{30A Restaurant Reviews} -- A Trip to My Happy Place

In May, we were blessed to visit the Florida panhandle and stay on Highway 30A.  Highway 30A is a 20 mile road located between Destin and Panama City.  Dotted along this scenic higway are numerous little beach communities, known as the Beaches of South Walton, each with its own distinct personality.  The Beaches of South Walton include the communities of Seagrove Beach, Seaside, WaterColor, Grayton Beach, Blue Mountain Beach, Seacrest, Santa Rosa Beach, Dune Allen Beach, Alys Beach, Rosemary Beach and Watersound Beach.

We have vacationed in the area for several years, staying in many of the little communities along Highway 30A.  Rosemary Beach might just be my favorite one of them all.  It was founded in 1995 based on the principles of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.  Gorgeous homes and shops line the quaint streets of this little town. 

Although we've been going to this area for many years, we are always looking for fun, new restaurants to try while we are in town.  Every time we visit, I do a little online research to see what new places have opened.  So, I thought it might be nice to post about some of the places we visited in case any of you are planning a trip to the area in the near future.  And, if you are, please consider taking me with you! 

We have eaten at the Cowgirl Kitchen, located right along Main Street in Rosemary Beach, in the past.  But, this trip we decided to try it for breakfast. 

My hubs ordered the Grilled Veggie Bagel, a bagel filled with cream cheese and eggs, scrambled with mushrooms, tomatoes, and spinach.  It was a delicious, light breakfast for him (it would have been quite filling for someone without such a voracious appetite). 

I ordered the Organic Farm Girl Healthy Start.  It came with crunchy, lightly sweetened Cranberry Maple Granola.  The granola was fantastic!  I thought for sure it was homemade, but the waiter told me it was from Bakery on Main.  The granola also came with vanilla yogurt, sliced bananas, and a mini banana muffin. 

For one of our evening's out, we enjoyed dinner on the side patio at George's at Alys Beach.  This was our second visit to George's and it was a beautiful night to enjoy dining outdoors.  My kids always enjoy the casual atmosphere here and I appreciate the local, organic dishes. 

I ordered the evening fish special -- Cobia Fish with field peas in a basil pesto, topped with local heirloom tomatoes.  My fish was perfectly cooked and all the flavors blended nicely.  The heirloom tomatoes were a burst of brightness on this delicious plate. 

My hubs ordered the Fish Tacos -- grilled grouper with roasted poblano tartar sauce, rice and beans, and pico de gallo.  He thought the fish was fabulous and that the rice and beans were an excellent accompaniment to the tacos. 

After reading about it on 30a Eats, another evening, we tried Local Catch Bar & Grill.  It is a casual space, with wood floors and drinks served in plastic cups. We started the meal with a nachos appetizer -- tortilla chips, topped with fantastic braised pork, a white cheddar cheese sauce, jalapenos and hot sauce. 

For my meal, I ordered grilled grouper tacos, topped with shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, and the house white sauce.  It was filling, fresh, and just plain yummy!  The side of green beans were roasted to perfection. 

Our last evening, we tried to eat at Edward's, a new place that had opened in Rosemary Beach since we last visited in the Fall.  Unfortunately for us, it was closed for a private party that evening.  But, we vowed to try it the next time we are in the area.  Instead, we opted to go to another new spot along 30A, 723 Whiskey Bravo.

723 Whiskey Bravo has a fabulous rooftop bar, with gulf views.  Indoors, it is the perfect place to watch a game.  Televisions are everywhere, but the decor is more sophisticated than your local sports bar.  The evening we visited, I ordered the grilled grouper sandwich, with horseradish mashed potatoes.  The grouper tasted fresh and the roasted tartar sauce complemented, not overpowered the fish.

For dessert, we ordered 723 Whiskey Bravo's peach cobbler, topped with melted blue cheese.  Although I've had cheddar cheese melted with apple pie, this was first time having blue cheese with dessert.  The saltiness of the blue cheese toned down the sweetness of the cobbler quite nicely. 

If you have visited 30A, I'd love to hear about your favorite places!!!