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Cultura Comida y Bebida

4.6
·491k reviews·,

An upscale bistro offering authentic Oaxacan cuisine, adventurous snacks like chapulines, and an extensive mezcal collection in an elegant setting.

Highlights

Highlights

Must-see attractions

Social content

Social

From TikTok & Reddit

Best Time

Wed/Fri 18-21h

Blue hour photography, calmer galleries

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Inside

Cultura Comida y Bebida

Highlights

Highlights

Must-see attractions

An upscale bistro offering authentic Oaxacan cuisine, adventurous snacks like chapulines, and an extensive mezcal collection in an elegant setting.

4.6
(491k reviews)

"This is real Mexican food and real Mezcal."

TIP

Don't Miss the Mole!

The mole sauce is highly recommended and considered one of the best.

Spice Level Control

Most dishes are mild; request hot sauce on the side for extra heat.

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Quick Facts

Closed·Opens Tuesday 4PM

Cuisine

Mexican

Price

$$$

Phone

(831) 250-7005

Address

Dolores Street, between 5th ave. & 6th ave Su Vecino Courtyard, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921, USA

Insta-Factor

High

Highlights

Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences

Authentic Oaxacan Flavors

Authentic Oaxacan Flavors

Savor the true taste of Southern Mexico with dishes like mole, chapulines, and authentic tacos. Experience Oaxacan culture.

Exceptional Mezcal Selection

Exceptional Mezcal Selection

Explore one of California's largest collections of rare Oaxacan mezcals. Perfect for tequila and mezcal enthusiasts.

The 17 Best Restaurants In Carmel - Carmel7 places for a proper drink in Carmel20 Best Restaurants In Carmel-By-The-Sea+1
Adventurous Snacks & Unique Desserts

Adventurous Snacks & Unique Desserts

Dare to try the famed chapulines (grasshoppers) or indulge in unique vegan flan and churros with chocolate fondue.

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Insider Tips

from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit

Residente presenta: Tacos Rafa Antojería, tacos, tortas, antojos y anexas. La sección de Residente donde te presentamos lo más delicioso de la comida callejera de Nuevo León##comidaybebida #culturagastronomica #nuevoleon #Monterrey
@residentemty
22 likes • 460 views

Don't Miss the Mole!

The mole sauce is highly recommended and considered one of the best.

Spice Level Control

Most dishes are mild; request hot sauce on the side for extra heat.

¡Cornalina: la joya británica escondida en Monterrey! 🇬🇧 #Cornalina #AfternoonTea #BrunchBritánico #RestauranteBritánico #ExperienciaVictoriana #SanPedroGarzaGarcía #MonterreyFoodies #LujoYComodidad #CulturaBritánica #AltaRepostería #HoraDelTé #SaborConHistoria
@_joseperales
558 likes • 19.3K views
Lugar para visitar y comer comida africana en Monterrey la galería de Arte "Art Gold Is" #quehacerenmty #recomendaciones #quecomermty
@pinkonnections
4.6K likes • 41.2K views

Taco Topping Tip

Consider extra tortillas for tacos to manage excess oil and meat.

Mezcal & Tequila Heaven

Explore the diverse and impressive selection of mezcal and tequila.

El plato de Lety: el verdadero tesoro regio #CostumbresRegias #MonterreyTradicional #PlatoDeLety #CulturaRegia #CarneAsadaTime #OrgulloRegio #HumorNorteño
@canekmarcelo
10.2K likes • 185.1K views

Tips

from all over the internet

Don't Miss the Mole!

The mole sauce is highly recommended and considered one of the best.

Spice Level Control

Most dishes are mild; request hot sauce on the side for extra heat.

Taco Topping Tip

Consider extra tortillas for tacos to manage excess oil and meat.

Mezcal & Tequila Heaven

Explore the diverse and impressive selection of mezcal and tequila.

What Travellers Say

4.6
(491k reviews)

Reviews Summary

Cultura Comida y Bebida is lauded for its authentic Oaxacan cuisine, featuring standout dishes like mole and chapulines. Diners praise the extensive mezcal and tequila selection and the cozy ambiance, particularly the option to dine outdoors. While the food is generally exceptional, some reviews note potential inconsistency in drinks.

