Cella

4.8

216 Reviews

$50 and over

Californian

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 27, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 12 times today

Experiences are available.

Good for special occasions
Charming
Great for creative cocktails

Discover CELLA Restaurant + Bar at Cooper Molera Adobe in Downtown Monterey. Step into a sleek, historic venue with a heated pergola and stunning local woodwork. General Manager Bernabe DeLuna leads an exceptional wine program with a remarkable staff. Savor seasonal cocktails and mocktails crafted by Barkeep Joshua Perry. Chef Ben Spungin & Chef Cal Stamenov create an ever-changing menu inspired by the bountiful central coast. Join us and experience the neighborhood's culinary gem!

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Californian, Bistro, European
Hours of operation
Dinner Tue–Sat 5:30 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(831) 920-1046
Website
http://www.cellarestaurant.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Cal Stamenov
Private party facilities
Alta Bakery and Cella Restaurant invite you to savor our offerings amid historic adobes and charming courtyards, where Chef Cal Stamenov and Chef Ben Spungin elevate your experience with family-style meals, brunches, and more. Our flexible spaces set the stage for unforgettable gatherings. Explore our packages, e-mail lily@cellarestaurant.com.

Location
525 Polk St, Monterey, CA 93940-2809
Neighborhood
Monterey
Cross street
We're a short stroll from downtown and parking structures.
Parking details
Street Parking
Public transit
Around the corner from public transit and trolleys.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

New Year's Eve Dinner at Cella Restaurant & Bar!
$235.00 per person
Dec 31, 2024 only
Celebrate New Year's Eve at Cella with four exquisite courses by Chef Cal Stamenov and Chef Ben Spungin in the historic charm of a California Adobe. Opt in for curated wine pairings by Bernabe De Luna. Each tantalizing option of appetizers to decadent desserts, immerse yourself in the festive ambiance, where every corner reflects the joy of the occasion. For larger gatherings, consider our private party options. To arrange, email lily@cellarestaurant.com. Secure your spot for an unforgettable New Year's Eve at Cella. Cheers to welcoming the New Year with style and sophistication! $175+/person pre-fixed menu $85+/person wine pairing $125+/person premium wine pairing
Sunday Supper - Fried Chicken Dinner
$111.50 per person
Dec 29, 2024 only
Join us for a Southern-inspired three-course family-style feast at Cella Restaurant. Chef Cal Stamenov and Chef Ben Spungin will serve a warm seafood bisque, followed by Mary’s Fried Chicken, collard greens, mashed sweet potatoes, and a Meyer lemon vinaigrette-dressed salad. Finish with Alta Bakery’s banana chocolate hazelnut tart. Cocktails by Joshua Perry and wines curated by Bernabe De Luna will complement the meal. This is a set menu experience—no substitutions. We can’t wait to share this special evening with you! $85++/person pre-fixed menu
Family-Style Mezze Experience
$128.00 per person
Multiple dates available
Reservation MUST be confirmed by restaurant 4-5 days in advance. Legendary Chefs, Ben Spungin & Cal Stamenov's farm-to-table family-style dinners are a celebration of community, whether it's a company gathering or rehearsal dinner. The menu will feature a crafted Mediterranean feast featuring our Alta Bakery's bread, seasonal shared plates, a duo of proteins and complimenting sides. This experience mimics a 3-course meal, finishing with petit fours inspired from our award-winning bakery. Enhance your experience with our add-ons. $128/person $500 room fee required to reserve the historic Diaz Sala or book our heated pergola! Email lily@cellarestaurant.com to confirm reservation request or if you're a group of 21 or more.

What 216 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.8Service
4.7Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

California Central Coast
Californian
Monterey / Carmel
Best Overall
Monterey / Carmel
Best Food
Monterey / Carmel
Innovative
Monterey / Carmel
Californian

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Cella in Monterey offers an exceptional dining experience with "innovative yet approachable flavors," crafted by the talented Chef Cal Staminov. Guests rave about the "outstanding service," "gorgeous presentation," and "beautiful atmosphere," making it a top choice for special occasions. The menu, featuring creative cocktails and a fantastic wine list, ensures there's something for everyone.

