7 Best Restaurants in San Juan Island, The San Juan Islands

Ingenuity and dedication to local ingredients are hallmarks of this stylish, contemporary restaurant, where locals and tourists alike come for dishes such as baked oysters, mushroom panzanella, San Juan Island–raised lamb shoulder cooked in fig leaves, and a popular house burger; during the summer, the hotel's outdoor Raw Bar serves seafood and frozen cocktails. The restaurant's daily breakfast is popular with islanders and convenient for hotel guests: the brunch burger, topped with a fried egg and green-tomato-and-bacon jam, and breakfast poutine with duck confit and cheese curds make for decadent starts to your day.

This snazzy, contemporary, seafood-driven restaurant overlooking the harbor has a light-filled dining room that makes a terrific spot to watch boats and ferries come and go while sampling such tempting fare as Penn Cove mussels, pan-seared sockeye salmon with seasonal veggies, and a seafood Cobb salad piled high with Dungeness crab and whole shrimp.

Ask a local for the best lunch recommendation in town, and you may be surprised by the answer—plenty of folks will send you to this casual diner at the airport, where you can watch planes take off while you eat. You'll find a few Asian-fusion dishes on the menu, including Korean-style bulgogi (grilled marinated beef) and hearty noodle bowls, plus diner classics like hefty cheeseburgers, breakfast sandwiches, and flaky popovers.

The island's local brewery, just a few short blocks from the ferry landing, has a nice selection of suds brewed on-site, along with standard brew-pub fare (pretzels, cheese curds, chicken wings) and surprisingly good individual pizzas.

Only 50 yards from the ferry holding area (though that includes a lot of stairs), this pleasant little café and specialty grocery store makes fantastic sandwiches (try the roast-beef-and-rocket, which is served on a house-baked roll with spicy chili aioli). The soups and deli items—including a decadent macaroni and cheese—are also top-notch. Beer, wine, juices, and espresso are served as well. It's a great place to wait for your ferry to depart.