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Maui Best Restaurants

Updated For 2022/2023

December 23, 2022

Laureen

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Location: Maui Hawaii USA

Maui Best Restaurants – updated with new information for 2022.

I’ve been to Maui more times than I can count and it is one of my favorite places in the world. But like everything else affected by the PanDamit, Maui has lost some restaurants (including one of my faves) while others struggle to keep their doors open. And yet still, this island is home to some amazing dining from take-out to romantic and every cuisine you can want. I have not eaten at EVERY Maui restaurant, but I feel qualified to recommend quite a few. So here they are – Maui Best Restaurants 2022 by My Fab Fifties Life.

In No Particular Order

The Sea House – Napili – Beautiful view ocean side at the iconic Napili Kai Resort. Fresh fish and always delicious. One of my top restaurants on the island. Reservations a must.

A ‘a Roots – Napili – Vegan tiny restaurant in Napili Plaza, farm to table, locally sourced and so delicious.

The Gazebo – Napili – a bit over hyped, but still delicious breakfast with huge servings. Be prepared to wait in line at this tiny spot.

Star Noodle – Lahaina – One of my top favorite restaurant in Maui. Always perfect, outdoor ocean side dining. Creative menu and excellent service. Reservations recommended.

Mala Ocean Tavern – Lahaina – Great seafood, clever cocktails, ocean side dining. Reservations recommended.

The Fish Market – Kaanapali – purchase fresh fish and poke here to take home or order up fresh prepared fish tacos, mahi mahi and so much more. Delicious and worth the wait. Take out.

Monkey Pod Kitchen – Kaanapali and Wailea – by the owners of Merriman’s (see below) a more casual restaurant for salads, burgers, fish and a great Mai Tai.

Pint & Cork – Wailea – not your usual Maui vibe, this gastropub is a great place if you want a burger and a beer. Great service and reasonable prices.

Moose McGillicuddy’s – Kihei. Sports Bar upstairs with great burgers, fish and chips, salads and more. Also downstairs (same kitchen) is Fred’s Mexican open for breakfast too.

Some Casual Options

Paia Fish Market – Paia, Kihei, Lahaina – choose your fish and how you want it prepared. Always fresh but expect a wait.

Sugar Beach Bake Shop – Kihei – come for the malasadas. Hands down the best on the island. Other yummy stuff too.

Cafe O’Lei – Kihei and other locations – a wide variety of family and budget friendly fish, burgers salads and more.

Kihei Cafe – One of Kihei’s most popular breakfast locations, expect a wait but not too long, they get people in and out. Try the banana pancakes, loco moco or eggs bene.

Sale Pepe – Lahaina – A great Italian option right in Lahaina. No view but the food is excellent and the service is great. Try the lasagna.

Coconut’s Fish Cafe – Kihei – Fish tacos, salads and more at a reasonable family friendly price. Choose your fish and your preparation preference. Always fresh.

Down the Hatch – Lahaina – Order at the counter and they will bring your food to your table. Large seating area so usually not a long wait. Nice bar options too.

Papa ‘aina – Lahaina – Top Chef Lee Anne Wong works wonders and Papa’aina often creates special dinner events too. In the historic Pioneer Inn across from the Banyan Tree in Lahaina.

Alchemy – Lahaina – I loved the sandwiches we had at this hidden gem above Lahaina Old Town. In more of an industrial area…you gotta search it out. Believe me it’s worth it.

Something For Everyone

Three’s Bar and Grill – Kihei – Casual and clever menu with both indoor and outdoor seating and a great Happy Hour menu. Try the brussel sprouts. I’m not kidding, they are amazing.

Maui Brewing – Kihei and Kahana- Pizza, fish tacos, burgers and a delicious kale salad…and of course beer.

Monsoon Indian – Kihei – my hairdresser told me about this hidden gem, located in side Menehune Shores in North Kihei. I had never heard of it. It was awesome. Very delicious and authentic Indian food with a fabulous view, perfect for sunset.

Roasted Chiles Mexican – Kihei – Only Mexican restaurant I can recommend on Maui…delicious and authentic, locally owned and family run. If you need a taco fix while in Kihei this is the place.

Honu Seafood and Pizza – Lahaina – another excellent pizza option but also lots of fish choices and fabulous view. The Mushroom Pizza was excellent and so was the Banana Coconut Cream Pie.

Miso Phat – Kihei and Kaanapali – Delicious sushi and a great variety. Easy to order on line, pick up and enjoy at the beach.

Kula Lodge – Kula – recently purchased by long time Maui restaurateur Simon Vojdani and owners of the 5 Palms Restaurant formerly in Kihei. The 5 Palms is now be part of the beautiful property at the Kula Lodge. We enjoyed the Happy Hour…but dinner is also recommended… you can’t beat the view here!

Ohana Seafood Bar and Grill – Kihei – We went for the sushi but the day we went the Sushi Chef must have been off…bummer. But the menu has many other options from burgers to poke, tacos to calamari. The calamari was delicious..

Manioli Pizza – Wailea – This place has a small menu but a lovely view. Several pizza options and just a couple pasta options but all very good. I really liked my chicken piccata. Budget friendly and family friendly too.

Some the BEST on the Island

Morimoto – Wailea – the most beautifully presented sushi I have ever had. And the ambiance is amazing at the stunning Andaz Resort in Wailea. For a special occasion or any day, just go. Great to watch the sunset too. We always come back for this one.

Ka’ana Kitchen – Wailea – We had an outstanding meal with a view at Ka’ana. Whatever you do don’t miss the watermelon salad. Everything else is good too. Also located at the Andaz.

Mama’s Fish House – Paia – Maui’s finest restaurant in food, ambiance and service. Incomparable. Reservations hard to get but give it a try.

Fleetwoods On Front Street – Lahaina – One of Old Lahaina’s best restaurants, if you want the roof top be sure to make a reservation well in advance, especially for sunset. A bit pricey, so if you want to save a little make a reservation for their awesome happy with great half price drinks and half price on selected appetizers and entrees.

Hali’imaile General Store – Upcountry -One of the islands best restaurants located in a historic building in upcountry, the menu is fresh but not pretentious…just delicious and local.

Merriman’s – Kapalua One of the best meals I have had in years, the impeccable Merrimans is where we celebrated our wedding anniversary. Amazing Prix Fixe menu for $120 per person was worth every penny. Fantastic and special place when in Maui.

Sam Sato – Wailuku – few tourists come here, but locals know about this amazing noodle shop in Wailuku. I love the Dry Noodles and the Chow Fun. Great kimchee too.

