50 Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Carmel By The Sea

“Great foods and great friends !“

“Just a fabulous experience! The service levels were over the top. Never wanted for anything. Ate at the restaurant and had an 8-course tasting menu! To die for!“

“Delicious pizza & drinks.“

“Beyond amazing. Service ambience and food was impeccable“

“This is one of the most unique and exciting restaurants in Carmel. Amazing cocktails and the food is both creative and authentic. Wine list is great too! Never disappoints.“

“The service was 10 stars. The food was amazing and the atmosphere was perfect. The owner was so kind and even ended our night with a complimentary ice cream dessert and said if we’re truly full we will not touch it! ;) We laughed a lot and enjoyed our dinner.“

“one of the best in Carmel...“

“The Jäger Schnitzel was perfect! The mushroom gravy was just right, reminiscent of Bavaria, and the cutlet was tender and juicy. Great price for a .5 liter of good Köning Pilsner. Service was outstanding. I’d say this place is a must-visit if you want a fantastic meal! Everything was served at the perfect temperature, so extra points.“

“We had a dinner in this restaurant during our short stay in Carmel at the end of January; overall - the atmosphere, the service, the wine list were quite authentic French. I love France and French cuisine, I missed the frog legs very much, here they were good but tiny, more like they are in Chinese restaurants; French frog legs should be bigger and have more meat. Classic escargot seemed too spicy for me; the onion soup had a subtle burnt taste, looks like the onion was too fried. I gave my 4* for the overall experience, but there is definitely a lot to improve.“

“Muy rica comida pero sobre todo la atención y el servicio de primera gracias a Daniel y a Martín por su excelente atención 🙋🏻‍♀️“

“Amazing food with even more amazing service. Highly recommend for your special night out!“

“Amazing food and service. If you need gluten free options then this is the place! GF garlic bread, pasta, and more. soooo good!“

“Highly recommend!! We had a 90th birthday dinner for my mom with 11 people. Everything was superb! Outstanding service, excellent food and drinks. Outside terrace is pretty and even allowed our 2 dogs. Superb! Thank you to Z and the wonderful staff, everything was perfect!!!👍“

“The is the best Chinese Food I have had in a long time. Based on the reviews I was expecting it to be good, but it was amazing! We never think to go out for Chinese food, but now we will. The Pu Pu Platter was a hit. Everyone loved it. The presentation was impressive and the food was even better. Everyone loved what they got and that is rare with this group. The portions were big. Every dish had a generous amount of meat. The pork fried rice even had huge chunks of pork that were delicious. The potstickers were cooked exactly how I like them, a little crispy on the bottom and chewy on the top. The pork filling was delicious. I was impressed with the size and quantity of Prawns in the Kung Pao Prawn dish. Also, one do the most flavorful and rich Kung Pao sauces I’ve ever tasted. I found myself looking around at what everyone else in the restaurant had ordered and it made me want to come back sooner than I had planned.“

“We celebrated our anniversary there and had the BEST time. Faisal always makes you feel like family. The food and music are the best!!!“

“Excellent, friendly service 11/10. Good fresh rolls that came out fast. Would eat here again if I return to Carmel. Came here with a family of 6 and we sat outside at 5pm, making happy hour without a reservation. They got us in no problem. Great evening! Thanks Sushi Heaven.“

“Great food, wonderful service and awesome atmosphere!“

“Sometimes, five stars don't do a location justice. This is one of those times.
Exceptional in every respect. The atmosphere is honestly one of those rare finds.
Service was fantastic, sat at the bar and our server was never more than a few steps away.
The spirits selection is something that you rarely see. Their top shelf, is what the words mean.
Everything we had to eat was outstanding. Served fast and almost too hot to eat, except the oysters of course, which were also over the top. I seriously can't give the fish and chips a high enough recommendation!
My only regret is that I don't live nearby. When I'm anywhere near here, I'll go out of my way to visit again!“

“The front courtyard is closed for renovations at the moment (Jan 2026) we sat in the back (where they have wedding receptions) and it was really relaxing and lovely. We easily got a table on a Thursday afternoon. We ordered the “White Witch” and some food. Our server was patient and kind. When he left for the day another server checked up on us frequently. It was a really nice overall experience and we left with some wine and olive oil to take home as gifts from their gift shop ❤️“

“Amazing food. Amazing atmosphere and wonderful service.“

“Picked up food to go last year and it was really good. So happy that we found this place again! Ordered garlic parm and spicy fried chicken wing plates, lemongrass chicken and beef meatball pho. Also ordered strawberry and melon boba milk tea and Vietnamese coffee with egg cream. Food and drinks came out quickly. Customer service was great. It was so good that we ate and drank everything! We will definitely come here again when we’re in the area.“

“Great piano bar! Awesome lemon drops😃“

“Excellent food and great service and good live music.“

“Amazing food with first class service. In a word.... WOW!!!“

“My boyfriend and I were looking forward to visiting a winery during our time in Carmel. We stumbled upon Dawn’s Dream while around the Downtown area, and cannot be more pleased with our choice.

