Sure! These are our favorites/go to:
Mission Ranch: Carmel by the Sea. Clint Eastwood's place. Great food & atmosphere. Beautiful setting. Litte Napoli: Carmel by the Sea. From Scratch: Carmel by the Sea (cash only)., Vesuvio:Carmel by the Sea (good but LIttle Napoli better), Baja Cantina: Carmel Valley (on CV Road), Tuckbox: Carmel by the Sea: Cute/Adorable. Known for their scones but menu very limiting so are the hours. Roys (Pebble Beach/The Inn Spanish Bay): Absolute beautiful scenery. Time it to be there when the lone bag piper plays. Have to go thru security gate but if you say you're eating at Roy's, they won't charge. Entrance is off highway but there is a back way thru PG (Pacific Grove) which is a lot less busier. This is also entrance for 17 mile drive. Beach House: Lover's Point in Pacific Grove. Husband gave me my engagement ring here. First Awakenings: In Pacific Grove right across from aquarium in Monterey (Cannery Row). Monterey Fish House and Chart House.
FYI, I don’t know how long ago you left the Monterey area, but things have changed since you left - First Awakenings moved over a year ago & is no longer across from the aquarium, it’s up the block on the busy David/Lighthouse corner in the old Coco’s location
https://www.montereyherald.com/2021...o-rise-and-shine-in-bigger-space-in-monterey/. I haven’t been since they moved, but friends who have say the menu hasn’t changed.
These days when I take out of town visitors to the aquarium I prefer to have brunch/lunch at the more scenic Wave St. Cafe on the rec trail or at Fish Hoppers for the ocean front seating on cannery row. El Vecchio seems to be a popular near aquarium choice lately.
I like the Beach House at Lover’s Point (formerly the Bath House) but it’s small and during heavy tourist times hard to get into. BTW, there’s finally a new place in the old Latitudes location at Lover’s Point, I haven’t tried it yet, but I noticed it was finally open when I drove by the other day
https://californiaseltzerco.com/lovers-point/.
Navigating to Roy’s, there’s actually 4 entrances into Pebble Beach on the Pacific Grove side (and one on the Carmel side.) The easiest for navigating to Roy’s at Spanish Bay is the gate at the corner of Sunset/68 and 17 mile Drive in PG. The road to the Spanish Bay Lodge is the first right after that gate.
https://assets.simpleviewinc.com/si...ices_9bea0023-877a-4012-925e-4d6fca6a3122.pdf the Forest Lodge Gate isn’t noted on this map likely to avoid tourists clogging up the neighborhood.
Regarding Nepenthe on the Big Sur coast, I’ve had mixed results w/ dinner @ the restaurant and far prefer to have breakfast/brunch/lunch on the less pricey outdoor patio at Cafe Kevah.
Finally, about Casa de Fruita - it makes a nice stop to stretch your legs & grab some snacks if you’re traveling over Pacheco Pass from 5 to Hwy 101, but I wouldn’t have a meal there.
OP - enjoy your visit, it’s hard to recommend places to eat not knowing someone’s taste or priorities, but one thing the Monterey area offers is abundant choice