How would you like to feel like you’re on vacation without ever leaving Lewis County?
Cindy and Jordan Peabody, owners of the Tiki Tap House, invite you into their Tower Street location for island inspired pizza and imaginative pints of beer. They’ve been rolling out the dough in downtown Centralia for almost three years, celebrating their anniversary during the STP weekend. Join riders, watchers, visitors and friends for fun and relaxation.
You’ll get the island vibe when you walk in the door. There are shelves of tiki statues ready to be admired. Anthony Dijos, Cindy’s son and the restaurant manager, has carved an impressive assortment of large tiki heads reminiscent of Polynesia and Easter Island.
The menu maintains the theme, too. The Freaky Tiki is a white garlic sauce pizza with Canadian bacon and pineapple with the extras of bacon, coconut and macadamia nuts. Last year they sold 1,100 Freaky Tiki pizzas. According to Jordan, “people go bonkers” for it. Have your pizza with tropical salad or sandwich. And, there’s even Spam on the menu in sandwich form – the Spamich, or the Spamango Bay pizza.
“The Tiki Tap House is where tiki lounge meets pizza place by way of craft beer,” says Jordan.
Jordan grew up in Olympia and is a North Thurston High School graduate. He has always liked the pace and feel of Centralia. Cindy, originally from California, also enjoyed the time they spent there on dates on during their free time. Ultimately this led to the purchase of the building where the Tiki Tap House resides. Their personal home is also in the residential part of the historic district.
The Peabodys entered the hospitality and pizza business when they purchased Paradise Pizza in McCleary. They believed this was the perfect way to explore the ins and outs of selling food in a manageable way. Over four years they learned about owning a restaurant, developed a loyal customer base and thoroughly enjoyed their connections to the community. In fact, leaving all the people was the hardest part of leaving McCleary. “We literally knew everyone in town,” recalled Jordan.
They took a few months off to regroup and explore their options in Centralia. There was no pizza in downtown. They talked to local business owners and gathered suggestions and advice. They recognized that as business owners they did not want to serve hard alcohol or be open until 1:00 a.m. Instead, Jordan is passionate about beer, and the couple wanted to create an environment where people would come to eat and hang out.
At the Tiki Tap House there are no loud blaring televisions. It’s more of Gilligan’s Island and Hawaii 5-O. Jordan designed a wall with 18 taps for beer. His four distributers are always on the look out for island-inspired and interesting beers – like the Belching Beaver Brewery’s pineapple coconut IPA. You can also order a glass of wine.
Tiki Tap House’s vacation atmosphere is relaxed and fine for all ages. The Peabodys treat the space as “an extension of our dining room.” Bring your family and friends to Tightwad Tuesday when pepperoni pizzas are $10 each. There are also lunch specials and a frequent visitor rewards card. You can take out your orders, but the Peabodys hope you’ll stick around for a while. Happy hour is every day from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. You can fill your growler for a happy hour price. Maybe you’d like to explore the tangerine wheat beer.
The Tiki Tap House is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. The Peabody’s keep hospitality a keystone of their business. The oven is fired up! Get to know your neighbors a little better at the Tiki Tap House.
Tiki Tap House
404 N. Tower Avenue in Centralia
360-669-0161
www.tikitaphouse.com
