Destin, FL - Why Now Is the Time to Go
I recently got back from a weekend girls trip to Destin, FL. The Destin, FL hotels are kind of pricey, so we stayed at the neighboring Miramar Beach, FL in the La Quinta. The room was nice, but the breakfast was very basic, so if that’s something you get excited for, you may want to eat out!
Since I’ve been living in Pensacola, FL for over a year, I figured it was time to explore Destin. Especially since Destin, FL is a drivable getaway from Pensacola, FL.
We didn’t have time to do all the touristy things, which was nice because we discovered some restaurant hidden gems! This posts includes the highlights from our Destin, FL trip (including a restaurant I would drive an hour and a half for).
1) Silver Sands Premium Outlets – Destin, FL
The Silver Sands Premium outlets were a pleasant surprise. Sometimes I go to outlet stores and don’t find many deals. However, this experience was completely different. It may depend on the time of year you go, but on this recent trip, at the end of April, there were some decent sales. Especially at Francesca’s, GAP, and Columbia.
There was a gelato restaurant, Pino Gelato Cafe, at the outlets which excited me. But I did not love this spot because firstly, they didn’t give samples, and secondly the pistachio was not the classic taste I expected. The espresso/coffee flavor was alright, but not super special.
2) Everkrisp – Restaurant at the Grand Boulevard
This is one of the BEST hidden gems I have found in a long time. I loved this restaurant so much that I want to drive the hour and a half back from Pensacola just to eat here again. Everkrisp is a one of a kind restaurant. This is the ONLY location. The concept for the restaurant is healthy and fresh customizable fast food. Therefore, I opted to build my own bowl.
I chose kale and quinoa for the base, followed by sweet potatoes and strawberries, goat cheese, and chicken. Then, debatably the most important part, picking the dressing (they have over 10, AND you can SAMPLE them). You can actually sample anything which is nice. I went with the maple cider vinaigrette and it was OUT OF THIS WORLD. For the amount of dressing you can get light, medium, or a lot of dressing. I opted for light and it was still plenty.
I was already overjoyed building my own bowl, but most importantly, at the end of the building phase you can pick rosemary or gluten-free bread. I got the rosemary and really enjoyed it.
You would think we finally paid, but you would be wrong. The experience was not over. We were talked into sampling kombucha, which they had ON TAP from a local kombuchaery (made that word up) called Noli South. Although I don’t remember the specific flavors we got, they have rotating flavors and since you can sample, I would give it a try because it was so yummy! They said it was healthy because of the fermentation, but I genuinely don’t understand how something that tastes that good could be healthy. More research required.
I may have to do a whole post on Noli South/kombucha terminology because I just did a quick search and there is some pretty odd terminology in that area. Anyway, back to Destin, FL.
You must go to this spot if you are in the area. It’s not cheap, but its going to be a cheaper healthy option for the Grand Boulevard area. And I would bet it will taste better than any other “fast food” you’ve ever had.
Lastly, my ONLY caution for this spot is that they do have outdoor seating, but it’s under a covered section that has birds, so be careful not to sit under any birds, for obvious reasons!
3) Pazzo Italiano – Restaurant in Destin, FL
After searching through a few different Italian restaurants near our hotel, I landed on Pazzo! And I’m happy I did because it was a really pleasant night. It was very crowded, which we immediately thought was a good sign. We couldn’t get a seat inside, which was a bit of a bummer since it looked cozy in the restaurant. However, we ended up sitting outside and it was not bad.
Although you are basically right next to the parking, lot there are cute hanging lights which give it a nicer atmosphere. Not to mention, there’s a little tiny truck with one wheel in the front that has a brick oven for on-the-go pizzas! I’m not sure if this little truck actually goes anywhere, but it was certainly cute and prevented cars from parking right next to where we were eating.
As for the food, it was great! We split the large Della Casa salad and a Margherita pizza. Both were good, but I would say that the pizza was more special than the salad. I will likely do a pizza and pasta next time I go and split with someone. Because we were eating late we wanted to go on the lighter side.
For those military folks who are in Pensacola like us, Destin, is a great mini-trip. Visit my Florida page if you want more ideas.