Beach and candle lovers know that candles are an inexpensive way to make your home smell like your last visit to the shore! They’re a great way to transport you straight to the sand and sea. There’s nothing quite like the gentle flicker of a flame and the subtle scent of coconut or ocean breeze to conjure up a relaxing feeling. Here are six popular candles that will help you get your seaside fix this summer! Volcano Rattan-Wrapped Glass Jar Candle by Capri Blue This iconic candle is a favorite among beach lovers, thanks to its refreshing blend of tropical fruits and sugared citrus. This is th ..read more

Would you like to experience a delicious, creative gourmet meal prepared by an award-winning chef in a beautiful Italian restaurant in Downtown Pensacola? Well, there’s only one place we know that checks all of those boxes: Angelena’s Ristorante Italiano! Angelena’s is part of Great Southern Restaurants, a local company whose portfolio include The Fish House, The Atlas Oyster House, Jackson’s Steakhouse and Five Sisters Blues Cafe.  From the minute you are seated at Angelena’s you can sense that the staff wants you to have a great experience. The atmosphere is welcoming, and straddles the ..read more

This week Elizabeth and I have the perfect spot for you the next time you’re on Pensacola Beach and it’s time to grab a bite and a cocktail! It’s hard to find a restaurant on the beach that gets you closer to the Gulf than Casino Beach Bar and Grille. You’ll be steps from the sand, sitting at the outdoor tables, so you can keep the beach vibe going as you eat and drink—true beachside dining. If you choose to eat indoors you’ll still see the beach and feel the breeze, thanks to an open concept design that brings the outdoors in. The whole feeling is fresh, clean, and coastal! History of Success ..read more

This week Elizabeth and I head to Palafox Street to meet an entrepreneur who combines her well-traveled life and adventurous family history to create delicious dishes!  Do you ever get a nostalgic feeling for something you have never experienced? It happened to me while I was listening to MariCarmen Josephs paint the picture of the childhood that led to her present-day life as a successful Pensacola restaurateur. MariCarmen Josephs Owner/Chef of Carmen’s Lunch BarEveryone at the Table I could see young MariCarmen in the kitchen, spending summers helping with her mother Julie DeMarko’s cat ..read more

This week Elizabeth and I visit Agapi Bistro + Garden and find the experience lives up to its name. Agapi is the Greek word for ultimate love and that’s what we felt the minute we stepped through the tall brass doors of Agapi Bistro + Garden. There’s a welcoming feeling here and a sense of family. Agapi has only been open since 2021, but don’t think for a minute that this place is run by a newcomer. Executive Chef Gus Silivos’ family has been a part of the Pensacola restaurant scene since 1959 whey they opened Skopelos. I’ll do the math for you — that’s over 63 years! Executive Chef/Owner Gus ..read more

In this week’s edition of The Emerald Toast, Elizabeth and I visit a Pensacola institution known for selling hot dogs and discover there’s so much more on the menu. Nathan Holler’s Pensacola roots run deep. You only need to spend a few minutes with him to see the pride he has in his family’s fast-causal 44-year-old restaurant, The Dog House, located Downtown on Palafox Street. Moving Forward While Nathan appreciates the history of the place and the classics that put the restaurant on the map, like the fried mullet basket and hot dogs, he’s going full-steam ahead, putting his creative spin on ..read more

I’m excited to launch a new series on Coastal Ali with Elizabeth Williams. Elizabeth started the popular Pensacola Foodies page on Facebook (you can read more about her here). We’re calling the series ‘The Emerald Toast’. We’ll be raising a glass to all of the great places to eat on the Emerald Coast. Each week we’ll visit a new restaurant, food truck, or bar. We’ll eat, drink, chat with the owners, take pictures. You can count on us to get the scoop for you! Café Nola on Pensacola Beach This week we’re checking out Café Nola on Pensacola Beach. Owners Johnny Chisholm and Cy Whitney have root ..read more

Pensacola Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. As wonderful as it is, we need to be reminded that we share our beach with a federally protected wildlife species, sea turtles. We need to protect their habitat and give them a fighting chance at life. Returning to the beach Sea turtle season on the Gulf Coast runs from the beginning of May to the end of October. During that time female turtles return to the same beach where they were born to lay their eggs. Researchers believe they use a sense called magnetoreception, that enables them to detect the Earth’s magnetic field and ..read more

Picture this, you’re a foodie, moving to a new town, and you’re looking for the best places to eat…what do you do? If you’re Elizabeth Williams you seek wisdom from thousands of people! Elizabeth is the woman behind the popular Facebook page Pensacola Foodies.  I wanted to find out what inspired her to start this great resource so we met up for lunch. Her energy and enthusiasm for the Pensacola food scene is real! She really enjoys finding out about great places to eat.  Elizabeth Williams enjoying lunch at George’s Bistro Elizabeth launched the foodie page the same year she moved to ..read more

Gabriel Hernandez knew that he wanted to put his restaurant experience to use by owning his own place one day. Just so happens that his place has wheels. He and his wife Gabriella Ramirez started Tacos Mexicanos food truck in 2016 at the Bridge Bar in Gulf Breeze, Florida. They eventually found a permanent spot in East Hill at 3000 N, 12th Avenue. That’s where he went to work creating his versions of traditional Mexican favorites. When you spot the picnic tables with the red umbrellas, and of course the silver food truck, you’ve arrived. The most popular item on the menu, and my favorite, is ..read more