🍷 Spain Wine Bar – Barcelona on the Bay
I decided to start in Spain, at the Spain Wine Bar — perched high above the Inlet with a view that steals your breath before the sangria even hits the table. The place glows as the sun sets, all warm light and clinking glasses. I tried Rioja paired with patatas bravas, then nibbled on jamón ibérico so thin it practically melted. It was Barcelona in every bite, paired with one of the best views in town. I was a tapas-hopping girl in Spain, as the sunset glistened over the bay, reminding me I was still at home in Ocean City, MD.
🍀 Shenanigan’s Irish Pub – A Boardwalk Passport to Dublin
I ducked into Shenanigan’s on the boardwalk with the ocean breeze still in my hair, and suddenly I wasn’t in Ocean City anymore — I was in a cozy Irish pub. Dark wood, vintage signs, live music spilling out from the corner — it was Dublin with a seaside view. I ordered shepherd’s pie and a Guiness pint, and for a moment I swear I could hear laughter echoing down cobblestone streets. The Atlantic was still just outside the window, but inside, it felt like pure Ireland.
🎉 Papi’s Tacos – A Fiesta Just Steps From the Sand
For a burst of color and energy, I swung into Papi’s Tacos. It’s vibrant and playful, with margaritas that sparkle almost as much as the décor. Fajitas sizzled past my table, and every bite of my tacos tasted like summer turned up to full volume. It’s Ocean City outside the door, but inside, it’s one long fiesta that feels like San Diego, Mexico City, and Miami rolled into one.
🍣 OC Wasabi – Tokyo Nights on Coastal Highway
From the lively pub scene and a mini fiesta, I headed north for something sleeker: OC Wasabi. Walk in and you’re immediately transported — a chic sushi bar and rolls that look like tiny edible sculptures. I went with a rainbow roll, and it was almost too pretty to eat. Almost. The flavors were fresh and delicate, the kind that make you close your eyes for a second just to savor it. Sitting there, chopsticks in hand, it felt like I’d been dropped into a high-end Tokyo restaurant, even though I still had sand between my toes.
🍓 Pablo’s Bowls – Costa Rica on Coastal Highway
After a long morning on the beach and still slightly full from all the exotic food I ate yesterday, I needed something refreshing. Enter Pablo’s Bowls: part surf shack, part tropical café, and fully delicious. Their acai bowls are bright, colorful, and topped like little edible rainbows — fruit, granola, coconut, drizzles of honey. It’s light and playful, the perfect mix of beach girl vibes and surfer dude energy. With each bite, I felt like I was swinging in a hammock somewhere tropical, sun on my face and absolutely no rush to be anywhere.
🍝 Touch of Italy – A Tuscan Escape in Flip-Flops
I decided to head to North Ocean City, Not all adventures need a plane ticket, sometimes it’s just a longer drive from home — sometimes Italy is waiting right inside a hotel lobby. Touch of Italy is cozy and rustic, the kind of place where the brick oven glows and plates of pasta are served with a little extra love. I twirled linguine on my fork and, for a moment, it felt like I was tucked away in a trattoria on a narrow Tuscan street. Except, of course, I was still in Ocean City — sunscreen, sand, and all.
🌴 Ocho Rios Jerk & Tings – A Bite of Jamaica
Sometimes the best adventures come in the smallest packages. Ocho Rios Jerk & Tings is a tiny spot, but the second I walked in, the smell of jerk spices and frying plantains wrapped around me like a Caribbean breeze. I grabbed jerk chicken with rice and peas, and honestly, it tasted like sunshine and reggae in a take-out container. The flavors are bold and vibrant, and you don’t just eat here — you escape here.
