15 Restaurants In The Florida Panhandle That Will Blow Your Mind

1. Schooners Is Like Spring Break In Your Mouth

Schooners
5121 Gulf Dr
Panama City, FL 32408
(850) 235-3555
Yelp: 4 out of 5 stars, 152 reviews
Schooners is right on the beach in the middle of paradise and that’s exactly where it belongs.Be prepared to make it your new favorite spot. Get the Grouper or the Mahi Sandwich or show up to any of the massive (and I mean massive) beach parties for some lobster grilled oceanside. As you sit in your beach chair with food in one hand and a cocktail in the other, you’ll know you’re living the good life.

2. Another Broken Egg Is Anything But Just Another Breakfast

Another Broken Egg of America
11535 Hutchison Blvd # 100
Panama City, FL 32407
(850) 249-2007
Yelp: 4 out of 5 stars, 85 reviews
A visit to Panama City without a breakfast at Another Broken Egg is a regret you don’t want to know, so just go. You’ll find lobster filled omelets, cinnamon roll french toast, crab cakes with poached eggs piled on top of English muffins...You’ll be so excited to take a piece of this place home with you, you won’t even think that the $18 they’re asking for their handmade ceramic mugs is too pricey.

3. McGuire’s Proves The Irish Know How To Drink, Cook, And Party

McGuire’s Irish Pub
600 E Gregory St
Pensacola, FL 32502
(850) 433-6789
Yelp: 4.5 out of 5 stars, 390 reviews
McGuire’s Irish Pub is big on all the things that matter: flavor, beer, fun, and tradition. Sign a dollar bill and McGuire’s will hang it up from the ceiling with the rest of them. The menu is full of some stellar Irish food, but you absolutely must order the 18 cent soup, which actually costs 18 cents and is delicious.

4. Perk Up At The Drowsy Poet

The Drowsy Poet Coffee Company
86 Brent Ln
Pensacola, FL 32503
(850) 696-2887
Yelp: 4.5 out of 5 stars, 50 reviews
If you’re looking for a pick-me-up, do yourself a favor and drive right past any Starbucks that you might find. The Drowsy Poet will remind you of all the things that coffee shops promised you they were going to be when they first became popular. They specialize in hand-roasting small batches and making each cup a work of art. Pair your java with cinnamon rolls, scones, croissant sandwiches, or a fresh-baked dessert for a day that couldn’t possibly go wrong.

5. Papa Nalu Aloha Grill Brings The Island To The Gulf

Papa Nalu Aloha Grill
3499 Gulf Breeze Pkwy
Gulf Breeze, FL 32563
(850) 932-4837
Yelp: 4.5 out of 5 stars, 46 reviews
You don’t need to spend a small fortune and take a long flight to get to Hawaii. All you have to do is go for a meal at Papa Nalu Aloha Grill. Come for lunch and order the Mahi sandwich, the teriyaki burger, or the Maui Wowie pork sandwich with a side of sweet potato fries for some traditional Hawaii flavor that will be a getaway in your mouth.

6. Find The Best Breakfast Sandwiches In The Panhandle At Wide Awake Café

Wide Awake Café
5711 Hwy 90
Milton, FL 32583
(850) 626-6095
Yelp: 5 out of 5 stars, 9 reviews
Wide Awake Café is cozy, the staff is friendly, and the coffee is great. But what really separates this place from the rest of the coffee shops in the Panhandle is, hands down, the breakfast sandwiches. Locals will drive out of their way just to get a bite and visitors who just so happen to stumble in here will think they won the lottery.

7. Dee’s Hangout Offers Seafood With A Southern Flare

Dee’s Hangout
10440 Front Beach Rd
Panama City Beach, FL 32407
(850) 249-4264
Yelp: 4.5 out of 5 stars, 281 reviews
Dee’s Hangout is the spot for enjoying some top notch seafood, hang out with friends, and enjoy some good southern cooking. Try the roast beef po’ boy with gravy and grab a bag of Zapp’s Cajun Craw Taters for an extra zip. The sides include southern gems done right like collard greens, cheese grits and baked beans. And you can also find some great raw oysters on demand.

8. Kool Beanz Café

Kool Beanz Café
921 Thomasville Rd
Tallahassee, FL 32303
(850) 224-2466
Yelp: 4.5 out of 5 stars, 210 reviews
When you want to class it up a little bit without breaking the bank, Kool Beanz Café will never disappoint. The food is locally sourced and ridiculously fresh. It’s so fresh, in fact, that the menu changes daily to incorporate the best ingredients that were bought that day. If they have shrimp and grits on the menu, you must, must get it.

