We are so blessed to have so many wonderful restaurants in Edmonds. We have places that have been family favorites for decades and within the last 5 years the restaurant scene is bursting.

Restaurateurs seem eager to find the perfect spot to open up a place in our town. I think it’s fantastic that you don’t have to travel far to have a fun family meal or a special occasion meal — and a place that’s been around for almost five years can fit the bill for both experiences.

Back in December 2018, Jennifer Myatt and Michael Chambers created a tropical Caribbean oasis just up the street from the Edmonds Ferry Terminal called Calypso. The moment you walk through the doors you will be transported to the islands.

The lighting, the décor, the music and the friendly staff create a warm, inviting dining experience. Our server Karli has been with Calypso since it opened and she was happy (and patient) to answer all our questions about the menu.

I am not usually a tropical-drink person, but this is the place to enjoy a cocktail or mocktail. The bartender, Chris DeFilippo, comes from the Cayman Islands and balances the alcohol and tropical flavors well. (Calypso’s owners and Chris knew each other while both worked on Grand Cayman for almost a decade.)

I chose the BFD (Big Frozen Daiquiri) with rum, lime juice and mango ($14). It lives up to its name in terms of volume and the taste was perfect with my food. My husband enjoyed the Mojito ($12) with rum, mint and lime.

We enjoyed our drinks with an order of their signature conch (sea snail if you are wondering) fritters ($13). The fried fritters were not greasy and the jerk aioli that came as a dipping sauce was the perfect accompaniment.

The current chef at Calypso is Tom Doherty, who commutes from Kingston (Washington, not Jamaica). We shared two different entrees: jerk chicken served with house jerk sauce, Jamaican-style rice and beans, sautéed vegetables and pineapple scotch bonnet jam ($27) and the mahi mahi served with parmesan risotto, chayote slaw and mango beurre blanc ($32).

The servings were generous (we took half our dinners home) and the flavors were delicious. Both the chicken and fish were cooked perfectly.

It was hard to stop eating but we wanted to save room for their desserts; I am so glad that we did. We had the Key Lime Pie ($9) and the Calypso Rum Cake ($9).

Talk about being transported to the beach — this was a sweet way to end a lovely meal. Each dessert could easily serve two people (and we packed our leftover sweets for a second meal.)

Calypso is a great place for a date night as well as a casual dinner. Service was smooth and the food came to our table quickly. The restaurant has porch seating with a view of the ferry as well as a cozy interior space. (Remember it occupies the space where Cafe de Paris used to be although it’s been completely transformed.)

They serve brunch on the weekend and have a wonderful happy hour menu as well. They do not take reservations, although if you have a large party you can call ahead. They were able to survive during COVID due to a busy take-out business. With the ferry line across the street, their take-out business remains strong.

Remember Calypso when you need a taste of paradise!

Phone: 425-678-0652

Location: 109 Main Street, Edmonds

Hours: 3-10 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

— By Deborah Binder

Deborah Binder lives in Edmonds with her family. She loves to cook from scratch using produce from the gardens she created and maintains with her husband. She attended culinary school on the East Coast and focused on desserts, pastries and bread. She’s worked for restaurants and caterers in the front and back of the house (kitchen) on both coasts. Her current interest in food is learning to eat for health and wellness, while at the same time enjoying the pleasures of the table. Deborah loves experimenting and developing new recipes. As Julia Child once said, “Everything in moderation including butter.” Deborah can be contacted at jaideborah@yahoo.com.