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An abundance of seafood is served at coastal restaurants: oysters, crab, shrimp, scallops, and a variety of fish. Of course, that's not all there is on the menu. This part of Florida still impresses diners with old-fashioned comfort foods such as meat loaf, fried chicken, beans and corn bread, okra, and fried green tomatoes. You'll also find small-town seafood shacks where you can dine on local favorites such as deep-fried mullet, cheese grits, coleslaw, and hush puppies. Restaurants, like resorts, vary their operating tactics off-season, so call first if visiting during winter months.
Sleek but casual (covered-up swimsuits are allowed) and family-friendly, FOOW (which stands for Fish Out of Water) has exceptional food, service, and Gulf views. As the restaurant's name suggests, the menu is heavy on local seafood, and chefs work in an open kitchen creating the Southern specialties infused with international flavors.
Located in a behemoth clapboard building on a prime downtown corner, this charming, old-fashioned, first-come-first-served, lunch-and-dinner spot pleases modern palates in both the white-linen-elegant dining room and on the colorful garden terrace. Later in the evening, the mood shifts, and the place becomes more of a casual lounge with a full bar. If there's not enough of a liquor selection for you, check out options from the wine cellar, which has 3,000 bottles from around the world. Right next door, on Commerce Street, is the Owl Tap Room, with 16 beers on tap and a pub-grub menu of appetizers, burgers, and sandwiches.
Since 1967, Capt. Anderson’s has been serving local seafood while working to protect the fragile coastal economy. Come early for dinner—not only to watch the boats unload the catch of the day, but also to beat the crowds at this landmark, family-friendly restaurant, which, despite having 725 seats, can still fill up.
A little off the beaten path, but very much worth looking for, Chanticleer has colorful decor featuring giant rooster paintings, but it's the food that will have you crowing. Most of the items are are homemade—including the bread, soups, and to-die-for cookies—and many of the entrées have a Cajun twist (Creole crab claws, shrimp and grits, jambalaya). The menu also features salads, burgers, steak, and pork chops. Whether you eat inside or outdoors, it's first-come-first-served seating.
Geographically speaking, this trendy spot is in Downtown Pensacola (on leafy Seville Square), but its cuisine is all over the map. Appetizers offer the most variety, with influences from all over the world; main courses are more American in character. You'll also find the fish of the day (blackened, grilled, or tempura-fried) and sushi, which is brought in from a local seafood market. Dine inside under a collection of Southern folk art or outside under café umbrellas and droopy oaks.
Come one, come all, come hungry, and come at 11 am to witness the calm before the lunch storm. The wide-ranging menu of fish dishes is the bait, and each can be served in a variety of ways—ginger-crusted, grilled, blackened, pecan-crusted, or Pacific-grilled, which puts any dish over the top. Sushi also is on the menu, and be sure to save room for their selection of homemade desserts.
Chef George and wife Luba want you to feel like family at their chic bistro, where they say “South of France meets The South.” The menu features recipes from their travels, including super coffees and cocktails, as well as standout salads and sandwiches.
Jim Shirley, founder of Pensacola's very popular Fish House, has brought his Grits a Ya-Ya to this restaurant on Seaside's town square. The menu emphasizes regional fare, including Gulf seafood and fresh sides such as collards, okra, black-eyed peas, fried green tomatoes, and sweet potatoes. Oysters and po'boys stuffed with shrimp bring a little N'awlins to the beach. Beer and wine and a full liquor bar are here to boot. It can get very busy, so reservations are recommended.
Harbor Docks is a casual place with picnic tables, hibachi grills, and a beautiful view of Destin Harbor. The seafood served here is the best of what's available each day at the neighboring market (the rest gets shipped up north). Peek over the patio railing, and you might see fishermen unloading a catch that could be on someone's plate that very night.
The food is as eclectic and comforting as the atmosphere at this locals' favorite, where you can dine alfresco or belly up to the bar and watch the magic happen in the open kitchen. The menu changes daily, but you can always count on a fusion of flavors. Save room for dessert: if you're lucky, pastry chef Sylvia Gould's beehive-shaped baked Alaska or toasted-coconut meringue layer cake will be on the menu.
Reservations are recommended for this dinner-only, 50-seat bistro that specializes in American comfort food with Creole and Southern accents. It's a short hop from the capitol and is a reliable spot for upscale dining in a down-to-earth setting.
A 25,000-gallon saltwater aquarium provides a dramatic focal point at this popular, upscale restaurant. The menu features steaks and all kinds of seafood, from lobster to Gulf grouper to whatever else is available fresh from the markets each day. The restaurant is busy year-round but especially so in the high season, so arrive early or prepare to wait.
Savour embraces elegance and comfort, providing the perfect backdrop for its short menu of seasonal dishes that are creatively prepared and beautifully presented. The Cast Iron BBQ Shrimp appetizer and New York strip Steak Frites are favorites. Finish off your meal with a homemade dessert (an Adult Key Lime Pie, with Grand Marnier and Patron custard, perhaps?) and a tableside pour-over coffee.
Touting itself as a “Crafty Southern Pub,” Union Public House pairs fresh ingredients with creative ideas, like the Scotch egg starter or the grouper and shrimp corndog; they’ve even been known to put gold flakes on fried chicken. You can also make your own “meat and two” by choosing a meat, two Southern sides, and a sauce.
Although the menu here has a variety of fresh seafood, you should come for the oysters—served raw, baked, or steamed and with or without toppings—and stay for the view. The vibe is casual: place your order when you walk in, and grab a table in the air-conditioned interior or out on the patio; either way, your lunch or dinner will be accompanied by a spectacular Apalachee River basin view.
