Osteria Al Mare
32 Cannery Row, Monterey, (831) 920‑2833, osteriaalmare.com
What makes Osteria Al Mare special starts in the kitchen and behind the bar, but don’t neglect the view from pretty much every seat in the house. There’s the restaurant upstairs, perched above the Coast Guard Pier, overlooking Monterey Bay and the harbor. During the pandemic, outdoor seating expanded downstairs, right up to the water’s edge. There are no reports of sea lions snatching fresh seafood from diners’ plates – house‑made fettuccine with clams, mussels, calamari and spicy tomato sauce, anyone? – but yes, you do get that close.