Too often people come to visit Pensacola Beach and never venture off the island. While our beaches are beautiful, you should plan to spend some time in Penascola too!
Known for being America’s first settlement, “Cradle of Naval Aviation, and home of the Blue Angels, Pensacola is nicknamed the City of 5 flags because it has been under the occupation of 5 different governments including the Spanish, French, British, Confederacy, and United States.
Pensacola hotly debates St. Augustine’s claim as the oldest city. Pensacola was founded by Tristan De Luna in 1559 but the original settlement was abandoned shortly thereafter and not reestablished again until 1698. St. Augustine was established in 1565 and holds the title as the longest continuously occupied city in Florida.
Table of Contents
1. The Breweries
We have some really great breweries in Pensacola. In fact, Pensacola often winds up on top 10 lists for most breweries per capita. Visiting craft beer breweries is always one of our go-to travel recommendations because you can get a good glimpse of local life by spending some time at the neighborhood watering holes. Most of our breweries are family and dog friendly; several have full kitchens or regular food trucks. They often host events like live music, trivia, bingo, movie night, holiday happenings, watch parties, goat yoga, anniversary celebrations, and special releases. Be sure to check out the Facebook page for Coastal County Brewing in particular. They always have something going on.
If you ask 10 locals which breweries are the best in town, you will likely get 10 different answers. However if you want our opinion, we have a post reviewing our top 5, plus a list of the downtown breweries should you want to attempt your own brewery crawl.
2. The Food
If there is one truly good reason to leave the beach and visit Pensacola, it would be for the better food options. You can certainly get good food in Pensacola Beach but it tends to be seafood, American, and deep fried. I crave more variety. Pensacola is still a work in progress and doesn’t have quite the wide range of international cuisine options you see in larger cities. However, you can still find some really great fare here.
Consider having pizza at O’Zone Pizza Pub, located in the old Sacred Heart Hospital morgue. How many people can say they’ve eaten in a morgue? They make great pizza and have a decent beer and cocktail menu. Try the Pondarosa Stomp. As crazy as cream cheese and honey sounds, it really works.
Be sure to have a meal in the always packed 615 seat restaurant, McGuire’s Irish Pub. There is a reason they stay busy. They have won numerous awards because the food is good. They also brew their own beer making them the oldest brewery in Pensacola and oldest brewpub in Florida. There are autographed dollar bill tips hanging from the ceiling and a mounted stuffed moose head you will be encouraged to kiss. They have various lunch and drink specials throughout the week, my favorite being Tuesdays when double shot martinis are $3.50. Try the Senate Bean Soup, it’s the original recipe and price. It’s only 18 cents if ordered with an entree.
If you love Italian, Bonelli’s is worth crossing the bridge for. You can customize your dish, just pick your pasta, protein, and sauce. Wine is half price on Wino-Wednesday.
Speaking of wine, you’re sure to find some good ones at Agapi’s Bistro & Garden. Come for the wine but stay for the excellent Greek/Mediterranean food. I happen to think their Happy Hour (with food, beer, and wine specially priced) is one of the best deals in town. It runs from Tuesday to Friday, 4 to 6pm.
If you want a good meal at a good price, take advantage of the specials at Jackson’s Steakhouse. You can get a whole Maine lobster on Monday or prime rib on Tuesday for $19.99.
If you want to try a seafood with a southern flare, be sure to head to Fish House. It has been featured on several TV shows including Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre Foods. They are best known for their Grits a ya ya. They also have a happy hour from 4 to 6 with $5 house wines, $4 wells, and $3 drafts at the bar.
I’d also recommend Union Public House. Their food offerings tend to lean towards Southern fare as well with Cajun boiled peanuts and grouper and shrimp corn dogs on the appetizer menu. The dishes are more of an upscale interpretation with moderate prices.
Pensacola has some fantastic food trucks too. Most are parked at breweries but a few move around regularly. Our favorites are 3D Eats for the “chickle” (a pickle-brined fried chicken sandwich) and Philly cheesesteaks, MI SU for the corn ribs and fried chicken strips, Brown Bagger for the Wagyu burgers and loaded Brussels sprouts, Rustyc Spoon for brunch, and Greek’s for their Greek sampler platter.
3. Palafox Street
You can’t visit Pensacola without spending some time downtown. There are numerous shops, bars, breweries, and restaurants along Palafox Street and the sidewalks are wide making it very pedestrian friendly. There are frequent festivals and parades here as well as regular reoccurring events. Enjoy a lazy Saturday morning shopping the stalls of local art, plants, and baked goods at Palafox Market. There is a themed Gallery Night on the 3rd Friday of the month with food trucks, music, art, and special acts and Palafox street is closed for pedestrians only.
There are also entertainment venues like the historic Saenger Theater and Vinyl Music Hall. We’ve seen a wide range of acts including famous comedians, our favorite bluegrass bands, a Trans-Siberian Orchestra cover band, and Gwar. If you’re into theater take a look at the Pensacola Little Theatre. They feature family friendly plays entertaining to folks of all ages. They have a bar too and you can pick up beer, cocktails, and wine before being seated. There is also a roof top bar in the works.
Palafox is definitely a night life destination. Our favorite breweries on Palafox are Big Top Brewery and Odd Colony. There is also a taphouse, 200 South Tap House, if that is more your speed. Prefer a glass of wine? Check out the Wine Bar on Palafox. They have a long running happy hour, from 11 am to 6 pm, and the Goat Cheese Napoleon is worth every calorie. Looking for something stronger? Consider Old Hickory Whiskey Bar and The Kennedy Bar. The locals however hang out at Intermissions. The drinks are strong, cheap, unfussy, and served by snarky quick witted bar backs. It’s not a place for the faint of heart.
The younger adult crowd usually winds up at Seveille Quarter. It is a series of 7 intertwined bars and restaurants, all with different decor and vibe including a dueling piano bar. Even though it was only built in 1967, you would think it had been there a century. It has been lovingly furnished with salvaged pieces from historic hotels, mansions, casinos, churches, and even convents. Many of the pieces originate from New Orleans. It’s actually quite fascinating. If you’re not interested in the party scene but want to check it out, consider stopping in for lunch. There is usually live music on the back patio during the daytime on weekends and the food is actually pretty good.
4. Pensacola Museums & Historic Properties
Historic Pensacola includes over 30 properties, 12 of which are open to the public. A 7-day admission ticket is only $12 pp. The Pensacola Museum of History, Museum of Commerce, and Museum of Industry are all worth a browse. The history museum has almost an entire floor dedicated to the story of Trader Jon, a local bar owner and legend who supported our military and was often gifted unique military memorabilia from the grateful soldiers, airman, and sailors who patronized his establishment. Also be sure to keep an eye out for the mummified cat. You’re ticket also gives you access to the Pensacola Children’s Museum where your littles can play in Historic Pensacola in miniature.