217 Reviews

e
eileen
New Mexico
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined today
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our favorite restaurant in Monterey. Excellent food, service, and historical location. Thank you so much!
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R
Robert
San Francisco
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Absolutely stellar meal. Magnificent preparation and lovely service. We will definitely return.
Is this helpful?
N
Natasha
San Francisco
39 reviews
5.0
39 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Absolutely incredible. We felt loved and were sore well taken care of. Josh, the beverage director, started us off with an excellent cocktail and our dining experience only got better from there on . The service, ambience and food are stellar. Our favorite restaurant on the Monterey Peninsula.
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J
Jason
VIP
San Francisco
28 reviews
5.0
28 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We parked next to the restaurant shortly before they opened. Liked the menu and look of the restaurant. The historic building has been nicely appointed for a modern restaurant while still feeling like a special place. Boy were we glad to have happened into the place. Every detail of the experience was outstanding. The cocktails are wine suggestions were great, salads and entrees were excellent, dessert was really memorable. Cella was a little splurge but well worth the expense. We are looking forward to our next visit
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A
Allison
VIP
San Diego
11 reviews
4.0
11 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Beautiful restaurant setting, great food pairings as well. We had the steak tartare, blue fin tuna crudo, bread with butter (served in a 1/2 oyster shell!), and I ordered the scallops. The scallops themselves were delectable, the peanut butter whip they were served on top of was not my personal favorite. The restaurant also has (assuming sommelier) who helped us select a wine based on our preferences - absolutely incredible! Service was wonderful and friendly. Although, the power to the entire restaurant went out 1/2 way through our meal (we were told it was from the recent storms from the prior weekend), we were given candles to provide some lighting for the remaining portion of our meal. The red was pricey, but fitting for the neighborhood of Monterey.
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m
marc
Central Coast
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on December 18, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
A great experience as always. Cella gives you a dining experience, not just food. You are never rushed - a rare experience in itself, and the staff is attentive. Be warned - the fresh bread and salads are easy to split, and the burger is monstrous. There are many great places to eat on the peninsula- this is not one to miss.
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D
Dane
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 15, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Despite a power outage the candlelit dinner was both delicious and enjoyable
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A
Andrew
VIP
Orlando
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on December 11, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Absolutely amazing experience, selection, quality and service - can’t beat the atmosphere.
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P
Pam
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on December 6, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Culinary joy!! Exquisite! Best in Monterey! We love Cella and Alta…
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D
Deborah
VIP
Dallas
101 reviews
3.0
101 reviews
Dined on December 4, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
This was our third time to dine at Cella. The first two were much better than this experience. First, the things that were good: Cocktails, service and dessert. All three were outstanding. Now for the disappointing: The food. Maybe the Chef was just off. There were only two selections for fish, I got scallops and my husband got the bass - both were $50+. The dishes were bland and nothing special plus the scallops were only seared on one side, making the slightly underdone. I expected more and will have to think twice before returning a fourth time - hope it was just a bad night but for the price, not sure I want to take a chance. Maybe just cocktails and dessert next time.
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FAQs

Cella is rated 4.8 stars by 216 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 27, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 12 times today

Experiences are available.

525 Polk St, Monterey, CA 93940-2809

Additional information

Cross street
We're a short stroll from downtown and parking structures.
Neighborhood
Monterey
Hours of operation
Dinner Tue–Sat 5:30 pm–9:00 pm
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Californian, Bistro, European
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street Parking
Public transit
Around the corner from public transit and trolleys.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Cal Stamenov
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.cellarestaurant.com/
Phone number
(831) 920-1046
Private party facilities
Alta Bakery and Cella Restaurant invite you to savor our offerings amid historic adobes and charming courtyards, where Chef Cal Stamenov and Chef Ben Spungin elevate your experience with family-style meals, brunches, and more. Our flexible spaces set the stage for unforgettable gatherings. Explore our packages, e-mail lily@cellarestaurant.com.

Cella

Make a reservation

Additional information

Experiences

New Year's Eve Dinner at Cella Restaurant & Bar!

Sunday Supper - Fried Chicken Dinner

Family-Style Mezze Experience

Menu

What 216 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Cella restaurant rated?

Is Cella currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information