Must-see restaurants in Florida

  • Blue Collar

    Miami

    True to name, Blue Collar tosses pretension aside and fires up American comfort food done to perfection in a classic 1960s coffee-shop-style interior…

  • Charlie's Fish House

    Nature Coast

    A long-time local favorite, this waterfront establishment offers fantastic views of Kings Bay, along with reliably good seafood dishes like stone crab…

  • Tacocraft

    Fort Lauderdale

    One of a stable of funky eateries and bars along this strip, this taqueria and tequila bar serves up a great atmosphere, even better drinks and very good…

  • Wisteria Tea Room

    Fort Myers

    Housed in a remodeled Florida bungalow, this quaint tearoom is a favorite ladies lunch spot. Beat them to it, as the thick slabs of quiche, homemade sweet…

  • Hellas Restaurant and Bakery

    Nature Coast

    A long-standing favorite for its baklava cheesecake and fall-off-the-bone lamb shank, this Greek restaurant has been killing it since 1970. The place is…

  • Restaurant Marrakesh

    Walt Disney World

    Sparkling belly dancers shimmy and shake past the massive pillars and around the tables of the Sultan's Palace, magnificently decorated with mosaic tiles,…

  • My Pho King Dumpling

    Gulf Coast

    Under new ownership, the creative menu here mixes up Vietnamese, French, and even Southern influences in this unexpected gem. Pillow-y jasmine rice…

  • Sailfish Marina

    West Palm Beach

    Located on Singer Island, Sailfish Marina is a good place for a seafood meal, but it's especially fine for Sunday brunch between 8am and 1pm (adults/kids …

  • Blue Macaw

    Key West

    Blue Macaw serves nicely executed fish and chips, portabello quesadillas, rack of ribs and sesame-seared tuna, though it's the atmosphere that brings in…

  • Floridian

    St Augustine

    Oozing hipster-locavore earnestness, this farm-to-table restaurant serves whimsical neo-Southern creations in an oh-so-cool dining room. Although the…

  • The Coop

    Greater Orlando

    Line up for massive plates of smothered pork chops, fried chicken or chicken potpie, with sides of fried okra, creamed corn, maple-glazed carrots and…

  • Mandolin

    Wynwood & the Design District

    It’s all Mediterranean whites and blues at this Greek restaurant in the midst of the Buena Vista neighborhood. The back courtyard is beautifully lit in…

  • Bonding

    Downtown Miami

    Multiple Asian cuisines, including Thai, Japanese and Korean, come together into an excellent whole at Bonding. Chicken is expertly tossed with chilies…

  • Yambo

    Little Havana

    If you’re a bit drunk in the middle of the night and can find a cab or a friend willing to drive all the way out to Little Havana, direct them to Yambo…

  • NIU Kitchen

    Downtown Miami

    NIU is a stylish living-room-sized restaurant serving delectable contemporary Catalan cuisine. It's a showcase of culinary pyrotechnics, featuring…

  • Meltdown on 30A

    Gulf Coast

    Unless you're gluten- and dairy-intolerant, we dare you to go past this excellent food truck, a vendor of oozy grilled-cheese deliciousness (we couldn't…

  • O'Steen's

    St Augustine

    Locals claim this seafood shack has the best shrimp on the East Coast, and having eaten our weight in shrimp, we think they're close to the mark. If you…

  • Rusty Bellies Waterfront Grill

    Nature Coast

    This indoor-outdoor restaurant and tiki bar at the end of Dodecanese is named after the large, male gag grouper with the same nickname, and accordingly,…

  • Taverna Opa

    Orlando

    Great spot for Greek classics, including slow-roasted lamb ($14), plenty of vegetarian options and fresh hummus made tableside. Can get loud and crazy…

  • Crystal Palace

    Walt Disney World

    The buffet at this character meal inside Magic Kingdom is surprisingly tasty. At lunch, there’s a wide selection of salads, glazed carrots, mashed…

