50 Best Vegan Restaurants in Monterey

“I first visited this amazing local deli in 1989-1990. I remembered the half loaves of bread stacked high with a pile of my choice of meats and cheeses. Although I was only 18-19, Compagno’s established my standard for an amazing sandwich. 32 years later I brought my sons here for lunch. Same delicious goodness a generation later.“

“I had the tofu and veggie burrito and a kale salad. My husband got the Nopal (cactus) burrito. Everything was delicious. We were just so grateful to be able to choose from such an extensive menu without any concerns about what might or might not be vegan. Another plus - the service was fast and friendly. If we lived here, we would be at El Cantaro all the time! Updated from previous review on 2026-04-06“

“Amazing fresh food and super friendly staff. Lots of locals here which is a good sign when traveling, they know what’s around and chose this. Couldn’t have been happier! You won’t be disappointed!“

“Absolutely wonderful and blessed spot to eat and the atmosphere makes you feel like you’re at home. When you enter and you’re met with their wonderful smiles I felt their true spirit came through with flying colors. The sandwiches were amazing 🤩 and the baked goods were stellar as well, thank you 🙏🏻 sincerely for sharing your love for food!“

“Our server was very friendly and efficient. All of our dishes, Caesar salad, grill prawns, spaghetti w/meatballs and garlic bread were hot and tasty! Have been many times and will definitely be back .“

“I just want to say absolutely delicious food! I usually always back myself out of ordering new things but I decided to order this noodle soup with things I thought I’d like. When the soup arrived and I tried it, it was DELICIOUS! Our appetizer of fried vegetables w/shrimp was absolutely delicious. Both sushi rolls we ordered were great! Usually California rolls can be more on the basic side and have less of an enhancing flavor but they did such a great job with the seasonings and toppings! I was very happy with my meal. We were visiting out of town and I said we had to stop by!
It does it get packed, we went about 6 o clock and we had to wait outside for seating for like 15 minutes. Then we go seated and our food came in roughly 15 minutes as well. My food didn’t come out at the same time as my partners as I had hoped, so we just waited.

Overall, the staff was friendly and most importantly the food was delicious. Would 100% recommend to family and friends!“

“I came here very hungry and lefy quite satisfied. The owner was very personable, friendly and helpful in choosing from among the many delicious options. I chose a combo plate because i want them all. The chicken was amazing and the gyro was flavorful. The outdoor seating was cramped but the lights added ambiance. This place is worth a try.“

“We love Cafe Fina and always try to dine there when in Monterey. Great food, cocktails and good wine selection. We recently had our son and daughter in law’s rehearsal luncheon there and everyone enjoyed the atmosphere, amazing food and drinks. We highly recommend this fine restaurant while visiting Monterey. Cozy, warm and friendly staff too!“

“Excellent spot for affordable eats. We ordered chips, salsa and guacamole for starters. Then we all had burritos. Cali Fries, the Surf & Turf and the Street Carne Asada Burrito. Everything was hot and fresh, tortillas are homemade and fresh also. Highly recommend and will be stopping by again.“

“I love stopping by Alta for something to eat and a great tasting coffee!!“

“Great view and great service. The fries and the coconut shrimp were phenomenal!“

“Great service and food…. The hostess served us and she rocked it. Great time. Will come back!“

“I’ll offer a better than expected review. Our party of five went for Sunday brunch. 1/2 wait for an outdoor table. Excellent Southwest eggs Benedict; chicken fettuccini; fruit salad and Cinnamon toast special with eggs. Chocolate Oreo cake for dessert. Excellent service for a relaxing Sunday. Glad to return and recommend. Cheers!“

“Great coffee, food and vibe. Opens at 0630 as well. The team were lovely 😊“

“Beautiful spot, quaint and cozy, generous portions, expertly executed.“

“Awesomeness overload great pies“

“I have found a legitimate broker who has helped me in so many ways in the aspect of forex & cryptocurrency. At first, I was really skeptical that it won't work but I still kept the faith going until I saw a recommendation about Mrs Craig Vanessa who changed my financial status from grass to grace. Once again I'm really grateful for your help and support towards me and my family in this tough time of the year. If you are looking for a change in your finances, then connect to Mrs. Craig Vanessa today on WhatsApp through Facebook via Mrs Craig Vanessa“

