Yes, Montrio's seafood is sustainable. Montrio is a partner in the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Best Choice Restaurant Program, which means the menu carries green-rated, environmentally responsible seafood, marked with the Seafood Watch Best Choice logo. The best way to taste that commitment is the daily Catch of the Day, the Cioppino, and the Seared Sea Scallops.
Montrio is listed by the Monterey Bay Aquarium as a Seafood Watch Best Choice Restaurant partner. See our listing on the Aquarium's site or read how the Best Choice program works.
Our menu and wine list change with the season. The dishes and pairings here are a guide, not a guarantee — please call (831) 648-8880 to confirm what's on tonight.
Is Montrio a Seafood Watch partner?
Yes. The Monterey Bay Aquarium lists Montrio as a partner in its Seafood Watch Best Choice Restaurant Program, the Aquarium's program for restaurants that put green-rated, sustainable seafood on their menus.
Seafood Watch rates fisheries and fish farms on how well they're managed and how the seafood is caught or raised. A green "Best Choice" rating means the source is well managed and environmentally responsible. Partner restaurants commit to serving Best Choice seafood and marking it on the menu with the Seafood Watch Best Choice logo, so you can see which dishes carry the rating.
What 'sustainable' means at Montrio
Sustainability isn't a label we print and forget. It guides which species we buy, which fisheries we work with, and how the menu changes through the year. Sitting on the edge of one of the most biodiverse marine habitats on the planet, Montrio sources responsibly so the bay stays healthy for the next generation of diners.
That's why the menu shifts with what's genuinely available and in season — and why the Catch of the Day exists at all.
Start with the daily Catch
The Catch of the Day is the purest expression of the kitchen's sourcing: sustainably caught fish or seafood prepared to the chef's daily inspiration. Ask your server what came in — it's the freshest, most of-the-moment thing on the menu, and it changes constantly.
The seafood plates worth ordering
Beyond the daily Catch, a few dishes show off Montrio's seafood especially well across courses:
- Cioppino — the centerpiece — crab, P.E.I. mussels, little-neck clams, gulf prawns, and scallops in a Pomodoro-harissa broth
- Seared Sea Scallops — diver scallops with wild mushrooms, Brussels-sprout fricassée, and pomegranate reduction
- Jumbo Lump Blue Crab Cakes — malt vinegar aioli and a petite pea-shoot salad
- Lobster Bisque — poured tableside over Atlantic lobster tail and fennel confit
- Fish Sticks — an elevated take with local rock cod, salmon roe, and Montrio tartar sauce
How to drink with it
Seafood loves bright, high-acid wine. A Monterey Chardonnay like the Storrs or the Deauratus Grenache Blanc suits the scallops and crab cakes; the tomato-forward Cioppino does better with a dry rosé or a lighter Pinot Noir. For the full breakdown, see our wine and cocktail pairing guide.
Our sustainability partners
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Montrio's seafood sustainable?
Yes. Montrio is a partner in the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Best Choice Restaurant Program and a certified green restaurant, sourcing fish and shellfish responsibly to support the long-term health of Monterey Bay.
What does the Seafood Watch Best Choice logo on the menu mean?
It marks a seafood item rated green, or Best Choice, by the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program. Those items come from fisheries or fish farms that are well managed and caught or farmed in an environmentally responsible way.
What is the best seafood dish at Montrio?
The Cioppino is the signature seafood centerpiece, and the Seared Sea Scallops are a guest favorite. For the freshest option, ask about the daily Catch of the Day.
Does the seafood menu change?
Yes. Because Montrio sources seasonally and sustainably, the seafood offerings — especially the Catch of the Day — change regularly based on what is freshest and responsibly available.