Taste Around Avalon celebrates Catalina's cuisine scene

SEAFOOD, ICE CREAM, REPEAT: Of all of the pleasurable and palate-pleasing daydreams a Californian can indulge in, picturing one's self with an ice cream cone in one hand and the Casino Building in the distance ranks way, way up there. The only foodie fantasy that might top this easy-breezy notion is going for something seafoody or savory, or perhaps a tropical cocktail, while also viewing the celebrated structure in the glittering blue distance. Eating your way across Avalon, the not-too-big burg that has long served as Catalina Island's welcome port, isn't too hard to do, but choosing where to begin — a frosty dessert or a cocktail or a plate of perfectly sautéed fish — is the first step as you disembark from the just-arrived island ferry. There is an event that can help us make these cuisine-based choices more quickly when our time is short in the historical hamlet: Taste Around Avalon, the opening event of Avalon Restaurant Week.

THE FOODIE GATHERING... will flower on May 30, and there are a few different appetizing aspects to consider. You'll want to purchase some voting cards — they're $2 ahead of time and $3 on May 30 — and then "Sip Sample & Savor" in four categories, with tastes costing anywhere from $1 to $5. Showing with small bills is recommended, too. As for what has won in the past? The S'More to Love Mini Waffle Cone from Sailor's Delight was awarded the top dessert spot in 2023, something any visitor would love to be strolling and savoring as they stare at the Casino Building in the blue distance. If you can't make the May 30 snack-around, be cheered: Avalon Restaurant Week, which also has plenty of foodie pleasures, will take place from May 31 through June 6; read the details now on this celebration of our island town's tastiest eateries.