Welcome back to the last post in our Summer 2021 Restaurant Round-Up series! We're wrapping up today with one of our favorite new restaurants in Panama City Beach, Craft 850.
We first learned about Craft 850 when we were at the Pink Pelican Ice Cream Bar. The owners of Pink Pelican also own Craft 850, which is on the east end of Panama City Beach, not too far from the Joy Coastal condo.
Craft 850 has an extensive selection of craft beers, curated cocktails, and a truly unique menu offering. Vegan and gluten-free options are denoted on the menu, and they are not just afterthoughts.
My mom and I visited Craft 850 this spring, and we spent the night gushing over the restaurant. What surprised us the most was how truly thoughtful the menu was.
Not being beer drinkers, the craft beer was wasted on us. So, we started the night with cocktails. I had The Parisian (elderflower liquor, pear vodka, and Prosecco), which was well balanced and not overly sweet. My mom ordered the Blood Orange Bourbon Sour. Shortly after placing our drink orders, our server let my mom know that the bar was out of blood oranges. She offered that the bartender could make a similar drink with another fruit and suggested blackberries. My mom agreed, and her personalized replacement cocktail was delicious.
We decided to split a few appetizers and small plates. Because there were several gluten-free options, it was easy to agree on our selections. We each had a crabcake made with lump crab and without breadcrumbs, a great choice. We also shared Devils on Horseback (goat cheese stuffed dates, wrapped in bacon) and Kimchi Sweet Potato Fries (sweet potato fries topped with kimchi and wasabi ranch). We finished the evening with their peanut butter pie. As you might expect, the pie was rich and a perfect ending to our meal.
Everything we tried at Craft 850 was delicious. Beyond that, we could tell that the chef had put so much thought into each menu item. I can't wait to go back and keep working through the menu. Sometimes, restaurants in Panama City Beach take advantage of their location (especially restaurants directly on the beach) and use it as an excuse to serve uninspired food. So, it was truly refreshing to visit Craft 850, which is the culinary opposite of those restaurants. Whether you consider yourself a foodie, a craft beer enthusiast, or just really appreciate a good meal, Craft 850 is worth a visit!
Thanks for following along this week on our Summer 2021 Restaurant Round-Up for Panama City Beach. We hope we've inspired you to try some of these restaurants during your stay at the Joy Coastal condo!
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