Every wine was fantastic and unique. The wine palettes were so diverse and each had a wonderful story. Our host Jimmy was so kind and took such good care of us. What made this place so special was not just their delicious wine but the people behind it.“

“I went here. I was so glad we ended up here. I asked a man down the street where to go for breakfast, and this place was the recommendation. Gabrielle, the hostess, was so inviting and amazing, and our server Cathy was great. Food was off the charts good. Was it expensive? Don't ask that question. Ask: Do I love and respect myself to have a life-altering breakfast experience? And it was for us. Thank you Lil Swissies.“

“Wonderful customer service and the Zin was wonderful!!! 👍🏻“

“Amazing wines and a tasting room that is the best in Carmel!“

“Great time watching the Niners game.“

“We came in on a saturday afternoon and were able to find a table right away! The Bar side of the restaurant has happy hour every day from 4-6pm and their small plates and pizzas were on the food list! Their cocktails were all 8 dollars and house wines 7 dollars. We ate and each had a drink for under 40 dollars which seems absurd in Carmel! Not only affordable but the food was to die for! We had the Truffle Gnocchi which was easily the best gnocchi I've ever had and the White Truffle Pie was so fresh and full of mushrooms and onions! Dipping the crust in the leftover gnocchi sauce put it over the edge! Isabel was our server and she was kind and quick with everything! It was a wonderful little stop in Carmel, just off Ocean Ave!“

“Always amazing. Great food and service. 👏🏼 my favorite“

“First time I finished a burger!!“

“Love the BLTA. Need a quick lunch or snack? This is the place. Only reasonable prices in Carmel.“

“An unexpected highlight of our recent visit to Carmel! Warm, welcoming, fun vibe, great food. There are places one just doesn't insist on veggie options. 🤫“

“Loved the happy hour! Great food and drinks!! The service was fantastic!“

“Enjoyed an amazing lunch! Delicious and the service was great 😊 👍🏻 Totally recommend this place.“

“Akaoni is one of my favorite restaurants and serves the best sushi that I've had in California. We personally make trips to Carmel-by-the-sea just to eat here, so if you are a sushi aficionado, I genuinely think you should try squeezing in a visit. One time, I ate here prior to a big interview, and my stress just melted away.

Yes, you need a reservation to eat here because they have a limited amount of space and work to make the atmosphere peaceful and calming. I think that some folks misinterpret their directness as rudeness, but I personally feel that they are polite and provide excellent service. Our experiences here have been positive and memorable.“

“The only place in Carmel to find a good bagel prepared right.

Apparently under new management, the new staff is great. Say hi to Lim, he's a good dude working hard to maintain high quality standards while working to improve.

I'm a big fan. Highly recommend.“

“Phenomenal service and food! We were there on visiting for Christmas holiday when Carmel had a major power outage the day after the storm. But despite that challenging situation, Edwin's staff made sure they prepared the food on time, with superb quality and service. Just outstanding on all fronts in the midst of a challenging situation. If you want a true experience of Filipino-Indonesian taste & quality of food and hospitality in Carmel/Monterey area, Edwin's the place to go. Their Kare-Kare is the best! (I know--we're Filipinos and I'm a homegrown cook. =))“

“Gorgeous!! I came to the ranch for a conference, and will definitely be coming back again. Could not ask for more lovely scenery, more activities (hiking! golf! archery!), or more considerate staff.“

“Never fails to give great food and service.“

“We chose Seventh & Dolores for our second wedding anniversary dinner, and had a really great night. They surprised us with two complimentary glasses of champagne 🥂 a sweet gesture that set a celebratory tone. We sat outdoors under the heat lamps and fire pits, which made for a cozy, romantic vibe. ✨

We ordered the Seafood Tower that had shrimp, oysters, tuna tartare, grilled octopus, and caviar, plus a white red & bleu salad and a massive tomahawk steak (around 40 oz) with broccolini. For dessert, we went with the Copa Banana cocktail, the Bougie Pear Cocktail, and the Valrhona Chocolate Terrine. Now, this dessert... layered chocolate decadence topped with honeycomb. So damn good

The seafood tower had highlights. Oysters were fresh, tartar was delish, shrimp was juicy, and the caviar was a nice touch, we definitely did some caviar bumps 😆. The octopus was a little on the salty side for me, but the texture was perfect. The tomahawk was a showstopper. We ordered it rare and it delivered. We even joked about taking the bone home to grill and gnaw on later 😆.

Cocktails & Desserts were next-level. The Copa Banana had that espresso-banana vibe that hit just right. Next time, I'm ordering that UP. The Bougie Pear was exactly what my wife wanted. That Valrhona Chocolate Terrine though…easily one of my favorite bites of the night.

Our server & bussers were friendly, attentive, and had great recommendations. The atmosphere was upscale but not stuffy. Vibrant, playing some beats I like. What an enjoyable evening all around.

Pricey? Yeah. Regrets? None. Would we go again? Absolutely. Next time, I’m going for the filet mignon 👀🤤“

“Route 1 was closed and I had to return to Carmel from Big Sur and took Freeway 101 instead. So another pasta at Portabella! Always going back for it.“

“Mini combo was Yummy!“

“Fun sitting at the Sushi Bar! Great team, great service, and of course great food!“

“Huuuge thank you to my server Molly. You never know what people are going through & your kindness was on point. This world needs more people like you. Even though I ate alone, (on my lunch break), you made me feel welcomed and comfortable. Your positive attitude and smile will take you far in life, keep up the good work. May God continue to bless you always. The food was amazing and the atmosphere was great. I can't wait to go back and take my family. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“We came here because two in our party must not eat gluten. One has quite a number of food allergies. This restaurant was impressive. They have a separate gluten free menu and a separate gluten free frier. They also have a separate vegetarian (full) menu. The waitress spent quite some time explaining food prep and how they can make adjustments to the menu for various allergies. In fact, she was soo good (an older lady) that even though the tip was included (due to our large party size) we tipped her above and beyond that amount. The food was also excellent! All of us were happy - regardless of the type of food we ordered - regular, gluten free or vegetarian. We would definetely come here again. Note: The only downside is, like in all of Carmel, parking is hard to find. So if you make reservations - be sure to show up at least a half hour early to spend time looking for parking.“

“Great food service and atmosphere“

“Great Customer Service. And the food was Great“