Charcuterie 101: The Yummiest Meats and Cheeses in Pensacola
In need of an escape with the help of a glass of wine and charcuterie board? Check out the yummiest meats and cheeses Pensacola has to offer. Grab you friends and head on over to some of our favorite spots.
Charcuterie is popping up everywhere, from food blogs to five-star restaurants to your local grocery store. Charcuterie is the French culinary tradition of preparing meats like salami and prosciutto.
Originally, meat was front and center on a charcuterie board, but now you’ll see elements like cheese and antipasto mixed in. These sweet, salty, and briny extras provide a brilliant balance and give you and your friends the chance to try unexpected combinations. Think of it as a fancy, adult version of Lunchables®, that’s way more delicious. Here are a few of our favorites.
Palafox
Downtown Pensacola is hopping with meat and cheese galore. On Palafox Street, Pensacola’s main hub, you can find a briny board at the Wine Bar on Palafox. Marinated beans, pickles and olives are paired perfectly with spicy almonds, hummus, five gourmet meats and cheeses and a fresh-baked baguette. If this doesn’t suit your palate, you can always design your own with as little or as much as you want! Insider note – happy hour is two for one glasses of wine. Drink up, you’re on vacation!
Across the street at The Global Grill, enjoy a sweet board of robust cheeses, fruit preserves and jellies, salt and butter local pecans (YUM) and so much more. The Global Grill is a Spanish tapas restaurant, so if you’re looking to dine for a special occasion, this is a great place.
At the South end of Palafox overlooking Pensacola Bay, the antipasto platter at Jaco’s Bayfront Bar & Grill is sure to please your visual and culinary appetite. Enjoy stunning sunsets while smearing eggplant caponata on little toasts. Cheers!
West of Palafox
Situated a few blocks west of Palafox, Union Public House offers a true Salt ‘N’ Cure experience. Build your own board with a selection of nine charcuteries, seven artisan cheeses and a whole a la carte list of seasonal mustards, pickles, preserves and toasts. Insider tip – stay for dinner. This crafty southern pub is a personal favorite boasting exotic flavors with southern roots.
East of Palafox
There's nothing quite like the views of Seville Square. From quaint evenings to bustling weekend events, there's an infectious energy to go around. On the corner, Lucy’s in the Square, features a quaint patio awaits with flatbreads, small plates and elaborate cheese boards. Named after the owner’s pup, Lucy’s has great specials offering $4 champagne pops, thirsty Thursday, 1/2 off flatbreads every Sunday, and wine down Wednesday.
If you're looking to skirt just outside of downtown,Agapi Bistro + Garden is a swanky Greek establishment that offers swanky cheese boards and small plates to nosh on.
Pensacola Beach
Waterfront cheese-filled views await you and both H20 at the Hilton Pensacola Beach and the Wine Bar on the Boardwalk. Like the one on Palafox, but under different ownership, the Wine Bar offers a bold selection of build-your-own cheese plates with the added option of small plates, decadent entrees and even brunch. Sound-side views offer a quaint background to wind down to.
Across the street, H20 serves up the stunning emerald green waters from the Gulf of Mexico accompanied by a briny charcuterie board. Fresh cut prosciutto and bresaola, pâté on toast points with olive oil, chutney, cornichons, grainy mustard and pickled watermelon rind are just a few of the things that you’ll taste.
There you have it, a few of our favorite charcuteries!
Author
Lindsey Steck
"It's not about my story, it's about yours"
Lindsey Steck is a marketing associate for Visit Pensacola. A Pensacola native, Steck enjoys hosting dinner parties, traveling as much as she can and NFL football. She moved away for a brief period following college and soon returned after realizing why people vacation and retire to the coast. On the weekends you'll find her scouring the closest market with a fresh bouquet of flowers in her arms and a macaron in hand.