The Pour House – Kapalua – no view but the ambiance is lovely and the food is divine. If you want a break from fish and Hawaiian food make a reservation at this phenomenal Italian bistro. Be sure to try the handmade fresh burrata.

Pita Paradise Wailea – A hidden gem in Wailea. This name though…it sounds like a fast food place. It is not. A lovely menu of Mediterranean dishes with daily specials. I loved my local Mong Chong grilled fish with fresh vegetables in an aioli sauce. My husband had delectable lamb gnocchi. Definitely come here. Make a reservation during peak season.

Saigon Cafe Wailuku – This hidden gem has been going strong since 1995…highly unusual in this day and age. But that says something about the food. We hadn’t been here in years, but made our way back up this last visit and I am so glad we did. Authentic and delicious SE Asia cuisine.

Take Out and Food Trucks Are Big Biz

There are many food trucks on the island, but I haven’t visited them all. But if you are interested in take out options check the YouTube video we did in 2020 Tasty Tuesday Maui Take Out Food.

Feel free to share in the comments any other Maui restaurants you love. And I’ll take your recommendations and visit those restaurants when I return to Maui in the future. I still have several I need to visit so let me know your favorites!! Mahalo! Mele Kalikimaka!

See last week’s post Maui New Discoveries

See our tips on visiting Napili Maui here

See this week’s top performing pin Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

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Eating My Way Through Paris

October 14, 2022

Laureen

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Well, I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve been in Paris, either for a long stay or a quick pass through. But Paris is always a good idea, and this time we had less than 48 hours. So, we booked a food tour and a few dinner reservations and I began Eating My Way Through Paris.

Delicieuse

Delicious or delicieuse, no matter how you say it , the French Cuisine is all that and more. It can have a reputation of being expensive and a bit fussy, but in our travels we have found the opposite. In fact, everyday French cuisine is relatively simple. Food in Paris is also international and the French embrace many cuisines and flavors.

Coffee and Steak Tartare

My favorite two things in Paris are the coffee, my favorite in all the world, and steak tartare. I can get both excellent coffee and steak tartare back home in the USA, but there is just something about enjoying these special favorites in a cafe in Paris. On our first night in Paris we had steak tartare with a bit of a different twist; it included sun dried tomatoes, at Les Fines Gueules just a block or two from the Louvre.

Since figs were in season we enjoyed a delicious and light desert of fresh and stewed figs in a yogurt like cream. Wow.

Walking Food Tour

Our second day, we decided to forego the museums and Eiffel Tower and instead make our way to Montmarte for a walking food tour with Devour Tours. This tour was kind of expensive, $100 each, but we were interested in learning more about Montmarte and the hidden places locals go for a bite to eat. So this day was all about Eating Our Way Through Paris.

It was a chilly morning but we met our guide and three other couples (2 American and 1 Canadian) and began our tour with coffee and one of the best croissants I’ve ever had. We learned about the laborious process of creating the layers and layers and LAYERS in a perfect croissant and savored every bite. Off to a great start.

Chocolate

The French have delicious chocolate, despite the fact they grow no cacao in their country. They have, however, perfect the art and we enjoyed a tasting at one of the cities finest chocolatier Arnaud Larher. Here we also sampled macarons, another Parisian specialty. This is macarons not macaroons (coconut) and these luscious little bites are amazing. Also expensive.

Organic

Locals are embracing shops that are popping up all around the neighborhoods offering locally grown, organic, and sustainable products. Our guide took us to a lovely shop brimming with beautiful produce from the region, as well as coffees, pickled and canned items, fresh pastas and more. We tasted incredible cheese here (the French really know cheese) and I ate way too much. The chevre was out of this world. Also included in our tasting was jamon and grapes. This was my favorite stop on the tour.

Brittany

Brittany and Normandy (where we had just been days before) are the home of the French crepe and apple cider. Our next stop took us to a small outdoor cafe run by a woman from Brittany. Crepe Octopus is where we had an amazing freshly made apple cider with a warm and delicious caramel and butter crepe. Please and merci.

Wine

Of course you can’t visit France and not drink wine, but our wine tasting had a little twist. We visited an organic wine shop and tasted several local wines including a vegan wine. Vegan wine means no animals were used in any part of the process including even a horse pulling a cart. Not sure I found the wines to my taste, but it was still interesting and commendable to see this effort and passion this shop has for their niche product.

Quiche

We ended our food tour at a lovely little cafe for an amazing quiche dish that was chock full of vegetables and ham and cheese. I really loved this dish. I make quiche often at home, and I will need to try to recreate this. Served with a small salad and a delicious mustardy vinegarette. Delicious.

We really enjoyed this tour and walking around and learning a bit more about the beauty and history of the Montmarte neighborhood.

Dinner

Yes, even after all that, we still had dinner. After our tour we headed back to our hotel to organize and repack for our flight the next morning. Then we wandered out to meet our Parisian friends Pierre and Zineb. They chose a local Italian bistro for us to enjoy dinner with them. Oh my gosh. Il Bacaro was incredible. Remember what I said earlier about a wide array for international cuisines? You can find Italian, Sicilian, Moroccan, Ethiopian, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Brazilian….everything! And of course McDonalds is also in Paris.

At Il Bacaro we shared an amazing appetizer plate with my favorite, a bacalao mousse, also octopus,and an eggplant ratatouille.

For our main course, Arne and I shared gnocchi in a tomato and red pepper sauce. The little dumplings were made with perfection – light and airy.

I was way too full after Eating My Way Through Paris I couldn’t eat dessert. We said farewell to our friends and headed back to our hotel and prepared for our morning flight.

Everywhere you look in Paris – food as art

Thanks for reading our post Eating My Way Through Paris. Be sure to see last week’s post about Monet’s Giverny and a Wee Bit More.

See this week’s top performing pin Capsule Wardrobe for a Three Week Trip here.

We are getting ready to board another flight and begin a SEVEN MONTH trip. So stay tuned for more about that next Friday!!

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Africa & The Middle East Travel -- Food & Drink

Authentic Moroccan Food Tour Marrakesh

Don’t Miss This Tour in Marrakesh

June 10, 2022

Laureen

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It was our second visit to the amazing country of Morocco, and I looked forward to sharing this trip with our two adult sons. There is so much to love about Morocco, and I suspect this won’t be my last time there. Marrakesh is my favorite city in Morocco, and we hit the ground running on arrival, with an Authentic Moroccan Food Tour Marrakesh.

