Even if chef Ed Vigil is no longer making his famous West Marin Reuben at the Inverness Park Market, the food at the store’s adjoining Tap Room still richly warrants a visit to the West Marin tiny-town located astride Tomales Bay.
For 35 years, Perry’s Inverness Park Market was a fixture in the community. In 2015, owner Dan Thompson dropped Perry’s from the name and morphed the store into an inviting, well-stocked market. The adjoining space, which has been through multiple incarnations, is now the Tap Room, and offers customers the opportunity to sit down and enjoy lunch or dinner (and breakfast on the weekends) in a cozy space with seating for about 20 inside and a handful more outdoors.
When a humble melt arrives with a steaming hot medley of mushrooms, onions and melted Point Reyes Farmstead Toma cheese oozing between slices of toasted Brickmaiden bread slathered with housemade pesto, I realize this is not your run-of-the-mill deli counter. The Heart’s Desire, grilled tri-tip on toasted ciabatta with cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, bacon and spicy barbecue sauce, literally drips with delicious flavors.
Brews on tap are rotated on a regular basis, and on any given day five to six options are available. An unfiltered Hazy Little Thing IPA from Sierra Nevada works well with any and all sandwiches. Iron Springs Brewery and Lagunitas offerings are frequently in rotation, and wines from Bolinas-based Thackrey & Company can also be found on the hyperlocal menu.
Paper straws, compostable plates and utensils, and a note on the menu indicating that water is only offered if requested supports the restaurant’s commitment to sustainable practices. Local artwork is prominently featured on the restaurant’s walls.
There is a lot of talk about supporting local farms and businesses, yet many of us fall short. The Inverness Park Market’s Tap Room is firing on all cylinders with its top-notch food, locally sourced ingredients and mindful, green practices. If you are looking for an opportunity to walk the talk, Tap Room is it.
Tap Room at the Inverness Park Market, 12301 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Inverness. 415.663.1491. invernessparkmarket.com.
