10 Best Places to Eat on the Gulf Coast of Florida
On Florida’s Emerald Coast, Destin has transparent, deep green waters and sugar-white, sandy beaches. The vacation destination is not only a great getaway spot, but it has also slowly developed a reputation for its excellent restaurants and beachy destinations with great eats.
Here is my guide to Destin‘s most glamorous places to eat. It’s a play on words… It’s only glamorous if it makes your heart happy and here are ten destinations that will do just that!
Check out my list below. Are any of these restaurants your favorites?
10 Best Places to Eat on the Gulf Coast of Florida
1. Beach Walk Cafe at Henderson Park Inn
Beach Walk Café at Henderson Park Inn is a memorable fine-dining restaurant that offers excellent food and gorgeous views from its spacious veranda. Be sure to ask about their ‘Toes in the Sand Dining Experience’ as you check out their extensive wine list.
2. Pompano Joe’s Seafood House
Pompano Joe’s, located in Miramar Beach, isn’t fancy fancy but it’s a total vacation spot that you must see. The entire restaurant has excellent views of the beach, and if you get a window seat, you’ll enjoy the ocean breeze during your complete visit. If you’re coming off the coast or want to eat somewhere casual, I recommend checking it out! If you’re in Panama City Beach, Pompano Joe’s Seafood House has a location there too. Both are known for their fresh and affordable Gulf seafood prepared with a Caribbean flavor. It’s a beach place that enhances your beach day experience for sure.
The Ocean Club is a white linen restaurant known for offering some of the finest seafood on the Gulf Coast. Fresh cuts of fish and steaks are in abundance, and the wine selection was created to please every palate. Select nights are incredibly fun when they offer live entertainment for guests to enjoy. Heading there soon? Give the buttermilk fried calamari and the tournedos of beef with shrimp and crabmeat a try.
“A gathering place for those who believe that good food and good company are the center of a life well-lived.”
Located in Santa Rosa Beach and precisely 1.5 miles from Seaside and 6.5 miles West of Rosemary Beach, Cafe Thirty-A is one of those places you’ll remember. Are you looking for a good date night destination? This is your place, but there is a children’s menu if you want to bring the kiddos along. Try their “Main Lobster in Paradise” or their “Truffled Mac ‘n’ Cheese. You won’t be disappointed.
Located in Santa Rosa Beach, Chanticleer Eatery is fun-filled with good American eats. In a relaxed atmosphere, you can enjoy a good meal from a local restaurant that has won the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence five times. Dine-in and take out options are available, and a kid’s menu is available too!
6. Vue on 30A
Vue on 30A’s award-winning, panoramic views of the Gulf of Mexico will make you love the Gulf even more then you did before. Located in Santa Rosa Beach, Vue on 30A offers beachfront dining and is known for the “Best Place to Watch the Sunset”, by Destin Magazine readers. When you visit, be sure to ask for the chef’s catch of the day!
7. Cafe Tango
Located in Santa Rosa Beach, Cafe Tango is quite a busy restaurant, so be sure to make a reservation before stopping by. This vine-covered cottage will remind you of home. They offer both indoor and outdoor seating so you can enjoy the beautiful Florida weather. When you visit, be sure to try the chorizo & panko-crusted fish or the lobster ravioli.
Known as the best place to eat on the Emerald Coast 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. The Fat Clemenzas team goes to great lengths to find the best food products from across the globe. Many of the products come from Italy, including olive oils, plum tomatoes, sheet pasta, flour from Naples by the pallet, and the sausage even arrives from Chicago twice a week.
9. Bijou
Located in Miramar Beach, Bijoux is a full-service fine dining restaurant located in The Market Shops at the entrance of Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. Be sure to make a reservation before stopping in. They are open for dinner seven nights a week, so you shouldn’t have a problem getting in. This incredible spot offers fresh Gulf seafood, prime steaks, and an extensive award-winning wine list. Be sure to try one of their signature martinis!
10. Mimmo’s Ristorante Italiano
Mimmo’s, in Destin, Florida, serves authentic Italian dishes that burst in both flavor and color. Their full bar provides a vibrant venue for a fun evening out, and the restaurant offers excellent tables for daily business meetings and family dinners. It’s a charming place that makes you feel right at home. What should you order? Try their eggplant parmigiana. It’s delicious!
