Coastal Valley Inn

The name means “clever” or “cunning,” but you don’t have to be a particularly sharp tool to appreciate the ample charms of this hip, easygoing Seaside gem. The staff is effortlessly hospitable, and the breezy space has a chic loft aesthetic, but it’s the cooking that really makes this place a coup de coeur. The menu draws on Italian-American and French classics (think chicken parm and asparagus with hollandaise), but the feel is thoroughly Californian, with a light, contemporary touch and spectacular local ingredients that make even all-too familiar dishes like Caesar salad memorable—a testame