I’m just going to start with this: we LOVE our new city! Pensacola is pretty great, and we’ve loved spending the last few months exploring our new home and blending in with the locals. We keep finding ourselves coming back to Downtown Pensacola over and over for dinner, shopping, or just a night out of the house, and we thought it was time to share some of our favorite places with you guys!
Shopping
I love a good Target run as much as the next girl, but there’s just something special about shopping small and finding locally owned places to buy your pieces. These are all places that I’ve visited in the last month, and I’ve found some great things!
- Belle Ame’ Bath & Body Products – it’s basically like Lush but better
- Bodacious Olive – we live on these flavored vinegars
- Gray Boutique – I finally cracked and bought a Teletie here last week and my life has been changed
- Indigeaux Denim Bar & Boutique – I want everything in this store! I went home with a pair of Spanx leggings a few weeks ago, and I wear them at least once a week now.
- Pensacola Merchant – I’m wearing one of their super soft Pensacola shirts as I type this
- Rusted Arrow Mercantile – I picked up 2 quote bracelets here a few weeks back and I wear them daily
- Stay the Spa – this is the BEST spa that I’ve been to in Pensacola. It took me forever to find a waxing place that I loved, and I will never stray away from sugar waxing after having it done here. Valerie is the best!
Dining
If we’re going out to eat, 99% of the time it’s going to be somewhere downtown. We’re also creatures of habit and tend to frequent the same places, but we have a list of places that we still need to try out including Jackson’s Steakhouse, Restaurant IRON, Global Grill, Jaco’s Bayfront Bar and Grille, and a few others. I think it’s time for another wandering date night…
- Al Fresco – we’re all about some food trucks, and Calavera Tacos are the bomb.
- Dog House Deli – everything that we’ve had here has been great. but let me just tell you: GANGSTA FRIES FOR LIFE.
- Fosko Coffee Bar – best cup of coffee in Downtown plus there are board games! {in case anyone was wondering, I won the last round of Scrabble}
- Khon’s on Palafox – John’s favorite ramen place.
- McGuire’s Irish Pub – I can’t even begin to explain this place, but you just have to go and experience it yourself. Definitely get the 3 foot pretzel.
- Nom Sushi Izakaya – my favorite ramen place. get the tonkotsu and sub tofu for pork belly.
- The Tin Cow – make your own burgers with a ridiculous amount of toppings.
- V Paul’s Italian Ristorante – great appetizers, great entrees, and great prices. especially if you catch them on a Tuesday and get the lasagna for like $7!
Things to Do
There’s no shortage of things to do in Downtown Pensacola! Most people think that Pensacola is just a spring break/summer destination, but no matter what season it is, there’s always something happening here. It’s so much more than just a beach town!
- First City Lights {winter only}
- Gallery Night
- Palafox Market
- Pensacola Bay Center
- Pensacola Blue Wahoos – Baseball
- Pensacola Children’s Museum
- Pensacola Ice Flyers – Hockey
- Pensacola Little Theatre
- Pensacola Museum of Art
- Pensacola Opera
- Pensacola Saenger
- Pensacola Symphony Orchestra
- So Gourmet Cooking Classes
- TT Wentworth Museum
Parking
There is some free street parking throughout the area, but your best bet is to find a Premium Parking lot. You can find more parking information for Downtown Pensacola here.