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When visiting a beach town, what do you want to celebrate? The beach, of course. You’re here to dig your toes in the sand, dance in the water and perhaps take a brisk swim. Then, to make the most of your adventure in Monterey, you’ll absolutely want to add in dining at restaurants with ocean or bay views.

Many choices abound, offering top-notch local seafood, juicy steaks or vegetarian specialties. Whatever you choose, the menus will be largely seasonal, following the delicious rhythms of the coast. Here are just three of the area’s mouthwatering contenders.

Tucked in a waterfront space within the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa, the upscale restaurant showcases seafood including fresh catch from Monterey Bay. Executive Chef Michael Rotondo sources spectacular ingredients, such as local spot prawns, elevating them to art with a quick steam, followed by a deep marinade in an infused oil of tomato, makrut lime, shrimp head and galangal. Rounding out the plate: grilled zucchini, Jimmy Nardello peppers and late summer tomato dashi.

Prepare for a feast. Spanning about two hours, the five-course tasting menu experience begins with multiple amuse-bouches that might include cucumber tart sprinkled in sesame, sweet onion and salty trout roe, a single, perfect Pacific Gold oyster splashed with watermelon gazpacho and silky sashimi of Monterey halibut drizzled in stone fruit ponzu.

Next, you might get delights such as wood-roasted local black cod with sweet Brentwood corn and a surprising but delectable bit of coconut and toasted almond; a seared slab of five spice-crusted Sonoma duck paired with morel mushrooms, cherries and grilled endive; a hunk of 14-day dry aged New York steak with savoy cabbage, toasted freekeh and zingy red wine ginger jus; and a finale of “Toast And Jam,” a whimsical treat of buttered toast ice cream, summer berries and lemon thyme.

And be ready to admire the plates. The maritime theme shines with intricate presentations like the succulent crab that’s tucked into halved sea shells, all perched on a bed of crisp sea beans.

The luxury restaurant debuted in late 2021 and was a natural next step for Rotondo, who previously was executive chef at the Ritz-Carlton San Francisco and the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach.

The waves crash on the sand beach, just below the mansion-style hotel and restaurant. Sit on the heated patio called the Solarium, and you may recognize the scenery from “Big Little Lies,” since Lovers Point was a filming location for the hit HBO series.

Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the charming restaurant is casual and relaxed but so serious about its local-centric menu. It’s all about superb seafood here, including appetizers like Pacific Coast clam chowder, firecracker shrimp that’s lightly fried and tossed in a spicy, sweet Thai aioli and West Coast poke of yellowfin tuna gussied with edamame, avocado, cucumbers, scallions, wakame and wasabi aioli for scooping with crispy wontons.

For entrees, yes, you can get meat, such as sublime bacon-wrapped meat loaf or a juicy charbroiled pork chop with Yukon Gold potatoes smashed with bacon and avocado (why doesn’t every chef do this amazing spud recipe). But then you’d also have to steal a few bites of your dining partner’s excellent, flaky pastry-topped, white wine cream-sauced scallops pot pie or cioppino stocked with fresh fish, prawns, crab, clams and calamari, simmered in a roasted tomato-seafood broth and topped with butter-drenched garlic toast.

Beach House is also well-known for its sand dabs — the flatfish is a Pacific Ocean specialty and treasured for its mild, sweet flavor. Here, it’s panko-dusted, lightly pan fried, drizzled in lemon beurre blanc and served with blue lake green beans, rice pilaf and toasted almonds. Also be sure to order the chef’s new creation of crispy oyster mushrooms dunked in garlic aioli for a wonderful crunch that gives way to meaty, velvety fungi.

If you want to soak up both ocean and mountain scenery, the Restaurant at Mission Ranch impresses with sweeping views of the Santa Lucia Range plus Point Lobos and the Pacific Ocean. Set in Mission Ranch Hotel, it also happens to be owned by one of Carmel’s famous residents, Clint Eastwood, so you might catch a glimpse of the legendary star.

The food is equally attention grabbing, starting with a weekday breakfast when classic dishes like eggs Benedict share the table with more inventive plates such as the Chef’s Favorite omelet stuffed with shrimp, roasted Anaheim chile and tangy goat cheese.

At dinner, look for standouts, including clams bordelaise dressed in tomato, sherry lemon butter and lots of garlic; juicy, slow roasted prime rib; whiskey marinated beef brochettes of prime New York steak and filet mignon; and jumbo scallops over wild mushroom-spinach risotto tumbled with plenty of butter and Asiago cheese.

Reservations are a must for Sunday brunch, meanwhile, presented as an extravagant buffet tempting with made-to-order omelets, carved-to-order prime rib, mole beef burritos, baked salmon with creme fraiche, house-made croissants and so much more.