Summer 2025

HAPPY CROWDS MEET HAPPY HOUR AT CULTURA Calling the afternoon fun at Cultura— that Carmel-based paean to the rich food traditions of Oaxaca, Mexico—a Happy Hour is a misnomer. It’s more like a Happy Hour-and-a-Half, running every Tuesday through Sunday from 4-5:30 p.m. The timing is different, but the happy part most definitely rings true: It’s impossible to not be happy when eating a taco (and on the Cultura menu, there are six of those, including vegan options with either mushroom or black beans). And at Cultura, the price on those drops to $5. It’s impossible not to be happy when drinking a Margarita (and those drop from $18 to $12). It’s impossible to be unhappy when eating what Mike Marcy (who runs the show along with his wife, Sarah Kabat-Marcy, and Chef Michelle Estigoy) describes as a “massive por- tion” of Nachos Locos, a secret menu item. That’s right. Happy Hour, which (like many things) went away during the pandemic, is really back. Unlike pre-pandemic, when it ran from 10 p.m. to midnight, it’s at a time where many more people can enjoy it. “We saw a need for the value, and for the customer base wanting to join us earlier, but not diving into the lunch hour,” Kabat-Marcy says. “We especially saw it in this climate, where everyone is looking for great value. It’s letting us optimize our business.” Dolores between 5th and 6th in Carmel. For more information, visit www.culturacarmel.com or call 831/250-7005. 176 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R 2 0 2 5 Mike Marcy, co-owner of Cultura, and Chef Michelle Estigoy. The Cultura team has introduced a new happy hour and, with the restaurant’s tempting cocktails and delicious Oaxacan cuisine, there’s something for meat lovers, vegans and everyone in between. Photo: Kelli Uldall food for thought Choose-Your-Own-Adventure in Monterey; New Vibes at an Old Spot in Sal inas ; More Than a Happy Hour in Carmel B Y R ENE E M I G I E L