Travel
Orcas Island
A new gourmet restaurants helmed by famous foodies
By Grace Geiger December 31, 1969

This article originally appeared in the September 2010 issue of Seattle magazine.
WHY: To dine at two new gourmet restaurants helmed by famous foodies. Lisa Nakamura, former chef at The Herbfarm, is taking a seasonal approach at Allium (shown above, 310 Main St.; 360.376.4904; alliumonorcas.com) in the Eastsound space formerly known as Christina’s (the magnificent waterfront view remains). Chef Madden Surbaugh, late of the acclaimed Steps Wine Bar in Friday Harbor, is heading up The Quilted Pig (1400 Rosario Road; 360.376.2152; quiltedpigrestaurant.com), the new restaurant at Rosario Resort, featuring local and organic seafood and meat dishes.
Side Trip: Don’t miss the Orcas Island Farmers’ Market in Eastsound, open every Saturday through the end of September, for local produce and products to ferry back home (10 a.m.–3 p.m. Eastsound Village Green; orcasislandfarmersmarket.org). Extra Credit: Wannabe writers should time their trip to coincide with the third annual Orcas Island Writing Festival (September 17–19. Workshop prices vary. 360.317.4383; orcasislandwritersfestival.com).
Getting There: The ferry ride from Anacortes is half the fun. Visit wsdot.wa.gov/ferries for times and schedules.