643 Best Restaurants in Florida, USA

With a contemporary farm-to-table menu and spacious dining rooms and bars, this spot in PGA Commons has plenty of local fans. Happy-hour crowds fill the patio bar–lounge area to sip the craft cocktails and nibble from a cheese or salumi board. The fare includes such contemporary farm-fresh dishes as a double-cut Duroc pork chop and chophouse steaks, including a daily butcher's cut. Comfort dishes like Jerry's bacon-wrapped meat loaf satisfy those missing their mom's cooking. A separate children's menu is available.

Make a pit stop at Coopertown Restaurant for local flavor and delicacies sourced straight from the swamp. This eatery opened in the early 1960s as a sandwich stand, and it has long been a favorite among the famous and the humbly hungry. In addition to catfish and shrimp, house specialties include frogs' legs and alligator tail breaded in cornmeal and deep-fried. Sandwich options include burgers, hot dogs, and grilled cheese. Restrooms are outside. The restaurant is part of Coopertown's The Original Air Boat Tour business that dates back to 1945.

With stunning views of the 5.7-million-gallon aquarium, dining at Coral Reef is as entertaining as it is delicious. As you watch marine life—and sometimes scuba divers—swim by, enjoy dishes from a seasonal menu that's heavy on seafood offerings. Options might include shrimp and grits or seared mahi-mahi in a coconut and cilantro-lime sauce. This is a great option for those wanting to try upscale dining with younger kids, as they'll be able to either test new items such as lobster bisque or play it safe with grilled chicken. Plus, the aquarium is a great distraction while waiting for the food to arrive!

It's worth venturing inland from the beach to this popular spot in the Canal Street shopping district. The lively, beachy-casual dining room is decorated with tropical plants, exposed brick walls, and umbrellas (yes, umbrellas indoors), and there's also an outdoor seating area (with more umbrellas). The soft-pretzel sticks with Yuengling beer cheese dip make a great starter, while popular mains include the coffee- and brown sugar–rubbed CorkScrew burger with candied pork belly, the smothered Southern chicken and whatever fresh seafood special the chef is whipping up.

This restaurant brings Provençal joie de vivre and flavor to Naples with dishes that are sometimes made using exotic ingredients but are always prepared to perfection. The narrow dining room, with yellow-striped awnings and windows inset with mirrors and flower boxes, suggests a French sidewalk café.

Burgers, sushi, bento boxes, and a combo the founders call "burgushi" bring Universal goers to this contemporary second-story restaurant. The setting is flashy, with colorful booths and playful decor complementing video screens showing schools of fish swimming by, aquarium-style. Unwind with a cocktail like Buffalos and Bacon, a bourbon-cherry liqueur combo garnished with candied bacon. The rolls and burgers defy traditional rules, with bento boxes combining the two and other mixes and matches such as a sushi "fusion" roll that might be a sushi roll—or it might have filet mignon layered in. And a burger might be a hunk of ground beef, or it could have peanut butter, banana, and bacon.

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.

A lovely Victorian setting is the perfect place for the old-fashioned and lovable Winnie the Pooh and friends to greet your kids via A Buffet with Character, offered here three meals a day. Upscale goodies are served for adults while a separate children's spread features foods more appealing to them. A pre-9 am breakfast reservation is available. Request a window table for the spot to watch the Magic Kingdom parades and fireworks.

The dining rooms at this Cuban restaurant feel as if they're movie sets of Old Havana, with dramatic touches upstairs and down. Start your meal with a meat-filled arepa rellena corn cake or a platter of two to four empanadas filled with savory ground beef and olives, chicken, cheese, or pork; for the main course, consider the churrasco à la Cubana (grilled skirt steak) with a lemon-onion sauce plus a watercress-mushroom escabeche salad. Go traditional with a pressed Cuban sandwich, which is part of the classic platter featuring black bean soup, salad, and chips, or a good version of the traditional ropa vieja, shredded beef brisket with tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions in a red wine sauce.

When he migrated from Louisiana to Northwest Florida, chef Tim Creehan became a culinary celebrity, known for his creative takes on steak and seafood. He's helmed restaurants up and down the coast and now showcases his award-winning talents as chef-owner of Cuvee 30A, where entrées include black-pepper-crusted yellowfin tuna and pecan-crusted Grouper Vince. You can also reserve a special seat at the Chef's Table to watch as chefs prepare your meal. The dining room and bar are casually elegant; for a much more casual experience, visit Creehan's 30A Burger, just a few doors down in the 30 Avenue center.

