Filed under: beach, culinary travel, Florida Panhandle, Restaurants & Bars, Southern-Byways, Things to See in Florida, Travelogues
Tales from the Road: A Florida Destination Where Leaving Hungry Isn’t an Option
If the beaches aren’t reason enough to visit the Beach of South Walton, there’s the restaurants.
One of the things I find so fascinating on this 26-mile stretch of road is the choices of dining options. Diverse and unique as the 15 communities themselves, you’ll be hard pressed not to find something to please your palate as well as your wallet.
You all ready know about Caliza in Alys Beach, Hibiscus Coffee and Guesthouse in Grayton Beach, Smiling Fish Cafe in Santa Rosa Beach and Stinky’s Fish Camp in Blue Mountain Beach, so here’s a quick look at some of the other offerings in the area.
How about a plate of Shrimp Panzanella ($10) at Onano Neighborhood Cafe in Rosemary Beach. This appetizer, available lunch and dinner, includes jumbo shrimp, tomatoes, cucumber and more, served chilled.
In Seacrest Beach, you’ll discover Destin Chops 30A with such items (PDF file) as Gulf Ahi tuna ($27) and the 30A Filet ($33), complete with jumbo lump crabmeat and grilled asparagus.
There’s a fun back story about the frogs at George’s at Alys Beach. When it comes to food here, the choices are aplenty! They’ve cleverly divided their lunch and dinner menus into “misbehave” and “behave” sections. For lunch, there’s a great sounding Senora Anna’s Fish Tacos ($13) and fresh tuna salad nicoise ($15). For dinner, there’s a gulf coast gold Cioppino ($30) or seafood bowls (shrimp, grouper or oysters/$20; combo of any two or all, $23.)
A hidden gem of sorts is the Seagrove Village Market in Seargove Beach. Serving both lunch and dinner, some of the items you’ll find include CharGrilled Tuna (lunch and dinner/$12.99), grouper sandwich (lunch and dinner/$10.99), and Ribeye (dinner/$19.99).
If you are in the mood for some Latin-infusion food, be sure to check out La Botana. Menu offerings include Sincronizadas ($10), Cochinita Pibil ($8), and Camarones la Diablo ($12).
Cafe Thirty-A is a relaxing, yet casually-upscale restaurant that is open for dinner seven days a week. The menu (PDF file) features appetizers, salads like the Fried Oysters & Spinach salad ($8), wood oven fired pizzas and main courses, such as Jumbo Gulf Shrimp ($28) and Wood Oven Roasted Grouper ($30).
Seaside has Bud & Alley’s (great to watch the sunrise on the Roof Deck Bar) as well as Bud & Alley’s Taco Bar and a separate Pizza Bar.
There’s also the Shrimp Shack, an unassuming place with some great food. They offer appetizers, salads, sandwiches, steamed seafood and oysters. I highly recommend the Florida Lobster Roll and enjoying it (or out items) in the pavilion, with it’s view of the beach.
Across the street is Great Southern Cafe that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. For lunch, definitely try the Olive Angelina (appetizer) and Grits a Ya Ya (entree).
Down the street at WaterColor is Fish Out of Water. This casual chic restaurant strives to promote local fisherman and farmers in nearly all of their dishes. I suggest ordering the Panhandle Crab salad as one of your appetizers.
Grayton Beach just might be the area’s best kept secret for restaurants in the Beaches of South Walton. Here’s you’ll find such place as Fire Restaurant, Gravel Road Restaurant, Pandora’s Steak House, Borago and Hurricane Oyster Bar & Grill, just to name a few.
The Red Bar serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. I can’t think of a better way to start you morning than with a Gulf Coast Omelette ($10) that includes shrimp and lump crab. Not much of a breakfast person? Then consider a smoked tuna salad ($9) or fish sandwich ($9) for lunch, or shrimp and crawfish over penne pasta ($18) for dinner.
Over at the easy-going Shorty’s Surfside and Topside, you can enjoy either lunch or dinner. For lunch, how about the lime soup with chicken and vegetables ($3.50/cup; $5.50/bowl) or a native fish sandwich ($10). For dinner, some options are Henry’s Crab ‘n Grits ($18.50) or 14-ounce ribeye ($21.50).
Leave it to the beach where you can get ribs and oysters. JamBone has a little of everything for everyone – from burgers to tacos to baskets. The oyster bar features something called shrimp JamBome (1/2 pound; $9.95) and conch salad ($9.95).
And of course, you can’t forget about the Sandestin, Miramar and Seascape, either. In Sandestin, places like Grand Boulevard Sandestin and Baytowne Wharf are filled with great restaurant options.
This is just an idea or sampling, if you will, of the area’s culinary treats. There’s a lot more restaurants along the Beaches of South Walton.
My best advice is to bring your appetite – you won’t be disappointed.
photo credit: personal collection
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