d i n i n g
Down Island Gulf Seafood Opens to Local Fanfare in Santa Rosa Beach b y Te s s F a r m e r
T he newest restaurant to come to town has been embraced by locals and visitors alike. Down Island Gulf Sea- food opened in January 2022 and has already be- come one of the newest hot spots… just off 30-A on Highway 98 in Santa Rosa Beach. Chef Brannon Janca,
After convincing Hillgenberg to sell the build- ing, Janca worked with him for a year learning the art of glass and mirror work. Hillgenberg continues to do glass work in Freeport and helped Janca install glass and mirrors throughout the restaurant. He al- ready has plans to celebrate his 90th birthday at Down Island this summer. The restaurant is truly a labor of love for Janca. He built the bar, raw bar, and shelving throughout
who many know from his years with longtime favor- ite Stinky’s Fish Camp, opened the restaurant along with his wife Ste- fani. Originally from Pas- cagoula on the coast of Mississippi, Janca also was part of multiple suc- cessful restaurant ventures in New Orleans, attending culinary school there and honing his craft. “The local support upon our opening earlier this year really astounded us,” says Janca. “Opening in the winter season in a tourism market and having the locals show up and support us like they did really helped propel us to where we are now.” Down Island combines Janca’s passion for Gulf South cuisine and his southern hospitality roots to create a creative, fun, and inviting atmosphere. He said Down Island is the realization of a vision he had after witnessing a resurrection of locally owned, family-owned, and chef- owned restaurants in the years following Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. “It was a tense time in the city, but the vibrancy and sense of renewed community created by these locally owned restaurants serving world-class food using local products and offering great service made the city come alive again,” adds Janca. “I held that vision and finally decided it was time to create it here.” From baked oysters, small plates, fresh fish, and Gulf seafood, the artistry and quality of each menu item is impeccably prepared. The menu is small and seasonal and based upon available local and regional products. Chef Janca gets his produce and meats from farms in Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina and his seafood direct from the Gulf of Mexico from Apalachicola to Louisiana. Ribbon Cutting
Peruvian style ceviche with fresh Gulf fish, shrimp, and Florida field peas
Janca takes a classic dish like barbeque shrimp and elevates it... using homemade Worcestershire sauce, smoked butter, and amber ale from Fairhope Brewing Com- pany. The depth of flavor in the wood-fired Gulf seafood prepared in an Italian brick pizza oven is unmatched. The miso, sake, and butter oysters and broiled octo- pus with smoked paprika and sake braise and celery root puree are not to be missed!
Handmade pottery by Chef Janca
Wood fired blueberry pie served a la mode with homemade caramel sauce
and even makes the yunomi pottery cups water is served in. Coming from a family of artists, his cre- ative side shines in every detail throughout the space. He also enlisted the help of family and friends and credits a true team effort for getting the doors open as quickly as possible in an otherwise long process. Joining the ranks of locally owned restaurants and dive bars along the Highway 98 corridor, Down Island is also family-friendly, offering a kids’ menu and soon outdoor games to keep everyone entertained. Plans are also in place for lunch hours and a Sunday brunch. “I really wanted to bring something to our local community that all people would enjoy, families, single- party diners, and tourists,” says Janca. “We are excited to serve the community and be the gathering space we all need right now.”
Down Island Cioppino with grilled Gambino’s French bread
Stefani Janca is a registered and licensed dietitian, and her influence on the menu is also felt, providing plenty of options for non-seafood lovers and accommo- dations for those with special diets. The menu features scratch made dishes, so many selections can be modified to fit any dietary needs by simply swapping out or omit- ting ingredients. Down Island is located at the former site of Dave’s Glas Haus, a long standing building that Dave Hillgen- berg originally modeled after a Seaside home he admired when it was built in the early ‘90s. Janca wanted to pre- serve as much of the original structure as possible. The former two-car garage became the dining room and he only needed to add on the kitchen and an elevator. The second floor offers additional seating and room for pri- vate events.
Down Island Gulf Seafood Restaurant downislandsrb.com • (850) 777-3385 2780 US-98, Santa Rosa Beach
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