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Exterior - Cella, Monterey, CA

Cella

4.7 (573)
$50 and over
Californian
525 Polk St, Monterey, CA 93940-2809

Make a reservation

A photo of Cella restaurant

Cella

4.7
$50 and over
Californian
Monterey

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 10 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
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 Lily Gonzales leads our remarkable staff. Explore our wine list and savor seasonal cocktails and mocktails crafted by Barkeep Joshua Perry. Chef Ben Spungin & Chef Tyler Eaves 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 Elegant
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Californian, Farm-to-table, Bistro
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Tue–Sat 5:30 pm–9:00 pm
  • Website
    https://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 Tyler Eaves 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
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Family-Style Dining (Groups of 13+)

    $131.25 per person

    6 - 50 people

    Multiple dates available
    Our farm-to-table family-style dinners are a celebration of gathering, whether for a company dinner, rehearsal celebration, or special occasion shared around the table. Guided by Executive Chef Tyler Eaves and owner-chef Ben Spungin, the experience reflects the seasonality and abundance of the Central Coast. The Menu: Our bakery’s bread, crudité, and our All Good Things Lettuces Salad to begin the meal, followed by a duo of our high-quality proteins and thoughtfully paired sides. The experience unfolds like a relaxed & refined three-course dinner, featuring desserts from by our award-winning bakery, ALTA. Beverages are charged upon consumption. Preview our wine list at cellarestaurant.com/drink. $105++ per person Enhancements are available. A $750 room fee is required to reserve our private dining room, the historic Diaz Sala, or to host a private event beneath our heated pergola. Our heated pergola's food & beverage minimum ranges from $5,000-$8,000 pending slow or peak season. Email to confirm your reservation request or to inquire about groups of 30 or more. Please disclose any information that will be helpful for a seamless service (i.e. allergies /dietary restrictions). Email lily@cellarestaurant.com to enhance your experience.
    Family-Style Dining (Groups of 13+) Photo

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Menu

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Cella.

4.7

4.7
(573)
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • California Central Coast

    Innovative

  • California Central Coast

    Californian

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Best Food

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Innovative

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Californian

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Cella offers an exceptional dining experience in Monterey, with an "elevated yet genuine" atmosphere. The menu is "innovative and creative," featuring standout dishes like halibut and lamb shoulder. Guests rave about the "warm, attentive service" and "perfect cocktails." The beautiful patio setting adds to the restaurant's charm.
573 Reviews

  1. VENUS

    San Francisco3 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Overall, my dining experience at Cella was pleasant, but there is room for improvement in the food quality. We ordered the Wagyu tongue share plate. The meat was wonderfully tender, but unfortunately, the sauce was excessively salty and overpowered the flavor of the meat. The pear dessert was delicious and a highlight of the meal. However, the portion was somewhat disappointing, as I could only find about 4 tiny pieces of pear in the dessert. On a positive note, the service was excellent, attentive, and professional. Overall, while the service was outstanding, I believe the food quality, seasoning, and dessert portions need some improvement to make the dining experience truly memorable.

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  2. John

    San Francisco3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Just had a fabulous meal at Cella. Probably one of the best restaurant meals ever. Tyler Eaves, the new chef, is absolutely amazing. The dishes he prepares are worthy of a Michelin star with wonderful and delightfully unique flavors, but without the fanfare, snobbishness or overstuffed feeling afterwards. Every dish was beautifully presented. We have come to Cella often since its opening and always enjoyed our meals and experience. The staff is amazingly friendly without being obsequious. And now Tyler has brought a step up in the quality and flavor of all the dishes, as well as the desserts to make your dinner experience very memorable. We started with cocktails, creative inventions that should not be missed. Then, the Bluefin tuna toast, which was deliciously fresh, sweet and spicy and flavorful. All of the dishes had amazing flavors and appearance: Matsutake Mushroom and persimmon salad; honeynut squash brulee; fromage dumplings. Finished with a delicious fig upside down cake. We’ll be back!

