Enjoy the Local Life in East Pensacola

Pensacola’s beautiful beaches and historic downtown make us a great destination. If you want to see where the locals hang out, explore East Pensacola (and get outside while you're at it, too!)

Just about every day, the Graffiti Bridge at the 17th Avenue Railroad Trestle gets a fresh blast of spray paint — messages of joy, love and support from the folks who live here. This iconic Pensacola landmark, dating as far back as 1935, is the spray-painted gateway to walkable historic neighborhoods lined with live oaks, quirky local eateries, antique shops and boutiques, bay bluffs, a bayou — and large swaths of parks and walking paths.

Old East Hill, East Hill and East Pensacola Heights neighborhoods are connected to Pensacola’s history and its new growth. Artisan-crafted homes, tiny cottages and sprawling old mansions share an open grid.

East Hill and East Pensacola Heights are home to the bicycle slow-ride: a casual weekend “peloton” that stops at every neighborhood eatery and watering hole. Massive live oaks shade runners and dog-walkers as they patrol the network of residential roads.

You can’t go far without finding a park in East Hill, but the jewel is Bayview Park on Bayou Texar. The hillside park has shade trees and jogging paths, lighted tennis courts, a fishing pier, dog parks (one for bigs and one for littles) and an enclosed dog beach. Rent a covered pavilion for a family barbecue, find a shady spot and string up a hammock — or rent a paddleboard, kayak or pedal boat. The bayou extends for three miles inland, or snakes through a winding channel for a mile to Pensacola Bay. It’s an absolutely beautiful way to see the sights, nature and a water view perspective of the coolest neighborhoods in Florida.

People gathering for the Bands on the Bayou concert series at Bayview Park

Eats

Across the Bayou Texar Bridge is East Pensacola Heights— where you’ll find a dozen of eateries within just a few blocks.

At East Hill Pizza, stop in and grab a delicious slice... or two. They offer great lunch specials, pizzas, calzones, salads, wings, and more. Pro tip: Take your slice outside and soak in the fresh air.

Stop by J's Bakery for a pastry, cookie, cake, or dessert. They've been serving up sweets in the East Pensacola area since 1946!

If you're looking to get a coffee fix, check out Jitterbug - specializing in artisanal coffee drinks. Jitterbug also has wines and Southern comfort food. Mmm.

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They say the towering Old Sacred Heart Hospital building in East Hill is haunted, but that doesn’t scare off the locals who frequent the many businesses and two cool eateries that share the former hospital. Ozone’s Pizza occupies the morgue of the 103-year-old building, serving up to-die-for (get it??) gourmet pizza and Imperial pints (20 oz.) of craft beers.

Also located here in the historic Old Sacred Heart Hospital, is A Mano Panino, a delicious sandwich shop that brings a slice of Italy to East Hill. All the sandwiches are made using house made schiacciata bread - how's that for a taste of Italy? To pair with your sandwich, stop on over at Lamonte Gelato afterwards. It's an Italian gelato shop and all gelato is produced onsite.

Continue down 12th Avenue a few more blocks and stop in Alga Beer Co. for crispy pints and flavorful food truck eats from the Brown Bagger. A new community staple, Alga is welcome events through its doors that include bingo, fitness, drag, and more. Before you leave, snap a selfie in front of the iconic Pensacola postcard mural on the side of the building.

On the eastern side of Bayou Texar you’ll find a Pensacola landmark called Jerry’s Drive-In. The restaurant opened in 1939 as a BBQ joint and is still serving up burgers and banana milkshakes. Go a few more blocks east to travel back in time to the ‘50s when you pop in the Scenic 90 Diner, known for its home-cookin’ menu and mouthwatering milkshakes. Calvert's in the Heights is another tasty stop offering stunning views of Escambia Bay. Calvert's is an English-themed restaurant serving English cuisine and tasty American bar foods.

Agapi Bistro + Garden is a savory spot in the heart of East Pensacola. Enjoy cuisine with a Mediterranean flair meshing with Gulf Coast flavors.

And don’t forget to visit The Apple Market, one of the last-standing local groceries. Stop by the deli for a fresh sandwich or a prepped meal to go. Tell Mr. Apple you’re visiting Pensacola.

Active Shopping

For the outdoor adventurist types, don’t worry – East Pensacola has you covered. Waterboyz is a surf, skate and beach gear mecca without all the tourism. It also boasts a 5,000-square-foot, multilevel skate park for kids (big and small) as well as Single Fin Café, a full-service restaurant. Weatherford’s is the rugged-outdoor gear headquarters for locals (yes, we vacation too), but it also boasts an indoor climbing wall and outdoor tower to test your skills on, if you’re up for the challenge. And local runners flock to Running Wild. The shop hosts almost-daily running groups, training groups and gait analysis for your run-happy gear.

East Pensacola - relaxing, tasty, and adventurous. It's your turn to get out and explore the local life!