Summertime is in full swing, which means longer restaurant hours, new meals to indulge in and new outdoor cocktail bars to catch the sunset. Catch up with our latest batch of News Bites , providing some of the hottest dining updates in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
New waterfront dining options
Lillo’s Tuscan Grille
51 Gulf Breeze Parkway
Lillo’s Tuscan Grille owners have been bringing generations of Italian recipes to the Pensacola area since 1992 at various restaurant locations, but have spent the last six years in their current location, a little waterfront restaurant just over the General Daniel ‘Chappie’ James Jr. Bridge.
While the inside exudes elegance with white tablecloths, wide windows and waterfront views – owners Lisa and Steve Lillo are taking the space into its next chapter with an outdoor waterfront cocktail bar and dining area.
The expansion combines Italian themes with coastal life, depicted in the red- and green-striped surfboard tables. The owners have also added a massive wooden bar covered by a pergola with a crystal-clear view of Pensacola Bay. The Lillos are hoping that customers can stop by, enjoy a cocktail and catch the sunset, even if they don’t end up staying for dinner. But you can order from the menu outdoors, which covers not only pastas, but also fresh seafood and steaks.
“If you don’t have place on the water, come out to ours,” Steve Lillo said. “We’re giving back to the community, to our neighbors, friends and family that can enjoy it with us.”
There he imagines customers sipping on some of the restaurant’s signature drinks, like the amaretto-infused Sicilian Kiss, refreshing Italian margarita or creamy espresso martini. However, they will be gathering customer input for the outdoor bar area’s name and to help develop a few more special cocktails.
This isn’t the end of expansion plans for the two, and they plan on building more tables closer to the water, adding more sail shades to shield the sun, and hopefully one day – a pier that extends out over the bay.
Stay tuned on the Lillo’s Tuscan Grille Facebook page for updates and information.
New menu additions
Calvert’s in the Heights
670 Scenic Highway
East Pensacola Heights neighborhood restaurant and bar, Calvert’s in the Heights, has debuted a mix of lunch and dinner items they added this month.
These include:
- Greek Salad : Fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, green bell peppers, queen and kalamata olives, feta cheese, Greek vinaigrette.
- Nashville Hot Legs: Served with carrots, celery and your choice of ranch or blue cheese dressing.
- Buffalo Chicken Poutine : Calvert’s chips covered in shredded chicken, melted cheese curds, buffalo sauce and ranch dressing.
- Fried Bologna Sandwich - Texas toast, crispy fried onions, American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, zesty pickles, scallion aioli.
- Chili Spice-Rubbed Salmon - Cajun crawfish cream sauce, citrus parmesan risotto, seasonal vegetables.
- Seafood Scampi - Fresh Gulf shrimp, steamed mussels, crawfish tails, baby roma tomatoes, scallions, crispy bacon, citrus garlic angel hair pasta.
- Weekday lunch specials: Lunch specials now run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday through Friday including a soup and salad combo for $10 or a half sandwich and side for $12.
Apple Market- Fried Mullet Monday
1021 Scenic Highway
East Pensacola Heights’ Apple Market now has a Fried Mullet Monday weekly special including three pieces of mullet from Maria’s Seafood Market with choice of two sides for $12.99. So far, customers can’t get enough of it.
Short Fuse Pizza- Deep Dish Pizzas
1414 W. Government St.
Starting July 8, Short Fuse Pizza stationed outside of Emerald Republic Brewing will be rolling out Deep Dish Mondays − a dine-in only, Chicago deep dish pizza special served after 4 p.m. each week. The deep-dish pizzas need to be ordered online ahead of time starting at noon on Thursday and ordering will remain open until 4 p.m. on Sunday. Once they sell out for the week, they are out, so it is important to order early, according to a social media statement from the company.
Patti's Gulf Coast Seafood restaurant
2250 W. Nine Mile Road
Patti’s Gulf Coast Seafood has rolled out 10 specialty sushi rolls now available to order. Some of their signature rolls include:
- Fish Monster Roll: Baked fish, avocado, cream cheese, sesame seeds, eel sauce and Patti’s spicy mayo. ($8.88)
- Pensacola Roll: Tuna, avocado, cream cheese and sesame seeds. ($7.88)
- West Nine Mile Road : Spicy crawfish, avocado, cucumber, cream cheese, and sesame seeds. ($7.88)
Intermission
214 Palafox Place
Elevated Entrée, owned and operated by longtime Pensacola-area chef Keith Pardue, announced this month that he will be bringing some elevated bar-fare to Intermission bar in downtown Pensacola this fall. Pardue will be serving up specialty items starting at 11 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday during football season.
“Intermission and Elevated Entree are teaming up to provide the best Tailgate and Football experience in Downtown Pensacola!!,” Elevated Entrée wrote in a social media statement. “Enjoy all of the games while we prepare some of our signature BBQ and sandwiches every Saturday and Sunday!!
Some of the featured menu items will include:
- Brisket Philly Cheesesteak: Smoked chopped prime brisket, caramelized onions and bell peppers, provolone cheese, black garlic aioli and served on Craft Bakery French bread.
- Pulled Pork grilled cheese: Smoked pork shoulder, caramelized onions, blue mango chipotle barbecue sauce, provolone cheese and served on Craft Bakery jalapeno cheddar sourdough.
- Smash burger: The Butcher Shoppe fresh ground Wagyu brisket beef patties, grilled onions, fresh tomato, Smash Sauce and served on a Craft Bakery potato bun.
New location
O.G. Lola's
2110 W. Yonge St.
O.G. Lola’s, a new vegan Filipino food truck, secured a permanent location at Pensacola Liberation Center located at 2110 W. Yonge St. The food truck will now be serving up favorites like the O.G. lumpia, vegetable pancit noodles and adobo street tacos from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday through Saturday.
“The Pensacola Liberation Center is so excited to announce that O.G. Lola’s will be setting up full time at our office!,” the Pensacola Liberation Center wrote in a statement. “Come by to eat, enjoy the free WiFi, and check out our bookstore, library and budding community garden!”
New summer hours
Mrs. Jones Cold Brew
1449 W. Nine Mile Road
Mrs. Jones Cold Brew is extending their hours for the summer and is now open 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Mrs. Jones is a cold brew bar that makes gourmet cold brew lattes, flights and customizable beverages.
Alla Prima Coffee Roaster
532 W. Garden St.
Alla Prima Coffee Roaster has launched its summer business hours, which will be from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Alla Prima offers coffee roasted in-house, homemade syrups and a variety of baked goods and sandwiches.
Foodie fun
Polonza Bistro
286 N. Palafox St.
Polonza Bistro is hosting a latte art throwdown at 6 p.m. on July 12. Baristas and latte artists can compete for $20 per person, but the competition is free to spectate.
Hungry for more? Stay up to date on the latest restaurant news by subscribing to our free Pensacola Eats newsletter, delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign up for the newsletter at profile.pnj.com/newsletter .
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Lillo's opens waterfront cocktail bar in Gulf Breeze, Calvert's expands menu | News Bites
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