The Art of the Plate Tour
Trip Highlights
* Exclusive Culinary Week tastings prepared by four different restaurants
* Guided progression through diverse cuisines and signature cocktails
* Limited-edition experience available June 5–12 only (sold out dates may not show on availability calendar)
Description
This Culinary Week tour brings together four of Carmel’s most exciting restaurants for an exclusive afternoon of tastings created just for the event. Visit El Bistro by the Sea, Grasing’s, Toro Sushi, and finish with a signature cocktail at Bar Napoli. Enjoy a curated progression of flavors and behind-the-scenes hospitality as each stop serves a special Culinary Week item. Spaces are limited and the experience is available for a short window during the week.
Itinerary
Chef Kurt Grasing has been the cornerstone of Carmel's dining scene for over 25 years. Ultrafresh, seasonal ingredients sourced from the Central Coast, presented with understated elegance. The Wine Spectator Grand Award–winning wine list is among the finest in the state.
On this tour: A Culinary Week–exclusive tasting showcasing Chef Grasing's seasonal vision — a dish created specifically for this tour, paired with a selection from the award-winning cellar.
One of Carmel's most talked-about restaurants, blending refined Mexican cuisine with French technique and California ingredients. Featured on Check, Please! Bay Area and known for show-stopping presentations and bold flavors.
On this tour: A Culinary Week–exclusive bite highlighting El Bistro's signature fusion of Mexican tradition and coastal California flair — something vibrant, unexpected, and made only for this tour.
Creative interpretations of Japanese cuisine in the heart of Carmel, with pristine sushi, inventive rolls, and an esteemed sake collection — all in a warm, welcoming atmosphere.
On this tour: A Culinary Week tasting that goes beyond the standard roll — think chef's choice nigiri or a seasonal creation designed to surprise, paired with a sake or signature cocktail.
The signature restaurant inside the iconic Cypress Inn — the 1929 Mediterranean landmark once co-owned by Doris Day. Silver-leaf ceilings, tufted leather banquettes, and a cocktail program inspired by the Golden Age of Hollywood, paired with tapas and seasonal coastal dishes.
On this tour: A curated bite paired with a classic cocktail in one of Carmel's most storied settings. This is where Culinary Week meets Carmel history.
Bar Napoli sits alongside Little Napoli, Carmel's Golden Pine Cones Best Italian Restaurant winner, opened by Chef Pèpe in 1990 and featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. A local's hangout and one of Carmel's most iconic gathering spots.
On this tour: A salted caramel gelato affogato spiked with liqueur — decadent, boozy, and designed to send you into your Culinary Week evening with a sweet buzz and nowhere to be but wherever the night takes you. This is where the tour becomes the start of the night.
Tour Info
Ocean Avenue between Junipero and Mission Streets Carmel by the Sea CA
Open in Google MapsOcean Avenue between Junipero and Mission Streets Carmel by the Sea CA
Open in Google MapsWhy take this tour?
Five restaurants. Five cuisines. One afternoon that captures everything Culinary Week is about. This limited-edition tour takes you inside the kitchens and bars that are making this week special — from bold Mexican-meets-California flavors to a Wine Spectator Grand Award–winning tasting, inventive Japanese cuisine with one of Carmel's finest sake and cocktail programs, classic cocktails in a 1929 Hollywood landmark, and a signature send-off at Carmel's most legendary Italian bar. Each stop is serving something they created just for this tour, and once June 13 hits, it's gone. This isn't a regular food tour. It's a Culinary Week experience you can't get any other way.
Included
Food, drink, and tax
Entertaining local guide
Excluded
Transportation is not included; this is a walking tour
Optional gratuity
Check Availability
Why book with us?
- Book instantly directly with provider
- Get the lowest price guarantee
- Worry-free flexible cancellation policy
Human support: 831-216-8161
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