October 10-12, 2024
SEA. SIP. SAVOR.
Pensacola Beach's biggest culinary event returns this October and you're invited!
Taste of the Beach, one of the Pensacola Bay Area’s most beloved annual fall food festivals, kicks off on Thursday, Oct. 10, with a luxury sunset cocktail cruise aboard Premier 1. The sunset cruise will feature one of the most exclusive restaurants on Pensacola Beach - Coastal, Portofino Island Resort's signature restaurant.
Friday, October 11, features our annual upscale, island-chic VIP Trolley Dinner.
Taste of the Beach continues Saturday, Oct. 12, with a free, outdoor festival featuring signature dishes made by 20 Pensacola Beach restaurants, all staged around the Gulfside Pavilion on Casino Beach.
Tickets to the Sunset Cruise and VIP Trolley Dinner will be available Sunday, September 1st.
Hosted by the Pensacola Beach Chamber of Commerce, Taste of the Beach spotlights Pensacola Beach’s unique restaurants and coastal cuisine, focusing on fresh, local seafood.
Thursday's Premier Sunset Cruise
The 2024 Taste of the Beach Sunset Cruise —an unforgettable experience blending the beauty of a Gulf Coast sunset with exquisite cuisine and cocktails. Join us as we cruise on a serene journey across the Santa Rosa Sound, hosted by our friends at Premier Island Management Group and Premier Dolphin Cruises.
Onboard, indulge in a culinary experience crafted by Coastal, Portofino Island Resort's signature restaurant. Savor locally-inspired hors d'oeuvres while you relax and take in the breathtaking views. Don’t miss out on this extraordinary evening!
Event Details
Thursday, October 10th
4:30 - 5:30 pm Embarkation
5:30 - 7:30 pm Cruise
Attire: Coastal Cocktail
Friday's VIP Trolley Savory Seafood Dinner
2024 VIP TROLLEY DINNER SPONSORS
2024 Taste of the Beach Friday Night VIP Trolley DinnerÂ
Join us for an unforgettable evening at the 2024 Taste of the Beach VIP Trolley Dinner! This exclusive event will take place on Friday, October 11, 2024.
Indulge in a night of delectable seafood dishes prepared by four talented Pensacola Beach chefs, showcasing the finest coastal flavors of the beach. This event will tantalize your taste buds like never before.
The evening begins at the Visitor Information Center on Pensacola Beach where guests can enjoy a complimentary champagne toast before boarding a private trolley to whisk them away to four of the island’s premier restaurants for a true coastal flavor experience.
The 2024 Taste of the Beach VIP Dinner includes:
• 1ST STOP – Bonsai at the Hilton Pensacola Beach - Chef Mark Calvo
Dish: Lobster and Shrimp Salad, marinated shrimp & lobster salad, avocado, edamame, cucumber, nasturtium, kinome, pickled dragon carrot, red cabbage, hibiscus tuile, citrus & ginger vinaigrette.
• 2nd STOP – Flounder’s Chowder House - Chef Dennis Moore
Dish Snapper Escovitch with Pickled Gulf Shrimp
• 3rd STOP – Shaggy’s Pensacola Beach - Chef Sean Wheeler
Dish: Moroccan Golden Tilefish with Couscous
• 4th STOP – Crabs on the Beach - Chef Lou Roberts
Dish: Surf & Turf, bacon wrapped filet mignon & grilled scallops. Served with roasted asparagus.
Event Details
Friday, October 11th
Trolley Departure Times:
4:45pm: Florida Power & Light Trolley
5:30pm: East Coast Title & Escrow
6:15pm: Community Bank
7:00pm: Crabs/Flounders Trolley
7:15pm: Gulf Breeze Natural Gas Trolley
Attire: Coastal Cocktail
Trolleys leave from Visitor Information Center immediately following champagne toast presented by Hampton Inn by Hilton.
SATURDAY FESTIVAL FUN
Saturday’s free outdoor festival takes place October 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the white-sand shoreline of Pensacola Beach for a daylong celebration of all things Southern, seafood, savory and sweet. We’re talking feet in the sand, crashing waves, sunshine and shrimp. So if you’re a Gulf Coast seafood junkie, you’re not going to want to miss it.
The festival opens at 10 a.m. at Casino Beach when 20 of the beach’s restaurants, stationed in booths surrounding the Gulfside Pavilion and overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, begin serving their signature dishes for $10 each. The festival is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The menu changes every year, but you’ll always find plenty of seafood options as well as landlubber fare such as sliders, sandwiches and sweets. And yes, beer, wine and frozen alcoholic concoctions will also be available for purchase.
Kids Cooking Classes
Kids can learn how to make gourmet crab cakes with Crabs On The Beach Chef Lou Roberts during the Taste of the Beach Festival on Saturday, Oct. 12.
Participants will receive their very own Taste of the Beach branded Little Chef apron! (pictured right) Tickets for Little Chefs Classes are $15each. Limited to 20 tickets.
At 12:00pm, Crabs On The Beach Chef Charlie Kuzma will teach kids how to make a proper Ice Cream Sundae at the Taste of the Beach festival on Saturday, Oct. 12.
Participants will receive their very own Taste of the Beach branded Little Chef apron! (pictured right) Tickets for Little Chefs Classes are $15each. Limited to 20 tickets.
2024 Taste of the Beach Sponsors
2024 Taste of the Beach Participating Restaurants
