I’m an avid soft serve and fro-yo lover, so I always jump at the chance to try tasty local spots when I’m traveling. On a recent work trip to Burlington, Vermont, I got the opportunity to try a local delicacy known as a creemee, and was not disappointed in the least! Creemees are a super popular treat in Vermont, I learned, and they’re basically soft serve ice cream, but with perhaps a higher butterfat content, making them super creamy and delish. Yes please! Maple creemees in particular are very common here, since high quality maple syrup is so plentiful in the region. Little Gordo Creemee Stand is a cute little spot in Burlington that I came across on Instagram, and decided I had to try it out! It was a wet, chilly, snowy day, but that didn’t stop my mom & I from making the trek over. After some deliberation, I went with a chocolate creemee topped with plenty of sweet & salty peanut brittle. So delish! I’m all about a mix-in or topping with my soft serve, and I loved the crunchy texture that the brittle added. My mom is more of a purist- she went for a straight up banana creemee, and was super pleased as well! I can say for certain I’m now a creemee fan, and hope to be able to enjoy more of them soon!
surfrider malibu
If you are planning a trip to Malibu, I definitely recommend checking out The Surfrider Malibu. This boutique hotel is the epitome of chic, oozing with California surf culture, and is situation right on the coast with expansive sea views. As if that’s not reason enough to book your stay, their rooftop restaurant churns out some truly fresh and delicious local-inspired cuisine. The menus are Coastal-Californian with a focus on locally sourced, sustainable and organic produce, and strike a wonderful balance between farmland and sea. The drinks are not to be missed either, and include natural and organic vineyards and distilleries, Ayurvedic tea houses, local coffee roasteries, and a cocktail menu featuring local produce. The vibe here is as if you’re hanging out on the deck of your own Malibu beach house (if only we could all be so lucky), so relax and enjoy a long, leisurely lunch al fresco- no shoes required!
I’ve gotten the opportunity to dine here midday for a post-beach brunch, as well as for a nice dinner out with friends, and each time the food was thoroughly enjoyed, having us planning our return trip soon. I mean, seriously, how picture perfect are these dishes? The Gjusta bakery sourdough with burrata is never a bad way to start the meal, along with the fresh ceviche. I highly suggest ordering any of the fresh fish on the menu- in our case this was a wild caught, local catch of the day served in a balinese curry that was just to die for! And that flat iron steak (from local Santa Carota Ranch) was cooked perfectly and plated beautifully as well. My toddler and I were huge fans of the (gigantic) seasonal cobbler, which featured local blackberries, heirloom apples, coconut crisp & vanilla gelato, and was the perfect ending to our meal :) I’m getting hungry again just writing this, so looks like we need to plan a return trip soon!
endless color topanga
I love a local, neighborhood spot. Even better if it serves vibrant, deli and flavorful food! Endless Color Topanga is just that and more, serving up wood-fired pizzas and organic market plates, along with a nice selection of biodynamic wines and beer & hard kombucha on tap! They have a lovely outdoor patio where you can enjoy your eats, and hang with friends over a drink. What’s even more fun is the ambiance inside the joint- they have a stellar selection of records for sale. So feel free to peruse the albums while you wait for you pie.
The fresh, organic, market-driven plates vary by the season, and are on display when you order, so pick a few that look good to nosh on while your pizza is cooking. The brussels sprous with citrus and the roasted rainbow carrots are always a good move. When it comes to pizza, I’m a fan of the Super Greens, which comes loaded with spinach, leeks, mozzarella, goat & cheep cheese, or the Zucchini, which is a tasty combo of zucchini, confit tomatoes, goat cheese, fennel fronds, mint & arugula. Yum! They also serve classics like pepperoni and margherita for the purists out there. At Endless Color, all the pizza dough is made in-house using 100% Dark Northern Spring Wheat (grown in the deep volcanic soil of the Pacific Northwest), and is fermented for 72 hours to give it that perfectly crisp, yet chewy texture. And if you’re gluten-free, fret not- they also offer a gluten free dough using heirloom rice and millet flours, which is fermented for 24 hours! Don’t skip the homemade (gluten free!) cookies either! I’m partial to the double chocolate with cashew, or oatmeal with golden raisins & walnuts :)
For the longest time, Endless Color was only open in the late afternoon/evenings, which I thought was somewhat of a missed opportunity given the lack of decent food options in Topanga (but also understandable given the state of the world…). I’m happy to report that they’re now open all day, and plan to launch a full on breakfast and lunch menu soon! For now, I love stopping in for a coffee and pastry on my morning commute. Yay for delicious local spots!
nectarine grove
If you’re looking for fresh, flavorful, and healthy eats in the Encinitas or San Diego area, I definitely recommend checking out Nectarine Grove. Everything here happens to be gluten-free, in case that’s of interest to you. But after dining al fresco recently with my family, we found delish eats to meet please everyone’s palates. Nectarine Grove churns out food created with intent, love & your health in mind. Whether you’re paleo, vegan, keto, a health food enthusiast, or you just like good food, I bet you’ll find something up your alley. From grass-fed burgers to falafel tacos to roasted veggie bowls with butternut noodles, there were tasty eats for the whole fam to enjoy. I love that they use fresh, organic, local, and sustainable ingredients- that quality is really evident in each prepared dish. Everything was so tasty and flavorful! Nectarine Grove also has an impressive amount of beverages on tap- take your pick from nitro coffee and kombucha to biodynamic wines and gluten free beers! Yum! I can’t wait to go back and try some of their smoothies and baked goods soon- that cinnamon roll is calling my name!
pondicheri
Whenever I go home to Houston, Texas, there are a few spots that I simply must pop into for tasty eats. Pondicheri, an industrial-chic spot for unique Indian dishes inspired by the streets of Mumbai, is always at the top of that list. Come by for breakfast and enjoy some pumpkin chai oats or masala eggs, or stop in for lunch for one of their classic Mumbai street wraps (aka Frankies). The curries and thalis are not to be missed either- I’m partial to the vishnu thali which offers a flavorful mix of veggie options like green masala cauliflower, beet soup, smoked eggplant, endive slaw, and a saag sesame cutlet. Plus that carrot roti is to die for!
Beyond the delicious savory eats, a visit to the upstairs Bake Lab & Shop is absolutely necessary as well. From honey mesquite cake to cumin cheese buns to chai pie to various flavors of mithai (chickpea fudge), there’s endless options for something sweet to end your meal. Or stop by for a coffee and pastry in the morning! Either way, you won’t be disappointed. I love their use of traditional Indian spices alongside more Texan-inspired flavors- it makes for some truly unique baked goods! There are several vegan and gluten free options as well if that’s your jam. Grab a crack ball or two for the ride home!
tropical juice
For a refreshing juice or smoothie on the east side, definitely stop by Tropical Juice in Highland Park. This no-frills shop whips up everything from green juices to ice cream milkshakes to seasonal fruit bowls to Mexican style desserts out of its beautiful and brightly colored stand on Figueroa. The fruit cocktail- a bowl of diced cantaloupe, watermelon, mango, cucumber, pineapple, and coconut topped off with lemon, salt and chile- is especially refreshing on a hot summer day. I’m also a fan of the jugo verde- made of parsley, celery, cucumber, kale, pineapple and spinach- so healthy! Everything is super affordable as well, so feel free to add it to your daily routine ;) Can’t wait to stop by again next time I’m back in my old stomping grounds.
