Seven restaurants to try near the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, from breweries to Italian
If you’re traveling to the beautiful tulip fields in Skagit Valley, you might as well make a day of it and find some delicious things to eat while viewing the vibrant flowers.
Here are a few restaurants with diverse flavors that are within five miles of the tulip fields and farms, including an Irish pub, brunch spot, breweries, authentic Italian and a classic burger joint.
Skagit River Brewery
Skagit River Brewery is a full-service restaurant and brewery with 17 housemade beers on tap. The restaurant’s menu features dishes such as burgers, garlic truffle fries, clam chowder, fish and chips, fried pickles and BBQ sandwiches. The brewery is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and is located at 404 S. 3rd St. in Mount Vernon.
Shawn O’Donnell’s Farmhouse Restaurant
Shawn O’Donnell’s Irish pub and American grill is a Washington chain restaurant that recently opened a new location in Mount Vernon, minutes away from some tulip fields. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with an Irish twist, with menu items such as corned beef hash, Guinness Irish coffee, fish and chips, Irish whiskey mac and cheese, shepherd’s pie and Irish creme brulee. Shawn O’Donnell’s is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily and is at 13724 LaConner Whitney Road in Mount Vernon.
Calico Cupboard Old Town Cafe and Bakery
Calico Cupboard Old Town Cafe and Bakery offers freshly baked goods, breakfast and lunch options with three locations surrounding the tulip fields. Its menu includes French toast, biscuits and gravy, hashes, cinnamon rolls, soups and salads, sandwiches, pot pies, pastries and burgers. The closest location is only about 8 minutes from the tulip fields in Mount Vernon, at 121 Freeway Drive and is open from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.
The LaConner location is at 720 1st St., about 10 minutes from tulip fields. The Anacortes location is at 901 Commercial Ave., about 20 minutes from tulip fields.
District Brewing
District Brewing may be familiar to those in Whatcom County, as it has a second location in Ferndale. But its Mount Vernon restaurant is also its brewery with 12 housemade brews on tap. The restaurant also serves movie-themed pizzas, such as the Top Gun, Lilo and Stitch, The Godfather, Mama Mia and Casablanca pizzas. Wings, salads, breadsticks and pretzel bites are also available and pair with the dessert pizza topped with Nutella, marshmallows, butterscotch and chocolate chips, Reese’s cups and graham crackers. District Brewing is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and from noon to 7 p.m. Sunday, and is at 520 S. Main St. in Mount Vernon.
The Net Drive-In
The Net Drive-In is a local gem that serves classic burgers, milkshakes and fries for you to eat in your car. The small burger joint could be easily passed while hunting for tulips, but has been serving Skagit County since 1955. The Drive-In is open from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and is at 18037 Memorial Highway in Mount Vernon.
Il Granaio Authentic Italian Restaurant
Il Granaio Authentic Italian Restaurant provides a romantic atmosphere after walking through tulip fields and is located in a historic 90-foot tour easily seen from I-5 in Mount Vernon. The restaurant serves authentic Italian cuisine such as fettuccine gamberoni, pollo parmigiana, spaghetti carbonara, lasagna al forno, fillet mignon, tiramisu and cheesecake. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and is at 100 W. Montgomery St. in Mount Vernon.
Ristretto Coffee Lounge & Wine Bar
Ristretto Coffee Lounge & Wine Bar offers coffee and breakfast in the morning, and then wine, beer, charcuterie boards and other bites in the afternoon and evening. The menu includes espresso drinks, teas, breakfast sandwiches, salads, wines, beer, cider, paninis, wraps, granola and baked goods. Ristretto Coffee Lounge & Wine Bar is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday and is at 416 S. 1st St. in Mount Vernon.
