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BEST OF THE COAST 2005 | Vol. 5, No. 35, September 15, 2005
(Best of the Coast 2005)
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Specialty Dishes


BEST BAGELS
Bagelheads, 916 E. Gregory St., Pensacola. 444-9661.
Other Top 3 Finishes: Best Cup of Coffee.
Bagelheads has, well, you know, some of the freshest, most mouth-melting bagels anywhere around in so many varieties that the taste buds will never get bored. In a rush to work and not fond of the office coffee? Then run in, drop a $1.25 in the fish bowl that operates on the honor system and make it to work in plenty of time. You can also call ahead to order and pick up at the drive thru.

BEST BARBECUE
Billy Bob's Barbeque, 911 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze. 934-2999.
Billy Bob's Beach Barbecue smokes its pork for 14 hours over pecan wood. It is then hand pulled, removing over 90-percent of the fat. The tender, lean meat is marinated in a sweet vinegar marinade that gives it that mouth-watering Carolina flavor. There's no need for any sauce because the meat is so sweet. Hungry yet? Don't forget their 'Bubba Burger' - premium black angus covered with barbecue pork, melted cheese and finished off with fried onion ring. Or its Barbecue Stuffed Potato - baked potato stuffed with your choice of barbecue covered with their famous white barbecue sauce, melted cheese and all the butter and sour cream you want. Got a lot of people coming over? Don't worry, Billy Bob caters. We recommend the pulled pork sandwiches, smothered in tons of sauce. Just donít wear white and keep a huge supply of napkins handy.

BEST BRUNCH
Copeland's Famous New Orleans Restaurant & Bar, 400 E. Chase St., Pensacola. 432-7738.
Other Top 3 Finishes: Best Martini, Best Wait Staff with Personality.
In the mood for a classy, sophisticated yet affordable restaurant? Then Copeland's is your place. The New Orleans style restaurant has a friendly, attractive staff, good service and a great atmosphere. It's like being on Bourbon Street minus the danger of being mugged and the smell. Copeland's brunch may be its claim to fame. You can order a variety of reasonably priced meals, including ommelettes, waffles and pancakes. However, the highlight has to be the Sunday champagne brunch, featuring all the champagne you can drink for under $5 (yes, you have to order food with it.) You can also sit and listen to the jazz stylings of Joe Occhipinti. Go to Copelandís, eat, drink and listen to jazz.

BEST BUFFET
Panda China Buffet, 830 E. Gregory St., Pensacola. 436-2656.
Other Top 3 Finishes: Best All You Can Eat Deal.
Buffet might conjure images of a diet in jeopardy. As you gaze upon rows of steaming, tender meats basted in sauce, you think to yourself: 'All is lost! Everything looks so good!' Relax. Not all buffets are evil. At Panda China, you can be ravenous without busting your diet and waistline.

BEST CUP OF COFFEE
Bad Ass Coffee, 1014 Underwood Ave., Pensacola. 478-0634.
In a Hawaiian atmosphere, Bad Ass serves the 'coffee with an attitude' up strong and tasty. Featuring a variety of Kona coffees (the only American ground coffee), including Chocolate Macadamia Nut, Hawaiian Hazelnut and Honokaía Macnut, Bad Assís coffee is the first choice for IN readers dreaming of riding a big wave at Maui. Even though the mascot is an ass, the coffee doesn't taste like one. New products include coffee to go boxes, tropical brand smoothies with real fruit and gift baskets for Christmas.

BEST DELI SANDWICH
City Grocery, 2050 N. 12th Ave., Pensacola. 469-8100.
Other Top 3 Finishes: Best Independent Market.
This old neighborhood-style market is both hip and eclectic offering a wide range of stimulating products in both their deli and retail sections. The sandwiches are fresh and tantalizing. You can dine there and take it home. Pick a bottle of fine wine to share with your meal. City Grocery has wine tastings every Friday from 4-7 p.m. and Saturdays from noon-5 p.m.

