Happy Girl Kitchen
173 Central Ave., Pacific Grove, (831) 373‑4475, happygirlkitchen.com
Todd and Jordan Champagne’s passion for delivering locally grown, organic food to the people of Monterey County has made Happy Girl Kitchen a beloved Pacific Grove institution – one that has extended its reach through a recipe book (It Starts with Fruit), in‑person workshops to empower home fermenters and canners, and an online shop for quick gifts. Yet in addition to their enviable selection of preserved jams, marmalades, tomatoes and shrubs on offer, arguably the main attraction continues to be their smorgasbord of pickled goods – peppers, carrots, cauliflower, beets, zucchini and, of course, cucumbers. This is one Best Of category that Happy Girl has truly made its own.