“Un lugar familiar buena y deliciosa comidas esmerado servicio.“

“Great way to start a retirement in this beautiful setting! Great wine and food- the views equally as amazing!“

“Delicioso 🤤 cuando lo disfrutes con las personas adecuadas para ti 🥰🥰🥰“

“best tacos for miles! thank you for being delicious!“

“Was here a year ago! Hopefully I get to visit this cafe again soon but never too late to leave a recommendation am I right, Great customer service 10/10 everything. I strongly recommend this cafe.“

“I have found a legitimate broker who has helped me in so many ways in the aspect of forex & cryptocurrency. At first, I was really skeptical that it won't work but I still kept the faith going until I saw a recommendation about Mrs Craig Vanessa who changed my financial status from grass to grace. Once again I'm really grateful for your help and support towards me and my family in this tough time of the year. If you are looking for a change in your finances, then connect to Mrs. Craig Vanessa today on WhatsApp through Facebook via Mrs Craig Vanessa“

“We have been going to Heirloom Pizza a few times a year for a while now and have always enjoyed great food and good service. This was until last night. The food was still delicious and the server was good. That was the limit of a good experience. The hostess had a look that we were bothering her by wanting to eat there. We arrived about 7pm and they were busy, but it only took about 10 minutes to be seated. We ordered fairly quickly and then waited for over 50 minutes to have an appetizer to reach our table and another 25 minutes for our main dish. By the time we received our appetizer the restaurant had only 5-6 tables with people still sitting. We understand that it takes a little longer for a deep dish pizza, but well over an hour in unacceptable. In the 50 minutes we saw no less than a dozen or so orders go out the door for pickup orders. I understand they sell pizza and there is likely a large amount of business that doesn't come an stay to eat, but we felt forgotten. If we choose to go back, maybe we should order before arriving.“

“I have found a legitimate broker who has helped me in so many ways in the aspect of forex & cryptocurrency. At first, I was really skeptical that it won't work but I still kept the faith going until I saw a recommendation about Mrs Craig Vanessa who changed my financial status from grass to grace. Once again I'm really grateful for your help and support towards me and my family in this tough time of the year. If you are looking for a change in your finances, then connect to Mrs. Craig Vanessa today on WhatsApp through Facebook via Mrs Craig Vanessa“

“Great service, great food and wonderful atmosphere.“

“We always have a pizza at Gianni's whenever we're in town! Love the veggie pizza and breadsticks😍“

“I was so tired today from not sleeping I was ready to curl up and die. I walked in on a whim, I'm not a vegan or vegetarian or anything, but the food tasted really good and had nice texture and I felt a lot better words. Staff was really friendly.“

“It feels like the best food in all of California. We’ve come here from Los Angeles three times already, and every time we visit, we know exactly where we’re going for dinner.
The food is absolutely incredible, the atmosphere is cozy and warm, and the owner truly captivates you with her kind, genuine smile. You can feel the heart and love behind everything they do.
Thank you so much. Highly recommend this place 🤍“

“From start to finish. Welcome to departure and everything in between what a meal. Perfection in plate presentation, temperature and oh my Lord the flavors. This is Monterey County’s very best restaurant. Service is also excellent since ownership duo lead that effort too. Place was full of very happy customers but is always is. Our #1 choice. Happy New Year!!!! Cheers 🥂“

“I love this place... simply the best!“

“Great spot the food is good. Fish and chips is solid but could be seasoned more. I also tried their fried chicken salad which is good but I think a better mix of lettuce would have really put that down from good to great. Their sweet potato fries are absolutely delicious. Environment is great and clean, service was perfect.“

“Truly some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had! The peanutbutter chip flavor was vegan but you’d never know it. I paired it with a chocolate with berries and fluff, which had the perfect balance of rich chocolate to jammy berries. We did have to wait for at least 30 minutes as the line moves very slowly, despite them not offering samples.“

“Generally quite good. Atmosphere was pleasant and relaxing. Service was quick and accurate.I had the meatball sandwich with sweet potato fries for lunch. Lots of favorable meatballs, cheese and the marinara sauce was interesting without being too hot as many are now. Sweet Potato fries were not overcooked or over salted.