Arriving Late in Marrakesh

Our flight out of Dulles/Washington DC left more than five hours late due to bad weather. So of course we landed in Casablanca more than five hours late. We were very grateful to find our hired driver waiting for us, despite the delay. Jet lagged and exhausted we immediately started the two hour drive to Marrakesh.

It was our plan to have two full days in Marrakesh, but our travel delays took away most of the first day. We were extremely grateful that our Authentic Moroccan Food Tour we had booked with One Life Trips through Viator allowed us to move the tour to our second night. Otherwise we would have missed the tour and been out nearly $200 ($48 per person).

My family enjoying the food at Jemaa el Fna

So instead of the food tour on our first night, we walked to the amazing and famous Marrakesh market square called Jemaa el Fna and wandered around the vast and various food stalls there. Be prepared to have everyone trying to get you to eat at their stall…it’s part of the fun. We ended up enjoying a colorful meal with kebabs, lots of veg and of course Moroccan tea.

Tip: The food in the market square , though authentic, is more expensive than places outside the market square. It is also all about the tourists. Although it’s very fun and should be experienced, hopefully you can also visit some restaurants outside of the square.

One Life Trips

Through Viator we found One Life Trips and our amazing guide Yahya. Again we were so grateful this company and our guide was willing to move our tour by one day due to our travel issues. On our second day in Marrakesh we walked all over the Medina and by dinner time we were very excited to embark on our Authentic Moroccan Food Tour Marrakesh.

Yahya introduced himself and told us a little bit about Moroccan food and Marrakesh. And then he said he hoped we were hungry, and we told him we definitely were. So off we went. For the next three hours we enjoyed one of the best food tours I have ever been on. And that is saying a lot. Here is what we ate on our Authentic Moroccan Food Tour Marrakesh;

My family with our wonderful guide Yahya

Nuts & Dried Fruits

My previous travels in Africa and the Middle East have turned me into a date lover, and Morocco has some amazing dates. Dried fruits and nuts are a popular snack as well as used in many of the authentic foods of the country. Yahya told us that when he was a child eating a bag of fruits and nuts like the one shown here was something he did often. Delicious, nutritious and local. The market area has many vendors selling dried fruits and nuts prepackaged or by the bag.

Small Pastries and Cookies

Moroccans love their sweets and their is a decidedly French influence in many of the small bite sized sweets. Many small sweets are filled with dried fruits and nuts, and honey is frequently used too. Some of the bite size confections are made from a flaky phyllo-type dough, while others are hand formed dough wrapped around a filling much like a pirogi. Yahya took us to a stall where a man has been making and selling these sweets for fifty years.

Olives

Like so many North Africa and Middle East countries, olives are present at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Both as a snack, and also featured heavily in tajines, we enjoyed olives throughout Morocco. Yahya took us to an area in the market with many olive dealers. Their stalls displaying the colorful variety of olives as well as preserved lemons and other Moroccan delights. We sampled spicy, garlic, lemon, dill and many more flavors of olives.

Macaroons

One of the best reasons to go on a tour with a local is because you will have a very authentic experience. This sweet old lady selling homemade Moroccan Macaroons is not someone I would have stopped at on my own. But Yahya knew what an amazing, delicate and delicious cookie she had. It was light and sweet with a hint of cinnamon. Just perfect.

Msemmen

Morocco has several different kinds of pancakes as well as flat breads. Msemmen is one of the most popular. On our Authentic Moroccan Food Tour Marrakesh we visited two different vendors hand making Msemmen right in front of us. The first one was a savory version with some cheese and herbs. Our second stop was a sweet version with butter and honey. The flat pancake is folded over several times and eaten by hand. Amazing. I’m gonna try this one at home.

Pastilla

One of my favorite foods of Morocco, the pastilla is actually from the city of Fes, but it is found many places around the country. We enjoyed it multiple times. It is a round pastry filled traditionally with pigeon but today usually chicken as well as dried fruits and nuts. We had pastilla that were nearly bite size up to 8 inches across. Sometimes it’s a very large pastry, cut pizza-style. I really loved pastilla.

Moroccan Hamburger

I’m sure this local favorite has a local name, but Yahya called it a Moroccan Hamburger. We knew we were in for a treat at this tiny take away stall when we saw the long line of locals vying for this local fav. The bread was incredible, and the beef was served a bit like a sloppy joe…minced and cooked with a delicious variety of spices and sauce. Wow. I loved it. Snack Bachar is a hidden gem in Marrakesh.

Snails

Back in the market square of Jemma el Fna, Yahya took us to one of several vendors selling nothing but snails by the bowl full in a rich broth. I’ve had snails in France of course, and also in Asia, but the Moroccan version was sweet and earthy at the same time. Very good.

Lentils

Lentils are served in many Moroccan dishes, including in soups or just on their own. I love lentils and make dhal or lentil soup often at home. The tiny bowl of lentils we enjoyed clearly had been slow cooked and made with loving hands. Delicious.

Tanjia

Definitely my favorite thing we had on this incredible food journey was the Marrakesh favorite known as tanjia. This was the first time I had enjoyed this slow cooked beef dish flavored with preserved lemons and olives. The meat literally falling off the bone with a tender yet citrusy flavor. Served with rice and a small salad, I was so full but I couldn’t stop eating. I need to learn to make this one at home.

Yogurt

Despite all the sweets around, yogurt is a favorite after dinner treat. I am a big fan of homemade yogurt. We make yogurt at home nearly every day and the version we had on our Authentic Moroccan Food Tour Marrakesh was outstanding.

Authentic Moroccan Food Tour Marrakesh

Come to Morocco. Come to Marrakesh. And come hungry. The people are friendly and happy to have visitors back in their beautiful, historic and interesting country. The culture is unique and most definitely delicious. I highly recommend One Life Trips and our guide Yahya.

I hope you will embark on your own journey soon. Watch for another Morocco blog next week about our Three Day Tour from Marrakesh to Fez.

We love it when you pin and share our blog posts. Shukran.

See last week’s post about The Royal West Indies Hotel in Turks and Caicos.

See our Moroccan Food post from our visit to Morocco five years ago, Eat Morocco.

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Food & Drink -- Inspire

What I Don’t Eat (Well Most of the Time)

Never Say Never

March 25, 2022

Laureen

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It’s going on two years since I made a big commitment to restructuring my diet for a healthy life. I lost 33 pounds and have kept it off. I go up and down a pound or two but essentially am holding at 149 pounds. It is a good weight for me. Most of this success is from what I don’t eat.

A few weeks ago I made a comment on Facebook when I posted a photo of me eating a hamburger. My comment was something like “I don’t really do hamburgers anymore”. Fairly innocent comment but so many people asked me about it. What do I mean I don’t do hamburgers anymore?

