30Avenue: Vacation relaxation destination!
By Michelle Farnham
July 30, 2023
INLET BEACH – Oh, the tyranny of choice. A trip down Scenic Highway 30A – whether as a tourist or a local – offers so many opportunities. Dining, entertainment, shopping: it has it all! There is one complex on the far East side of 30A, however, that offers all these amenities in one convenient location: 30Avenue.
Known as the place “Where shopping, food and fun meet, work and play,” 30Avenue is an outdoor lifestyle center offering everything from salons to retail spaces, healthcare facilities to professional offices and fitness centers. Make a day out of your time there enjoying the Summer Concert Series, with live music Tuesday to Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m.
Nestled among these destinations are more than half a dozen dining opportunities, making 30Avenue a park-once-and-enjoy-your-day kind of place.
“30Avenue is a gastronaut’s dream! The array of restaurants available here is unmatched,” explained Stephanie Madden of 30Avenue. “Whether you’re in the mood for fine dining, fresh-off-the-hook seafood, a fun brunch with friends or authentic Italian cuisine, we’ve got you covered.”
Aja Elevated Asian Kitchen
One of the newer kids on the block, Aja Elevated Asian Kitchen comes from the mind of Master Chef Tom Catherall. Pronounced {ay}+{zhuh}, here you’ll find authentic Asian cuisine ranging from stir-fry to noodle dishes, to sushi and sashimi.
Start with the shrimp and chicken dumplings, a tuna carpaccio roll, some char siu pork belly ramen, and finish with the tempura fried banana topped with sea salt caramel.
Enjoy an adult beverage from the full bar, as well as the Party on the Patio happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. daily, including drink and appetizer specials.
Open daily for dinner, Aja is located at Suite T-101. Call 850-493-6437 or visit www.aja30a.com.
amici 30A Italian Kitchen
Among the more veteran anchors of 30Avenue is amici 30A Italian Kitchen, one of the Corchis Hospitality Group restaurants.
Tempt yourself with a fresh caprese salad, the limited quantity burrata and sea salt with crostini, arancini rice balls, a salsiccia pizza, and round out your feast with a slice of flourless chocolate cake.
Happy Hour runs from 3 to 6 p.m. seven days a week and includes special buys on pizzas, select pastas and drinks.
Visit amici 30A daily for lunch or dinner at Suite R101, online at amici30a.com or call 850-909-0555.
amigos 30A Mexican Kitchen
Right next door is sister restaurant amigos 30A Mexican Kitchen (do you see the name trend?), serving cooked-to-order cuisine from south of the border.
This is the place for fresh-made guacamole and chips, a brisket burnt ends quesadilla, the crispy black grouper burrito bowl or pork pastor taco, finished with tres leches cake. The bar shakes up a wide selection of margaritas, beer, wine and seltzers as well.
Take part in the daily Happy Hour from 3 to 6 p.m. for discounted drinks, white queso and tacos.
Find amigos 30A in Suite Q101, online at amigos30a.com, and by phone at 850-909-0444.
Canopy Road Cafe
If breakfast, brunch or lunch is part of your day’s plans, there’s Canopy Road Cafe. Here you’ll find traditional diner favorites, but with a twist!
Split an order of fried green tomatoes, try the Italian avocado toast, choose from five Benedicts, six handhelds, 10 pancakes, four French toasts, a trio of omelets, seven breakfast skillets, salads, sandwiches, or burgers. Seasonal specials add even more variety.
Find Canopy Road Cafe in Suite B100, open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week. Reach them at 850-909-0104 or online at www.canopyroadcafe.com. Both indoor and outdoor seating is available.
Cuvee 30A
Another mainstay of 30Avenue is Cuvee 30A, from Chef Tim Creehan. A Wine Spectator Award-winner, you’ll find celebrity specialities like Amy Grant’s Seared Tuna Rare and Vince Gill’s Pecan Crusted Grouper.
From the appetizers menu you might start with escargot with ciabatta, a Kurobuta pork chop or bone-in filet entree, and round out the meal with Jerry White’s chocolate banana cream pie with caramel sauce.
Sample beer, wine and cocktails during Happy Hour from 4:30 to 6:30, as well as discounts on bar menu bites from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Cuvee 30A is found at Suite D101 and open for dinner six nights a week, closed Sundays. Make a reservation or peruse the menu at cuvee30a.com.
Goatfeathers Seafood Market & Cafe
If it’s fresh seafood you’re after, step into Goatfeathers for a seafood restaurant, fish market and specialty store all in one. Food is available dine-in or get your freshly steamed meal to-go.
Here you’ll find all the classics: shrimp, local fish, oysters, scallops, soft and hard shell crab, as well as a few “turf” options. Even the kiddos have their own menu.
Early Bird specials and happy hour run 3 to 5 p.m. excluding holidays and Raw Oyster Mania goes from 3 to 4 p.m.
Open for lunch or dinner seven days a week, Goatfeathers is in Suite O101. See the selection at www.goatfeathersseafood.com, or call 850-909-0090.
Great American Cookies/Marble Slab Creamery
To sweeten up your trip to 30Avenue, veteran sweets shop Great American Cookies/Marble Slab Creamery will be returning this summer! After seven years in Suite R102, the combo store relocated to WaterColor Crossings in November 2022, but Madden announced they will be re-opening a second location back at their old stomping grounds.
“They will be situated near Canopy Road in a larger and newly renovated suite. Exciting times ahead!” Madden shared.
Idyll Hound Proper
Adopting the mantra “Great Food. Better Beer. Proper People,” 30Avenue’s first gastropub, Idyll Hound Proper, is slated to open this summer, offering lunch and dinner seven days a week. An offshoot of Santa Rosa Beach-based Idyll Hounds Brewing Company, expect to see local brews expertly paired with cuisine from Chef Nick Walton.
For more information, visit them in Suite E101, online at www.idyllhoundproper.com, or call 850-909-9041.
The entire 30Avenue complex is located at 12805 U.S. Hwy 98 East, in Inlet Beach, and is open year-round.
Photos by 30Avenue