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  3. Kevin

    Central Coast2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 28, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Was my first time at Cella was Avery wonderful dinner

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  4. Anna Gold

    Miami13 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on October 25, 2026

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    Tries to be fine dining, but it's not working. The service and the food is not there.

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  5. david

    Oklahoma3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 24, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Was in town visiting from Oklahoma and honestly this might be the best food me and my wife have tasted. We were well taken care of by the staff. Again can’t emphasize enough the taste of the food…

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  6. Scot Gold

    San Francisco85 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 23, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We are very impressed by the fairly new Chef. Innovative new menu options were good. Great service by Alesia or Alexis (might be getting the name wrong). We enjoyed our evening.

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  7. Joseph

    San Francisco1 review

    5.0

    Dined on October 20, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    General Manager, bartender, server and host were all exceptionally welcoming, personable, professional and friendly. It is a must go to place for exceptional food and dining experience.

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  8. Randy Gold

    Los Angeles83 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 18, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    menu innovation is spot on. Good variety as we tried many items and shared them. halibut toast probably the winner closely followed by the oysters. The old fashion was good too but the special cocktails were really good. Don't pass up the bread with the anchovy side on top.

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  9. Giovanna

    Melbourne2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 17, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It was such a perfect experience. Seating outside under a beautiful pergola, wonderful wines, lots of gluten free options and special ingredients. Great service, soundtrack etc. a MUST.

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  10. morgan Gold

    Portland5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 16, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    5 Stars — One of the Best Meals of the Year! Cella is nothing short of exceptional and easily one of the best dining experiences we’ve had all year. From start to finish, every detail was thoughtful, polished, and beautifully executed. The service was warm, attentive, and genuinely friendly without ever feeling overbearing. The cocktails? Absolutely perfect. No notes. Classic cocktails made exactly as they should be, which is somehow becoming increasingly rare. And the food! Every dish was a revelation, with unexpected flavor combinations that worked together beautifully. Each plate felt creative and inventive without sacrificing balance or execution. The crudo was quite possibly the best I’ve ever had, and the portion was refreshingly substantial. Every bite was a reminder of just how extraordinary a meal can be when creativity meets impeccable technique. The setting was equally lovely—tasteful, intimate, and effortlessly elegant. Cella strikes that elusive balance between elevated dining and genuine hospitality. This is the kind of restaurant that makes an entire trip worthwhile. We would genuinely return to Monterey for the sole purpose of dining here again. An absolute standout and a serious contender for our restaurant of the year!

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Californian, Farm-to-table, Bistro
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Tue–Sat 5:30 pm–9:00 pm
  • Website
    https://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 Tyler Eaves 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
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

FAQs

Yes, Cella has outdoor dining on a heated pergola/back patio, and guests frequently praise dining under the heat lamps.

Cella sits in the Cooper Molera Adobe, a sleek, historic room with warm lighting, local woodwork and high ceilings, plus an intimate heated pergola patio; the dining room feels polished and can be lively at peak times.

Casual dress is the guide, comfortable, nothing formal required, which aligns with the restaurant’s casual-elegant dining style.

Guests report satisfying portions for several dishes, examples include generous steak tartare and nicely sized beef cheek, with the garlic fries often arriving in notably large bowls.

Yes, Cella’s warm, intimate dining room, attentive service, and multiple guests’ anniversary and special-occasion visits make it a lovely choice for a special evening.

For a calmer visit, aim for a weekday dinner, Cella serves dinner Tue–Sat from 5:30–9:00, and guests note sparse attendance around 6pm on weeknights; the heated patio is a lovely evening spot.

Yes, families are welcome: reviewers describe dining with babies and children, praised attentive, accommodating staff, and noted kid-friendly items such as a kids’ pasta and fun nonalcoholic drinks.

How FAQ content is generated

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. California Central Coast
  4. Monterey / Carmel
  5. Monterey

Make a reservation

A photo of Cella restaurant

Cella

4.7
$50 and over
Californian
Monterey

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 10 times today
Experiences are available.
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