So, let me explain.

I Don’t Do Hamburgers

First, a caveat – I have learned what my body reacts negatively to. I’ve learned this through trial and error. I’ve also learned not to restrict any food 100%. So when I say I don’t do hamburgers anymore…well never say never. I break all these rules from time to time. Because life would really suck if you can’t break a few rules from time to time, and eat the donut (or hamburger) on occasion.

The Hamburger that sparked the discussion

How I Lost The Weight

I signed up for Noom (NOT a diet but a lifestyle and psychology program) in May of 2020. I committed to it 100% for six months. It helped me realign my thinking and healthy choices and I am eternally grateful. Since then, I have continued to consider everything I put in my mouth on a daily basis. And I have continued to step on the scale every morning. Weighing daily has been a huge factor in my ability to see what foods make the scale go up or down, what activity makes the scale go up and down, and it keeps me focused. Yes I travel with a bathroom scale in my suitcase. No I’m not kidding.

weight loss — Noom Weight Loss weighing in everyday

The blog I wrote about Noom (See it here – My Self Care Journey with Noom) is one of the most read blogs I’ve ever posted. But here is the deal; Noom won’t work for you if you don’t commit. No excuses. Noom is only a tool…YOU must do the work. Failure is not Noom’s fault. I’ve had many people say to me “oh Noom didn’t work for me”. Hogwash.

Diverticulosis

This disease called Diverticulosis is something I have dealt with for a decade. Last April I had surgery to remove part of my colon (Read about it here – What is Diverticulosis). Even a year later I am still dealing with some diverticulosis issues. The reality is I probably always will.

Unhealthy eating leads to all kinds of ailments, and so it’s never too soon to start thinking about your diet. Poor eating habits contribute to a vast majority of health issues in the United States from obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer. Why not take control of your health and your one and only body? It’s not too late.

All The Fish All The Time

I used to only eat fish in restaurants because I felt like I didn’t know how to properly prepare fish at home. But those days are over. We eat fish 4-6 times a week. I have fish delivered to my home and always have wild caught fish in my freezer. Having it accessible means I will eat it. And I have taught myself so many ways to enjoy cooking it at home. Check out these two posts about fish – Fun and Delicious Ways to Cook Fish and Wild Caught Alaska White Fish Recipes.

Never Say Never

As I learned about food psychology from Noom, shed the pounds, took up running again AND began to discover what foods set off my diverticulitis, I slowly developed my own healthy eating style. A style that fits my life, goals, tastes, and level of activity. But I never say never. I eat just about anything, I just eat the foods on my personal “bad” list only occasionally.

Intermittent Fasting

We didn’t set out to do intermittent fasting as part of our healthy eating. It actually never occurred to us. But, as we find our way in a new and healthy lifestyle, intermittent fasting became part of our life. Here’s why; we really only eat two meals a day. Again…never say never. But most days, we only eat breakfast and dinner (see below for what we eat daily). I do my morning run before breakfast, and have breakfast in the 9:00-10:00am range after my workout. Then we have an early dinner most days (never say never) in the 4:00pm range. We don’t eat again until the next day, anywhere from 14-17 hours. We rarely snack in the evening.

Why Two Meals a Day?

Back in the day I never ate breakfast. I raced around the house getting kids to school and me to work and never thought about breakfast…for decades. That bad habit resulted in my being famished by 10:30am and devouring something huge and unhealthy, often from a fast food place. Back home in the evening I could practically eat an entire meal by nibbling while making dinner…then sit down and eat dinner too. In the evening in front of the TV we often snacked on microwave popcorn, Cheez-Its or Ice Cream.

That doesn’t happen anymore. We eat two good healthy meals a day, with occasional healthy snacks or lunch in the middle. A typical day looks like this;

Coffee then Run

Breakfast is a large bowl with yogurt, berries, Kiwi, mango or pineapple, spinach, grains (barley or quinoa usually), chia seeds and walnuts or almonds. Breakfast includes a hard boiled egg and frequently half an avocado. My breakfast usually includes kombucha.

Dinner might be fish tacos, stir fry or baked cod, halibut or salmon, sometimes chicken or pork. Dinner almost always includes a salad and another green vegetable. We eat risotto a lot because it’s versatile but we don’t eat much pasta. We eat meatless one or two days week and that might be omelet or homemade bean soup, or quinoa patties (my fav) or even lentil dhal or stuffed Portobello.

It’s always filling and delicious and we don’t really need to snack. I drink a ton of water which also keeps me satiated. Sometimes I have herbal tea in the evening.

What I Don’t Eat (Well Most of the Time)

Never say never. There are five things listed here that I generally don’t eat. Removing these things from my daily intake was a quantum leap for me. I never set out to permanently eliminate these, but once I did and I saw the results everything fell into place.

BEEF

Beef is something my diverticulosis finds offensive. I eat it very rarely. On St Patrick’s Day I had a delicious Irish Stew made with beef. I enjoyed it very much but suffered slightly the next day. Once I recognized the connection I really didn’t desire beef. I still eat pork, lamb and chicken and a ton of fish.

PROCESSED MEAT

I’ve always enjoyed a good Charcuterie, or a deli sandwich, but I’ve stepped away from these things, including bacon, as part of a healthy diet low in saturated fats. It’s just not worth it…occasionally I’ll have some bacon, which I did recently in a Cobb Salad. It was delicious but it will remain on the occasional list.

CHEESE AND MOST DAIRY

When I was cooking for a family of four we ate so much cheese. OMG we had cheese everyday. Macaroni and Cheese, Spaghetti and cheese, cheesy quiche, grilled cheese, Quesadilla and cheesy tacos. Not anymore. Cheese is like a cork for my digestion so I consume it in very small quantities on rare occasions. I’ll have a little on a taco, some parmesan in risotto and occasionally a few bites off a cheese board. That’s what I miss the most. But it’s not worth it. I still eat butter and I eat yogurt everyday, but the rest of the dairy is limited.

SUGAR

I’ve never been a big dessert eater, even though I love to bake for my family and for special occasions. The only dessert I really miss though is ice cream. But after being on heartburn medicine for a decade (omeprazole) I was flabbergasted how cutting sugar from my diet (never say never) eliminated my need for the meds! After ten years! And no doctor ever mentioned this to me….what the heck?? If you are taking heartburn meds, cut out the processed foods high in sugar as well as homemade sugary things and see if your heart burn goes away. Let’s get un-medicated.