BEST GOURMET/SPECIALTY FOOD
Vintage Gourmet, 3005 E. Cervantes St., Pensacola. 434-3279.
Other Top 3 Finishes: Best Catering.
The family-owned and operated restaurant by Chef Keith and Katie Hoffert offers a wide array of great gourmet foods for your eating pleasure. There are vegetable lasagna, all kinds of wraps, including soy lime chicken wrap, casserole du jour, sandwiches and desserts (lemon pie, yum, yum). Everything at Vintage Gourmet always seems very fresh. Don't forget to grab a bottle of wine on your way out.

BEST CHEESEBURGER
Jerry's Drive-In, 2815 E. Cervantes St., Pensacola. 433-9910.
Other Top 3 Finishes: Best Place for a Cheap Date, Best Place to Eavesdrop, Best Cheap Meal.
Everyone in town knows Jerry's Drive-In is really a walk-in. There isn't even a drive-through window. They also know it's one of the best places for a good tasting cheeseburger. Pairing burgers with sides of onion rings or fries is required.

BEST HEALTH FOOD
Ever'Man Natural Foods, 315 W. Garden St., Pensacola. 438-0402.
Other Top 3 Finishes: Best Gourmet/Specialty Food.
Ever'man is the largest health food co-op between New Orleans and Tallahassee. It strives to buy organic, avoid artificial ingredients whenever possible and offer the healthy alternatives to foods found at conventional grocery stores. No icky pesticides or gross growth hormones in the food at this cooperative grocery store. Ever'man recently added a larger, fresh meat case, a cheese department and an entire aisle of refrigerated and frozen food cases. Dozens of frozen entrees, appetizers, vegetables and snacks have been added. The co-op has also expanded its store hours. Itís now open Sundays from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

BEST ICE CREAM SHOP
BEST HANGOUT AFTER MOVIES
Marble Slab Creamery, 5405 N. Ninth Ave., Pensacola. 478-4547.
Remember the good old days when you would sit on the porch with the family, churn ice cream and add flavors and toppings? Marble Slab Creamery recreates those old times. It makes all the ice cream right there, giving you 38 fresh flavors to choose from, such as French vanilla, peanut butter, fudge, chocolate amaretto, bubblegum and pina colada. There's a variety of candy, cookie, nut and fresh fruit toppings. There's also frozen yogurt, gourmet coffees, mouth-watering concoctions, such as fresh fruit smoothies, ice cream pies and made-from-scratch brownies, cookies and pies. Also IN readers see the Marble Slab Creamery as the perfect way to cap off a night of movie-going. Relive the flick and dissect every scene, while enjoying the finest ice cream in Pensacola.

BEST PLACE TO BUY SEAFOOD
Joe Patti Seafood Co., Corner of South A Street and Main Street, Pensacola. 432-3315.
Other Top 3 Finishes: Best Place to Take Out-of-town Guests.
This Pensacola landmark has been catching locals the freshest fish this side of the Gulf Coast since 1933. Joe Patti's boasts a diligent crew that attracts crowds with fresh shrimp, oysters, crab, snapper, grouper, yellow fin tuna, flounder, shark - all filleted before your very eyes. Shopping at Patti's is always an adventure.

BEST PO-BOY
Jerry's Cajun Café & Market, 6205 N. Ninth Ave., Pensacola. 484-6962.
Jerry's Cajun Café used to be Ninth Avenue's little secret. Now Cajuns and non-Cajuns alike line up for Jerryís shrimp po-boy. The shrimp are fried golden brown, with just the right amount of batter. Jerry doesn't scrimp on how shrimp are loaded between his slices of fresh French bread.

BEST SUSHI
Dharma Blue, 300 S. Alcaniz St., Pensacola. 433-1275.
If you're looking for sushi in Pensacola, go no further than Dharma Blue. Besides your traditional spicy tuna roll, Dharma's got plenty of interesting and unique selections to keep even the most demanding sushi fanatic happy. And, if the thought of raw fish makes you squeamish, Dharma has several cooked varieties to choose from, including fried shrimp, conch and broiled eel.


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