Catalina Island - where to eat?

[Kouign Aman]

Going to Catalina soon, staying in Avalon. Where to eat?

All I remember from my last trip, 10-15 years ago, is mediocre to bad food, and nothing about where we ate it.

We'll need at least 2 lunches and 2 dinners, and 1 breakfast.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[iamemmaparker]

I've been going to El Galleon for years. Get the Abalone!

[heidih]

I've been going to El Galleon for years. Get the Abalone!

Is it local?

[Smithy]

Two years ago we found a couple of excellent places down on the main street, in the pedestrian mall area. (If you think of Avalon Harbor as having a U shape, with the Pavilion at one tip and the ferry terminal at the other, I'm referring to the crossbar at the bottom of the U.) One is called "Steve's", I think - if not Steve then another man's first name. Local seafood to die for. Excellent breads and wines came as well. There was probably a good salad, or decadent dessert, that I don't remember...we admired everything we saw pass by our table, and we liked everything we ate. Sorry it was 2 years ago and my memory is inexact, but it's easy to find: the only restaurant that's a floor above the street. It was noisy (a wedding party was there as well) and rather expensive, but well worth one meal.

On a street corner no more than 2 blocks to the right of (Steve's?) - to the right if you're standing at the shops and facing the harbor, that is - is a combination art gallery and coffee / dessert shop. Don't miss it. We bought tortes and tartlets. We bought cookies. We bought wine. we enjoyed the artwork. We kept coming back. I think they have coffee and sandwiches. When I say "street corner" I mean that the pedestrian mall has ended.

We had lunch one day at another place whose name totally escapes me. If you're coming from the ferry terminal toward the main street and miss the turn, you'll run into the restaurant.

Sorry I'm so vague about names, but I hope I've given you enough information to go on. I'd go back to those places in a heartbeat! If I find old notes in time I'll post the names. Have fun!

Edited April 21, 2011 by Smithy (log)

[Kouign Aman]

Yeah! three great leads!

[Smithy]

So...several months later...did you go? Where did you eat? What did you think? What do you recommmend? I hope you had fun, and found that the leads were worthwhile!

[Kouign Aman]

We didnt go.

I am still hoping to get there in the next couple of months, while the water is reasonably warm. I am absolutely taking the recommendations with me, because of the "Suddenly Im not realy hungry after all" bad meals I've eaten in restaurants during my life, a disporportionate number of them were on Catalina.