Almost empty for lunch but I expect that they bring in a good dinner crowd with all of the beer selections. I did not try any.

Only two negatives. The iced tea was off. It had a heavy taste as if the water had too many minerals. And the prices are just a bit too high. There are meals as good in the same area for less.

But I will go back. The pleasant, relaxing almost empty atmosphere will sometimes be worth the extra money!“

“Went here after work with some colleagues. The food and service were excellent. The selection between classic and specialty rolls didn't leave anything out - plenty of raw, baked and tempura rolls. Next time I visit Monterey I will stop here for lunch or dinner! The owners were also very kind and enthusiastic about their food and very welcoming. Great experience“

“The food, atmosphere and service were among the best I've ever experienced at any restaurant. The quality and presentation of the food was stellar especially considering the reasonable pricing. I can tell the kitchen staff holds themselves to a very high standard. A must visit in Monterey!“

“Our first visit to Lalla Grill Del Monte and it was fabulous! The food was delicious. Our waiter Tino was friendly, professional, and on top of everything. Later we went to the bar. It was fully stocked and the bartender, Rae, was the bomb! Worth a visit if you are in the area! Highly recommend.“

“Great food and service. Will definitely visit again when in the area.“

“Delicious Traditional but memorable dishes stop by for lunch if you're in the area.“

“Great food and very friendly staff. Looking forward to going back.“

“Highly recommend this place. We started out with the Tapas (calamari and the burrata) which was so good! Then we had the paella. It takes 30min to prepare which they told us about and it was disclosed on the menu too which I appreciated. This paella was literally the best paella I ever had EVER. ! Absolutely delicious!!!!! Shareable too! I had the Spanish Margarita for my cocktail and that was delicious too. Left completely stuffed. Definitely worth it.“

“Great Thai food! We got panang curry and pad see ew and they were both delicious. My son is gluten and dairy free and we love Thai food since it's so easy to accommodate his allergies! We loooooved the fresh green coconut water in the coconut. We also got mango with sticky rice, but the sticky rice was bright green. My son doesn't like rice so I ordered him just the mango, but if I were getting it for myself I definitely would have asked for non-green sticky rice if they even have it (I know it can be green from using pandan leaves, but the color was so vibrant I'm assuming they use food dyes, though I could be wrong). We tried getting there during rush hour and traffic was SO bad we parked 2 blocks away on the street and walked. Would definitely go back!“

“We had a great experience here. Our server was very welcoming and kind, and she was especially attentive and patient with my 3-year old daughter. She even brought her some paper cranes, which made my daughter so happy.

The food was delicious as well. I loved the veggie udon, and the sashimi slices were generous. The sushi rolls were great too, with a good amount of fish in each one. Overall, we had a wonderful experience the atmosphere was nice, and the inside was clean and welcoming.“

“I have been coming here for years. The best Mexican Food for the best price!!!“

“Amazing place food is well prepared and tasty!“

“The fish is fresh and the new rolls are a nice addition to the menu. Tommy and Esmeralda have been offering awesome promos like buy 2 get 1 free. Check em out! #sushiyoucantrust“

“I had a late breakfast here the other day, and it was exactly what I had in mind. The food was absolutely delicious! They ensured that I had everything I needed, and my coffee mug was always full.

I’m not a picky person when it comes to interior or exterior design, or even the type of music is playing. I only care about the food and service, and they did great 5/5!“

“great service friendly works and great tasting food.“

“So much choice here, and I love that a full third of the menu is vegetarian or vegan, it makes picking something genuinely fun. The sandwich options are absolutely delicious. I had the ‘Going Home for Thanksgiving’ and it was so tasty, packed with flavour and really satisfying. My husband went for the 'Go Sharks', and we both had ours on sourdough, which was perfect.

The dirty sauce is incredible, one of those things you instantly want more of. And the apple and caramel lollies at the end were such a lovely touch.

Great spot with brilliant food and loads of variety. I’m coming back before we leave Monterey.“

“Cool ambience, exceptionally nice service!���“