Mezzaluna Pasteria & Mozzarella Bar

This dinner-only spot makes its own pasta, mozzarella, and gelato, and is one of our top picks for a date night in the area. Be sure to make a reservation if you want to dine indoors or on their heated, pet-friendly patio—the latter is especially ideal if your vision of the perfect date night includes bringing your dog along as a third wheel. Standout dishes include the tre mozzarelle (a mix of fior di latte, burrata, and buffalo) and any of their seasonal stuffed pastas, like their corn and ricotta ravioli and the mushroom agnolotti. If you have access to a kitchen, you can take home your own sauces and pastas—in fact, the best deal in Monterey might just be their family pack, where $40 gets you four servings of campanelle bolognese, focaccia with tapenade, and a pint of chocolate gelato.