Chicken Waffles at Crema

481 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove | (831) 324-0347, cremapg.com

Tami Aceves and her team were so obsessed with crafting the most craveable version of the trendy treat that they worked on the chicken recipe for months and the cloud-light waffle for another few. The last element was already in place: The super-slow-simmered spicy sausage gravy has been a staple of hers for 20 years.