"From the moment we walked in, this restaurant felt like a genuine slice of Mexico. The staff were incredibly friendly and made our dining experience truly enjoyable by helping us choose a wonderful combination of dishes to share. The salsa was a definite highlight – one of the best I've ever tasted. And the carnitas with pineapple and habanero? Simply divine. Finally, tequila lovers will be impressed by their diverse selection."

Claes Sandahl

"Love this place. The churros are great and they make some of the best mezcal drinks. The hot chocolate is also a must! Drinks can be a little inconsistent, but usually very good. Also nice that you can sit outside."

Lisa Stone

"Well this is my 2nd Michelin rated restaurant and it was absolutely delicious. First of all the food menu is very nice with me being from the Southwest and spending time by the Mexico Border. The mezcal and tequila menu left me feeling extremely content but sad that I could not possibly ever try them all. I selected a still strength Fortaleza and boy let me tell you. I am now officially a fan of Blanco Tequila!! Well Still strength at least. The Chapolines……hahahaha when I see something like this in a menu I have to try it. I got my entire table to eat them……the chile lime flavor from a grasshopper is pretty unique and a memorable Moment I will have forever. My wife and I were merely in the area only for one evening and we walked into a slice of Home away from home and Heaven at the same time. The service was perfect…..duh they have the Michelin sign out front;) the atmosphere was perfect. If I am ever in the area again I will most definitely be going back to try more tequilas……one shot at a time, save the salt for someone else ;) oh and the chocolate drink at the night for night cap was absolutely delicious and reminded me of hot coco that my grandmother would make for me."

Ernest Lopez

What People Like

Authentic Oaxacan flavors
Extensive mezcal and tequila selection
Cozy ambiance with outdoor seating

What People Dislike

Occasional drink inconsistency

Frequently Asked Questions

Signature dishes include authentic Oaxacan mole, chapulines (toasted grasshoppers), and a variety of tacos. Don't miss the vegan flan and churros for dessert.

13 Best Restaurants in Carmel-by-the-Sea14 Best Restaurants In Carmel By The SeaGoogle Review+1

Yes, the restaurant offers a diverse menu with many vegetarian and vegan options, including vegan tacos and vegan flan.

Google Review+1

Cultura boasts one of the largest collections of traditional Mezcal in California and offers expertly crafted cocktails, including popular margaritas.

The 17 Best Restaurants In Carmel - Carmel7 places for a proper drink in Carmel20 Best Restaurants In Carmel-By-The-Sea+1

The restaurant has a cozy and elegant ambiance, described as dimly lit and suitable for groups. Outdoor seating around fire pits is also available and highly recommended.

20 Best Restaurants In Carmel-By-The-SeaGoogle Review

While not explicitly stated, given its popularity and upscale nature, reservations are generally recommended, especially for group meals or during peak times.

The chapulines are typically seasoned with chile and lime, offering a unique flavor. For spicy dishes, it's advised to request hot sauce on the side.

13 Best Restaurants in Carmel-by-the-SeaCarmel-by-the-Sea | Visit California14 Best Restaurants In Carmel By The Sea

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Savor elevated Mexican cuisine and superior mezcals at Cultura Comida y Bebida, a cozy restaurant and bar from three Post Ranch Inn vets. You needn’t be Andrew Zimmerman to enjoy a delicious basket of spicy chapulines (grasshoppers), the perfect snack for sampling the noteworthy collection of rare mezcals. Follow it with enchiladas, steak tacos, and the excellent Cultura vegan bowl in the dimly-lit dining room or outdoors around warming fire pits.

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Start with some toasted chapulines, and any mezcal-based cocktail (they have one of the largest collections of the smoky spirit in California). Then, move on to bigger options like the pork cheek mole and enchiladas with salsa verde. The ambiance is upscale and lively, so it works equally well for a date as it does for a night out with friends.

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Carmel’s Cultura comida y bebida has opened a mercantile selling curated selections from Oaxacan artisans, while la Balena offers Italian pantry selections for purchase. Gabe Georis (owner of Pescadero and Barmel) and Brandon Miller (previously executive chef for the now-shuttered il Grillo) went all in with the launch of a new subscription service—The Chef’s Stash—earlier this year to provide home cooks with curated grocery boxes featuring the same quality products chefs use in their restaurants.

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Lauded as Carmel-by-the-Sea’s best Mexican restaurant, Cultura Comida y Bebida brings the soul of Oaxaca to this charming oceanside town. Many of the ingredients used across both the cocktails and culinary creations hail from family-owned businesses and farms in Oaxaca, maintaining a connection to the restaurant's roots. The moody space features red accents, stained glass decor and a cozy tiled fireplace, setting the backdrop for a mezcal flight or beef barbacoa tacos on homemade masa tortillas.

