Best Kept Carmel

Culinary & Wine

Explore the Sweeter Side of Carmel-by-the-Sea

Step into the Aubergine kitchen and you might see Yulanda Santos working calmly in the center of a swirl of kitchen activity. Whether it is hand-kneading dough, delicately frosting pastries or garnishing plates, Santos creates decadent desserts with the patience, focus and effortless grace of a masterful pastry chef.

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"You're kind of doing the same thing over and over again, but you have to pay attention and look at the little details of how things are changing and different."
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Those details are what make a pastry flake flawlessly, a dessert pop with contrasting and complimenting flavors, a sweet dish arrives at the table with an artistry that captivates diners. This is the life of a pastry chef at a Michelin-starred restaurant.

The Michelin Guide, in honoring Aubergine with a coveted star, noted that "products of spectacular quality are prepared skillfully and painstakingly presented with an artistic eye." Santos works under Executive Chef Justin Cogley to craft elegant and intimate desserts that deliver a sweet end to the restaurant's world-class tasting menus.

Each evening at Aubergine, the highly acclaimed nine-table restaurant inside of L'Auberge hotel in downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea, desserts take on the regional flavors of Carmel growers and fluctuate from flavor to flavor with the season — all overseen by the experienced and inventive eye of Santos.

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Carmel-by-the-Sea is known for many things: Fresh seafood, fine wine, elegant European fare. But the sweet side of Carmel is equally storied and vibrant. In fact, the oldest continually running retail establishment in town is Carmel Bakery. Carmel Bakery was founded in 1899, and still operates in its original building. It is the oldest building in the Carmel village.

Carmel serves up every decadent delight a sweet-toothed traveler could desire. Patisseries, bakeries, cafes, elegant restaurants with chef's tasting menus that culminate in dessert — you will find it all here in the oceanside streets of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Inside, croissants, cookies, hand-crafted donuts, souffles and one-of-a-kind Carmel confections all await.

And while diners may think of farm-to-table ingredient sourcing as the sole domain of entrees and savory menu items, Carmel-by-the-Sea pastry chefs are equally discerning about the ingredients they use.

Savor Each Season

Desserts are a wonderful way to taste the seasonal changes in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Imagine cozy fall days where local persimmons or pumpkins flavor the finest desserts, or winter sweets with bright pops of freshly harvested citrus.

Winter citrus like Meyer Lemons fresh from Carmel-area orchards can be tasted in delicate desserts like meringues or in bright pops of flavor that balance decadent sweet bites. And you find local figs, pomegranates, fresh cream and even the meringue of local egg whites all showcasing the season and the premium growers and farmers in the area.

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"When I see or hear about ingredients at certain times, they kind of spark the idea of flavors that go together and then what to do with them."

At Rise & Roam Bakery you'll find hand-crafted pumpkin muffins and seasonal scones along with Kouign-amann and berry danishes. Patisserie Boissiere bakes delicious traditional French sweets like Paris Brest and Pot Au Chocolat. And throughout Carmel-by-the-Sea bakeries serve premium coffees, teas and juices to pair with your morning or mid-day indulgence. For perhaps the freshest and most unique donut you've even tasted, head over to Dutch Door Donuts in the Carmel Plaza. If you've ever wanted to try a Papaya-Lime or Kettle Corn glaze on a made-to-order donut, this is your chance.

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Desserts Throughout the Day

Vacations can be the perfect time to indulge. But Carmel-by-the-Sea's walkable downtown balances the decadence of pastries and desserts with leisurely walking that pair to perfection.

Cozy cafés and bakeries greet visitors with hand-crafted coffee and delicious pastries every morning. Brunch menus beckon with sweet and savory offerings. And the beautiful after-dinner hour awaits with delicate desserts and sumptuous sweets.

Within many of Carmel-by-the-Sea's fine dining restaurants you will find pastry chefs like Yulanda Santos, busy at work mixing the tried-and-true techniques of pastry-making with the Carmel-inspired creativity that surprises and delights visitors seeking Carmel-by-the-Sea's sweet side.

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For Santos, that delicate dance of both pushing innovative new dessert flavors and immersing herself fully in the simplicity of traditional pastry-making is the balance she seeks. Compelled by Executive Chef Cogley's vision and inspiration, Santos is always pushing fearlessly forward.

"Chef has always been thinking about change and pushing and constantly moving forward, not being stagnant. It's inspiring and it's a nice change, always thinking about something else and moving forward and thinking forward, but you can't overthink it. I think when you do this and you love what you do, you just have to remember why you love it."