Café Rustica

EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTION

Café Rustica is the most consistently excellent restaurant in Carmel Valley Village, a European-inflected bistro tucked off Delfino Place with a shaded outdoor patio and an open kitchen. The menu moves between French, Alsatian, and Italian: escargots, wood-fired pizzas, steamed clams in lemon beurre blanc, lamb filets, pear and gorgonzola salad. The bread arrives warm with each table. The chef-owner comes out regularly. Open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday and lunch on weekends.

OPERATOR STORY

Café Rustica opened on Delfino Place in Carmel Valley Village, brought to life by a chef-owner with a European culinary background: French, Alsatian, and Italian influences applied to a seasonal menu built on fresh local ingredients.