Spring is in full swing in the Pensacola area’s dining scene, and several restaurants have debuted tasty new menus with fresh items to try. Here are some of the hottest dining updates in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, including new downtown dining options, a burger cook-off foodie fundraiser and a $100 beach meat-eating challenge, in our latest batch of News Bites.
V. Paul’s Italian Ristorante adds lunch service
29 Palafox Place
After serving Pensacola delicious Italian dinners for over a decade, V. Paul’s has expanded its offerings to host a lunch service from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday through Saturday. There, you’ll find some special items not on the dinner menu, such as specialty sandwiches and a rotating burger of the week, as well as some lunch portioned pasta dishes. No detail is spared, from the house-made burger buns to the honey black garlic vinaigrette salad dressings. Here’s a look at some of the must-try items on the new menu:
Spring Salad: Honey and black garlic vinaigrette, sliced strawberries, mandarin oranges, roasted beets and goat cheese.Shrimp Po’boy: Choice of fried, grilled or blackened shrimp with a sundried tomato remoulade, shredded romaine, tomato and pickle atop a seeded hoagie roll. Served with a choice of pasta salad or fries.Chicken Pesto Sub: Parmesan crusted chicken, pesto, applewood smoked bacon, broccolini, provolone, balsamic atop a seeded hoagie roll.Burger of the week: Chef’s choice of accoutrements atop an 8-ounce all Angus patty with a house made bun. (For example, the week of May 6 chef special is the Medici burger, which features caramelized onions, serrano peppers, red bell peppers, truffle aioli and smoked gouda.)Drift launches new dinner menu items
41 Fort Pickens Road (Second floor)
Pensacola Beach waterfront dining destination, Drift, has several new exciting items on its menu, including soups, salads, oysters and two new entrees.
“Each new dish reflects our commitment to seasonality and refinement,” Drift chef Luis Nolasco wrote in a statement. “By focusing on simple, high-quality ingredients, we’re able to craft flavors that are both elevated and memorable. It’s an experience rooted in freshness, executed with intention.”
Here are a few must-try items on the new menu:
Gulf & Garden: Local catch, confit red potatoes, green peas, bell peppers, pearl onions, broccoli florets, Creole crab and crawfish sauce.Woodford Sage Infused Pork Chop: Double-cut pork chop, sous vide, finished with a tamarind–blood orange glaze, Woodford Bourbon and fresh sage. Served with Brussels sprouts and beet purée.Bright & Endless Burrata: Watermelon, hot honey, brown sugar–Tajín blend, balsamic glaze, fresh mint, peach purée and focaccia bread.Lobster Bisque: Sherry-deglazed classic cream and butter base, topped with jalapeño cornbread croutons.
Windjammers on the Pier debuts custom Pier Beer
Windjammers has partnered with Destin Brewery to create a Windjammers Pier Beer on draft exclusively offered at Windjammers on the Pier, according to a social media post on the Navarre Beach Pier page on May 1. The custom beer is described as a light and crisp Blonde Ale that’s east to sip due to a “subtle malt sweetness, a smooth finish, and just the right amount of hops.”
“This amazing brew is the result of months of hard work and a special collaboration between Destin Brewery and Windjammers – passion, creativity, and love for the beach life all poured into one perfect pint,” the Navarre Beach Pier statement read.
Covington Mercantile & Coffee Co. adds drive-thru
3991 Highway 90
Family-owned and operated Milton coffee shop Covington Mercantile & Coffee Co. has a new drive-through only location at 3991 Highway 90 in Pace. There, you can get your quick caffeine fix if you don’t have time for the full sit-down experience at the sister shop in Milton. The drive-through is open from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday and from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Water Pig BBQ rolls out The Meat Tsunami Challenge
5 Via De Luna Drive
Water Pig BBQ is tempting foodies with The Meat Tsunami Challenge, which presents customers with a large plate of meat in hopes of earning their meal for free. However, time is not on your side.
“Think you can take down tacos, ribs, brisket, pulled pork, sausage, turkey, chicken thighs and a loaded potato in under an hour?” Water Pig BBQ wrote in a social media statement.
Those attempting the challenge will pay $99 plus tax up front before attempting to finish their entire meal in one hour while following Water Pig’s set of rules (such as not standing up, getting ill, or have anyone else at the table touch the meal.) If successful, the victor will be refunded 100%.
The Z accepts credit cards for first time in 77 years
810 N. Davis Highway
A page of Pensacola history is turning – the Azalea Cocktail Lounge, Pensacola’s oldest cocktail bar, now accepts credit cards. We just thought you should know.
“After 77 years of keeping it old-school, The Z now accepts credit cards,” Azalea Cocktail lounge wrote in a social media statement on April 21. “Don’t worry – cash is still king, and the drinks are just as strong. But hey, now you don’t have to “Venmo your buddy” or sprint to the ATM when it’s your round. Welcome to the future!”
Burger Battle by the Bay 2025 rescheduled
300 S. Tarragona St.
If a burger is your go-to, you won’t want to miss the Burger Battle by the Bay, which has been rescheduled to run from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on June 7. Not only will you get to try a variety of delicious burgers made by professional and amateur teams, but you will also support Take Stock in Children and charitable programs of the Rotary Club of Pensacola Suburban West. Tickets, which will grant bite-sized samples from every competing team, are $15 per person in advance and $20 on the day of, and can be purchased on Eventbrite. Children under 12 have free admission with a paying adult.
Sir Richard’s Birthday Oyster Bash
2719 E. Cervantes St.
Sir Richard’s is celebrating its birthday with an oyster bash on June 7, serving oysters by the half dozen starting noon until they sell out at market price. Sir Richard’s invites customers to come celebrate, also enjoying drink specials and fun on the patio.
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