Best Desserts
Cella
525 Polk St., Monterey
(831) 920-1046, cellarestaurant.com
When you first think of Cella, your mind may go to the innovative cocktail menu, those decadent baskets of French fries or the lovely interior design and inviting garden seating. But dessert should come first here. It helps, of course, that chef/owner Ben Spungin has a long history as a pastry chef. His creativity is on full display next door in the pastry case at Alta Bakery, and that same elegance is plated at Cella for an even more sophisticated indulgence. From the creme brûlée to the chocolate cake to the strawberry/elderflower pie, the desserts steal the show – and they are, after all, the essence of where the restaurant’s leadership began.