Summer 2025

OYSTERTOWN BRINGS CREATIVITY TO NEW MONTEREY In New Monterey is an almost brand-new gem big on charm, community and (as the joint’s name might suggest) oysters. Oystertown Oyster andWine Bar is the brainchild of Monica Schweiger and Phillip Wojtowicz, featuring a horseshoe counter that feels more like a dinner party with your besties than a restaurant. “We wanted a space that felt open, easy,” Schweiger says. “You can stay for 30 minutes or two hours. It’s really choose-your-own-adven- ture dining.” Wojtowicz, whose chops include Big Sur Bakery, Poppy Hall and LA’s Campanile, has traded starched linens for raw bars. Think perfectly dressed oysters, super-fancy deviled eggs, plant-forward plates, and yes—oyster crackerjack. That’s crackerjack, made with oys- ter crackers. As great as the menu sounds, the vibe sounds as great. “You meet new people and make new friends,”Wojtowicz says. Their story? A “meet cute” at the late, great Poppy Hall (where he was a founder and chef, and where she was a customer rocking a Van HalenT-shirt, sitting at the bar drinking wine and reading a book).The rest is history. Open since mid-March, starting in May, they’ll be serving Thursday through Monday. So swing by and grab a stool at the most epic oyster bar in the county. You might just meet your new favorite dish. Or your new best friend. 281 Lighthouse Avenue in New Monterey. For more information, visit www.oystertownusa.com . OLD FAVORITES, AND SOME NEW, AT THE NEW PATRIA IN OLDTOWN SALINAS Over the years, there has been a lot to love about the food at 228 Main Street in Oldtown Salinas. There was the Windfall, which then became Hullabaloo, which then became Patria. And now we are on Patria 2.0, and new own- ership under Ernie Amorim and Chef-Manager Jose Aranda Aguilera. Amorim and his family are behind a half dozen locations of Crumbl Cookies. They also formerly owned Mia Fusion. But when Fusion’s lease was through, rather than reupping for three more years, they looked for new opportunities. The new Patria opened earlier this year. Amorim and Aguilera pared the old menu down to true bistro offerings, like the skirt steak pappardelle, lobster ravioli and an excel- lent ribeye. Lunch service continues from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. every weekday, with dinner service Monday through Saturday. “We are selling a lot of popular items, includ- ing the steak sandwich. We needed to bring in more variety and become more like a true bistro,” Amorim says. For more information, visit www.patriaonmain. com or call 831/425-4555. 178 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R 2 0 2 5 Patria in Oldtown Salinas is under the new ownership of Ernie Amorim and Chef-Manager Jose Aranda Aguilera. The Oldtown favorite has kept some of founder Paulo Kautz’s staples, but with changes that favor a bistro-style menu. Photo: Kelli Uldall