ALCOHOL

This one will surprise some people because you see me post pictures of drinks on tropical beaches…but the truth is I barely drink alcohol anymore. Not only do beer, wine and cocktails carry a powerful caloric punch…I just feel better when I don’t consume alcohol. There was a time in our life where we opened a bottle of wine every evening and drank it with dinner. There was a time where we, especially in hot climates, drank 2-3 gin and tonics in the afternoon. Those days are over. I have a drink at the most once a week now.

So that’s What I don’t Eat (Well Most of the Time).

These Are My Choices

These are my choices, choices I’ve made to feel the best I can in my Grey Goddess body. My choices aren’t anyone else choices. Each person needs to forge their own path. But since you all asked what the heck I meant when I said “I don’t really do hamburgers”, well now you know.

The world can be hard. Eat the hamburger if you want. But then, get back in the saddle and focus on a healthy body and mind because, life is fabulous and you want to be part of it for many years to come. Go. Be. Fabulous!

If I can help, I’m all ears. xoxox

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At Home -- Food & Drink

Breweries of Kitsap (Plus One)

July 30, 2021

Laureen

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Disclaimer – we did our best to include every brewery we could find in the region we have defined below and using the criteria defined below. We do apologize if we missed any.

My husband and I are big fans of really good locally brewed beer from small breweries. Not only do we enjoy good, fresh, local beer, but we also enjoy supporting small local businesses. If you read our blog regularly you are likely familiar with how we support local business here on My Fab Fifties Life. So at the beginning of summer 2021 we decided to visit every local brewery in our region. It became a bigger undertaking than we originally imagined! But hey! Somebody has to do it! And so we give you Breweries of Kitsap (Plus One).

FIRST A LITTLE HISTORY

In 1985 my husband and I visited the Thomas Kemper Brewery. I was 25 years old…barely legal drinking age! Research says the brewery was on Bainbridge Island but my memory has it more in the Poulsbo area…in a farm like setting. Whichever it was, it is likely that was the first small hand crafted brewery I had ever visited. That was 36 years ago. Thomas Kemper operated in Kitsap until 1992 when it was bought by Hart (later called Pyramid). A few years later we would also visit the Pyramid Brewery in Kalama, Washington…long before Pyramid became the powerhouse of Northwest micro brews.

Thomas Kemper wasn’t the first brewery on the Kitsap Peninsula however. In 1933 just after the repeal of prohibition the Kitsap Brewing Company was opened. Later called the Silver Spring Brewing Company of Port Orchard, the brewery operated on East Bayside Road in Port Orchard until 1950 when they moved to Tacoma.

Hundreds of microbreweries would grow out of these humble pioneer beginnings through out the Pacific Northwest. Including breweries like Silver City in Silverdale/Bremerton, and Hood Canal Brewery in Kingston, both early local trailblazers still operating successfully since 1996.

Using the following criteria, we turned up twenty-four – yep – TWENTY-FOUR breweries. Then we set out to visit them all.

CRITERIA

Must brew their own beer, although we can taste the beer either at the brewery or at their tasting room or a restaurant location.
Must brew or have a taproom within the geographical region we call Kitsap Plus One which we defined as the Tacoma Narrows Bridge to the Hood Canal Bridge (the Kitsap Peninsula), as well as Fox Island, Bainbridge Island and including Belfair (the plus one).

So that’s our criteria…pretty simple really. Based on this we set out to visit all twenty-four breweries. Below we share what we learned. We aren’t ranking our favorites here, but we will make observations that might help you when considering your own Breweries of Kitsap (Plus One) brewery tour. Let’s work our way from the South end of the Kitsap Peninsula northward.

Gig Harbor/Purdy/Fox Island

GIG HARBOR BREWING

Founded in 2015, Gig Harbor Brewing started in Tacoma and continues to brew there with a taproom. In 2017 they opened their Gig Harbor taproom in the heart of waterfront Gig Harbor. Excellent selection of seasonal and tried and true beers.

Gig Harbor Brewing Gig Harbor taproom 3155 Harborview Drive, Gig Harbor WA 98335

7 SEAS BREWING

Gig Harbor’s first brewery opened in the early 2000’s, and despite bouncing around to multiple locations, 7 Seas has consistently brewed an excellent product as it has expanded. 7 Seas was the first Washington brewery to can its beer…now everybody’s doing it! 7 Seas now brews in Tacoma in the old Heidelberg brewery, where they also have a taproom, and have recently moved their Gig Harbor taproom to a beautiful waterfront location.

7 Seas Gig Harbor taproom 2905 Harborview Drive Gig Harbor WA 98335

WET COAST BREWING

Wet Coast brews and has its taproom in Gig Harbor, currently the only brewer doing so. Opened in 2015, Wet Coast expanded its brewing operation and taproom recently. You can find Wet Coast right off of Highway 16 at the Wollochet City Center exit.

Wet Coast Gig Harbor taproom 6820 Kimball Drive Suite C, Gig Harbor WA 98335

CROSSED ARROW BREWING

Crossed Arrow has been brewing for awhile, but their taproom is not yet open…really it should be any day! Their new taproom will be located in the building of the former Key Bank in Purdy right off of Hwy 16. Watch their website for opening info. In the meantime their beer is available at several locations including The Hub at the Tacoma Narrows Airport.

Crossed Arrow taproom opening soon at 14004 Purdy Drive, Gig Harbor WA 98335

FOX ISLAND BREWING

Fox Island Brewing almost didn’t make this blog post because it did not show up in any of our research. We learned about FIB while attending the annual Gig Harbor Beer Festival just last weekend. Currently brewing on Fox Island but without a taproom, Fox Island Brewing beers are available at regional restaurants. They told me they hope to move their brewing operation into Gig Harbor or the Crescent Valley area soon.

Olalla/Burley

YOKED FARMHOUSE BREWERY

Opened in 2019 this small brewery packs a big punch with excellent beer in a beautiful farm setting. The folks at Yoked offer fun events weekly, including hot dogs and barbecues, beer and bouquets, fun events for kids and more. The location is a working farm with goats and flowers and vegetables. Oh and the beer is great too.

Yoked Farmhouse tasting room 525 SW Pine Road, Port Orchard WA 98366

EAST 2 WEST BREWING

This tiny craft brewery is hard to find and only is open on weekends. But make the drive to their production facility and owner Steve will give you a taste of what they are currently brewing. They are still waiting for their permits to open a taproom, so you can visit and learn about brewing while enjoying a tiny taste. Meanwhile Steve continues jumping through the hoops to get a taproom, and to get his delicious beer distributed in the region. (PS they were voted best beer at last weekend’s Gig Harbor Beer Festival)

East2West Production Facility 12913 Shady Glen Ave SE Olalla WA 98359

Belfair/Gorst

BENT BINE BREW CO

Opened in 2017 just south of Belfair on Hwy 3, Bent Bine (‘bine’ is another word for a climbing vine like hops), is a popular location for gathering and drinking some really good beer in Belfair. Tasting room has both indoor and outdoor seating, families welcome.

