Savor seasonal flavors at farm-to-table restaurants in Monterey County

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If you’re looking to dine out in Monterey County and crave farm-to-table cuisine, you’re in for a real treat. The region’s Salinas Valley is lauded as the “Salad Bowl of the World,” dominated by agriculture and its dozens of produce crops. The area is huge, spanning the center of the county for 90 miles, and supplies most Monterey restaurants with the freshest stuff straight from the fertile ground.

In the cooler seasons, you’ll indulge in an array of artichokes, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, Asian vegetables, legumes, lettuce and spinach. In the warmer seasons, you’ll love the carrots, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes and juicy strawberries. Framed by mountain ranges on the east and west and cooled by the Pacific Ocean, the climate is perfect for year-round production of a wide variety of other edible goods, too.

Monterey County’s many upscale restaurants showcase the premium produce. At La Balena in Carmel-by-the-Sea, you’ll find Italian dishes brimming with fresh veggies, herbs and fruits. So depending on what the farmers are featuring, you can start with a savory minestone soup stocked with cannellini beans, nibble on a gemma salad tossed with crunchy radish and gorgonzola and move on to tender grilled octopus decorated in a vibrant mix of watermelon, mint, carrots and fennel.

In the city of Monterey, meanwhile, the two-year-old Cella Restaurant & Bar beckons with New American favorites such as tomato bisque thickened with squash, a hearty autumn salad abundant with heirloom...