Emeril's, Emeril's Coastal Italian, E.J. Lagasse, Emeril Lagasse

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Photo courtesy of Emeril’s

A Tempting Taste of Emerald Coast Dining

A Peek into COOK: Cocktails. Cuisine. Culture.

COOK: Cocktails. Cuisine. Culture. is an all-new luxury lifestyle cookbook that features all things food and drink! It boasts engaging recipes, cocktails, chef profiles, restaurant stories, and tips for table decor and party planning from experts along the Emerald Coast of Northwest Florida and beyond. From the old favorites that vacationers visit time and again to the new kids on the block, we can’t deny the dining and cocktail scene in the area is unforgettable—particularly the twenty-ish-mile stretch in Walton County, home to the affluent Scenic Highway 30-A. We picked a few local gems from the pages of COOK by VIE to give you a sneak peek. Welcome to a culinary tour of our coastal paradise!

amigos 30a mexican kitchen, 30avenue, cook by vie

amigos 30A Mexican Kitchen cocktails | Photo courtesy of 30Avenue

An Après-Beach Hot Spot

30Avenue, a beautiful lifestyle center in sunny South Walton, offers an incredible dining scene, including Chef Tim Creehan’s Cuvee 30A and Chef Tom Catherall’s Aja Elevated Asian Cuisine. Corchis Hospitality Group created a genius two-for-one dining experience in adjoining spaces on 30Avenue’s east wing, where diners can grab margaritas and tacos at amigos 30A Mexican Kitchen or opt for homemade pasta, pizza, and more from amici 30A Italian Kitchen. On the west end, breakfast is a way of life at Canopy Road Café, a classic American diner serving mouthwatering breakfast and lunch items daily.

Better Together Beverage, Christine Tarpey

Photo by Katie DeSantis

Life Is Better Together

Beverage director and mixologist extraordinaire Christine Tarpey aims to combine flavor, flair, and friendship with her bar-on-the-go concept, Better Together Beverage. Founded along the Emerald Coast of the Florida Panhandle, her company provides unique cocktail-centric experiences, including mixology seminars, themed event bars, custom beverage menus, and more. Working with clients’ needs and visions means no two events are alike, and the communities along Scenic Highway 30-A and beyond are big fans of this premiere beverage concierge.

Café Thirty-A, Café Thirty-A bar, Harriet Crommelin

Photo by Romona Robbins

A Legacy of Good

Locals and visitors alike agree that when it comes to dining along Scenic Highway 30-A, this place has it all. A leader in the restaurant community in Northwest Florida since 1995, Café Thirty-A is a go-to spot for casual fine dining, an extensive wine list, martini specials, and memorable desserts. Café Thirty-A’s late owner, Harriet Crommelin, who passed away in February of 2023, was known not only for fostering community through the restaurant but also for doing good for those in need. Crommelin and Café Thirty-A have given back to the area that supports the restaurant wholeheartedly by donating to nonprofits and charitable events throughout the year.

Photo by Salar Abduaziz/Miami Creative Agency, courtesy of The Daytrader

Tiki Time

Created so guests could escape from reality, The Daytrader Tiki Bar & Restaurant is a fresh face in Seaside, Florida. Delivering a Polynesian Coast meets the Gulf of Mexico experience, The Daytrader serves up colorful and creative dishes using locally sourced ingredients. Each cocktail, presented in quirky and distinctive glassware, promises to transport you to a tropical paradise. Chef and restaurateur Nikhil Abuvala, renowned proprietor of other local gems such as Roux 30a and Nanbu Noodle Bar, consistently ignites excitement with his culinary creations. Undoubtedly, he stands as one of the region’s most talented and sought-after chefs.

Emeril Lagasse, E. J. Lagasse, Emerils, Cook by VIE

Photo courtesy of Emeril’s

A Culinary Legend and His Legacy

“Since 1990, Emeril’s cuisine has been inspired by Louisiana heritage and has evolved through cultural and generational influences,” says renowned celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse, calling the current menu at his New Orleans flagship a refined and elegant approach to Louisiana cooking. “Now, more than ever, I am excited for the future of Emeril’s and proud that my son, E.J., has joined me as chef patron and taken the reins in the kitchen. E.J. is a risk-taker, and his passion for refinement is contagious. We have exciting things planned and are committed to improving our craft one dish, one experience, and one renovation at a time.”

Paul Sutton Bourbon, Paul Sutton, bourbon

Photo courtesy of Paul Sutton Bourbon

Passed Down to Be Passed Around

An ultrasmooth taste and family ties are the fuel that keeps Paul Sutton Bourbon growing strong. Produced in Danville, Kentucky, Paul Sutton Bourbon has been hailed as one of the best in its class since the inaugural bottled-in-bond, six-year-old, single barrel bourbon whiskey was released in 2021. This Kentucky bourbon originated from an Alabama family legacy of seven generations. R.M. Sutton (the grandfather of Paul Sutton Bourbon founder Myra Barginear, MD)—along with his grandfather, father, and brothers—used to distill bourbon as a hobby when he wasn’t taking care of his family, repairing shrimp boats, and training horses. Described as “pure goodness right from the get-go,” Grandpa Sutton’s exact mash recipe was unfortunately lost after he passed away—until Barginear and her husband, Paul Amrich, employed science to save it.

Vintij, Vin’tij Food & Wine, Cook by VIE

Photo by Romona Robbins

Grape Expectations

Culinary delights are served daily at Vin’tij Food & Wine, a Northwest Florida favorite along the Gulf Coast in Miramar Beach. What started as a wine market and casual fine-dining café in 1998 has evolved into an all-day hot spot in the bustling Grand Boulevard Town Center, where it moved in 2018 and started a new chapter. Owners Todd and Sabrina Reber aim to create unique culinary experiences for all their customers, whether stopping in for lunch with the girls, a business meeting, a “Wine Down” happy hour, or an upscale dinner with family and friends. Congratulations to this local institution on twenty-five years in business!

— V —

We welcome you to join our table as we sip, savor, and celebrate on a culinary tour of this coastal paradise in the pages of COOK: Cocktails. Cuisine. Culture., available for purchase at viemagazine.com/product/cook-cocktails-cuisine-culture.