Schooners Coastal Kitchen
Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa 400 Cannery Row, Monterey (831) 372-2628, schoonersmonterey.com
The people have spoken: Schooners takes the (crab) cake. Salt in the air, wind in your hair, this sunny spot is almost like being on a boat. It’s no mystery why this spot wins best outdoor dining – even when just wandering by, one can’t help but glance at the hotel restaurant’s ocean backdrop. When sitting on the patio, it’s almost like you’re in the sea itself, and you might as well be when feasting on mussels and frites, Dungeness sandwiches or salmon scaloppine.