Best Kept Carmel
Dining Traditions That Span Generations Surprise Diners in Carmel-by-the-Sea
There's a reason that great food is rooted in family and tradition. There's a richness to recipes passed from generation to generation. Longevity is proof of quality, service and culinary excellence. Great food takes time.
Rich Pépe arrived in Carmel-by-the-Sea 50 years ago. It didn't take long for him to put down roots that would last for decades. A baker by trade, he took a job at Wishart's Bakery, now named Café Carmel — a long-standing establishment dating back to 1952.
But Pepe had his eyes on an even more venerable Carmel institution — Carmel Bakery. The longest running retail establishment in the village, the bakery dates back to 1899. When the long-time owners were looking to retire, Pépe jumped at the chance to own a Carmel landmark. The purchase of the bakery kicked off an era of Pépe family culinary investment in Carmel-by-the-Sea that extends to today.
Next came Little Napoli and then Vesuvio, lively Italian eateries known for great food and welcoming service. Fast forward a handful of decades and Pépe has almost single-handedly put his Italian imprint on the village's dining scene, with his wife Sandra working alongside. Today that tradition carries on with his sons Gian and Christian.
Christian and Gian are now at the helm of the Pépe restaurant empire, guiding the restaurants with their own culinary sense, their own inventive cocktail programs and their own deep Carmel roots.
The brothers are deeply creative and curious. You'll find them bringing back sourdough starter from a distant Italian island to perfect their dough, studying pizza-making in Italy or distilling from-scratch barrel-aged cocktails by hand.
The Pépes are an outstanding example of a multi-generational culinary tradition in Carmel-by-the-Sea. But they are hardly the only ones.
Restaurants that date back decades are not hard to find in Carmel-by-the-Sea. There's a palpable pride in longevity here that is unusual.
You can feel the rich Clint Eastwood history in the walls of Hog's Breath Inn, a restaurant that Eastwood founded in 1970 and has spent a lot of time in over the years. The Dirty Harry burger, made from fresh-ground Angus chuck and brisket, is a must-try for fans of the iconic American actor. Saddle up to one of the five outdoor fireplaces in one of the most inviting patios in all of Carmel.
You can taste the Georis family culinary legacy in La Bicyclette, founded by Belgian-born restaurateur Gaston Georis, who has left an indelible imprint on Carmel-by-the-Sea's culinary scene. The name of the restaurant comes from earlier days in Carmel-by-the-Sea, when a bicycle was the mode of transport from a nearby wine cellar to the restaurant's bar.
The Next Generation
One of the irresistible allures of Carmel-by-the-Sea's dining scene is the mix of tradition and innovation, landmarks and newcomers. They all coexist in this village in a remarkably complimentary blend. Often, they exist side-by-side in the same restaurant — menu items that have stood the test of time and new creations that surprise and delight even longtime Carmel diners.
That's what you find within the Pépes' welcoming restaurants. There's a reason why when former President Barack Obama stopped into town in 2021, he dined at Little Napoli. It's a warm, welcoming, crowd-pleasing establishment where almost everything is made by hand. Barrel-aged cocktails are crafted by Christian Pépe himself. The Ravioli dough is hand-rolled in the Pépes' Carmel Bakery kitchen. The pizza dough is hand-tossed, and may even come from the sourdough starter Gian Pépe brought back from an Italian isle. And in every detail, you can see the fingerprints and spirit of the Godfather of Italian dining in Carmel-by-the-Sea — Rich Pépe.
And through it all, Gian and Christian Pépe are hard at work bringing their unique creativity, tenacity and hospitality to the Pépe family name that has become synonymous with Italian dining in Carmel-by-the-Sea.