Global Grill

Global Grill is an upscale international tapas concept in Pensacola. The artfully prepared small plates include numerous choices for vegetarians.

The restaurant is located in the city of Pensacola rather than its more tourist-y neighbor Pensacola Beach. The restaurant has soft lighting that highlights the color of the dining room.

There is ample seating at the bar. Happy hour seemed to host a lively crowd.

As with a traditional Spanish restaurant, Global Grill offers hot and cold tapas as well as a limited selection of entrees. The menu comfortably travels from Italy to Spain to France to Japan to the Caribbean to the Gulf Shore with seamless ease.

The herbed focaccia had a Mediterranean twist. It was topped with feta cheese, toasted pine nuts and kalamata olives. The streaks of reduced tomato added a bright flavor to delicious toasted bread.

The mozzarella egg rolls were like giant cheese sticks with a flakey exterior rather than the traditional flour-and-breadcrumb coated bar fare. The tomato sauce had a fruity note from merlot.

The olive plate had a variety of green and black olives marinated in oil flavored with rosemary and basil. The portion appears large because the dish is which it is served is canoe-shaped.

Asparagus tempura was perfectly fried in a crispy batter that possessed a delightful crunch. The flavor of the fried veggies was amplified by the sweet balsamic reduction that is drizzled on the plate.

The fried artichokes were stuffed with boursin cheese. The artichokes were marred by a slightly underripe character that added an unpleasant vegetal note to the creamy cheese.

The chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream sounds a little plain Jane, but the addition of basil chiffonade added a fresh, herbal undertone to flavors that are usually safe and traditional. The portion was small, and that works well because it's easy to fill up on tapas.

The wine list at Global Grill has fairly priced wines from a variety of international appellations. It fits nicely with the global menu.

Service at Global Grill was outstanding. The server was easily able to point out vegetarian options on the menu, and did so in a personable manner.

It's evident why Global Grill is one of Pensacola's most popular fine dining destinations. Global Grill is a fantastic example of the merits of well executed fusion cuisine.

Global Grill

Lillo's Tuscan Grill

Lillo's Tuscan Grill is an Italian eatery nestled in Pensacola Beach. The family-owned waterfront institution offers a decent amount of vegetarian options.

The location of Lillo's is literally steps from the Gulf coast. Pensacola Beach, while less pristine than some of the other vacation destinations along the Redneck Riviera, still becomes idyllic at sunset.

As with most Italian restaurants, the menu has plenty of meatless options from which to choose. The menu consists of Italian American classics more so than true Tuscan fare as the name implies.

The eggplant parmesan was thickly breaded and served with a bright, sweet marinara sauce and coated with an extra layer of mozzarella for good measure. The eggplant was a little chewy, but overall, the dish was well made.

The manicotti was made in true insider fashion (I don't know this because I'm a true insider; I actually caught it on an episode of Lidia's Italy). Instead of stuffing brittle manicotti noodles with ricotta cheese, the kitchen instead uses lasagna noodles, which are rolled around the ricotta filling. This allows the pasta to hold a generous amount of creamy goodness.

The pizza was uninspiring. The crust was thin and a little bland. Although pizza's listed as a house special, the pasta dishes are far stronger.

Service at Lillo's was solid if a little rough around the edges. Diners who like tattoos will have many to choose from on the staff.

Lillo's Tuscan Grill