Restaurants in Florida Panhandle
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Boatyard
Slips are available to pull up in your own boat at this classy place that's gained a loyal following with locals. There's good live music, very fine martinis and talented chefs turning out Keys and Gulf classics like guava-glazed baby back ribs and crisped-to-perfection hand-battered fried shrimp.
reviewed
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Pineapple Willy's
Ask for a table on the restaurant pier for breezy beachside dining. Famed for its signature drinks and its house special: Jack Daniels BBQ ribs.
reviewed
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Treasure Ship
A landmark since the ’70s, this trip of a place houses three separate restaurants over three levels of a full-scale replica of Sir Francis Drake’s 17th-century Golden Hind galleon. Hook’s Grille & Grog, at dock level, serves Caribbean cuisine (mains $11 to $24), and is open for lunch and dinner. On the 2nd level, the Main Dining Room is open at dinner, and serves steaks, seafood and huge salads (mains $16 to $30). Opening onto an open-air deck, the 3rd level contains Captain Crabby’s, with all-you-can-eat dinners of crab legs, shrimp and ribs (buffet $20 to $30), and cocktails served at the Deck Bar overlooking Grand Lagoon.
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Atlas Oyster House
This new and instant favorite – paired, right on a breezy dock, with the slightly more upscale Fish House (mains $15 to $25) – is packed nightly with a range of locals who come for the outdoor seating, live blues and fresh-from-the-sea menu featuring everything from burgers and oysters on the half shell, to gulf shrimp and fish of the day served in a variety of ways, including pecan encrusted. The Fish House is known for its signature dish: World Famous Grits Ya Ya, which serves spicy gulf shrimp, bacon and garlicky veggies over steaming gouda-cheese grits.
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The Oar House
This tucked-away haven, right on Bayou Chico at the edge of a marina, is an alfresco dining spot with tables under a huge palapa roof. Between the sand volleyball court and wispy palmetto trees, you’ll feel like you’re really on holiday – but it’s especially true when you taste the food at this festive spot: seriously fresh oyster baskets, crab cakes, blackened fish sandwiches and fish tacos, paired with sides like black-eyed peas or garlic green beans. It’s a special, friendly kind of place.
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Chez Pierre & 2 Chez
Southern charm meets French sophistication at Chez Pierre, a Midtown charmer located in a beautiful antebellum house and serving excellent, authentic dishes like beef bourguignonne, tuna nicoise and saffron-scented lobster ravioli. Its lower-priced, more casual adjoining 2 Chez, is a lovely outdoor café, specializing in raw-bar offerings, steamed mussels and burgers.
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Kool Beanz Café
It has got a corny name but a wonderfully eclectic and homey vibe – plus great, creative fare. The menu changes daily, but you can count on finding fresh salads and seafood dishes, as well as pork chops, duck breasts and delicious pastas studded with shrimp and fresh veggies. The kitchen will happily create vegetarian offerings, too.
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Andrew’s 228
This upscale dining spot brings a hushed and glamorous Tuscany-meets-New York setting to town with a selection of fine pastas and steaks, along with excellent wines and 27 different martinis served in individual shakers. Spicy mussels arrabiata, toothsome lobster ravioli and rosemary flecked grilled lamb are among the tasty offerings.
reviewed
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Captain Anderson’s Restaurant
Widely regarded as Panama City Beach’s top restaurant – as well as a dining tradition here – the Captain has an outstanding selection of seafood including market-price Greek-style open hearth broiled fish, as well as pasta and top-grade steaks. If you dine early, you’ll see the day’s catch being unloaded at the adjoining marina.
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Jamie’s
Housed in an 1880s Victorian cottage and tucked on a quiet, residential stretch of the historic district, Jamie’s wows big-spending guests with provincial French favorites, including simply prepared fish, filet mignon and lamb. Working fireplaces and a bevy of antiques heighten the glorious ambience.
reviewed
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Oscar's Restaurant
Oscar's is part of the city's lore as the place clean-cut serial killer Ted Bundy was spotted and ultimately apprehended in 1978. You can chow down on Southern classics including turkey with cornbread dressing, fried chicken, a heap of seafood options and daily specials at bargain prices.
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Whataburger
This kitschy A-frame, part of a popular Southern chain, packs ’em in at all hours (particularly after clubs close) for some of the cheapest and tastiest burgers around. Grab a red-vinyl booth and grab one with cheese – or opt for pancakes, grilled chicken or some hot apple pie.
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Native Café
This brand-new budget spot, ‘owned and operated by friendly natives,’ is a welcome addition to the fried-fish stretch. Try a shrimp po’ boy, grilled chicken sandwich, fish tacos, rice and beans or seafood gumbo – or, for a cheap morning jumpstart, eggs benedict or pancakes.
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eat!
This stylish place in downtown has been wowing them since it opened its doors. The modern take on Southern cuisine includes fried green tomatoes in brown butter and feta, peppercorn-crusted elk, rosemary-lemon lamb chops and carrot cake with goat-cheese crème fraiche.
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All-American Diner
Inside the chrome-quilted facade, sit at shiny booths or at the Deco lamp-lit counter and listen to tunes from the '60s to '80s on the jukebox while dining on burgers, fries and other classic American fare. The breakfast bar's a good deal, especially for kids.
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Ever’man Natural Foods
This co-op grocery welcomes the public to shop in its aisles of healthy foods and at its deli counter, which offers fresh salads, sandwiches and hot-food concoctions to be taken out or eaten at its few instore tables.
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H&O
Soul food will rock your world. Order hearty dinners like fried or baked chicken or catfish with sides of candied yams, black-eyed peas or okra, and finish off with peach cobbler or bread pudding for dessert.
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End of the Line Cafe
A funky, fair-trade café with velour and vinyl lounges, this is the place for casual vegan fare – like tempeh reubens and tofu BLTs – as well as regular cultural events, like Friday’s open-mike night.
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Flounder's
At Pensacola Beach, Flounder's is great for kids, with a pirate ship playground, huge beach area with volleyball nets and lots of memorabilia, including a 15ft Cuban raft that carried refugees.
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Tre Fratelli
A traditional and romantic Italian restaurant tucked into a historic house, Tre Fratelli offers delicious pastas, pizzas and other favorites, like eggplant parmesan, in a truly unique setting.
reviewed
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Cabo Grill
Right on the Portofino Boardwalk, this festive Mexican spot serves all the usual favorites – tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas and, of course, huge and potent margaritas to sip at sunset.
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International House of Food
Nicknamed I-HOF after the chain restaurant of a similar name, this aromatic East Asian/Middle Eastern food market has an enticing deli counter. Pick up a platter and head for a park.
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Publix
Locals swear by the Monroe St branch of Publix, hands down Florida's best supermarket, with take-out deli sandwiches, a great bakery and the crispest, freshest fruit and vegetables.
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Po' Boys Creole Café
Crawfish, jambalaya, red beans and blackened fish - not to mention an outdoor bar with a great happy hour - make this place a favorite among students and legislators alike.
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Jasmine Café & Lounge
Tallahassee’s best sushi is at this cozy and casual eatery, popular with students, which also doles out excellent Asian stir fries, desserts and sakes.
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