Dinner suggestions.
The San Juan Islands consist of more than 100 islands and islets nested at the Northwest corner of Washington State. This is a rugged and rural part of the country where you can find more than a few impressive restaurants tucked into the small towns. Often, ingredients are sourced from farms on the islands themselves and in the nearby Skagit Valley; seafood like oysters and halibut come straight out of the surrounding Salish Sea.
Downriggers
Yes, it’s true that this stylish seafood eatery’s location right by the ferry dock in Friday Harbor can make it pretty busy, especially in the summer high season. But it’s worth braving the wait. With an airy outdoor patio and large windows looking out onto the bay, both indoors and outdoors come with fantastic views of the port, with bald eagles flying overhead and float planes cruising in for a landing. This is the classic San Juans backdrop for Downriggers’ Pacific Northwest sea-sourced and land-based offerings like scallop gnocchi or locally raised organic chicken with truffle jus and mushrooms. One must-order is the crab tater tots, with chunks of Dungeness crab and shredded potato mixed and battered together.
Duck Soup
Foraging is a cornerstone of this San Juan Island restaurant, hidden in a forested plot away from busy Friday Harbor. The day-to-day menu is impossible to predict, but it can include ramps, fiddlehead ferns, sea beans, and whatever else is growing outside. Local farms and fishermen give the menu a boost on meat and produce with raw oysters, duck breast, and racks of lamb.
San Juan Brewing Company
Bringing back craft since 2017, San Juan Island Brewing Company is an award-winning brewery set in the beautiful and awe-inspiring San Juan Islands. We brew highly sessionable, true-to-style beers, specializing in Old World Ales and Lagers. In addition, they serve traditional American Pub Fare with options for everyone to enjoy, including Wood Stone fire pizzas, burgers, and salads.