  • Five Sisters Blues Cafe

    Gulf Coast

    Come get your weekly dose of soulful blues (Thursday to Sunday) and good ole Southern cuisine (crab cakes, fried green tomatoes, seafood gumbo) at this…

  • Owl Cafe & Tap Room

    Gulf Coast

    Everyone is catered to in this local favorite, with casual fine dining in the upstairs cafe, and wine room and craft beers and tap-room-only offerings…

  • Bombay Darbar

    Miami

    Indian food is a rarity in Latin-loving Miami and all the more so in Coconut Grove – which makes Bombay Darbar even more of a culinary gem. Run by a…

  • Moon Under Water

    St Petersburg

    Sporting an upbeat, 19th-century British-colonial atmosphere, Moon Under Water serves admirably flavorful Indian curries; ask for a capsicum 'enhancer' to…

  • Soya e Pomodoro

    Downtown Miami

    Soya e Pomodoro feels like a bohemian retreat for Italian artists and filmmakers, who can dine on bowls of fresh pasta under vintage posters, rainbow…

  • Blue Bird Bake Shop

    Orlando

    Tiny retro Blue Bird Bake Shop, named after the favorite bird of the owner's grandma, offers daily baked cupcakes. Flavors range from classic chocolate to…

  • Mazzaro's Italian Market

    St Petersburg

    The charcuterie craze in St Pete started here, at this specialty Italian grocery store in a nondescript suburb northwest of downtown. Mazzaro's fresh…

  • Star Fish Company

    Southwest Gulf Coast

    Down by the water you’ll find the Star Fish Company, a commercial fish house that’s been selling wholesale fish since the 1920s. It now has a rustic…

  • Enriqueta’s

    Wynwood & the Design District

    Back in the day, Puerto Ricans, not installation artists, ruled Wynwood. Have a taste of those times in this perpetually packed roadhouse, where the Latin…

  • Red Bar

    Gulf Coast

    There's live music most nights at this hippy, homely, funky local fave, housed in an old general store stuffed with knick-knacks and general weirdness. It…

  • Beach Road Chicken Dinners

    Northeast Florida

    You know a place does it right if its signature meal pre-dates the Cold War, and this deliciously retro joint has been frying chicken since 1939. Tear off…

  • Lulu

    Miami

    Lulu is the Grove’s exemplar of using local, organic ingredients in its carefully prepared bistro dishes, all of which are best enjoyed at the outdoor…

  • Rusty Pelican

    Key Biscayne

    More than the fare itself, it’s the panoramic skyline views – among the best in Miami – that draw the faithful and romantic to this restaurant. But if you…

  • Bulla Gastrobar

    Miami

    With a festive crowd chattering away over delicious bites of tapas, this stylish spot has great ambience that evokes the lively eating and drinking dens…

  • Todd English's bluezoo

    Walt Disney World

    Floor-to-ceiling silver threads shimmer in columns at this flashy blue-infused hot spot, evoking a trendy, urban spin on the underwater theme. Excellent…

  • Monk's Steamer Bar

    Sarasota

    Order a spicy oyster shooter (a Bloody Mary with an oyster in it) or oyster 'Monkafellas' (baked with signature toppings) and watch bar staff expertly…

  • Crane Ramen

    Northeast Florida

    College students are famous for living on ramen, but those packaged noodles are roughly a thousand steps below the quality of the soup served at this…

  • Café Karibo & Karibrew

    Northeast Florida

    This funky side-street favorite serves a large and eclectic menu of sandwiches, soups, salads and healthy treats in a sprawling two-story space with a…

  • Yearling Restaurant

    Northeast Florida

    Cross Creek's cedar-shingled Yearling Restaurant serves 'Cracker cuisine' like gator tail, frog legs hush puppies and catfish in an atmospheric wood…

  • Cornell Cafe

    Gold Coast

    On the grounds of the gardens of Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens, Cornell Cafe serves neo-Japanese cuisine such as sweet-potato tempura, ginger-roasted…