PHOTOS: Monterey County's 30 best new restaurants in 2015.

What a year for Monterey County food and drink. 

Every single one of the top 30 restaurants on this list merit a visit.

They're that good. They may not become your go-to, but that's not what this list is about. 

It's about quality, local ownership and engaged attention.

Contenders for this list that you won't see here include recent debuts Roux Carmel Valley, which opened this weekend, and Islas Marietas, Oldtown Salinas' new seafood cocktail capital.

The Wine Experience on Cannery Row, Stave at Spanish Bay and Sovino Wine Bar & Merchant in downtown Monterey do not appear here either, though they each are worthy epicurean additions.

30. Blue Aces Bake Shoppe (975-4714) at tiny 8 W. Gabilan St. in Salinas touched off a Kickstarter storm for owner-operator Adrian Jimenez-Saldaña. Sure it’s not exactly a restaurant, but it’s so strong with its character—and all the affordable éclair puffs, creative cheesecakes and “jalapeño popper” scones—it makes the list.

29. Ginger Thai Kitchen (422-8424) at 1104 S Main St. in Salinas seems like a familiar face, and that’s because it’s the new baby of Anna Sawadpeera, former owner-operator of D’Anna Thai in Marina. She continues with signatures like the pad prik khing duck in curry paste. A more robust beer and wine list helps, as does a lush red interior. But service hiccups deserve attention.

28. Birriería & Restaurant estilo Coalcomán (453-7060) at 10500 Merritt St. in Castroville does the traditional Mexican stew, usually goat, with aplomb. At the former Central Texas BBQ there’s also beef, pork and lamb, all slow-simmered and deeply flavored. An extensive menu of other Latino comfort food favorites like chilaquiles also appear.

27. Arigato Sushi (443-0100) at 740 N. Main St. in Salinas gives you what you want from a sushi joint: cleanliness, precision, healthy diversity and zingy maki like the sun-kissed and sizzling white rolls. Also the rare local spot where there’s ramen and chicken yakisoba.

26. Ticino Coffee Shop & Deli (800-7573) in Salinas’ 201 Main presents a solid lineup of panini (like the grilled chicken-basil-parmesan-apple); wraps (roasted vegetable-hummus); “gourmet of the day” specials (grilled tri-tip Wednesdays); rotating soups (broccoli-cheddar); tossed-to-order salads (Asian edamame). Breakfast options (ham and cheese croissant sandwich!) and upscale coffees and espressos round out the prepped items.

25. Harborside Deli & BBQ (884-5996) does humble barbecue with an earnestness befitting the Coast Guard Pier, like the grilled tri-tip plate with potato salad and corn on the cob. Sandwiches enjoy a pick from six breads, six meats and five cheeses. Toasted couscous salads, breakfast burritos, sandwiches and casseroles too, plus nice beers on tap, taste better right on top of the dock.

24. Keoki’s Hawaiian Barbeque (809-8644) at 3170 Vista del Camino in Marina serves up no-frills Hawaiian comfort like the loco moco (hamburger, rice, gravy and two eggs), lau lau (tea-leaf-wrapped and steamed pork and salted-butterfish); and malasadas (golden and crispy donut holes). Affordability and popularity have already triggered an expansion.

23. Mrs. Delish’s (612-1884) commerical kitchen/dining room at 1098 Del Monte Ave. in Monterey stars square gourmet pot pies like the curry chicken but also grab-and-go salads like the whole wheat pasta. Cupcakes remain a strength, in flavors like red velvet, peanut butter marshmallow and gingerbread.

22. The Crab Bucket (433-0111) brings on the shellfish, in the bag, by the pound. Located at 1260 N. Main St. in Salinas, this new Cajun-style restaurant dishes crab, lobster and mussels smothered in sauces that range from mild to spicy, spread out on newspaper and ready for the crackin’ and peelin’ and eatin’. Bibs and lemon pepper fries advised.

