Old Monterey District Blog

Have you tried the warm concha treats at Scoops Ice Cream Parlor? On a cool day, come try our Hot Chocolate Filled Concha or our warm pressed Concha Ice Cream Sandwich! Our conchas (fluffy Mexican sweet breads) are all baked locally in Soledad by Jmiss Reposteria and pair perfectly with our homemade hot chocolate and Marianne's ice cream.

Warm Concha Ice Cream Sandwich

How to take the ice cream sandwich to the next level? At Scoops, we take a soft, fresh concha, fill it with your favorite Marianne’s Ice Cream and toppings, then warm-press it until it’s toasty on the outside and perfectly cold and creamy on the inside.

Hot Chocolate Filled Concha

Imagine a warm concha carved into a bowl, lined with rich Nutella, then filled with velvety hot chocolate. The Nutella melts into the cocoa and bread… and it’s topped with whipped cream and sprinkles like it just won prom king. It's honestly unfair how good it is.

Scoops Hot Chocolate

Whether it's served in a concha cup or in a regular cup, Scoops hot chocolate is made in-house with real chocolate. No powder used at all. We melt the chocolate down the right way so it’s thick, smooth, and ridiculously indulgent. This isn’t “add water and stir.” This is chocolate therapy.

About Scoops Ice Cream Parlor

Located at 595 Munras Avenue, Ste 103, in Downtown Monterey, Scoops has a large and cheerful indoor parlor where you can sit and enjoy treats in any weather. We're an independent, locally-owned shop serving legendary Marianne's Ice Cream in both traditional and creative ways. We like to have fun here!

Franklin Street Collaborative now carries Maria Nila products. These professional, vegan hair care products, manufactured in Sweden, are designed for performance - without sulfates, parabens, or animal testing. Come take a look at Franklin Street Collaborative, 201 W. Franklin Street in Monterey.

Freedom Bakery is happy to introduce Chocolate Hazelnut Cake to our menu! It's a moist chocolate cake with a layer of Belgian chocolate ganache and hazelnut mousse. Every bite is perfectly balanced.

If you like a good chocolate cake and love the rich, buttery, nutty flavor of hazelnut, this cake is for you. A gluten-free version is available on our menu, too.

Free Samples

Come try a free sample at Freedom Bakery's Monterey boutique located at 305 Webster Street. We're open Tues-Sun, 10am-1pm.

Ordering

Sheet cakes are available with next day turnaround. Specialty cakes require 10 days advance notice. Please place your order on our website.

Venture Gallery presents the work of Al Shamble, our featured local artist for March, and his new exhibit of paintings entitled Peaks and Crests: Adventures in the High Sierras and Along the Coast.

About the Exhibit

Al Shamble is drawn to the light and majesty of the High Sierras and the magnificence of the great Pacific Ocean. As an environmentalist, he hopes that his plein air and studio paintings convey the need to recognize and preserve our natural resources.

About Venture Gallery

Venture Gallery is open 10am-6pm daily. Al Shamble's artwork will be featured through March 2026. Venture Gallery is located at 260 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey. Visit our website to shop online for work by our local artists.

Downtown Monterey welcomes Nami restaurant to the district! Recently opened at 301 Alvarado Street, Nami serves a selection of premier steak and seafood, each dish infused with a bold, modern Asian twist.

Located in the former Cibo Ristorante Italiano and now serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Nami is operated by the same team that brought you Carmel restaurants Sur at the Barnyard and Pangaea on Ocean Avenue.

At Nami, you'll find a stylish, upscale-casual haven for locals and visitors alike. You're invited to step inside and discover a dining experience that is both sophisticated and wonderfully relaxed, designed for memorable evenings and culinary exploration.

Open 8:30am-8pm daily, plus 9:30pm-2am Friday and Saturday for craft cocktails and beats by local DJs.

Venture Gallery presents the work of Christine Crozier, our featured local artist for February, and her illustrations for Barbara Mossberg's book, Clown Cantos.

About the Exhibit

Christine Crozier has created fresh, joyful illustrations in brush and ink for poet and essayist Barbara Mossberg’s latest book, Clown Cantos. Christine's earliest formal art training was in Chinese brush painting, and for the book she was able to revisit the clean, fresh simplicity of that medium.

About Venture Gallery

Venture Gallery is open 10am-6pm daily. Christine Crozier's artwork will be featured through February 2026. Venture Gallery is located at 260 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey. Visit our website to shop online for work by our local artists.

Lindsey's Crafts and Things is a gift shop featuring the magical work of crochet artist and store owner Marina Lindsey. Here you'll find her handmade plushies for all ages, women's hats and beanies, and practical dog sweaters in a variety of sizes.

The shop also carries a wide array of men's and women's jewelry plus crystals, geodes, arrowheads, sage and incense, and more. In short, this small, family-owned store has a little bit of everything, and it will amaze and delight you.

We encourage you to visit the store at 482 Alvarado Street, Suite C in Downtown Monterey. It's a whimsical wonderland.

For the first time in our history, Breakthrough Men's Community, headquartered in Downtown Monterey, is bringing the proven communication tools that have helped thousands of program graduates improve the quality of their work experience directly into businesses and the workplace.

We’re especially excited to offer this work to our local business partners and community organizations.

Introducing the Breakthrough Intentional Communication Series.

This offering translates nearly four decades of human-centered communication practice into practical, repeatable tools teams can use under real workplace pressure.

Organizations use this series to:
• Reduce unnecessary conflict
• Improve clarity and accountability
• Strengthen boundaries and trust at work
• Keep leaders focused on execution, not escalation

This isn’t training for inspiration. It’s experience in execution. All designed to deliver measurable return on team training investment. Learn more here.

Six Over Coffee and Company, a small but mighty coffee shop, has recently opened at 160 Webster Street in Downtown Monterey. Open Wednesday - Monday, 6:30am-2:30pm.

Owned and operated by two locals, TJ and Avery, Six Over is brewing up well-sourced beans into expertly crafted coffee and espresso beverages. They are currently serving roasts from Brandywine Coffee Roasters of Delaware and Makeworth Coffee of Washington.

Six Over also serves hot and cold tea drinks such as matcha, chai, and london fog along with a select number of delicious baked goods made locally.

Good news, book lovers! Old Capitol Books is now open six days a week! Visit us Tuesday - Sunday, 12pm-6pm, at 482 Alvarado Street in Downtown Monterey.

About Old Capitol Books

Old Capitol Books is your local, friendly (and kind of hidden) used bookshop. We enjoy helping you find just the right read, whether you're looking for a specific title or need a recommendation. Or you can enjoy browsing our shelves for unexpected finds and hidden gems.