When Seattle Met covered Brendan McGill's new seafood restaurant in 2022, we noted that it "goes hard"—and might be one of Seattle's most ambitious seafood restaurants, if only it was in Seattle. Inside what used to be McGill's Hitchcock (a cafe and bar by that name is now next door), Seabird sources its seafood with care but gets playful with a "seacuterie" platter in a play on a meat plate. It quickly became Bainbridge's finest dinner, and in summer 2023 it moved to a no-reservations format.

Siblings Trinh and Thai Nguyen named their restaurant after a dish their mother made in Vietnam, but the family ties reach even closer—to their parents' restaurant Pho T&N in nearby Poulsbo. The Bainbridge restaurant specializes in the noodle soup, but also incorporates the French techniques Thai learned in culinary school. Dishes like avocado spring rolls with dramatic lettuce plumes and lemongrass lamb are a good match for the greenhouse-like patio, lined with plants.

Next door to Brendan McGill's fancier Seabird, Café Hitchcock is the latest iteration of an idea the chef has played with a number of times, from the now-closed Hitchcock restaurant to the attached Hitchcock Deli and a Seattle version. This eatery keeps it simple with sandwiches and weekend benedicts, but the signature pastrami sandwich is so popular that it's risen to mythic status; on two separate visits, the restaurant was long sold out of the smoked meat.

Here "proper" refers to the correct way to serve fish and chips—with minty mushy peas,  for one—not anything fancy. Customers order at the counter before hovering over outdoor patio seats on sunny days, but there's usually a spot open by the time the long, single piece of fried cod and fat twice-cooked french fries are ready. A thick chowder is made with the same Bering Sea fish.

The large windows that open from Bainbridge's wood-fired pizzeria into the street turn the space into an extension of the sidewalk on sunny days, loud and social. Exposed steel beams and a visible wood pile give it an industrial feel, and diners cut the Neapolitan pizza with giant scissors. The whole experience may be perfectly framed for an Instagram story, but the underlying margherita pies and salads made from local produce have more than aesthetic appeal.

Dating back to the last century (well, just—it opened in 1999), Winslow Way's bakery is basically the old guard in Bainbridge. Since the coffee, adorable sugar cookies, and hefty slices of quiche are appreciated by locals and tourists both, the line can snake out the door. For all the delicate cakes in the front case, the classic order at Blackbird is a slice of the whole wheat oatmeal or multigrain bread, toasted and buttered with a side of fresh jam.

The name is the Spanish word for blackberry, a nod to the founders' Argentinian roots, but also appropriate in a state where the berries grow rampant in summer. The signature Mora blackberry ice cream may be simple (and truly delicious), but the flavor list goes deep: goat cheese with fig, or gianduja, a kind of hazelnut chocolate. Tucked back from the main drag, it's worth the trek for a cone that will almost last the whole walk back to the ferry (if you get two scoops).

Most of the island's eateries are walking distance from the ferry, along busy Winslow Way or, for the locals, within a few blocks. The Pleasant Beach complex boasts a sort of secondary business district, with the historic Lynwood Theatre and crowd-pleasing Joe's across the street. Though it never quite shakes the safe vibe of a hotel restaurant, the pasta is homemade and the menu manages to bring together those who want a dinner of chicken wings and those who want to try an osso bucco ragu.

When timber magnate Prentice Bloedel purchased a Bainbridge Island estate in the 1950s, he turned what was just a stunning mansion with a big yard into a sprawling botanic garden. Today visitors can wander the 140-acre plot on paved and dirt trails, peeking into a Japanese guest house made from cedar and fir, with flooring repurposed from a decommissioned battleship. Tickets for the reserve must be secured online in advance.

Bainbridge's greatest gift to the world may be a game that takes whiffle balls to new heights (and volumes). Though pickleball was invented in an island backyard, today a set of courts in Battle Point Park celebrate the game—and aren't just tennis courts with new lines either. Various levels of play are scheduled throughout the week, and at some times rental gear is available.

Though Japanese residents faced imprisonment across the West Coast during World War II, Bainbridge was the first place they were forced from their homes in 1942. A memorial at the site of a former ferry dock traces the history of the involuntary removal, along with how it shaped the lives of the Bainbridge residents who lost their homes, livelihood, and communities. National park rangers are on hand during the day.

On opposite ends of the island, these two parks offer some of the same simple pleasures, like beach access and wildlife watching. Fay Bainbridge boasts the island's best playground, including a pirate ship structure and a sandy beach. Fort Word's play structures are a little more historic: big concrete bunkers from when this was a military installation in the early 20th century. 

From its position at the head of the Winslow Way downtown district, the island's art museum serves as a kind of front gate to the town. The modern structure, built in 2013, is a sight unto itself, with a large curved window and a roof deck. More art than you'd think fits into its galleries, and free admission means it's worth fitting in a visit before returning to the ferry.

Charming Winslow Way may clog with tourists on summer weekends, but for good reason. The street, a mere five minutes' walk from the ferry terminal, is lined with independent shops, ice cream parlors, and art galleries. Longtime anchors include the Calico Toy Shoppe, filled with high-end kid stuff inside and spitting bubbles onto the sidewalk outside. Eagle Harbor Book Company has represented the island's literary community for more than 50 years, and staff carefully curate the recommendations wall. Newer shops know where the island's bread is buttered—besides a collection of artsy Northwest gifts, Millstream displays pickleball ornaments, pickleball stickers, and shirts that say "World's Okayest Pickleballer."

With limited real estate space and a short ferry ride to Seattle's plentiful accommodations, Bainbridge doesn't contain many hotels. In true island style, central Eagle Harbor Inn doesn't stick out much, almost indistinguishable from residences. The five rooms and two rentable townhouses sit near but not directly on the water, and the decor is lightly ship-themed.

More a tiny village than just a hotel, Pleasant Beach folds a hotel into a development of homes, shops, condos, and a few restaurants. Though not walkable from the ferry, the hotel runs a free shuttle from the dock, and the surrounding area has enough to entertain on a weekend getaway. Fireplaces, patios, and reading nooks make the rooms appealing in all weather, and guests get access to the outdoor pool complex.