21. Namaste India Bistro (641-0130) at 538 Lighthouse Avenue in New Monterey welcomes people to take on an avalance of rotating items like vegetable pakora, saag paneer, coco curry, mango lassi, aloo bodi, aloo baigan, chicken tikka marsala, kadi, chicken tandoori, kheer and beautifully stretchy naan for the high-value lunch buffet. Dinner’s just as good.

20. Coconut Thai (883-8399) continues the Thai food legacy in the little house at 210 Reindollar in Marina that was once D’Anna’s Thai Kitchen and My Thai. Customers are greeted with wafts of Thai basil-, mint – and curry coming out of the kitchen. From there comforting favorites like the pad Thai and sweet-and-sour tom yum await, but so do house specials like flavorful pumpkin curry and extra crispy trout with mango curry. Already an early favorite for Best Restaurant Marina in the Weekly’s annual readers poll this spring.

19. Dim Sum Inn (998-8396) at 1938 N. Main St. comes from the family behind Eagle Restaurant (751-2312). DSI provides a big, clean restaurant with a menu to match. The massive lunch menu includes 30 dim sum ($5.50 each) items, 17 fried rices ($10.99) and 11 “kitchen specials” like chow fun ($10.99) and steamed bok choy ($9.99). Then there’s a whole other dinner menu with 106 items, from egg flower style soups to mushi pancakes ($11.99), but it’s the dim sum like the Shanghai-style dumpling that are the top draw. It’s already busy on the weekends, and hopefully brings enough commerce that they can break out cart service soon.

18. Bon Ton L’Roy’s Lighthouse Smokehouse (375-6598) has taken over Amir’s Kebab House on 794 Lighthouse Ave. in Monterey and given the county an all-too uncommon barbecue spot, and an excellent one at that. Combo plates with slow-smoked ribs, brisket and tri-tip (with a choice of two-sides) are a mainstay, as are sandwiches like the pulled pork shoulder with medium-hot tangy barbecue sauce on Palermo’s sesame rolls. But there are also surprises from the people who formerly ran Bayside Cafe, like gumbo and borscht. Full bar too.

17. Pupuseria Marleny’s proves a quintessential Salvadoran comfort food. The gordita-like corn puck pockets include the classic revuelta (chicharrones, beans and cheese); carne asada con queso (grilled beef with cheese); camaron con queso (shrimp and cheese) and loroco con queso (a green Central American flower with cheese). Pasteles con carne (empanada-esque beef pies), chicken tamales, fried yucca with chicharron and Salvadoran chicken and egg sandwiches round out the offerings.

16. Dametra Fresh Mediterranean (275-5555) rolls out a welcome alternative to the other food choices at the Del Monte Center. Compared to the original Dametra Cafe in Carmel, the format and prices have changed but the hospitality and flavor hasn’t. From an assembly-style layout, diners pick from Greek-leaning meats like lamb or beef gyro, chicken kebob and then “wrap it” in lavash or pita or make it into a platter. The yellow saffron rice, creamy hummus and zesty dolmas are among the favorites additives. Friendly attendants help generate as much volume as any nwe 2015 restaurant.

15. Namu Fine Korean (624-3318) at 3600 The Barnyard in Carmel crafts creative Korean including squid-ink fried calamari, an incredible potato pancake filled with squid, pork and prawns and a range of bi bim bap wonders, while pouring quality sake in an expansive and attractive space at the heart of the garden-laden shopping destination. It’s a little pricey – rent at the sizable spot isn’t exactly cheap – but very interesting and flavorful upscale Asian.

14. Scales Seafood & Steaks (375-1331) is a huge, shimmering and strangely-named new installment from the Chris Shake-Sabu Shake Jr. restaurant group (Old Fisherman’s Grotto, Fish Hopper) in the former Gilbert’s on Fisherman’s Wharf, with four businesses within a business. (There’s a fish market, cafe-deli and gift shop too.) Bring on chowder with crab meat, salmon BLTs, seafood paella, linguini Isabella and $25 Ultimate Seafood Bloody Mary with a bacon-wrapped prawn, oyster and crab slider on top.