9. Dine On Crab Claws The Size Of Your Head At Old Bay Steamer

Old Bay Steamer
102 Santa Rosa Blvd
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
(850) 664-2795
Yelp: 4 out of 5 stars, 152 reviews
The crabs, shrimp, and scallops at Old Bay Steamer look like they’ve been working out with Arnold Schwarzenegger circa 1970. The best part is that with their “no fried crap” policy, you always know that they take the time to get them done right. The food here is cooked with quality and love, and you can taste the difference. Order The Crab and Shrimp Steamer with oysters on the half shell, jumbo Royal Red Shrimp, crab legs, corn, red potatoes, and lots of butter to experience a little bit of everything.

10. Find The Burger You’ve Dreamt About Your Whole Life At Tucker Duke’s

Have you ever dreamt of a burger joint that was so awesome that if you brought in a framed picture of your dog, they’ll hang it up on the wall and give a free burger? Probably not. But you are now, aren’t you? Lucky for you, Tucker Duke’s Lunchbox won’t keep you dreaming very long because it’s a reality there. Head on over for some of the best burgers and tater tots in the Panhandle. Tucker Duke’s
73 S John Sims Pkwy
Valpariso, FL 32580
(850) 279-3049
Yelp: 4.5 out of 5 stars, 73 reviews

11. An Apalachicola Raw Bar Gem Just Up The Creek

Up The Creek Raw Bar
313 Water St
Apalachicola, FL 32320
(850) 653-2525
Yelp: 4 out of 5 stars, 84 reviews
Spicy tuna tartar tacos. A shrimp and gator fried basket. Oysters parmesan. A cajun or alligator burger. These are just a few of the gems that you’ll find at Up The Creek Raw Bar in Apalachicola. You’ll dine next to docked boats with the sun shining down, and if you’re debating what to drink, definitely go for the tequila on the rocks by the dock.

12. Sushi Heaven To Break Up The Week At Bamboo

Bamboo Sushi Bar & Hibachi2505 S Ferdon Blvd
Crestview, FL 32536
(850) 689-1391
Yelp: 4 out of 5 stars on Yelp, 56 reviews
When you’re looking to mix things up in the fish department a little bit, some good sushi and hibachi is just what the doctor ordered. The cucumber salad is the perfect way to start yourself off, as a salad topped with a piece of tuna, yellowtail, shrimp, and fresh salmon. A favorite roll here is the King Kong roll, but whatever you choose you won’t be disappointed.

13. Come As You Are To Peg Leg Pete’s

Peg Leg Pete’s
1010 Fort Pickens Rd
Pensacola Beach, FL 32561
(850) 932-4139
Yelp: 4 out of 5 stars, 286 reviews
Sometimes you just want to ditch the pomp and just get some good food in a cool place that doesn’t make your wallet whine. That’s when you head to Peg Leg Pete’s. The seafood here is southern-inspired with a cajun flare. They make some fantastic grouper nuggets that will ruin the chicken kind for you forever, and the BLT made with their prized grouper is a delight, too.

14. Find Live Music At The Bar At Shorty’s Surfside

Shorty’s Surfside
63 Hotz Ave
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
(850) 468-0417
Yelp: 3.5 out of 5 stars, 24 reviews
It doesn’t get better than good people, great food, a lot to drink, and live music just minutes from the beach. At Shorty’s Surfside, you will find all of the above. As an added plus for any of you fishermen out there – they will cook your fish for you how you like it as long as it is cleaned and filleted. And please note, forgoing the banana foster cheesecake would be a crime.

15. Great Southern Café Has The Grits

Great Southern Café
83 Central Sq
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
(850) 231-7327
Yelp: 4 out of 5 stars, 155 reviews
Tucked away in Santa Rosa Beach, you’ll find the Great Southern Café, where they serve up the best grits to be found in the Panhandle, as well as some spectacular fried green tomatoes, collard greens, and hushpuppies. If you come for brunch (which you should), order the beignets and be prepared to order too many bloody marys because they are sublime, which is the only way to start a proper southern Sunday…after church, of course.

What’s your go-to for great grub in the Florida Panhandle? Tell us in the comments below!