Bent Bine tasting room 23297 WA 3, Belfair WA 98528

DEEP DRAFT BREWING

For my money, Deep Draft Brewing has one of the best stories as far as how this brewery came to be in 2015. The story is of determination, love and loss, and if you click on the link you can read it for yourself. Really amazing. Meanwhile, Deep Draft also has exceptional beer served both in their taproom and at the restored old WigWam Tavern, an excellent place to drink beer, eat BBQ and look at the eclectic collection of Naval memorabilia.

Deep Draft taproom 3536 W. Belfair Valley Road, Bremerton WA 98312

Port Orchard

SLAUGHTER COUNTY BREWERY

Slaughter County Brewery, located on Sinclair Inlet in old Port Orchard has one of the funkiest yet most comfortable tasting rooms that we experienced…and a whole lotta good beer too. The name Slaughter County comes from the original name of Kitsap County…a throwback to the old days. Slaughter County is proud to be the first brewery in South Kitsap in 70 years. Excellent selection of microbrews to try.

Slaughter County taproom 1307 Bay Street, Port Orchard WA 98366

Bremerton

DOG DAYS BREWING

Well, I really don’t have any favorites, but I will say the Dog Days tasting room, which is doggy friendly, is really a fun place. You’ll find a friendly bunch here, dog lovers, comedy too and trivia nights. The beer is excellent. The first time we visited they were serving food and the menu looked amazing but we had other dinner plans. So next time we went intending to eat, but there was no food. So, not sure what is up with the food sitch…but the beer is very good.

Dog Days tasting room 260 4th Street Bremerton WA 98310

CRANE’S CASTLE BREWING

After years of home-brewing in three different home locations, brewer Dan and family made the leap to making the beer brewing dream a reality in 2017. Today Crane’s Castle has a beautiful tasting room in East Bremerton they call the Beer Hall…definitely big enough for parties and more. The beer is also very good with a wide selections of changing taps to tempt you. Outdoor seating too and food truck sometimes.

Crane’s Castle Beer Hall 1550 NE Riddell Road Bremerton WA 98311

SILVER CITY BREWERY

Truly one of the pioneer microbreweries in Washington State, Silver City has been brewing exceptional beer in Kitsap County since 1996. Its flagship location restaurant (formerly the brewing location as well) is one of Silverdale’s most popular dining spots. Today the production facility is located in Bremerton where they also have a taproom. So two Kitsap choices for you to enjoy one of the mother’s of Washington brewing, Kitsap’s own Silver City.

Silver City Flagship and Restaurant 2799 NW Myhre Road Silverdale WA

Silver City Production Facility and taproom 206 Katy Penman Ave Bremerton WA 98312

CHAOS BAY BREWING

Formerly known as Der Blokken and located in Bremerton’s Manette neighborhood, Chaos Bay is undergoing a transformation. Because their new tasting room is under construction, we were not able to visit. Keep your eye on their website (link above) for their new opening announcement.

Chaos Bay Brewing tasting room opening soon at 2901 Perry Avenue Suite 13 Bremerton WA

LOVECRAFT BREWERY

We have to say we were a little confused by our visit to Lovecraft. They were only offering their brewed hard teas as well as a few craft beers by other brewers. It’s unclear if they will be offering their own brewed beers again in the future. So that said…we didn’t taste their beers.

Lovecraft Brewery taproom 275 5th Street Bremerton WA

Silverdale

BREAKING WAVES BREWING

A great location in Old Town Silverdale, Breaking Waves is located in the former location of Cash Brewing. Today the operation is as much a restaurant as a brewery, pumping out exceptionally good burgers, salads and pasta, and on Tuesdays delicious tacos. But the beer is just as good…a wide range of brewed-on-site beers as well as a selection of guest brews and ciders. We will definitely be back for both the beer and the tacos.

Breaking Waves Brewing restaurant and taproom 3388 Northwest Byron Street Silverdale WA

Poulsbo

SLIPPERY PIG

Poulsbo is the leader in Kitsap communities for the number of microbreweries, and Slippery Pig was one of the first. They begin brewing in 2010 and opened their current old Poulsbo location in 2014. Slippery Pig promotes local ingredients and family operation (Brewer Dave a 5th generation Poulsbo native) and the result is a consistent and delicious product, with a wide variety of flavors and styles.

Slippery Pig tasting room 18801 Front Street NE, Poulsbo, WA

WESTERN RED

Opened in 2018, Western Red has an ambitious mission statement “To brew and serve the best craft beers ever made in the Pacific Northwest”. I love entrepreneurs who think big! My visit to Western Red was eye opening. The beer was fabulous and their tasting room just a block from Poulsbo’s main street is perfect, with a fun assortment of old logging implements.

Western Red tasting room 19168 Jensen Way NE Poulsbo WA

RAINY DAZE BREWING

Rainy Daze likes to think of themselves as a cult following, and it’s easy to see why. Their beer has a magical mixology quality, delicious no matter which style you grab. Maybe it’s because their brewery and tasting room are in a more humble facility…so they focus more on the beer and less on the hype. I don’t know…but I do know they make a darn good beer.

Rainy Daze Brewing tasting room 650 NW Bovela Ln Ste #2 & 3 Poulsbo WA

VALHOLL BREWING

Also started in 2010, Valholl touts it’s Poulsbo/Little Norway roots with a strong Viking presence in their logo and tasting room. Valholl’s award winning brews are available in the tasting room and to go as well as on tap at many local locations. Valholl is family friendly, with both indoor and outdoor seating just a block from Poulsbo’s main street. Skal!

Valholl Brewing tasting room 18970 3rd Ave NE, Poulsbo WA

ECHOES BREWING COMPANY

We did not visit Echoes because at the moment they are to go only in cans and kegs. They are planning to open a tasting room and we hope to visit them soon.

Echoes To Go Location 19479 Viking Ave NW Poulsbo, WA

Kingston

DOWNPOUR BREWERY

Coincidentally, the day we visited Downpour it was…you guessed it…pouring down. Their small but cozy tasting room included little propane heaters at the table…a great idea in the notoriously wet PNW. We enjoyed their beer a great deal, located on the main drag in Kingston not far from the ferry terminal.

