4 Best Restaurants in The Lower Gulf Coast, Florida

In the midst of a warehouse-size store, this comfortable bistro, accented with stunning Florida photography from Alan Maltz, is a local favorite. The marvelous sesame-seared tuna lunch salad with Asian slaw and wasabi vinaigrette exemplifies the creative fare; for dinner, try the barbecued baby back ribs, macadamia-crusted grouper, or any of the day's finely crafted specials. The bar serves light nibbles and happy-hour twofers. While waiting for your food, visit the attached shop filled with everything from affordable trinkets to pricey island wear.

Burgers, conch fritters, and chicken wings draw mostly locals to this neighborhood bar. Order at the counter, and take a seat indoors or outdoors on the sidewalk. Try the peel-and-eat shrimp, sushi, mussels marinara, chicken bistro salad, or fried grouper basket.

Locals come for affordable sandwiches and seafood in the vaulted, vine-twisted courtyard of this traditional pub, which has been tucked away from the shopping traffic of upscale Third Street since 1990. It's an everybody-knows-your-name kind of place, with jars of pickles on the tables; friendly bartenders; and a menu of fried "ungrouper" sandwiches (made with "mild flaky white fillet" as grouper numbers wait to make a comeback), burgers, chicken salad, nachos, and fried gator tail. There's musical entertainment Wednesday through Sunday year round.

Families, retired snowbirds, and other seafood lovers flock to this bustling restaurant, where the staff is vivacious and the colorful wall murals are cartoonish. Southern-style deep frying prevails—whole-belly clams, grouper, shrimp, onion rings, hush puppies, and fried pork loins—though you can get certain selections broiled or blackened, and there's some New England flavor with seafood rolls at lunch. Create your own combo by selecting two or three fried, broiled, or blackened choices. Kids love this place for the buzzing atmosphere, and parents love the inexpensive kids meals. For more savings, the restaurant offers a "Kids Eat Free" promotion on Monday and Wednesday.