The 10 Best Restaurants In The Florida Panhandle

If you ask us, the best beach vacations are the ones where you and yours end the days feasting on meals that are as every bit as memorable as your days spent playing and exploring. Luckily, restaurateurs in the Florida Panhandle are giving each other serious competition, with the end result being a line-up of impressive menus where seafood, local produce, and creative sauces combine to create art on every plate.

And, of course, the views at many of our top picks are worth the trip alone.

This Destin staple first opened its doors in 1979, serving up shrimp and fish that day boats hawk at its onsite Harbor Docks Wholesale Seafood Market. It's hard to say which dish rules this character-rich roost — top picks include the perfectly simple boiled Gulf shrimp or the Gulf grouper parmadine with broiled grouper served with crabmeat, parmesan, and a crust of roasted almonds.

Harbor Docks also turned heads 28 years ago when they started serving sushi — with some of the original hires still rolling the dozens of offerings, including the Zoo, a roll with shrimp, scallop, bacon, and green onion, with smoked salmon on top.

https://www.harbordocks.com/

(850) 837-2506

538 Harbor Blvd, Destin, Florida 32541

The vibe at Drift is 100% tropical vacation. From the outdoor seating area as well as the modern, minimalism interior, the view is all white sand beaches, palm trees, and turquoise water. The menu is equally refreshing, featuring fun dishes like rosemary and lavender crusted grilled lamp lollipops.

The rest of the menu is a healthy mix of seafood favorites, comfort food, and flavor curiosities — togarashi salmon, coconut citrus seabass, and squid ink seafood pasta. We recommend coming hungry, and staying for dessert. Try the rum barrel bread pudding or warm apple crumble. 

https://driftpcola.com/

(850) 733-7331

41 Fort Pickens Road (2nd Floor), Pensacola Beach, Florida 32561

There's so much to love about this charming hideaway. We love that George's at Alys Beach is, in a way, two restaurants in one. The menu is divided into "Behave" and "Misbehave" sections. The Behave section focuses on lighter fare, such as seared sea scallops with rice with duck breast and corn and cucumber relish.

So, it goes without saying, the Misbehave section is more fun, with dishes such as spicy salt and pepper shrimp or fried fish and grits. As for seating, the outdoor porch is our pick for where it's at.

https://georgesatalysbeach.com/

(850) 641-0017

30 Castle Harbour Drive, Alys Beach, Florida 32461

This sleek newcomer focuses on fresh. Bitterroot Destin is a departure from the fish-heavy menus that are par for the course for a beach town and focuses on inventive combinations that let seasonal ingredients sing. We're taken with the curried chicken salad sandwich and the whipped ricotta dip with tupelo honey, pistachios, and sesame seeds.

Of course, this being the Florida Panhandle, it'd be odd to not have some seafood on the menu. Bitterroot offers options like pan-seared salmon, a salmon grain bowl, and a shrimp po-boy.

https://www.bitterrootdestin.com/

(850) 460-8881

4463 Commons Dr W, Suite 10-A, Destin, Florida 32541

The architecture and décor of WaterColor Resort is airy and minimalist to showcase the natural beauty of the dunes and seaside, so, too, is the menu at their signature restaurant, Fish Out of Water. Each offering is perfectly executed simplicity, letting the freshness of the seafood, like Gulf shrimp and grouper, enjoy the spotlight.

Should you want a little something extra, the sauces such as Florida citrus butter and Creole cream dial up the decadence.

https://www.dinefish30a.com/

(850) 534-5050

34 Goldenrod CircleSanta, Rosa Beach, Florida 32459

James Beard Award-winning chef Hugh Acheson helms Ovide, the star restaurant at Hotel Effie, and we're impressed with the menu he's put together. Seafood dinner entrees include roasted snapper and shrimp and grits, but those who want a break from seafood on their Florida Panhandle trip can try the summer courgette bucatini, cast iron half roasted chicken, or pork chop.

While the lunch and dinner menus at Ovide won't disappoint, don't miss out on breakfast and brunch. Its specialties are Effie's biscuits and gravy, toasted bagel with lox, corned beef hash (with onions, pickled red onions, and avocado), and avocado toast made with feta cheese, heirloom tomatoes, pickled red onions, and, pepitas.

https://www.hoteleffie.com/dining/ovide

(850) 351-3030

1 Grand Sandestin Blvd, Miramar Beach, Florida 32550

Go for the romantic atmosphere, stay for the Asian fusion fare that delights. This gem is a favorite for its indoor courtyard, anchored by a tree with twinkle lights sparkling along its winding branches.

Our favorite dishes at The Firefly are the grilled New Zealand rack of elk — made with maitake mushroom risotto, tomato butter, roasted broccolini, pepper relish — and shrimp and grits.

https://www.fireflypcb.com/

(850) 249-3359

535 Richard Jackson Blvd, Panama City Beach, Florida 32407

With a large deck overlooking Destin Harbor, this seafood joint is a sure-thing pleaser for outdoor dining and Southern-comfort-meets-Gulf-fresh fare. The baked pimento cheese with bacon marmalade and the house smoked yellowfin tuna dip with pickled vegetables are great choices to kick the night off. The Boshamps oyster bar — with oysters served five ways as well as raw — is a hit among bivalve-philes.

For mains, you can't go wrong with the fresh catch with cheese grits, but we're also partial to the duck confit cassoulet — only because it's not often you see this deliciously satisfying French favorite tackled in a beach town.

https://boshamps.com/

(850) 424-7406

414 Harbor Boulevard, Destin, Florida 32541

Everyone loves tacos, and we love when those tacos come with local seafood. Latin Coastal Kitchen, aka LaCo, does it right — with classic fish tacos with pineapple jicama salsa and a lobster taco with charred corn relish and roasted red pepper sauce.

Really though, it's hard for us to pass up the ceviche menu, dishing up four kinds, including one with Gulf snapper, blood orange, Serrano pepper, and cilantro. And, yes, outdoor seating is available.

https://laco30a.com/

(850) 231-4021

10343 East County Highway 30A, Seacrest, Florida, 32413

Stately and with high ceilings, this massive eatery — perched at the edge of Sabine Point as it juts into Santa Rosa Sound — offers impressive views from nearly every table. Have a martini, then tuck into The Grand Marlin's impeccably prepared traditional fare.

Fresh shucked gulf oysters are a highlight, including the barbecue oysters served with pepper jack cheese, garlic, and barbecue butter. Our top pick of the mains is the seared red snapper, served with caper brown butter. Note that outside seating is available.

https://thegrandmarlin.com/

(850) 677-9153

400 Pensacola Beach Blvd, Pensacola Beach, Florida 32561