Monterey Vista, Monterey, CA

Monterey Vista covers the long stretch of Monterey between downtown's southern edge and Del Monte Center, with Munras Avenue running through it. That placement is the draw, since it puts a restaurant row on one side and a full shopping center on the other. On the slopes, houses are mostly single-story homes from around the 1950s on sloped lots, and listings often mention city lights and mountain views. The streets curve with the hillside rather than following a grid. Via Paraiso Park has tennis courts, the Peter J. Aldrete ballfield, picnic tables and play equipment. Whispering Pines Park adds a covered picnic area and an amphitheater. The Monterey Public Library sits inside the neighborhood too, a useful anchor for a place this spread out. For Spanish food, Estéban at 700 Munras is the stop, with paella and a tapas list. Heirloom Pizza Co., on Cass Street, builds its pizzas around local and organic ingredients. Parker-Lusseau Pastries, on Hartnell Street just over the line into Old Town, does quiches and French-style pastries with good coffee. Stokes Adobe, in a historic building near the library, has a cozy, homey dining room that reviewers compare to a friend's house. Out at Del Monte Center, Lalla Grill is a locally owned option with fresh organic ingredients, and Kona Steak and Seafood leans Hawaiian. For groceries, Whole Foods Market at Del Monte Center is the obvious stop, and Munras Avenue gets you to downtown. The center also has a movie theater and a Cold Stone Creamery for the evening. Monterey-Salinas Transit runs the buses, and Highway 1 is close to the shopping center. Because it is so long, Monterey Vista behaves like two places. The library-and-restaurant end near downtown feels different from the hillside and shopping-center end, and which one you get depends heavily on the address. Few neighborhoods in Monterey put so much within reach while offering such different streets.