On October 3, Merrill Hall at Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds fills with folding chairs and fascinating marine biology talks for two and a half hours. Sharktober runs from 2:00 to 4:30 in the afternoon, and when it wraps up, there's still plenty of daylight for the beautiful half-mile walk down to Point Pinos Lighthouse, where a different crowd is already setting up buffet tables for wine, beer, and a set from the David Holodiloff Trio. The Lighthouse Sunset Celebration starts at 5:00. Tickets for that one went on sale September 1, so anyone who wanted a seat has had almost a month to plan this perfect pairing.
It's a wonderful thing when a small town lines up two great events on the same Saturday, and this particular one is especially worth marking on your Pacific Grove calendar, landing right in the same season the town's restaurant scene has been adding exciting new options, many within easy walking distance of this same stretch of coastline.
A Perfect Day, Already Mapped Out
Sharktober has been a beloved fixture at Asilomar for years, and this year it wraps up right as the evening event down the road is getting its wine poured. A resident who wants both doesn't need two separate trips into town. The afternoon lecture and the evening dinner sit close enough together, geographically and by the clock, that the day flows into one seamless loop: a fascinating science talk, a scenic walk to the point, and dinner under the beam of a working lighthouse.
That kind of easy, same-day pairing is a special treat on the Pacific Grove calendar. Most of the fall lineup, from Tales from the Tavern on September 30 to the Winter WonderFest opening in late November, is spread thoughtfully across the month rather than concentrated into one afternoon and evening. October 3 is the standout exception, well worth planning around since this particular pairing won't come around again until next year's Sharktober lands on its own date.
New Flavors Along Restaurant Row
Anyone who enjoyed downtown Pacific Grove's dining scene a year ago is in for a delightful surprise this fall. Three wonderful additions account for most of what's new.
As Edible Monterey Bay reported, Max's Grill ran at 209 Forest Avenue for 22 wonderful years before Max and Yuko Muramatsu closed it earlier this year, and the space wasted no time finding its next chapter. It reopened within weeks as La Côte Bleue, a seafood-forward bistro from chef-owner Miguel Ponce, who spent close to a decade honing his craft at Old Fisherman's Grotto on Monterey's wharf before opening his first restaurant as an owner. His father Juan and brother Carlos share kitchen duties, with Carlos bringing a year of experience working under Cal Stamenov at Cella Restaurant. A third brother, Rodolfo, runs his own namesake restaurant elsewhere in town and hosts a popular Sunday pop-up called Heatwaves that's drawn enough of a following to attract a documentary crew. The menu at La Côte Bleue shines with whole fish, including a snapper dish Ponce expects to become a signature, along with a paella that's quickly become a fan favorite.
A few blocks over, beloved local favorite Crema reopened in April at a bright new address, 631 Ocean View Boulevard, under longtime owner Tamie Aceves. The move brought fresh energy to a new corner of town, with the full menu and hours rounding into place as the new space settles in.
And near the municipal golf course, The Grove at Point Pinos opened this September as the town's newest full-service restaurant, with room for 100 outside, 50 inside, and another 50 in a private event space. Early reviews are already raving about a nacho plate built on garlic-butter shrimp and black beans, the kind of dish that sounds simple on the menu and turns out to be anything but.
Between the Ponce family's exciting new chapter in the old Max's space, Crema's bright new location, and a brand new restaurant near the golf course, Pacific Grove welcomed three genuinely different new dining destinations in under a year, spread across three different parts of town.
A Fall Worth Savoring
A flurry of new restaurant openings is always exciting for a small coastal town, and this fall's additions landed beautifully close to two of Pacific Grove's biggest annual celebrations.
The Chamber of Commerce's Flavors of Pacific Grove walk took place September 24, sending ticket holders down Lighthouse Avenue through more than 20 participating restaurants, a wonderful showcase of the town's established dining favorites. Because The Grove at Point Pinos had only just opened and Crema's new location was still settling in, residents have an extra treat in store: a few delicious new spots still waiting to be discovered beyond this year's walk.
That's the fun part worth knowing. Pacific Grove's dining scene has grown so much in 2026 that there's genuinely more to explore than even a dedicated restaurant tour could fully capture in one outing. For a resident planning where to eat before Sharktober or after the Lighthouse Sunset dinner, it's a great excuse to check out the newest additions and see what's cooking.
Planning the Day Itself
For anyone treating October 3 as a full day out, here's how it comes together beautifully:
- Early afternoon: Sharktober at Merrill Hall, Asilomar, 2:00 to 4:30 PM
- Late afternoon: the short, scenic walk or drive from Asilomar toward Point Pinos Lighthouse
- Evening: the Lighthouse Sunset Celebration, 5:00 to 7:00 PM, buffet dinner with wine and beer, music from the David Holodiloff Trio
Anyone wanting dinner reservations before or after that window has three wonderful new options within a few minutes of downtown: La Côte Bleue's whole-fish menu on Forest Avenue, Crema's bright new breakfast and espresso spot on Ocean View Boulevard, and The Grove at Point Pinos near the golf course for a more casual bite. The Chamber of Commerce keeps its full events calendar current at business.pacificgrove.org, a great resource to check before locking in plans.
Pacific Grove keeps getting better, and this fall's calendar, paired with a fresh round of wonderful new places to eat, makes it a perfect season to explore everything this charming town has to offer.
If you already call Pacific Grove home and want to talk about what's happening in the local market alongside everything else happening in town this fall, Monterey Coast Realty is always glad to talk shop over a cup of coffee, no pressure attached.