Downpour Brewing tasting room 10991 NE State Hwy 104 Kingston WA

HOOD CANAL BREWING

Kitsap County’s first microbrewery, Hood Canal Brewing has been operating since 1996 when brewer Don Wyatt (formerly of Thomas Kemper) opened the brewery. The tasting room was opened in 2003 and today still operates in a warehouse-style facility with an added rough addition to accommodate the growing clientele (and need for outdoor seating during Covid.). A true pioneer in the craftbrew craze.

Hood Canal Brewing taproom 26499 Bond Rd NE, Kingston, WA

Bainbridge Island

BAINBRIDGE BREWING

In 2012 father and son duo Chuck and Russel Everett and partner Rob Frease opened Bainbridge Brewing. From the beginning Bainbridge was about perfecting the classics while embracing new styles and flavors. They must be doing something right because they now have two locations on the island; their Alehouse in downtown Winslow and the brewery and taproom located in Coppertop Park. Brewmaster Russel is a born and raised Bainbridge Island native, proud to be brewing and serving his community.

Bainbridge Brewing production facility and taproom 9415 Coppertop Loop Bainbridge Island WA

Bainbridge Brewing Alehouse 500 Winslow Way East Bainbridge Island WA

Breweries of Kitsap (Plus One)

As we conclude we might mention that there are some great places to drink beer throughout this region that don’t brew their own beer. Zog’s on Fox Island and HopPharm in Gig Harbor both come to mind. But our criteria was to explore places brewing their own label so that is what we did.

It took us a couple months to get through all of these….and I think we would return to pretty much all of them if we were in the neighborhood. We look forward to seeing more from some of those who are just getting started, and salute the commitment and efforts that are involved in creating a fine crafted beer. We are lucky to live in a place with such a wide selection of quality, hand-crafted brews by some of the finest brew masters in the nation. Breweries of Kitsap (Plus One). Time to have a pint. Salute.

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Let us know in the comments if you know of a brewery in our criteria area that we missed.

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Europe Travel -- Food & Drink

Icelandic Cuisine Surprising & Delicious

July 23, 2021

Laureen

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Location: Iceland

We spent two weeks in Iceland recently, our first international trip in 14 months. After no travel for more than a year, we were so excited to get back out on the international travel scene and Iceland was a perfect place to start. I’ve already written two blogs about our visit, Iceland by the Ring Road and Reykjavik on Foot. But today I want to tell you about the Icelandic Cuisine Surprising & Delicious.

Nuts and olives and greens in a delicious salad

OUR DISCOVERIES

Since we were on a pretty strict budget in a pretty expensive country, we actually didn’t eat out too many times. In our campervan we cooked seven of the nine nights. While in Reykjavik we had two excellent meals out and did a really fun and interesting food tour with Your Friends in Reykjavik.

These meals all provided us some surprising and delicious discoveries of the Icelandic cuisine both old and new.

HOW TO LEARN ABOUT ICELANDIC CUISINE

If you follow our blog regularly you know that I love how cuisine and culture go hand in hand in countries we visit. When I can, I take a cooking class where we travel, and we also often do food tours. In both classes and tours, you can learn from locals about what makes certain foods important to their culture, how certain foods became part of the local cuisine, and how ‘nouveau’ cuisine incorporates both the old and the new. I love learning all of this stuff. Fascinating.

Pickled Herring with Yogurt Hard Boiled Eggs on Black Bread

HISTORY

Like in all countries, certain foods grew from humble beginnings. In Iceland, fish of course played an important role, but due to the difficult growing seasons and soil, few vegetables were included. Sheep have always been a big part of the diet, and Icelanders learned to use every part of the animal. Later, potatoes and hardy colder weather plants like fennel became important.

Although some of the age-old items may sound unappetizing to us today, try to think about the Icelandic people of long ago and their struggle to make it through the winter. It is this struggle that developed some of the foods that are still considered comfort foods today.

Traditional Foods of Old

Dried Cod – When barley was scarce but cod was abundant, Icelanders saved the barley for beer and used dried cod spread with butter like bread.

Svidastata – what you might know as head cheese, a concoction of all the left over parts of the sheep (or other livestock) set in aspic. Today still served with crackers or bread.

Fiskibollur – fish balls made from cod. There are so many cod dishes and this old dish was one the fishwife could make with all the left over bits.

Pickled Herring – as in many Scandinavian and Eastern European countries, pickled herring is and was a staple in Iceland. Today you can buy it in numerous flavors at the grocery store and it is often served for breakfast, but at other times of the day as well.

Reindeer – not native to Iceland, they were brought from Norway and attempted to develop commercially long ago. But that endeavor failed. Yet reindeer can be found in use occasionally on menus. We had it twice.

Fermented Shark – my least favorite thing from the Icelandic cuisine. It is definitely an old-school survival dish, fermented to last long and through the winter – it tastes like ammonia.

Plokkfiskur Cod and Potato Mash – I enjoyed this dish very much. It’s basically mashed potatoes with butter and mixed with cooked cod. Definitely a comfort food in Iceland.

Kartufulsalat (Potato Salad) – since potatoes are easy to store through the winter they became a staple in Iceland. Potatoes are not native but are easy to grow and represent another comfort food. The Iceland Potato Salad is very unique, using apples! Here is our Tasty Tuesday all about Icelandic Potato Salad.

Salt – surrounded by water Iceland has always had an abundant source of salt, and it was used for preservation. Today you can find dozens of flavored salts.

Lemon Cured Salmon with pickles and goat cheese

Smoked or Cured Salmon – another way to preserve fish of course is by smoking and smoked salmon continues to be a popular dish in Iceland today.

Fennel and Anise – like potatoes, fennel and anise grow well in a cool climate. Anise is the reason Icelanders love licorice treats, and you will find licorice used in many things. We also had fennel flavored butter which was delicious.

TODAY’S CUISINE

New Foods – The Nouveau Cuisine

Don’t assume that Icelandic food is bland or boring. In fact, Iceland like many places, is undergoing a food revolution. Innovative chefs are introducing nouveau Icelandic cuisine and it is surprising & delicious. Taking parts of the old, and adding new flavors and ingredients.

On both our food tour and at the handful of restaurants we ate at (most in Reykjavik) we were delighted to find delicious dishes made from local and fresh produce, meat and seafood. When in Reykjavik don’t miss these favorites:

Rok

One of the best meals we had during our two weeks in Iceland was at Rok. This beautiful restaurant is housed in a small historic building right near the Hallgrimskirkja church. Make a reservation if you can, it is very popular. We enjoyed a variety of small shared plates, with our favorites being the lobster bisque, the arctic char and the smoked salmon bruschetta. Absolutely delicious all. A fabulous mix of traditional and new ingredients prepared in innovative and delicious ways.

