The Lighthouse

Trinidad, CA

Photography by Bob Doran
I’ll have one ice cream cone topped with mashed potatoes, brisket and gravy please!
You may be familiar with these incredible cones being held in the hands of hungry go-getters at Arcata’s Farmers’ Market. What once started off as a Saturday stand has now branched out into its own restaurant, The Lighthouse Grill, located at 355 Main Street in Trinidad and open Thursday – Tuesday from 11am-8pm.
Owners Chuck and Sherry Vanderpool traded one coast for another. Originally from the Jersey Shore, the Vanderpools found themselves moving to Trinidad after visiting their children. “We were very welcomed by the locals here,” says Sherry. “This building was empty until we came along.”
Nearly all of the food served at The Lighthouse is sourced locally. The bread is baked fresh every morning by the staff, the beef used for burgers comes from Humboldt Grassfed Beef, and the fish is caught fresh right off the coast. The ice cream (both traditional and non-dairy) is churned by the Vanderpools’ son, Chuck. “I’m just learning how to make (ice cream),” says Sherry. “Think of me as the backup. We have six flavors: vanilla, chocolate and salted caramel, on a regular basis; we also have dairy-free options like banana, coconut or salted cashew,” says Sherry. “Whatever goes well with coconut, because that’s the base. Sometimes we’ll get fresh strawberries at the farm to use.”
If you’ve not had a chance to make a beach run yet this Fall, make sure to stop by The Lighthouse first and fuel up. If traveling to Trinidad is out of reach but the Arcata Farmers’ Market isn’t, then make your way over to visit these folks before the end of the season, which is November 22nd!