The Sardine Factory
701 Wave St., Monterey
(831) 373-3775, www.sardinefactory.com
How about Best Restaurant More Than 44 years old. When The Sardine Factory celebrated 45 years a couple of months back, it drew a who’s who of Monterey power, taste and influence. Pink and Blue Sardine cocktails flowed, abalone bisque wooed and steak and lobster tail flew. Ted Balestreri and Bert Cutino worked the room; Big Mike managed the bar. It was just as it’s been since the ’60s – in a word, timeless – and compelling evidence why they win in this category. And the legacy lives beyond the plate: the restaurant’s iconic wine cellar is 32,000-plus bottles deep, anchoring a legendary wine list that is every oenophile’s dream. It was even once named “Best Wine List in America” by Restaurant Hospitality Magazine. Like the restaurant, it’s aging well.