Top Food Tourism Experiences on 30A

If you are a food tourist guided by your taste buds to try new flavors and sample local favorites, Florida’s Highway 30A is a must visit. The Gulf Coast is home to many fine restaurants and delicious casual beachside eateries. So many that it’s a shame to visit them one by one. That’s why we’ve found the best ways to try a variety and get the most from your 30A vacay.

Farmers Markets

30A farmers markets are more than just a good place to pick up fresh produce for your grocery list. They are ideal for sampling different types of foods and enjoying a late morning stroll. Every Sunday from 9-2pm the 30A Farmers Market at Rosemary Beach offers a range of locally grown fresh fruits and veggies, eggs, fresh seafood, chicken and beef, bread and pastries at the Rosemary Town Beach Center on 30A. But besides high quality artisan goods, pantry stockers and fridge filling ingredients, there’s a great selection of dishes and food products to try. Homemade pasta and sauce, authentic Greek food, cakes, pies, tarts, salsas and gelato are samples of the selection you’ll find.

Just a short stroll from our Seaside 30A cottages, you’ll find the Seaside Farmer’s Market, open every Saturday morning. It’s a small market but still offers plenty of tasty local treats like crab cakes and pastries. The family-friendly market is right beside the beach. With fun vibes and live music, it’s the perfect place to stroll and fill your belly while you wait for the day to heat up and head to the water for some fun in the sun.

Food Trucks and Festivals

Food trucks have been trending for a while and for good reason. They offer delicious food at great prices and you’ll usually find a few of them in the same area so you can get a little something from each. Try a variety of dishes at the adorable row of quaint airstreams in Seaside. Like something out of a travel magazine, this picture-perfect line of retro airstreams is a modern twist on a vintage icon and a fresh take on the food truck. Try a local favorite, the brisket nachos at Barefoot BBQ and don’t miss the famous 100 layer donuts at Five Daughters Bakery—chain establishment offers a super special menu just for beachgoers. Our personal favorite is The Meltdown which offers traditional and very-non-traditional grilled cheese creations like the B.A.C. with bacon jelly, avocado and cheddar. Enjoy a pimento grilled cheese with roasted tomato soup—just like mom used to make… but better.

Check for local events and food festivals. Local vendors flock to special events, offering a superb selection of offerings. The 30A Wine Festival has more than just bottles of bubbly. Some of the best chefs in the area offer an array of culinary delights. Plus, some of the proceeds from the festival support the Children’s Volunteer Health Network, a nonprofit dedicated to providing access to health services for children in Walton and Okaloosa counties. South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival also has a dazzling roster of chefs and celebrity winemakers. VIP tasting guests get to sip award-winning wines and sample small plates throughout the day.

30A Restaurant Hopping and Tasting Menus

If you’ve never gone restaurant-hopping, you’re missing out. Appetizers at the first place, entrees at the next and dessert at a third—with maybe a few extra drinks, dishes or stops along the way (we’re not judging). All of our 30A cottages are in amazing locations so it’s just a short walk or bike ride to take you right into the heart of the action. Stroll along the block in Rosemary Beach or walk the strip in downtown Seaside. You’re sure to spot plenty of places with menus on display so you can pop in and start your sampling.

One of our favorite things to do is to indulge in a tasting menu at our favorite local 30A restaurants. While you don’t get to try different places, you get an amazing selection of dishes, all perfectly planned to pair. A tasting menu is a culinary treat, a taste journey that is more of an experience than a meal. At Cuvee 30A Chef Tim Creehan offers an incredible Chef’s Table option. Begin with champagne and cheese in their private wine cellar before moving to the kitchen where you get an up close and personal view of the chef preparing high end dishes.

Chef Nikhil Abuvala at Roux 30A also offers an Around the World Dinner, a five course tasting menu that allows you to dive deep into regional delicacies. Each of the menus reflects a different location, offering the chef’s unique twist on popular dishes and unexpected recreations. For less adventurous eaters, try Kevin Korman, chef-owner of Roselie’s modern, new American tasting menu. Their locally sources seafood and farm-to-table ingredients promise a fresh, ever-changing seasonal menu so every meal is unique and exciting.

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