About Us
Stokes Adobe is a neighborhood restaurant located at a 2 story historic adobe home in downtown Monterey. The house, built in 1833, and its history as a place of community and congregation is the inspiration for the food, service and environment.
The historic Stokes Adobe building was originally constructed in the early 1830s to serve as a home for the affluent trapper, Ambrose Tomlinson. At the time, the luxurious one-bedroom was considered to be a flaunt of his prosperity and success. Shortly thereafter, he sold the home to James Stokes, a military deserter turned fraudulent doctor. Using stolen medical supplies, Stokes set up shop in Monterey and began to treat patients. Despite his poor prognosis, this hoax went on for years and he became opulent enough to expand the home, adding a second floor and numerous additional bedrooms for his growing family throughout the 1840s.
After James Stokes, the home had a multitude of owners, some using the space for living, others for business, and some for both. It became a bakery, a print shop (where California’s first newspaper was printed), a pottery kiln, and even a garrison for officers at one point. The last person to use the building as a home was Hattie Gragg, a local socialite, who loved to throw parties and host events in her lovely adobe until she passed away in 1948.
This gave way to the birth of a new era at the Stokes Adobe. In 1950, a classy and exclusive restaurant by the name of Gallatin’s was born. It became a popular dining and lounging destination for elite, high-class, members of society. Hollywood stars and business moguls alike flocked to the restaurant to enjoy its exotic menu and elegant charm. The building has since been transformed into several beautiful restaurants and we are happy to return it to its original state of a gathering place for the community.
