A'Town Bistro — Restaurant in Anacortes

If you thought fine dining at a 5 star restaurant, with local and house sourced ingredients, fresh and made to order food for a vegan in Anacortes wasn’t possible, have no fear, A’Town Bistro hasn’t gone anywhere, but continues to offer exquisite cuisine, no matter the dietary preferences!!!

Last night my wife and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary there!!! My hats off to the entire staff, from our server Kate, to the barkeeps, to the hostess and the chefs, there wasn’t a wasted motion, quite the opposite; the entire team executed the most incredible dinner service I’ve ever had!

Being local, it’s easy to get used to a familiar restaurant, except with A’Town, this team is different.

I told Kate (our server) this would be a story of a review and I’m a man of my word haha!

I love that when I chose to dine at A’Town, on the menu or not, they go out of their way to cater to my dietary preference being Vegan and Gluten-free. I knew I would have that as an option, but little did I know A’Town brought in a Demi-God and put her behind the line.

It’s time to order, “ Balvenie 12 year please!” How could I not enjoy my favorite scotch? After all, given the hand-crafted food I was about to enjoy, getting a soda to pair with dinner would be an insult to their efforts.

My wife ordered a wonderful Pinot and the house made pork-belly and dumplings and to my freaking wonderful mouth-watering surprise Kate says “For you, we can make you a Vegan fried rice (names a variety of locally sourced seasonal veggies, house pickled veggies, house grown micro greens, etc…)

I’ll take it! Say no more!

When she brought us our meals, I was blown away. Having worked in the restaurant industry for a bit, I understand the phrase “eating with your eyes” all to well, and the way Amy plated my dish with the micro beet greens atop the generous portion of rice mixed with sautéed veggies, pickled onions and a chili sauce which has a name I can’t remember, it definitely acted as an appetizer!

I’m not joking, or even two sips into my scotch when I just about scream after my first bite, “This is the best meal I’ve ever had in my life!”

This dish, every bite I took I was blown away. The layers of flavor blew my mind. When it first hit my palette, spicy, then immediately to umami, then slightly tangy, all finished with fresh and barely sweet! What type of training do you offer your chefs that allow them to pull off this godly feat!? Unreal! As I took my time enjoying each bite, I couldn’t stop thinking about the next, and every once and awhile a sip of my double wood seemed to complement the flavor that much more.

Well, there you have it. I’m done with this review now.

Thank you A’Town, for the best dinner service I’ve ever had. (Amy you’re a genius...

Far and away the best restaurant in town. I've been in here multiple times and wandered through the menus and cocktails. All of the cocktails are top notch, even if some are too sweet for my palate; that's just me, though. The bartenders happily tweak to your liking. Every single thing on the menu that I have eaten is amazing. I am no fan of fries, but I always eat all of the fries with my entree. That are that good. The clam chowder blows away any other chowder anywhere. And I lived in Boston; I have some data points to draw upon. I make my own killer clam chowder and I can't even get close to A'Town's. This is truly the one dish you must try if you come through Anacortes. Actually, it's worth a drive just for the chowder.*

All the staff are on their A-game (no pun intended), professional, and welcoming. You won't sit with an empty glass even when it's busy. The music is played at a volume low enough to ignore, but is still excellently curated so you'll want to pay attention anyway.

If I'm looking for complaints*, I guess it can be hard to get in here sometimes. If you're reasonably sure you want to come here, make the reservation. Even when crowded, though, the volume level stays completely conversational. You might be inclined to sticker shock if you're frugal. Don't worry. The portions are generous and even appetizers are big enough to share. You will not leave hungry.

*Caveats: fresh, quality, "real" ingredients denote variability to some degree. Some variability is to...

A'Town Bistro. From the moment you walk in, you know this is not your average dining experience. This is a journey into the heart and soul of the Pacific Northwest. You've got to let go of any preconceived notions, because what's about to happen is nothing short of magic.

The chefs here are operating on a level that requires total excellence. Every ingredient is sourced locally, every dish a masterpiece in its own right. These guys are walking between perfection and overkill, and they do it with the kind of expertise that leaves coming back for more.

The front of house staff is equally impressive, knowledgeable beyond belief and always ready with a suggestion or a story. They bring a standard of service that's above the rest, and they do it with a smile.

The flavors here are assertive, the technique refined, the ingredients exquisite. It's like the focus is on dazzling your senses in every way possible, and let me tell you, it works.

If you're in the area, do yourself a favor and make a reservation at A'Town Bistro. It doesn't matter what time of year it is, this place is a must-visit. You won't regret it. Five stars,...