Chez Noir is more than a charming Michelin-star restaurant in Carmel, California, it also happens to be my favorite restaurant on the Central Coast. With a warm and inviting dining room and dishes crafted from local Monterey Bay ingredients, a restaurant like Chez Noir is long overdue in this part of California.
If you appreciate perfectly executed dishes in a cozy, yet chic atmosphere, consider dinner at Chez Noir to be one of the best things to do when you visit Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Michelin Stars in Carmel, California
Chef Jonny Black and Monique Black, the husband and wife duo behind Chez Noir, have a galaxy of Michelin stars to their names, and the pair couldn’t be more suited to pull off the incredible dining experience that unfolds at Carmel’s most exciting culinary adventure.
Chef Black’s journey includes stints at world-renowned restaurants like Noma, Relae, In de Wulf, and London’s coveted two-Michelin-star Clove Club. Closer to home, he served as Chef de Partie at Thomas Keller’s Per Se, Chef de Cuisine at San Francisco’s celebrated two-Michelin-star Quince, and Head of Culinary Operations at Atelier Crenn, which notably earned its third Michelin star during his tenure.
Monique, for her part, gracefully and graciously manages Chez Noir’s front-of-house, welcoming guests with an effortless warmth and ease. What’s more, her background is equally as impressive as Chef Black’s, and includes acclaimed restaurants like the two-Michelin-starred Quince and Pineapple & Pearls, and the three-Michelin-starred Coi.
A Coastal Chic Interior
When you arrive at your reservation at Chez Noir, you step into a space that is as charming as Carmel itself. On your right is an intimate cocktail bar with roughly 8 seats. To your right, and separated by floor-grazing drapes, is the beautiful dining room. Walking into the bar feels like you’re inside a secret speak-easy.
Chez Noir’s dining room has feminine coastal aesthetic, with light pinks, creams, soft greens and shades of marine blue. The booths are clothed in rich fabric, and whimsical art hangs on the walls. And this is all lovely, but the real surprise sits in the bathroom. You might want to bring your cell phone so you can snap a picture of that, well, interesting wallpaper…
The Chez Noir Menu
One of my favorite things about the menu at Chez Noir is that Chef Black sources a number of ingredients from the greater Monterey Peninsula. This means seafood from Monterey Bay, veggies from Salinas, and meat from local ranches. We’re talking about ingredients harvested just a few miles from where you’re dining. Now that’s eating local!
The menu changes weekly, and you can count on experiencing what Chef Black and Monique call micro-seasonal ingredients, which means ingredients that could be in-season for a few days or a few weeks. Think hard-to-source delicacies like zucchini flowers. If you’re visiting from a place where it’s hard to find fresh-from-the-ocean seafood, then you’re in for a real treat.
There was no shortage of tantalizing menu choices on both nights I dined. Dishes unique to Monterey like the Monterey Bay Abalone Skewers or the Monterey Squid Gildas would be great picks for out-of-town guests who want to try foods they can’t get back home. Another totally unique ingredient: Abalone. A must order dish.
The Wine List at Chez Noir
I’ve gotten to that middle-aged part of life, where if I’m on vacation, I just won’t eat at a restaurant that doesn’t have a good wine list. So, trust me when I say, the wine list at Chez Noir is hands down the best restaurant wine list I have seen in the Monterey/Carmel/Pebble Beach area.
The list is centered around low intervention producers that work with unique varieties like Trousseau Gris, Gamay, Vermentino, and the ultra hard-to-find Cabernet Pfeffer (one of my favs!). Diners will enjoy producers working with heritage vines (+100 year old vines), and ones that use organic or biodynamic practices. You will discover great grower Champagnes, family-owned Sonoma wineries, female-owned wineries, and a few natural wines. Just take a look, and you’ll see what I mean.
If you haven’t tried wines like this before, prepare to fall in love with wine all over again – and don’t forget to take pictures of the bottles if you find a wine you really like.
Dining Experience at Chez Noir in 2023 & 2025
From dinner in 2023 (the original post about Chez Noir)
There are so many of my favorite producers on the wine list here that it’s easy to succumb to indecision. Thankfully, the staff at the restaurant are just as knowledgeable about the wine as they are about the food.
It would have been easy to open a bottle of Jolie-Laide, Sandlands, Scar-of-the-Sea, Arnot-Roberts, or Pax Mahle. But the night took an interesting wine twist when the server suggested two producers I’d never heard of: A.D. Beckham, from Beckham Estate Vineyard and Valérie Forgues’ Icône VDF Rouge.
Dishes ordered
- Grilled Oyster, chili butter, passion fruit
- Chilled Oyster with Big Sur rhubarb, cilantro
- Buttermilk Fried Morels Mushrooms with sweetbreads stuffing, green garlic aioli
- Brioche-a-tete
- Artichoke & Porcini Doppio Ravioli, brown butter, moonflower cheese, sage
- Chilipepper Rockfish & Rock Crab, corno di toro pepper couli, zucchini blossom, olive tapenade
- Niman Ranch Pork Collar, snail & green garlic ragout, sweet cone cabbage, watercress
And the best dish of the night was…
I wish I had taken more photos of the food that evening, but my taste buds overwhelmed my brain and it totally shut down and went into food pleasure mode. If you order one thing before your entrees, let it be the Buttermilk Fried Morel Mushrooms. In a nutshell, this was one of the best things I’ve eaten all year.
The taste and texture were just like fried chicken. Without hesitation, I could have eaten another plate full.
A few dishes from dinner at Chez Noir in February 2025
- Abalone Skewers
- Brioche
- Caviar Funnel cake with sweet potato, creme fraiche, caviar
- Nettle & Potato Gnocchi with nettles
- Santa Barbara Spiny Lobster Risotto with petit pois, citrus browned butter
Just like my first time dining in 2023, all of the dishes during this second dinner at Chez Noir were lovely.
Tips
- Chez Noir has a small bar area within the restaurant. Arrive early and sip specialty cocktails crafted by the incredibly talented beverage manager.
- If you’re staying at one of downtown Carmel’s lovely boutique hotels, Chez Noir is walkable. If you’re staying in Pebble Beach, Monterey, or Pacific Grove, plan on a 10-15 minute drive.
- When that warmish weather hits Carmel, ask to dine on the patio. A mature tree is the focal point of this little courtyard, and the bulb lighting hanging from the branches makes outdoor dining feel magical.
FAQ
How do you make reservations at Chez Noir?
Make your reservation at Carmel’s Chez Noir on Tock. You can reserve the dining room or the patio. Reservations book quickly, so reserve your table once your plans are confirmed.
Where do I park?
Downtown Carmel has lots of parking options. Just be sure to read the parking signs to ensure you’re not parking in permit spots.
Can I call the restaurant to change my reservation?
Chez Noir does not have a phone, but you can easily get in touch via email at info@cheznoircarmel.com or DM the restaurant on Instagram @cheznoircarmel.