6 Foods That Taste Better by the Beach
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What is it about a little sand, surf, and sun that makes food taste that much better?
Is it because the seafood is so incredibly fresh, practically straight out of the ocean and into your mouth? Does a cold drink quench thirst that much better after a few accidental gulps of saltwater? Are tropical fruits just so much juicier when they’re plucked directly from a tree overhead?
Whatever it is, certain treats are just made to eat along the seashore. Here are six beach-worthy treats to check out this summer:
Fish Tacos
Beer-battered fresh white fish combined with crisp shreds of cabbage, accented with a tangy white sauce, all nestled within a warm taco—that is what beach fare is all about! The deliciousness of a Baja-style fish taco is in its simplicity: a few additional accouterments might be acceptable, but only if they accent (not mask) the flakey, fried fish.
While the best stuff is found close to (or, even better, south of) the border, the beach-side town of Tofino, British Columbia hosts a tiny food truck, Tacofino, with some of the best fish tacos in the Great White North!
Fruit Smoothies
A creamy fruit smoothie provides the satisfaction of a cold drink while boosting energy and providing some decent nutritional content (unlike a few of the treats on this list). The more tropical fruits that can be packed into the blended drink, the better.
What’s the best place to enjoy a delicious fruit smoothie? Pick one up from a mom-and-pop type stand along Maui’s Hana Highway—it’ll pack enough punch to help you hop from beach to beach.
Coconut Shrimp
Tropical fruit combined with fresh seafood—coconut shrimp is the ultimate beach food. Tender, juicy shrimp are coated with a coconut batter and fried to perfection, then served with a rich sauce.
Tommy Bahama’s Island Grille in Newport Beach, California, knows a thing or two about coconut shrimp: their menu boasts the “world famous coconut shrimp”, paired with papaya-mango chutney and an Asian slaw.
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Ice Cream
Learning how to tame a dripping cone under the sweltering sun is a rite-of-passage for any beachgoer. Ice cream is the unofficial treat of summer, and enjoying it with a beach in view makes it all the tastier.
The folks at Jaxon’s Ice Cream in Dania Beach, Florida, are well-seasoned pros when it comes to enjoying an ice cream cone on the beach: their ice cream parlor has been serving up ice cream from the same storefront since 1956! Don’t forget to try the “kitchen sink” size—quite literally served in a kitchen sink.
Shave Ice
Snow cones? That’s kids stuff! Hawaiian shave ice is the real deal: fine-as-snow shards of ice are carefully shaved off an ice block, and then flavored syrup is added and absorbed by the ice morsels. Flavors range from guava to passion fruit to lychee—each serving usually includes a few flavors, serving your taste buds a sweet surprise.
Add a splash of sweetened condensed milk, and you’ve got yourself a “snow cap”. Try it at the Shimazu store in Honolulu, Hawaii—portions are huge, and the menu includes both traditional flavors and experimental ones, like red velvet and crème brulée!
Fish and Chips
You can’t cover seaside food and omit fish and chips, the classic beach dish. Every region has their own beer battered fish of choice, which is deep fried to strike the perfect balance of flakiness and crispiness. The meal isn’t complete without a side of vinegar-soaked French fries.
There’s no better place to try a cod fish and chips that Kream ‘n Kone in West Dennis, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod. Come hungry: you’ll also want to sample the fried clams, oysters and scallops!
