#58 of 160 Panama City Beach Restaurants

Liza’s Kitchen

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Liza's Kitchen: Homemade Goodness in Panama City Beach
Local Expert's Rating:
4.5 / 5
The Bottom Line:

Liza’s Kitchen offers from scratch, homemade sandwiches that keep customers coming back for more. The sheer variety of their menu is enough to make repeat visits worth the trip.

- The FloridaPanhandle.com Local Expert Team

Casual is the name of the game at Liza’s Kitchen. It’s the kind of place where friends congregate on the patio to chat and parents know every member of the family will find a sandwich to enjoy.

Although there are touches of bohemian art on the walls, Liza’s has always been about the food. Mike and Cat Meek opened Liza’s in 2017 and named it after their daughter. The combination of gourmet flavors and fresh ingredients made Liza’s a favorite with locals and vacationers alike.

It didn’t take long before national media outlets took notice. Liza’s Kitchen has been reviewed in Southern Living Magazine, featured on Beach TV, and has won awards from TripAdvisor.

The restaurant was sold in 2017, but the menu has been maintained. In fact, the new owner went to the trouble of learning how to make each favorite from scratch in order to give customers the food they’ve come to love.

Liza’s prides itself on their philosophy: use only the freshest ingredients and cut NO corners. Everything – from the focaccia bread to mayonnaise — is homemade, which helps explain how often a line forms to be seated.

Given the size of this menu, it was not easy to narrow our list of favorites down. The following represents our best effort: 

Black and Blue
Even if you’ve had a Black and Blue Sandwich in every eatery in town, Liza’s made-from-scratch version is out of this world. Roast beef, blue cheese, red onion, and horseradish mayonnaise is stacked on homemade focaccia bread. Take it from us, it’s a mouthwatering treat. 

Back-Packer
Not sure where the name came from, but really, once we tasted this sandwich we decided it didn’t matter. Prosciutto, mozzarella cheese, tomato, and scallion mayonnaise is layered on a homemade baguette to create a symphony of tastes that work together in the most perfect way. 

Hippie Chick
If you can imagine sinking your teeth into roasted chicken, goat cheese, spinach, roasted red pepper, and spicy mayo on focaccia bread, you can understand why this sandwich simply makes us smile.

Hummus Panini
Ah, we love when a sandwich shop offers great vegetarian options. No, this isn’t the “Hippie Chick,” but you’ll feel like a free spirit as you enjoy this unique panini. Hummus, goat cheese, red onion, eggplant, roasted red pepper, and cucumbers on focaccia may cause you to belt out a folk song (although probably not).

Haight Ashbury
This dish with a very cool name consists of mozzarella, blue cheese, tomato, olive spread, and roasted red pepper on focaccia. Coastal Living Magazine wrote, “For the vegetarian, you can visit Liza’s daily and actually have variety.” That’s high praise from some tough food critics.

Eggs Liza
Crowds gather for Liza’s brunch, and with good reason. Options like Eggs Liza — featuring poached eggs with roast beef and pimento cheese, piled on focaccia with scallion hollandaise sauce – are part of the reason Liza’s Kitchen has such an amazing reputation.

Eggs New Orleans
Another fan favorite, this unique option marries poached eggs with Creole hollandaise and fried eggplant. If there’s a gourmand (or two) in your party, make it a point to suggest this meal. It’s unlike anything we’ve tried in a while. 

Build Your Own Sandwich
Given the sheer number of fresh ingredients available, the B.Y.O.S. is one of the best ideas on Liza’s menu. How about chicken, bacon, brie, sliced apples, and scallion mayo on a flaky croissant? Actually, the fun is coming up with your own unique combo. Better yet, have every person in your party create a signature sandwich to share. 

Insider Tips:
-Planning a picnic? Ask about takeout. Most of Liza’s menu options travel well. 
-If you want to take a walk after a satisfying meal at Liza’s, the beach is (conveniently) right across the street.