Visit Catalina Island

Food & Drink

Food and drink on Catalina Island tends towards the traditional and, in general avoids the fast-food culture in so many American resorts and holiday destinations. Although there isn’t an extensive choice of eateries, bars or pubs, and prices are slightly on the high side overall, what there is won’t disappoint.

Apart from the restaurants in the spa resorts and hotels, independent eateries are mostly found in Avalon. These range from upscale as in the elegant Country Club restaurant to several very popular pizza places. Obviously, seafood is a main ingredient on the island, with several cosy eateries with either beach or harbour views serving the best of it.

International food and drink here is sparse, with most menus leaning towards either steak and seafood or a version of standard recipes such as rack of lamb slightly influenced by French cuisine. The is a Mexican restaurant, but for exotica such as Chinese, Indian or even good Italian, a daytrip to the mainland may be necessary.

If you’re self-catering, local shops in Avalon stock fresh ingredients across the board as well as beers, wine and spirits. Beer in the local restaurants can be surprisingly expensive by US standards. It must be said that visitors from the UK will find the cost of a meal out pleasingly inexpensive compared to home. A glance online at visitcatalinaisland.org gives visitors an idea of what to expect.

For nightlife, Avalon has a few casual bars which also provide live music and serve snacks and alcohol till late. Several are on the seafront and are great places to chill and meet other guest or locals. For a real treat on a hot afternoon, Avalon’s two specialist ice-cream stores have rave reviews! For everything you need to know about Catalina Island, please visit visitcatalinaisland.org.