Rio Grill

Opened in 1983 as a coastal counterpart to Mustard's Grill and soon-to-be Fog City Diner, Rio Grill turned indie in 1988 and never looked back, winning numerous reader's choice awards and inspiring food critics near and far. A permanent fixture on the Carmel food scene, Rio Grill is located at the gateway to one of the world's most celebrated coast-hugging drives — Highway 1.