Grasing's

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Carmel Institution Since 1998

Chef and proprietor Kurt Grasing opened the doors to his namesake restaurant in March of 1998, and more than two decades later it remains one of the defining tables on the California Central Coast. At its core, Grasing's is an American steakhouse — the Wall Street Journal sent readers here to "dine like a fairy-tale king on Wagyu beef" — but the kitchen reaches well beyond that anchor, drawing on the extraordinary larder that surrounds Carmel-by-the-Sea: the Monterey Bay, the Salinas Valley, and the Carmel Valley all within twenty minutes of the restaurant's door.

The People Behind the Food

Kurt Grasing's path to Carmel ran through some of the most demanding kitchens on two continents. He apprenticed at the Clift Hotel in San Francisco, worked as a saucier and then chef at Narsai's in Berkeley, served as Executive Sous Chef at the Pierre Hotel in New York, and cooked at the three-star La Gavroche in London before returning to the West Coast. A cooking appearance alongside Julia Child stands out as a personal milestone he describes as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Day-to-day in the kitchen, Executive Chef Mario Garcia brings his own deep roots to the role. A California native who grew up in Watsonville surrounded by farms and ranches, Garcia started as a dishwasher, watched the chefs closely, and built an eighteen-year career that included stints at the Sardine Factory and Roy's Restaurant at Pebble Beach Resorts. His cooking at Grasing's stays true to the farm-to-table instincts he developed early: close relationships with local producers, the freshest coastal ingredients, and a respect for traditional methods learned at his grandmother's side.

California Coastal Cuisine, Sustainably Sourced

The menu is grounded in locally and sustainably sourced ingredients. Grasing's works with generational farms and community food sources across the Central Coast, a commitment that shapes every plate and reinforces what makes this stretch of California so distinctive as a food region. The result is American cuisine with genuine coastal character — not a generic steakhouse menu dressed up with regional language.

The restaurant itself was renovated in 2010, when Kurt added a new bar and lounge alongside a full interior refresh. Warm hues and contemporary décor replaced the original look while preserving the atmosphere guests had come to expect. The dog-friendly patio remains one of the most pleasant ways to experience Carmel-by-the-Sea at the table.

A Wine Program That Earned the Grand Award

The wine list is, by any measure, exceptional. Wine Spectator recognized Grasing's with its Grand Award in both 2024 and 2025 — the publication's highest honor — after previously awarding the Best of Award of Excellence every year since 2005. The list now spans approximately 3,400 selections across 15 countries, with particular depth in California wines, deep vertical collections, and a growing range of Italian and Southern Hemisphere bottles added since 2020. Grasing's also holds a retail license, allowing guests to purchase bottles for their private cellars, and runs an active wine club with regular winemaker dinners and tastings throughout the year.

For a restaurant that earned enthusiastic reviews and a Best New Restaurant nod in its very first year, the trajectory has been consistent: serious food, serious wine, and a genuine connection to the place it calls home.