13. Boardwalk Sub Shop (264-1171), at 470 Alvarado St. in Monterey, does Jersey cheesesteaks, Philly cheesesteaks, pizza cheesesteaks, Italian sausage sandwiches, house-roasted turkey sandwiches, the flagship Atlantic City Italians and more—including calzones and salads, soups and sides, garlic fries, gravy fries, duck fries and Philly cheese fries. Plus Philly soft pretzels and beers, wines and craft sodas, all on tap, WiFi and neat recycled-wood-and-stainless-steel decor.

12. Salinas Brickhouse (755 -7775) on 66 W. Alisal, Salinas took over El Callejon to establish a new spot from the same heartfelt and hands-on owners of Norma’s Family Restaurant. The focus is on sit-down comfort food, build-your-own burritos and robust soups and salads, either in the stylish interior or on the sizeable brick patios in front. Items include lemon chicken with couscous, broccoli, carrots and garlic bread; chili verde, available in taco, burrito or salad form; and the Ortega grilled chicken sandwich, which includes mixed greens and red onions on crusty ciabatta. Big portions and bigger value inspired Weeklyfood critic Daniel DeCamp to write, “I’m not only betting the Brickhouse is here to stay for awhile, I think it’s got what it takes to become an Oldtown Salinas institution.”

11. La Bahia Mexican American Grill (884-5269) on 675 Lighthouse Ave. in New Monterey has won a loyal following thanks to its friendly, family-run feel and big colorful plates of things like twice-battered chile rellenos, spinach-and-artichoke enchiladas, chicken mole and chiles verde. Deals on beers and constant specials sweeten things. The chefs are brothers, and worked for decades at super-popular Peppers before starting their own shop. The setting is simple, as is the formula: homemade, family-run, with big value matching big flavor.

10. DeMarco’s N.Y. Style Pizzeria (899-1762) on 720 Broadway Ave. serves pizza by the slice and whole plus chicken parm, garlic knots, lasagna and the best calzones in the county. The decidedly welcoming and Italian setting includes red, white and green paint, wine barrel high tops and a ton of Godfather posters. Specialty pies include the Marilyn Monroe, with white sauce, parmesan and basil, and the Soprano Supreme, with peppers, olives, pepperoni, sausage, and mushroom. Fun, affordable, heartfelt place, with a juke box, local wine and beer and New York accents.

9. Züm Sushi (372-8700) does fresh and precisely sliced sashimi like ika and hamachi and more exotic speciality rolls like the signature Züm Roll with tuna, salmon, yellowtail and cucumber, topped with rice crackers, spicy mayo, tobiko and green onion. The cute converted house and front patio once was previously Thai Bistro II; now it plays home to a tidy sushi bar where the owner-chef usually holds court. A shelf grid of stylish sake cups awaits regulars. The clean, smart space and outdoor patio earn repeat visits, as does a complimentary spicy mussel to start things off.

8. Zab Zab Thai (747-2255) at 401 Lighthouse New Monterey immediately won an enthusiastic following via classics and creative takes alike, including five soups, seven “wok” dishes and mouthwatering entrées like the Mussaman, a slow-braised beef shank accompanied by coconut, potatoes, and onion; the kung op wun sen with prawns baked in a clay pot with fatty bacon, ginger, cilantro, black pepper, celery, sesame oil, bean thread and green onion; and pineapple fried rice served in the pineapple shell. The owner-operated joint proves cozy, welcoming and habit-forming.

7. Lalla Oceanside Grill (324-0891) wields sharp contemporary design, tropical cocktails, a sidewalk patio, underground speakeasy-style lounge and views over McAbee Beach, right on Cannery Row. Oh, and every creative food stuff imaginable, with 90 items, from Italian-style grilled octopus to chicken picatta to broccoli rabe pizza to jambalaya to calamari-chorizo-shrimp “street” tacos, all well executed despite the deep diversity, an accomplishment in itself. 

