Amapola Kitchen and Wine Merchant - Salinas (CA)

5 /5 Rex: Food is 10/10, and the atmosphere is cozy. Its the kind of place you just want to stay and chat for a while after your meal. Everything we had was delicious and the service was great. The layout is accessible as well, and thats a bonus for someone like me who has mobility issues. Overall, its a wonderful spot.

5 /5 TenpuraWalker: The most satisfying café I visited in the U.S. The space, the food, and the wine were all clearly infused with the love and care of the owner couple. We stopped by to pass the time while waiting for our Amtrak train. We only ordered coffee and cake, but the café was clean, the atmosphere was pleasant, and both the staff and other customers were welcoming. It made the wait genuinely enjoyable. To be honest, I didn’t have the best impression of Salinas as a city, so I wasn’t expecting much from the café— but it completely exceeded my expectations and turned out to be a wonderful surprise. It might sound rude, but… this may have been the only café in the U.S. where I truly felt a sense of omotenashi.

5 /5 Melody S.: This is a gem of a place in Salinas. The food is absolutely superb. I had the Greek salad and the cheesecake. The salad was huge and very fresh. The cheesecake was absolutely delicious. It is also very reasonably priced. This is the highest rated lunch place in Salinas but when I google, it does not come up. They recommend many restaurants accept for this one. It’s such a shame. I found out about it through the locals.

5 /5 Grant Birkinbine: We used Jeff & Crystal with Amapola Kitchen/Wine to cater the dinner for our wedding in Salinas, CA and it was outstanding!! Jeff & Crystal really went above and beyond with their service. When they first got there, Jeff noticed that we didnt have a bar tender and it was self serve for our guests. Without even being asked, Jeff jumped up to the bar and began mixing drinks for our guests with a smile. Their hospitality as people was exceptional and so was their attention to detail in preparing the food. The dinner was extremely delicious! Our guests were really blown away with how good everything tasted. From the salads, to the apps, to the main courses, the dishes were exceptional. Jeff also did a stellar job selecting wines to pair with meal. The white wine that was served was quite possibly the best wine I have ever had. A huge thank you to Jeff & Crystal + the rest of the team for making our wedding night magical. If you are looking for someone to cater your wedding dinner in the Monterey, Carmel, or Salinas area, I would highly recommend Amapola to cater your big day. Thank you!! - Grant and Leah