NOTE: Please see our updated guide at Domaine Madeleine Restaurants
This article was originally published in 2019 and may contain outdated information.
A growing trend across the US is farm-to-table dining. More and more restaurants are popping up with menu items centered around locally sourced meats, cheeses, and vegetables, but the dining on the Olympic Peninsula is a little different. Several of the restaurants on the peninsula aren’t using some locally sourced ingredients, many of them are only using exclusively local ingredients. With some of the best farm lands in eastern Washington, award-winning wines from all over Oregon and Washington, and bountiful fishing spots from the Columbia River to the Salish Sea and the coast of the Pacific Ocean, there is no scarcity of fresh ingredients to choose from. If you are coming to the bountiful fruitland of the Olympic Peninsula, then here is your ultimate guide to farm-to-table dining all around the peninsula.
Finistere: Port Townsend
What do you get when you mix New York quality dining with Pacific Northwest ingredients? You get Port Townsend’s hottest new restaurant: Finistere. Chef Deborah Taylor takes the freshest local ingredients and creates masterpieces that bring out the unique flavors of the Northwest and blend it all together for an incredible flavor profile in each bite. While you can choose your entree from their seasonal menu, I would recommend the chef’s tasting menu, a multi-course dining experience designed for your entire table for just $50 a person. You can head over for dinner, brunch, happy hour, or just drinks & desserts to have the perfect dining experience for any occasion.
Bella Italia: Port Angeles
Bella Italia is the perfect mix of traditional homemade Italian cooking that warms your soul, and locally-sourced fresh ingredients that elevate the dish to a whole different level. Friends and family, visitors and locals, and picky eaters and foodies alike have flocked to this restaurant since it’s the first debut in 1996. They are proud to serve seafood from Neah Bay to Hood Canal and organic produce from local farms all over the Peninsula. On top of that, they have the most incredible wine program with over 500 labels from all over the region. This award-winning restaurant is one of the best eateries in Washington State and an absolute must-visit when touring the area.
Salty Girls Oyster Bar: Sequim
It is almost a cardinal sin to visit the Olympic Peninsula and miss out on the Pacific Northwest oysters sourced straight from the sea. Salty Girls Seafood in Sequim is known for one thing, oysters, but they sure know how to serve them right. Sample different oysters from farms across the peninsula with their oyster flight. After tasting the varying oysters side-by-side, you’ll be able to notice the sweetness of some compared to the smoothness of others. Stop by their oyster bar for baked oysters, oysters on the half shell, clam chowder, and even manila steamers.
Nourish: Sequim
When you think of farm-to-table dining, a place like Nourish pops into your mind. A rustic restaurant that is built with natural materials to reflect the natural ingredients in each dish you taste. The ever-changing seasonal menu showcases familiar items and innovative new ingredients to bring dishes to a whole different level. Their motto reads ’Serving real food made the way nature intended with added love from our farm kitchen’ and you can taste it in each bite.
Calvin’s Crab House: Neah Bay
If you plan on making the trek to Cape Flattery on the very tip of the Olympic Peninsula, then you will pass by a little coastal village called Neah Bay which is part of the Makah Indian Reservation. On the north side of town, right on the waterfront lies Calvin’s Crab House, a favorite for locals and visitors alike. This little wooden eatery was serving farm-to-table food long before it was trendy. A quick glance at their simple menu shows only the essentials, freshly-caught wild fish & chips, chowder, and crab harvested from the bay just steps from the front door. This classic eatery may just have the freshest seafood on the Olympic Peninsula, and that is a high standard to beat.
Michael’s Fresh Northwest Seafood & Steakhouse: Port Angeles
With the bountiful seas surrounding the peninsula and ideal grazelands for cattle, the idea of surf-n-turf never sounded better. This Port Angeles establishment realized long ago that in order to create the perfect entree you need to use the freshest and finest ingredients. Take a seat in their intimate dining room and start to plan out your dining experience for the night over one of their craft cocktails. The cocktails are made with incredibly fresh ingredients and you can truly taste the difference.
If you want to get the purest PNW dining experience, then head to one of these fantastic farm-to-table eateries spread all across the peninsula. You could even take a tour to circle the region and stop at one for brunch, snacks, dinner & repeat!
Are you looking to eat your way through the Olympic Peninsula? Stop in Port Angeles and book a stay at the Domaine Madeleine, overlooking the Strait of Juan Fuca.
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