Bainbridge Island Food & Dining

Taste of the Northwest
Food & Dining on Bainbridge Island

Our island has a wide diversity of cuisine. We hope that you enjoy trying the many tastes the Puget Sound has to offer while dining on Bainbridge Island. Restaurants are listed in alphabetical order.

Bainbridge Bakers

Bainbridge Bakers @ Bay Hay & Feed/Nursery

Bainbridge Island Barbeque
*Featured Restaurant*

If you’re longing for comfort food--the kind that cooks for 6 hours before it can even consider touching a fork--you’ll find all the perks without the work at BIBBQ. The smell of a summer backyard curls into your nostrils as you walk in from the parking lot (behind Modoka on Winslow Way, just past Madison Avenue).

Owner Greg Epstein, a BHS graduate with culinary credentials, prepares his dishes straight from the heart and according to his own original, rigid standards for Serious Northwest Barbecue. What is it? Think spicy + savory + sweet. My choice was a Commuter Special, an excellent value at $10. It offers a chicken wings, ribs, taquito and pulled pork mini sandwich. They stand on their own merits, but are complemented by dipping sauces (my own favorite was a spicy habañero), and a chosen side; I selected a lean, piquant coleslaw, though I confess I would have liked to try everything.

Visit the website to review the many other meals (a vegetarian grilled chili is also available; call ahead to reserve salmon). Wife Carmen and small son Jazz help ensure it’s a family-friendly atmosphere; a “Cowpoke’s Menu” and high chairs help, but the kid clincher may be the homemade S’mores available for dessert.

One of two seating areas is a sports room with big screen TV. BIBBQ invites groups up to 15 (advance notice please) to eat, relax and watch the action without any guilt when asking someone to bring in a beer or cold drink from the fridge. Since everything is made from scratch, the wait may be a few minutes longer sometimes, but the result reflects the effort.

For a smaller establishment that seats just under 40, it’s a full service restaurant: open 7 days 11-8, eat in, take out, delivery, catering, even serving breakfast platters of flap jacks, fried egg benedict or creations from an omelette /crepe bar (9:30 ‘til they run out). You can also try breakfast at the Winslow Farmer’s Market on Saturday morning…again ‘til the food runs out.

My meal was “lunch” but I didn’t need dinner, either. I’m left with the memory of my two large, convoluted paper napkins, slathered in sauce. “It’s OK,” Greg smiled, “…we encourage barbecue faces here.” Thank goodness.

Bainbridge Island Vineyard and Winery

Blackbird Bakery

Bainbridge Thai Cuisine

Café Nola

Cafe Tríos

This excellent new addition to the BI food scene opened at the end of February, 2008. It’s a wonderful blend of sophistication, variation and comfort: high ceilings encourage conversations to float upward and add privacy; revolving art exhibits accent fireplace seating in sofas and easy chairs. Add to this arrangement clusters of tables and stylish chairs, high tables and bar stools, a wine bar…cool! Even wheelchairs and service dogs can maneuver freely inside, since the space seems large enough for double its 49 person occupancy. All ages are welcome all day—every day—from 6am-10pm—highchairs available soon. Located just across the street from the passenger terminal dropoff area for the ferry, Café Trios is a convenient stop for day trippers and locals alike.

The atmosphere of the café is interesting and complex. The day begins at 6am with coffee as art (warning: you may want to photograph the design in your cup before you drink it) and morning fare with a local hangout feel. The food progresses to a range of sandwiches, crepes, salads, and soups; with an unusual sweet or savory twist. Evening evolves into include bistro-style fare: nice servings of “small bites” presented in nicely designed, colorful platters that easily become dinner. The Café wine list offers excellent choices in all categories (including “trophy wines” for educated palates) and includes selections by the glass, half or full bottles.

Food selections are a good value, although generalizing the expense is difficult, since there are so many possibilities. Our group of four was sated by four delicious appetizer platters and two excellent bottles of wine over a two hour evening. We never felt rushed and the tab was about $60/couple, including tip. We will definitely go back, but I’ll bet my appetizer that it won’t be long before we need to call ahead.

Reaching Café Trios is as easy as walking to the ferry terminal from town. However, if you choose to drive, dodge ferry-loading times and/or approach from Ferncliff (e.g., via High School Road) to avoid delays and frustration. If street parking fails (it’s right in front, as are bike posts), the public parking lot across the street lot offers a paid alternative.

Casa Rojas Authentic Mexican Cuisine

Churchmouse Yarns & Teas

Commuter Comforts, Inc.

Doc’s Marina Grill

Edna's Beach Café

New in December 2007 after months of remodeling. The Lynwood Center location indicates that car or bike transport from the ferry is recommended.

Emmy’s Vegie House

Eleven Winery

Farmer's Market on Bainbridge Island

Gandhi House of Exotic Indian Cuisine

Harbour Public House –Neighborhood Pub

Isla Bonita

Island Grill

Madoka Pan-Pacific Restaurant

McDonalds

Modern Pie Pizza on the Fly

Mora Ice Cream Company

Moreton’s Gourmet Cheese & Fine Wine

Mon Elisa’s

New Rose Café at Bainbridge Gardens

Pegasus Coffee House and Gallery

Perennial Vintners

Pizza Factory

Rolling Bay Gourmet Personal Chef Service

Safeway

San Carlos Restaurant Bar and Catering Company

Salmon Canyon Café

(Please call to confirm hours)

Taking its name from the salmon run across the road, the Salmon Canyon Café provides a reasonably priced, homey breakfast or lunch in the Lynwood Center (south end) area of Bainbridge. The café is tucked in next to Sawan Thai restaurant, in back of Walt’s Market. Enter either under the Sawan sign and use the door to your right, or walk around back to the Lynwood Center Road entrance. Meals are tasty, the servings are generous and cooked to order in a warm and friendly environment. If you visit on a Sunday morning, you’re likely to catch the early morning workout crowd loading carbs after a good swim or ride!

The Lynwood Center location indicates that car or bike transport from the ferry is recommended.

Sawatdy Thai Cuisine, LLC

Shima Garden Sushi and Japanese Cuisine

Shima offers a low key, moderately priced, healthy alternative for a tasty lunch or dinner that is an easy ten minute walk from the ferry or the cinema. If you know in advance that Shima will be your destination, try to make reservations; business comes in waves and space is limited, so seating times can be unpredictable. This is a place to relax and enjoy the leisurely environment—a different choice is more suitable if you’re in a rush. Kids are fine…and even the pickiest little eater is usually happy with rice!

Shima prides itself on using organic ingredients whenever possible; raw fish is always wild and wild fish is also used whenever possible in other dishes. You can find sushi and other items you would expect in most sushi bars (edamame, fresh salads, miso soup, tempura, a generous bento box, etc.) but there are also chicken, pork and vegan alternatives available. Several simple desserts and a selection of domestic and imported beer, wine and sake complete the menu (add link).

Location: just north of the intersection of Winslow Way facing Madison Avenue, at the “far end” (i.e., the second short block) of town. The entrance is a small garden corridor that can be missed: it faces the large Winslow Green parking lot across the street .

Simon Chinese Cuisine

Starbucks Coffee

Streamliner Diner

Subway

The Living Room

Teriyaki Town

That’s A Some Pizza

The Four Swallows

The Tree House Café

The Winslow Way Café
(Closed - August 2008)

Town & Country Market

Trepp’s Donuts

Walt’s Lynwood Market

Westside Pizza

Willow’s Naturally

All efforts are made to provide accurate and current information. However we can not gurantee the accuracy, so please check with the local restaurant to confirm the details are current. To provide updated information, please contact us or send us an email