Take a Summer Road Trip as Check, Please! Bay Area Returns to Monterey and Santa Cruz!

Ready for a culinary escape? Check, Please! Bay Area continues its 20th season with a delicious three-part spotlight on the Monterey Bay Area’s dynamic dining scene before returning to the Bay Area. The James Beard and Emmy Award-winning series returns this July with standout restaurants serving everything from smoky brisket and Thai street food to São Paulo-style stews and over-the-top hot dogs.

Each week, three Bay Area locals join host Leslie Sbrocco to recommend their favorite spots, swap stories, and dig into spirited food debates. This season brings everything from vegetarian tasting menus in Pacific Grove to house-butchered meats in Soquel and wood-fired pizza in a converted train station — all served with ocean views, surf-town charm, and serious flavor.

Don’t miss the premiere of four new episodes, Thursdays at 7:30 PM on KQED 9, starting on July 10.

Hungry for a preview? Here’s what’s on our plate this season:

July 10

• In Seaside, The Meatery Butchery & Eatery serves up bold sandwiches, house-made sausages, and 18-hour smoked brisket from a chef who sources his meats with care.
• Hanloh Thai Food in downtown Santa Cruz offers seasonal Thai dishes like double-fried gai tod hat yai and steamed black cod in spicy lime broth, all inspired by the chef’s Thai-Californian roots.
• Schooners Monterey delivers panoramic ocean views and sustainable seafood, including a saffron-tomato cioppino, Dungeness crab BLT rolls, and classic ice cream sundaes.

July 17

• El Bistro by The Sea brings a Mexican twist to Carmel breakfasts, with dishes like crème brûlée French toast, chilaquiles rojos, and chile relleno omelettes.
• Julia’s Vegetarian Restaurant in Pacific Grove wows guests with creative vegetarian fare, including a crispy fried mushroom samplers, yellow coconut curry, and standout pizzas.
• At Sampa Brazilian Kitchen in Santa Cruz, diners savor São Paulo-inspired dishes like moqueca, vegan feijoada, and pão de queijo — all paired with tropical juices, local beers, and live music.

July 24

• Woody’s at the Airport in Monterey offers elevated comfort food with runway views — think buttery sand dabs, honey chili wings, and “Wills Fargo” steak bites.
• Lucy’s on Lighthouse in Pacific Grove serves over-the-top hot dogs like the bacon-wrapped Asilomar and the pulled pork–topped Cobblestones dog, plus crispy tots with Lucy’s house sauce.
• At Home in Soquel, Chef Brad Briske crafts seasonal dishes from locally sourced ingredients — from fried chicken with anchovy aioli to candy cap mushroom panna cotta.
• In Cecilia Tries It, Cecilia Phillips heads to Castroville to explore the legacy and lore of the Monterey Bay Area’s most iconic vegetable: the humble artichoke.

July 31

• Brezo delights in Albany with Latin-Californian comfort food like banana Kahlúa French toast, gorditas, and the juicy Brezo Burger.
• In San Francisco’s Fillmore District, Minnie Bell’s Soul Food Movement serves rosemary fried chicken, brown butter cornbread, and mac and cheese rooted in Southern family tradition.
• Rise Woodfire Pizza in San Mateo turns a historic train station into a dining destination with wood-fired pies, rotisserie meats, and decadent desserts.
• In Cecilia Tries It, Cecilia Phillips visits San Jose’s Japantown for market-fresh bites and the vibrant sights and sounds of the Obon Festival.

Have a restaurant you think deserves the spotlight? Nominate your favorite spots and apply to be a guest at kqed.org/checkplease/apply!