Summer So Fresh At George's At Alys Beach

Whether you choose to Behave or Misbehave, George’s excellent reputation guarantees you’ll feast on the freshest food around. And with the bounty of summer still in full swing, it’s prime time to experience the creativity and love that shines through each dish at the beloved Alys Beach restaurant on Scenic 30A.

The word along the beach has been that Executive Chef Camille Whithall is slaying the seasonal summer menu, so we had to check it out for ourselves. Any excuse to eat at George’s is a good one.

“Every season we try to be as creative as we can and I encourage input from the rest of the team so it’s not just me,” says Chef Camille.

That same No-I-in-team mentality extends to the very top of the operation, where Rick and Christy Spell are the father/daughter duo behind Spell Restaurant Group. The pair owns two other local restaurants in addition to George’s - Saltwater Grill in Panama City Beach and La Cocina in neighboring Seacrest Beach. The Spells also own a popular restaurant in Memphis, Brookhaven Pub and Grill. There’s no shortage of experience at George’s.

“I feel like our team is unified and it shows through the food,” says Chef Camille.

The menu at George’s gained notoriety early on with the devil on one shoulder and angel on the other approach. Kate Moss said, “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” Or was that Benjamin Franklin? The fact of the matter remains, George’s is wonderful.

If you choose to Misbehave, start with the bubbly Lucien Albrecht Rosé from France. It’s perfectly refreshing on a sweltering summer day. It goes great with the Lobster quesadilla stuffed with crab, shrimp and cheese and topped with fruit salsa and a chipotle drizzle.

Our love for burgers is no secret so we had to put George’s BB30A (Best Burger on 30A) claim to the test. The classic burger stacked high with cheese, bacon lettuce and tomato lives up to its name. At the beach, there are grouper sandwiches, then there’s Georges Famous Grouper Sandwich. Order it fried and thank us later.

Dessert at George’s holds more surprises. The Strawberry Tart with vanilla bean pastry cream tastes like grandma served homemade strawberry shortcake and banana pudding on the same plate…a plate that we licked clean. Shamelessly.

George’s has quite a few summer treats for all the well behaved foodies, too. The Tomato Tartine showcases the stars of summer, heirloom tomatoes, with a white bean purée, ricotta, basil and olive oil.  The Salmon BLT Wrap showcases wood fi­re grilled salmon, greens, Applewood smoked bacon, tomatoes and guacamole, making you forget you chose to behave in the process.

Watermelon Tuna Poke keeps it light and fresh with a dome of yellow­fin tuna, miso ginger vinaigrette, and avocado with crispy plantains for scooping. 

Unlike the waistlines of all the Behavers out there, Alys Beach itself is in the process of growing. A stone’s throw from Georges, shops like Neat and Ann Hartley Alys Beach, named for the founder of George’s, are showcasing the lifestyle of the sophisticated beach town.

Step one foot into Ann Hartley and you can feel the love she puts into everything she does. The boutique has clothing and jewelry, scarves, candles and home accessories from around the world. While Neat has everything you need to easily mix craft cocktails at home, and a tasting room where you can discover new favorites.

George’s at Alys Beach is located on Scenic 30A in an Old Florida cottage with a new feel. Enjoy lunch and dinner indoors, on the air-conditioned porch, or at an outdoor table. Since George’s operates on beach time, reservations are not accepted and tables are seated on a first come, first served basis. See menus, meet the team, and read the story of how it all started at www.georgesatalysbeach.com. Connect with George’s on Facebook for updates and mouthwatering photos.