CRAB, CRAB, CRAB

You don’t have to do the work to have fresh Dungeness crab on your plate. Some of the best places to eat crab are close to the source, on Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf. Crab stars on menus a few blocks from the ocean, too, from small cafes to fine dining restaurants.

Abalonetti Bar & Grill: 57 Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey, (831) 373-1851. www.abalonettimonterey.com. One of the wharf’s original restaurants, Abalonetti Bar & Grill has been around since 1951. Stop here for the crab sandwich or the Crab Louie salad (Salinas Valley lettuce topped with Dungeness crab meat, boiled egg, green beans and Louie dressing).

Café Fina: 47 Fisherman’s Wharf No. 1, Monterey, (831) 372-5200. www.cafe fina.com. This restaurant specializes in Italian cuisine and seafood, so one of the obvious favorites here is cioppino. Dungeness crab is prepared five ways, and one of the favorites is butter sauté, with olive oil, shallots, tomatoes, white wine, Sriracha, green onions, unsalted butter, garlic, clam broth and crab butter.

Monterey’s Fish House: 2114 Del Monte Ave., Monterey, (831) 373-4647. www.montereyfishhouse.com. Just a short distance from the wharf, this fishhouse restaurant features crab cakes as well as delicious crab ravioli.

Old Fisherman’s Grotto: 39 Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey, (831) 375-4604. www.oldfishermansgrotto.com. You can start off with the Dungeness crabmeat cocktail, tackle the crabmeat tower (layers of avocado and Dungeness tossed in lemon-dill aioli and fresh mango), or go all in with a whole crab — served chilled or steamed with sautéed organic vegetables and clarified butter.

Sandbar & Grill: Wharf No. 2, Monterey, (831) 373-2818. www.sandbarandgrillmonterey.com. This small restaurant and bar is on the wharf next door to Fisherman’s Wharf. A favorite here is the jumbo crab club sandwich, with Dungeness crab, bacon and tomato on egg bread. Some diners swear by the quesadilla, filled with crabmeat, prawns, caramelized onions and jack cheese.