Old Monterey District Blog

Venture Gallery presents the work of Wiliam Eatmon, our featured artist for April. His exhibit, entitled Angels, consists of ten original paintings.

Look back in your life and remember an experience where you could have been in a serious situation, but a stranger appeared and helped you out of this situation never to be seen again. Maybe it was an angel who helped you. Angels are most often depicted with wings, halos, and flowing garments, but they most often look just like us.

Venture Gallery is now open six days a week, 10am-6pm (closed on Tuesday). William Eatmon's artwork will be featured through April 2023. Venture Gallery is located at 260 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey. Visit our website to shop online for work by our local artists.

Fleet Feet, located at 472 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey, invites you to come in and check out our new line of Monterey apparel! We have a variety of different styles including the fun "Run Monterey" t-shirts pictured here.

Manasiri's Crepes and Sandwiches is happy to announce that we now carry fresh, hand-dipped chocolate strawberries as well as vanilla cake pops made with love by Rose's Desserts in Salinas. Stop by and have a sweet little snack at 321 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey. These go great with our coffee drinks.

Back by popular demand, our very special baked apple crisp has returned to Melville Tavern's dessert menu! Come and try this tasty treat at 484 Washington Street in Downtown Old Monterey. We're open daily for indoor and outdoor dining.

Give your arches the support they need! Insoles can make a huge impact in the way your running shoes fit and feel. Come in to Fleet Feet at 472 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey to get your feet scanned and let our outfitters help you decide which insoles would work best for your feet.

Did you know Fleet Feet also makes custom insoles? Next time you're in the shop, ask one of our outfitters about it.

Easter chocolates are now available at Parker-Lusseau Pastries and Cafe in Downtown Old Monterey. We make everything in-house and our first batch came out beautifully, thanks to our veteran chocolatiers, Poncho and Ana.

We have a variety of chocolate shapes available, including eggs, roosters, dogs, and fish. We hope to carry our delicious chocolates right up until Easter (April 9), but we can't make any promises, so don't wait! Stop by the shop at 539 Hartnell Street in Downtown Old Monterey and pick up yours soon.

Fun news from Workhorse Bicycles: we are now a dealer of Innova Disc Golf products! With all the courses on the peninsula and our many staff members playing the game in their time off, it seemed like a no-brainer. We have discs, bags, and targets for all skill levels and price points, with starter sets beginning at $28.99.

Even if you’ve just thought of giving disc golf a try, stop by our shop and check out our selection at 486 Washington Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

East Village Cafe invites you to discover the rich and delicious world of momo - steamed Tibetan / Nepali dumplings. Our vegan dumplings are filled with tender plant-based meat and expertly seasoned to perfection. Served with a tangy and spicy sauce made in-house from our family recipe, each bite of our momo is a taste adventure you won't soon forget.

Whether you're a seasoned momo fan or trying it for the first time, our vegan momo is sure to become a new favorite. Visit us at 498 Washington Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

It’s tea time! Sakura sencha - cherry blossom tea - has just arrived at Cha-ya Japanese Tea and Things. This is a seasonal tea that is only here in the spring, so make sure you stop by the shop or contact us soon to place your order, 831-646-5486.

If you’d like a winter seasonal tea, Cha-ya still has some delicious yuzu tea (citrus tea) available. Come by to get some before it’s gone for the season - we're located at 118 Webster Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

Alvarado Street Brewery and Grill recently installed a brand new pizza oven and they couldn’t be happier about it! Chef Delfino and his crew are pumping out a few new styles as well as some pub classics, so get over there and try 'em out at 426 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

Pork Belly Pizza
Garlic cream sauce, mozzarella, crispy pork belly, jalapeño, orange, hoisin sauce, cilantro

Mushroom & Truffle Pizza
Cremini sauce, mozzarella, king trumpets, arugula, truffle aioli

Old Town Pizza
Cupping pepperoni, Pecorino Romano, ricotta, fresh basil, hot honey

Esteban Restaurant, located at 700 Munras Avenue in Downtown Old Monterey, is now open for breakfast Monday - Friday, 7am-10am, and Saturday and Sunday, 7am-1am.

Small breakfast plates include house-made cinnamon rolls with vanilla bean and cream cheese frosting; chia pudding with Amen wild flower honey, house-made granola, and seasonal berries; and morning montadito (breakfast toast specials).

Cage-free egg dishes include Spanish chorizo and sweet potato hash with Ad Astra sourdough toast plus a made-to-order omelet with a choice of three fillings. Heartier dishes include a breakfast burrito with Mexican chorizo, potatoes, and salsa ranchera.

Beverages include fresh coffee and an assortment of made-to-order espresso drinks with freshly ground organic beans and a variety of flavor shots. Esteban's extensive bar features a bubbly and refreshing bottomless mimosa and a Casa Bloody Mary perfectly spiced and seasoned.

East Village Cafe invites you to check out our selection of handmade gift items! That's right - in addition to delicious food and hot and cold drinks, we now offer incense and handmade soap from Nepal, unique pottery mugs and travel tumblers by Kurt Hofer, and beautiful notecards made on linen paper by Debra Sanders.

Give yourself a gift or make someone else's day brighter with these fun and unique items. East Village Cafe is located at 498 Washington Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

Haute Beauty Guide has a sweet collection of Valentine's Day cards and gifts for young and old! Our shop on Pearl Street in Downtown Old Monterey is temporarily closed because of storm damage to our historic building, but please support our small, woman-owned business by purchasing items on our website.

Haute Beauty Guide has a lovely selection of beautiful necklaces and earrings, cute hair slides, heartfelt greeting cards for loved ones and friends, and items for children such as friendship bracelets, Valentine's books, and stickers.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Parker-Lusseau Pastries and Cafe at 539 Hartnell Street in Downtown Old Monterey has delicious, heart-shaped chocolate boxes filled with assorted truffles (honey-vanilla, black tea- blackberry, and raspberry).

Our chocolate hearts, all made in-house, are available in two sizes: small (3 truffles) and large (6 truffles). They're a beautiful, classic way to say, “Je t’aime."

Alta Bakery and Cafe is happy to announce our February drink of the month, a cherry mocha. Come and try it - we're located at 502 Munras Avenue in Downtown Old Monterey.

Cha-ya Japanese Tea and Things is holding a red tag sale throughout the month of February 2023. Get 25-50% off select items at our shop located at 118 Webster Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

Cha-ya is a unique boutique filled with local arts, ikebana, antiques, gifts, and a wonderful selection of Japanese green tea and tea sets. Our items celebrate a range of Japanese art and decor, from ancient tradition to contemporary culture.

Venture Gallery presents the work of France Ruhnke, our featured artist for February. Her exhibit, entitled Metamorphosis, explores color, texture, and ornamental touches, creating a world of constant rejuvenation.

Ruhnke layers vibrant and soft colors in her work and creates brilliant effects with handmade butterflies and flowers sewn on the canvas and ornamented with gold and brass filaments.

Venture Gallery is now open six days a week, 10am-6pm (closed on Tuesday). France Ruhnke's artwork will be featured through February 2023. Venture Gallery is located at 260 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey. Visit our website to shop online for work by our local artists.