Getting Penn Cove mussels to go in Coupeville
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Four pounds = a lot of mussels. Photo: Melissa Santos/Axios
Whenever I go to Whidbey Island, I like to stop at Toby's Tavern in Coupeville and eat a giant bowl of local Penn Cove mussels.
Yes but: On our trip this year, my husband and I ran into a problem. Our adorable toddler — who also likes mussels — isn't allowed inside Toby's, which is 21+.
- The good news: As it turns out, you can get a giant pot of mussels to go — and that's exactly what we did.
The verdict: I was a little nervous about transporting 4 pounds of mussels in the driver's seat of my Subaru, but they weathered the 6-minute drive back to our vacation rental nicely.
- And, bonus – Toby's doesn't skimp on the garlic bread, even for to-go orders.
The bottom line: Devouring these local mussels and dunking toasted, crispy bread into the garlicky broth is one of the great pleasures in life.
- And now, it's a portable one.
Details: Toby's Tavern, 8 Front St. NW, Coupeville, Washington
- You pay a $15 deposit for the pot the mussels are cooked in, which you get back when you return it.
- A large order of mussels (2 pounds) is $29 and can feed two, while a smaller pot is $17.
Getting there: Coupeville is about a 2-hour trip from Seattle.
- You can either take the ferry at Mukilteo to reach Whidbey Island, or drive up to Anacortes and cross over the Deception Pass bridge.
- When you're not mussel-eating, you can explore Coupeville's cute waterfront shops and picturesque wharf on foot.
