The Ice Box, Carmel Valley

As if in homage to simpler times, the menu lettered beautifully on The Ice Box's chalkboard is short and sweet. The main draw here is frozen treats, waffle cones piled high with Marianne's Ice Cream, and sweet popsicles made in-house in flavors such as thai iced tea. Diners construct a squarer meal when they order one of the shop's savory treats, including paninis fresh off the grill and crepes folded around turkey and avocado. Guests can sit outside and admire the retro-style signage; inside, they can lunch next to the 1928 combination stove-ice box and try to get it to tell who was really president back then.