Skall

On our very first night we got super lucky to stumble (literally we were so jet lagged) into Skall. Skall is located in the Hlemmur Food Market, a foodie heaven inside a former bus depot! We read about Hlemmur in our Rick Steves guide so we headed there, not knowing what we would find. We pulled up a chair at the bar and the rest is culinary history. We enjoyed spectacular baked cod with fennel mash, deep fried cauliflower, lumpfish roe and the best tomatoes I ever had.

Islenski Barinn

As part of our food tour with Your Friends in Reykjavik we had two courses at the Islenski Barinn, a popular restaurant with locals in a historic building in the center of town. Here we enjoyed smoked reindeer with cheese and Iceland’s favorite comfort food of Lamb Stew. Thinner than what we usually call stew in the USA, but very flavorful broth with lamb and vegetables.

Kopar

Also on our food tour we enjoyed Icelandic Fish Stew at Kopar, a popular seafood restaurant portside. The fish stew is made from cod but traditionally all the left over fish bits, fabulous broth and includes potatoes and celery. At Kopar we also had the most amazing fennel butter with warm bread. Divine.

On the Ring Road tour don’t miss;

Sker in Snaefellsbaer

In the far north on the Ring Road we stopped for lunch one day at Sker in the small town of Snaefellsbaer. We both ordered the Fish and Chips and it was one of the best I have ever had. Cod was incredible. Cod is everywhere here, but also so versatile.

North West Hotel and Restaurant in Hvammstangi

After a really long driving day we stopped at this road side hole in the wall that was recommended in our Rick Steves book and were astounded at the quality of the Lamb Chops. Perfectly prepared and served with red cabbage coleslaw and potato salad. We went away very happy.

Kaffi Lara El Grillo Bar

We took a wee bit of a side tour from the Ring Road in the East Fjords to the tiny village of Seydisfjordur. It was fun to see how the locals live in a small village. We stepped into this restaurant with a bizarre name and enjoyed a fabulous lunch of foil baked cod and possibly the best baked potato I have ever eaten. We complimented the waitress on the baked potato she told us there was a special ingredient…love.

On the Snaefellnes Peninsula be sure and visit;

Fjoruhusid

We did a short 4 mile roundtrip hike from Hellnar to Arnarstapi – along the fascinatingly beautiful oceanside basalt cliffs. If you start in Arnarstapi you can take a break at the tiny historic seaside cottage turned small cafe called Fjoruhusid at the halfway point in Hellnar. Enjoy a pastry with coffee of tea, or order the authentic and delicious Iceland Fish Soup (which is what we did). With fantastic bread too. We splurged on the “cheesecake” made from skyr, a popular yogurt/sour cream-like favorite of the Iceland people.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

There were many more restaurants we would have liked to try during our time in Iceland. Well I guess we will need to go back! We equally enjoyed the traditional and the nouveau. As gifts we brought home lots of licorice, salt, and pickled herring. All delicious and well received. I am trying my hand in my kitchen with many new things including Fish Balls, Lamb Stew and Lobster Bisque. Keep an eye on our Tasty Tuesday YouTube channel for those upcoming Icelandic specialties.

Icelandic Cuisine Surprising & Delicious. Just one of many reasons to book a trip to beautiful Iceland. Such a breath of fresh air.

See last week’s post Reykjavik on Foot and our previous post Iceland by the Ring Road.

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Food & Drink -- North America Travel

Tasty Tucson – Our Favorite Dining Spots

April 16, 2021

Laureen

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As we travel during the PanDamit we eat out only sparingly…keeping our distance and always dining outdoors. We also often prefer to cook in our Airbnb, to stay on budget and feel relaxed. All that said, dining out is a big part of travel, and during our visit to Tucson we discovered some delicious local options. So here is our recommendations… Tasty Tucson – Our Favorite Dining Spots.

El Charro

If you come to Tucson this is a must. The ninety-nine year old restaurant is a Tucson institution and the place to experience authentic southwest cuisine from tamales to tacos to chili relleno. We enjoyed the back patio and our food was delicious, despite the fact our waiter didn’t seem to know how to properly wear his mask. El Charro

Cup Cafe

We heard so much about this place we had to check it out, if not for the food for the history of the place. The Cup Cafe is a popular restaurant and bar (serving breakfast all day) at the historic Congress Hotel right in downtown Tucson…close to everything. Make reservations if you can, we did and had a no wait table on the patio where we enjoyed great food, excellent service and live music. Order the ribs with green chili macaroni and cheese. Yum. Cup Cafe

Barrio Brew Pub

The beer was great, and we also enjoyed a lovely salad and tortilla soup, opting for a light lunch in this restaurant/brewery located in an old warehouse. Though we didn’t eat the burgers or sandwiches, everything we saw coming out of the kitchen looked incredible. Barrio Brewing Co

Wildflower

On our last night in Tucson we drove to the far end of town from where we were staying because we had heard so much about this place. And it is totally worth it. We made a reservation so we could sit outside and the outdoor area was lovely and guests were spread apart. Wildflower does not have a huge menu, but I actually prefer that. The menu is seasonal and well thought out.

We started with a beautiful hamachi appetizer. Followed by a delicious Kale Salad. For our entries I had an outstanding roasted chicken and mashed potatoes and Arne loved his slow braised short ribs with arugula. A bonus was we happened to be there on half price bottle of wine night (Tuesday) so of course we drank wine.

Best meal we had in Tucson and the service was exceptional. Don’t miss it. Wildflower.

Sonoran Hot Dogs

Well, even though I am not a hot dog eater usually, we couldn’t come to Tucson and not experience this local favorite. So we set out to test several different Sonoran Hot Dogs and here is what we found.

Quench Your Thirst

In addition to the Barrio Brewing Co above we enjoyed the beer at Borderlands Brewing right in downtown Tucson and another beer on the sunny outdoor patio at MotoSonora. We wanted to visit the Owls Club, a funky old bar in a former mortuary in downtown Tucson. It’s a favorite of locals and visitors a like but it wasn’t open when we arrived…next time.

Tasty Tucson

Tasty Tucson – our favorite dining spots. Come to Tucson hungry. Come to Tucson thirsty. Come to Tucson. We are so glad we did.

See last week’s post Nine Things to do in Tucson Arizona.

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