn't otherwise be able to be here.

Together, MCBC and The Pearl Works will subsidize up to 50% off: access to The Pearl Works conference rooms on an hourly or daily basis; memberships to The Pearl Works (for people who need a consistent workspace); a virtual mail mailbox (for people who need a stable business address); or a mix of all three, up to a total of $500 in discounts per applicant.

Read here to learn everything you’ll need to know about eligibility and application, as well as the link to the application form. The Pearl Works is located at 288 Pearl Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

Stoke Adobe Restaurant and Bar is now open seven days a week for happy hour (4pm-5:30pm) and dinner (5pm-9pm). Plus, we're serving lunch on Saturdays and Sundays, 12pm-4pm.

See our daily dinner menu, our weekend lunch menu, and our happy hour menu on our website. We're located at 500 Hartnell Street in Downtown Old Monterey in a beautiful, historic adobe building with cozy indoor and outdoor seating.

You can always build your own tasting tour at The Whisky Club at 425 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey!

While The Whisky Club is known for our menu of 80 tasting tours based on region, distillery, or type of whiskies or other spirits, you can always select your own 1 ounce pours to sample and compare whatever unique expressions you wish.

The tour pictured here is Jack Daniel’s Frank Sinatra, Maker’s Mark BRT1, and Garrison Brothers' Lady Bird.

Venture Gallery presents the paintings of Cheryl Kampe, our featured local artist for May. Her latest exhibit is entitled Coastal Connections.

Cheryl's artistic interpretations of the iconic landscapes of California's Central Coast have earned her widespread recognition. Her love of the region is beautifully and sensitively conveyed in oils, watercolors, and mixed media, and inspired by her daily walks along the shore.

Venture Gallery is open 10am-6pm daily. Cheryl Kampe's artwork will be featured through May 2024. Venture Gallery is located at 260 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey. Visit our website to shop online for work by our local artists.

Manasiri's Crepes and Sandwiches is introducing a new item to our menu: the pistachio crepe! This is a beautifully rich pistachio butter crepe sprinkled with ground pistachios. It's an entirely new flavor of crepe for Monterey, and we're offering it for only $12.99. Come and try it!

Manasiri's is also serving pistachio lattes. Order yours hot or cold - they're delicious and they go great with one of our crepes, sandwiches, or salads.

Manasiri's Crepes and Sandwiches is located at 321 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey. We're open Sun-Thu, 8am-8pm, and Fri & Sat, 8am-10:30pm. As always, we are happy to make gluten-free crepes for all our guests avoiding wheat flour - just ask.

Update, June 4, 2024: Thank you to everyone who has applied to march in the parade! The application deadline has now passed.

Join the parade! Together as a community, we'll bring entertainment, excitement, and a whole lot of fun to Monterey on Independence Day.

We are now accepting applications to participate in the 2024 4th of July Parade, to be held at 10am on Thursday, July 4 in Downtown Old Monterey. We welcome bands, floats, drill teams, dance groups, unique vehicles, entertainment troupes, and equestrians. Get creative and think outside the box!

Entry deadline is Friday, May 31, 2024. Fill out the parade entry form. Parade organizers will notify you via e-mail if your entry is accepted.