Restaurant Recs
La Catrina Tacos & Tequila
We went here on our first date! If you want to copy us, you can get it to go and eat it on the Mount Vernon Riverwalk :)
Taylor Shellfish Farms
If your visiting from outside Puget Sound, oysters on the half shell are a must-try, and this place is the real deal (it's literally on the beach next to the eponymous oyster farm)! Also, Chuckanut Drive, which continues north to Bellingham along the sound, is a stunning drive - stop by Larrabee State Park on the way for some rocky beach access.
Breadfarm
Many a good thing has come from the walk-up window at Breadfarm, a small bakery just down the road from our wedding venue. Given it's a bakery and not a sit-down restaurant, make sure to check their hours before visiting - although it's pretty much all guaranteed to be delicious, don't miss their Kouign-amann pastry (pictured above) if it's available when you're there.
Terramar Brewstillery
Just down the block from Breadfarm in postcard-pretty Edison, Terramar offers up yummy artisan pizza, outdoor seating on the slough, and pretty great drinks too ...
La Conner Pub & Eatery
We went here on last outing as just friends, in June 2021 - the fish and chips are incredible (as is the location right on the Swinomish Channel)!
Snow Goose Produce
Beloved by both of our families, Snow Goose is also where we met up for our first date! DO NOT under any circumstances miss out on one of their "immodest" ice cream cones - Ellie's favorite is Death by Chocolate, mine is Huckleberry (pictured above).
Downriggers - Friday Harbor
Although definitely a little further afield, if you're visiting for the weekend and want a fun day trip or longish outing, we highly recommend taking the Anacortes ferry out to Friday Harbor. Save (a lot of) money and stress by leaving your car at the dock and walking on - this consummate waterfront seafood restaurant is right there when you disembark. Ellie and I took our Swiss friends here during their brief four days in WA, and for good reason.
Mt. Vernon Calico Cupboard Café & Bakery
Our favorite brunch spot in Skagit County - legendary cinnamon rolls and FRESH-SQUEEZED grapefruit juice, which is pictured above alongside their scrumptious Migas. Locations in Anacortes (where we had breakfast before I proposed!) and La Conner as well.
Sirena Gelato
Best gelato in WA! Just ask best man Stuart and and bridesmaid Khyla (who recently spent a semester abroad in Rome). It's also in Bellingham's Fairhaven, an absolute gem of a neighborhood. If you want to keep heading north, the Alaska ferry leaves from the western end of the street!
Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro
A Johnson family favorite with some great vegetarian and vegan options! Don't forget to look up if you're in the main dining room.
Rockfish Grill & Anacortes Brewery
More seafood that never disappoints! If you haven't been, Anacortes is also just a great town to poke around (don't miss the oil and vinegar store or the big dry dock at the end of the main drag). Nearby Cap Sante and Mt. Erie (both also on Fidalgo Island) offer some spectacular views of the north sound - and ever-snowy Mt. Baker if you're lucky.
Taste of India
Best man Stuart and his fiancée (and Ellie's bridesmaid) Khyla swear by this place! They recommend getting the mango lassi to sip and the gulab jamun for dessert.
COA Mexican Eatery & Tequileria MV
My (H) parents are HUGE fans of this restaurant. They give top marks to their chile relleno in particular.
