What’s New at Carmel Plaza?

Exciting things have been happening at Carmel Plaza—Let’s talk about it!

What a year—Let’s recap 2023 at Carmel Plaza before we dive into everything that is currently happening as well as what is still to come in 2024.

Early last summer Athleta opened their Carmel store offering a place for women and girls to shop all their favorite styles. From work to work out to weekend—from sweat ready essentials to elevated everyday must haves, Athleta is your new go-to spot.

The much anticipated, Nicolás Cocina de Herencia began welcoming guests right before the 2023 holiday season. The newest creation from the owners of the beloved Villa Azteca in Downtown Salinas (Salinas City Center), honors the Alvarez family patriarch, Nicolás. The new Carmel hotspot serves delectable Michoacán dishes that are as flavorsome as they are eye-catching, as well as other Mexican favorites, incorporating three generations of family recipes.

Carmel Plaza excitedly welcomed another local winery to the Plaza when Chalone Vineyard Tasting Room opened in the courtyard in November 2023. Chalone is a pioneering legend in California Winemaking. Planted in 1919, Chalone is the first producing vineyard in Monterey County and is the sole winery in the Chalone appellation. Their focus is on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir but they also produce limited amounts of Pinot Blanc, Chenin Blanc, and Syrah.

The talented Natalie Baroni is back at Carmel Plaza. For generations, the Baroni family have designed for the royal families of Florence, Milan, and Rome. Natalie is dedicated to that heritage and she brings a lifetime of experience, and unique vision when creating a complete lifestyle branding of clothing, jewelry, handbags, shoes, fragrance, and home décor for the modern, sophisticated, and fashionable woman.

And in case you missed it…

Rise + Roam originally opened in 2020 but last year the local favorite was bought by the women behind Revival Ice Cream. The modern craft bakery and café, located on the corner of Mission and 7th Ave., still has everyone’s favorite pastries, coffee, and pizzas but this year, they will also be selling their legendary Revival Ice Cream. More to come on that so be sure to follow along.

Salty Soul Sanctuary, previously Seaside Yoga Sanctuary, opened in December 2023. The new owners, Amanda and Kyle Hoff, view this time as a soft opening as they plan for their Grand Opening celebration in mid-June 2024. Leading up to the grand opening, the studio is offering, as a token of appreciation for the community’s support during this transformative renovation period, a significant discount on their Unlimited Monthly Auto-Pay Membership. Salty Soul Sanctuary is more than just a yoga studio; it’s a nurturing, vibrant, community where warmth and love greet every soul—Offering diverse yoga classes that cater to various movement styles, ensuring accessibility and a welcoming experience for all.

Café Luna also changed ownership recently but don’t worry, local favorites such as their house made pot stickers and ramen bowls are here to stay. In addition to what everyone knows and loves there are some notable new additions to the menu as well, including a baklava family recipe, boba, and crepes.

Atkins Fine Clothier’s has moved to the courtyard level providing them space to expand their offering of luxury clothing for men and women at approachable prices. It is Atkins Fine Clothier’s mission to promote timeless elegance to their customers by offering high quality garments alongside professional knowledge.

Pure Barre Carmel-by-the-Sea has reopened under new membership to continue offering Carmel locals and visitors effective, total body workouts focusing on low-impact, high intensity isometric movements that lift and tone muscles to improve strength, agility, and flexibility for everybody in 45-50 minutes.

Carmel Burger Bar has rebranded and expanded their menu to include authentic Korean food like kimchi pancakes, stone pot, Korean fried chicken, and miso cacio e pepe pasta. An official name change is still in the works but one can expect to see their new name, Jeju Kitchen, named for the Hawaii of Korea, Jeju Island, over the door soon.

With all that news you are probably wondering what exciting things could possibly be still to come? Keep reading to find out.

The region’s leading designer and builder, Monterey Design Center of Carmel, will officially make Carmel Plaza their home in 2024 when they open their office, design studio and showroom on the third floor. From kitchen and bath remodels to entire complexes, single-family condos to multi-generation forever estates, their design team works around the client’s needs, providing solutions focused on function, sustainability, and contemporary design.

Jenni Kayne, the California lifestyle brand that inspires women to live well every day, is also coming to Carmel Plaza in 2024. The brand’s effortless staples, recognized for their neutral colors and quality, does not sacrifice style or comfort when building a personal uniform that will last season after season.

Signature Day Spa is set to open towards the end of 2024 bringing relaxation and a different form of luxury to the Plaza. The eco-friendly, organic, and chemical free day spa offers everything from manicures to massages and everything in between. Signature Day Spa may be new to Carmel Plaza but they have been providing their clients and customers with first-class services for almost 30 years.

Carmel Plaza is proud to be Monterey Peninsula’s premier shopping and dining destination offering the community over 40 one-of-a-kind fashion finds and specialty national brands, distinctive restaurants, gourmet shops, wine tasting rooms, wellness studios, and more. Carmel Plaza—The Best of Everything!