6. Lucia Restaurant & Bar at Bernardus (658-3595) has taken the place of Marinus and Wickets on the 415 W. Carmel Valley Road in Carmel Valley and provided a gorgeous new indoor-outdoor setting, casualized atmosphere and new energy for iconic Exec Chef Cal Stamenov. Think roasted pear French toast, Swank asparagus salad with shaved egg, chanterelle risotto, foie gras-duck burgers and wowser Wednesday fried chicken nights. The smart bar menu features delicious bites like prosciutto pizzas and crispy crab cakes to go with “paper plane” and “Jalisco heat” cocktails. The impressive overhaul would rank more highly but it’s not exactly new.

5. Melville Tavern (643-9525) gives Monterey, and the area, something it ached for: a quality gastropub where above-average food and drink doesn’t take an above-average bite out of your bottom line. Owner-operator Colin Ling, who grew up in restaurants with his parents (his dad still owns Sand Bar and Grill) wanted to do “something burger-and-a-beer-like, elevated, with good food and great value,” and he’s succeeded with craft drafts on tap like 10 Barrel Apocalypse IPA, Hoegaarden white ale and Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye and grub like the knockout green-chili cheeseburger and the Costswold-Jack-goat cheese sandwich with tomato-balsamic jam (also available with pulled pork...yeehaw). The huge turnout for his grand opening speaks to its rich possibilities.

4. The Cork & Plough (386-9491) delivers King City a verifiable young, hip, and much-needed contemporary dining experience on 200 Broadway St. With a menu that focuses on local ingredients and local wine, things like curry-pickled eggs, smoked salmon toast, and quinoa-and-roasted-grape-salad excite and engage. Creative comfort food is also a force on the menu, with Saturdays starring eight different sliders to pair with their eight rotating tap beers ($3 for all).

3. il Grillo (238-9608) takes the formula for sister rustic Italian spot la Balena—the place more chefs talk about than any other in the area—and amplifies it at Mission and Fourth in Carmel. A bigger kitchen allows Brad Briske more room for handmade pasta and whole-animal butchery, which translates to superlative carpaccios, noodles and sauces. The octopus-melon salad, short-rib strozzapreti, wild mushroom tagliatelle and marinated steak are remarkable, but it’s awfully hard to go wrong in the cozy spot that previously hosted Pastries & Petals, and will expand to neighboring spaces soon.

2. il Tegamino (250-5790) is the Italian name of the traditional pan late Mama Rita used to cook for Giuseppe and Salvatore Panzuto, owner-GM and chef, respectively. The restaurant represents her dream come true; her recipes rule the menu, with the paccheri al ragú Napoletano (broad tube pasta with slow-cooked beef and pork), cotoletta di maiale (breaded pork loin scaloppini) and Carnival lasagna with ricotta, Parmesan, sliced hard boiled eggs, mozzarella, basil and petite fried meatballs. Speaking of balls, the polpete choices are a highlight—get the sampler to try all the mushroom, crab, tuna, cauliflower and pork permutations of mama’s meatballs. The historic and subterranean spot (with great Euro-style patios) is adorable, the food memorable, the wines wisely chosen and the owner hands on. Easily enough to be #1, if Carmel needed another restaurant as much as, say, Seaside.

1. Gusto Gourmet Pizza & Pasta (899-5825) at 1901 Fremont Blvd. in Seaside makes the most of its cranking wood-fire oven via authentic Northern Italian-style pizzas like the traditional tirolese (with regal speck ham, gorgonzola and wild mushrooms) and the bresaola, a pie topped with mortadella with arugula and pistachios. The salumi boards (with wild boar prosciutto among the treats), California and Italian wines and desserts prove worthy, but the handmade pastas with rustic sauces—like the bolognese, béchamel and the porcini-marscapone—are mandatory for maximum enjoyment. New exec chef and Italian native Alessio Guiannuzzi aids the authenticity, but it’s the combination of great value, quality execution in a city that has been starved for a stylish restaurant at a fair price that gives it the edge over restaurants that are technically superior.