Mission Ranch
26270 Dolores St., Carmel, (831) 624‑6436, missionranchcarmel.com
At one point in time it would have been possible to sit next to Steinbeck in a Monterey bar. Ed Ricketts – Doc from Cannery Row – liked to visit Alvarado Street establishments, but his lab was truly happening. Gabe Bicknell (famous as Mack) might have frequented La Ida. The point is, hobnobbing with celebrities is something that makes everyone a little giddy, and Monterey County is no stranger to some of the world’s more famous clientele. These days, Mission Ranch is a star in its own right among readers in the know. Maybe it’s the drool‑worthy food selection for both pre and post cocktails, or maybe it’s the ever present chance that you might run into Bill Murray or Justin Timberlake.