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Michelle Estigoy from Carmel’s Cultura Comida y Bebida represented the local culinary crew with a spicy tamarind Wagyu asada taco, plus all the traditional fixin’s like chapulines (crispy crickets), ants, sal de gusano (worm salt), and spicy housemade salsas. And chef Tyler Malek from Salt & Straw provided a sweet finish with his take on “Choco Tacos” with cauliflower and green fennel ice cream in a waffle taco shell covered with white chocolate and meticulously adorned with flower petals.

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A few other standouts include Cultura Comida y Bebida, where Oaxacan dishes like smoked pork mole and chapulines (toasted grasshoppers seasoned with lime and salt) are best paired with one of 39 mezcals, and La Bicyclette, where the vibe is pure French bistro. Early June is a particularly good time to experience it all, as it brings the weeklong Carmel-by-the-Sea Culinary Week, which offers tasting events, curated menus, and special offers at more than 30 participating restaurants.

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22 Cultura Comida y Bebida: It is technically a restaurant — with everything from $5 chapulines (or fried grasshoppers) to $150 Siberian caviar and a deliciously esoteric wine list. But the identity is more mezcal-driven than anything else, with rare Oaxacan spirits and drinks like the Despiertate ( “Wake Up”) with mezcal, brandy, Acme Coffee cold brew, spicy mole sugar and cream. 5 p.m.-midnight Monday-Tuesday, 11:30 a.m.-after midnight, closed Wednesday.

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Cultura Comida Y Bebida's bar specializes in seasonal cocktails and features one of the state's largest collections of traditional Mezcal in the state. Romantic lighting, dark woods, and green velvet cultivate a cozy atmosphere perfect for an intimate date night or catching up with friends over a drink. The menu is shaped by the culinary culture of Oaxaca, Mexico, with specialties like mole, enchiladas, and tacos serving as pillars of each meal.

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With our major love for Mexico, it’s no surprise that we always search for quality Mexican food wherever we travel in California. For legit food focused on the Mexican state of Oaxaca (where mole and mezcal reign), head to Cultura Comida Y Bebida. The menu includes street taco hits like Chicken Tinga, carnitas, barbacoa, and Oaxacan staples like mole, chapulines (toasted grasshoppers), and Oaxaca cantina-style peanuts.

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If you are in the mood for some Mexican food, we have the place for you. Cultura Comida y Bebida is a Oaxacan-inspired restaurant that, like most places in Monterey County, sources much of its food from locals, but takes it one step further. Some of Cultura’s many mezcals are sourced directly from small producers in Oaxaca and are served complete with grasshoppers (as is the tradition in Oaxaca), orange slices, and worm salt.

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Lively modern Mexican restaurant, mezcalería, and agave bar Cultura will make you feel welcome with Oaxacan-inspired design and outdoor fire pits. Since its tempting to taste from the extensive list of cocktails and mezcals, soak it up with street tacos, chapulines with chili and lime, and rich entrees such as smoked pork cheeks in housemade mole. // Dolores St. & 5th St., culturacarmel.com

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Carmel’s dining scene typically revolves around seafood and European fare. Cultura, however, brings the vibrant flavors of Mexico to the table, drawing inspiration from the culinary traditions of Oaxaca. You’ll find traditional street tacos, but also unexpected treasures like tres leches French toast topped with fresh berries, anise whipped cream, and maple syrup.

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Between the cool and artsy atmosphere and the Oaxacan-inspired menu, Cultura Comida y Bebida is hands down one of the best restaurants in Carmel you can’t miss. Every time I’ve stopped by here, it’s always packed, which speaks volumes. They have both indoor and outdoor seating depending on the vibe you are going for, but you can’t go wrong with either.

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We were craving something sweet but torn between having dessert at La Bicyclette or having churros at Cultura, both highly recommended. It ended up, Cultura was the perfect warm and cozy end to our evening. If only we left room to try their street tacos.

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For elevated cuisine with Oaxacan flare, Cultura serves everything from a Mezcal tasting to lovely house-made salsas. One dish to not pass on is their grilled squash and Oaxacan Farm cheese in a tortilla — the best modern version of a quesadilla.

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