Four reasons to go: the fried grouper sandwich, the clam "chowda," anything else seafood—including the shrimp po' boy and oyster sandwich—and the beef burgers. It's very popular among locals—just check out the packed parking lot at lunch and dinner. New England–style seafood is a house specialty, including whole-belly clams and lobster, but the grouper and mahimahi are fresh from local waters.

From the same team behind Brooklyn's famous Lucali restaurant comes a fast casual New York--style pizzeria specializing in thin crust brick-oven pies and hearty Italian comfort dishes. Menu highlights include massive meatballs, chicken Parmesan, pepperoni chips, and salads. Make sure to visit the bar in the back, Dom's, for refreshing cocktails and wine and a rowdy karaoke night on Thursday.

Mexico City natives chef Nora De La Vega and her brother, Mano, run this casual-elegant downtown restaurant serving Latin-fusion tapas. The menu emphasizes healthy, fresh ingredients, with numerous vegan and vegetarian options, and some of chef Nora's creations—such as the banderillas (chicken or cheese skewers with zucchini, roasted peppers, and mango vinaigrette)—look almost too good to eat. During weekend brunch, unlimited tapas and sangria accompany creative egg dishes such as the huevos con nopal (freshly grilled cactus, fried egg, refried black beans, and pepper sauce), which is served with tropical granola and the best avocado toast you've ever had. Outside, there are two rows of tables on the sidewalk; inside, you'll find a serene ambience, with dark-wood tables and dramatic art on the walls. 

Tallahassee has its fair share of popular pizza emporiums, but many put Midtown's Decent Pizza at the top of their favorites list. A couple of Florida State University grads opened this simple pizzeria, which became an instant hit with those on an undergraduate budget: slices and salads start at $5.95 and $4.95, respectively. Choose from 35 toppings for red-sauce, pesto, or white pies. Bring your patience; lunchtime lines are out the door.

Reaching this beloved eatery run by descendants of Destin's original fishing families is a bit of an adventure, but the seafood and the setting—in a shack that juts over the water and has excellent Choctawhatchee Bay views—are well worth the trip along a gravel road and through an industrial area. If you prefer a larger, more traditional restaurant, Dewey Destin's Harborside, which has a longer menu and serves both lunch and dinner, is less than a mile away.

Geographically speaking, this trendy spot is in Downtown Pensacola (on leafy Seville Square), but its cuisine is all over the map. Appetizers offer the most variety, with influences from all over the world; main courses are more American in character. You'll also find the fish of the day (blackened, grilled, or tempura-fried) and sushi, which is brought in from a local seafood market. Dine inside under a collection of Southern folk art or outside under café umbrellas and droopy oaks.

This sophisticated steak house sits on the same street Andrew Jackson walked to meet the Spanish Governor Cavalla in order to transfer the territory to the United States in 1821. Contemporary furnishings in an old-world setting take you back in time, and the meat is aged as well. Enjoy traditional apps like shrimp cocktail or oysters Rockefeller before selecting your steak paired with sides such as lobster risotto or whipped Yukon golds.

Farm-fresh foods with a Southern accent are served at this chef-owned restaurant with a theater kitchen, where comfort foods are taken to new levels. (Slow Food, a group that celebrates local foods and artisans, has given the restaurant a "Snail of Approval.") The vibe is both hipster and rustic melded into an open (and often noisy) space; the chefs provide entertainment, and the bar is lively. On an ever-changing menu (check the website for the current list), find homemade condiments and jams served with crab hush puppies, sweet-tea fried chicken, or blackened Gulf shrimp. Look for unusual meat dishes as well: a U.S. Prime teres major is a seldom-seen shoulder cut served here with asparagus, warm potato salad, and garlic butter—creative fare in a convivial setting. If listed, don't miss the Grand Marnier soufflé for dessert.

This sprawling restaurant is always crowded and festive, but it's not just the rustic setting that draws the throngs—it's the seafood. The specialty is rock shrimp, which are served fried, broiled, or steamed. Diners with a hearty appetite can opt for the Dixie Spectacular, featuring rock shrimp, scallops, crab legs, and lobster, or, if seafood isn't your choice, the menu offers steaks, chicken, and ribs. You might have to wait (up to 90 minutes) for a table, but if you don't have time to wait, you can order takeout or use the call-ahead seating option. A word to the wise: when that basket of corn fritters dusted with powdered sugar appears like magic on your table, try not to fill up on them.

This hangar bay transformed into a quick-service restaurant by chef Strono “Cookie” Tuggs serves out-of-this world meals. Try the braised beef stir-fry or the fried chicken tip yip with roasted vegetables. Those with egg or gluten allergies will find multiple options here, and if the line looks overwhelming, order online with the My Disney Experience app.

Specialty hot dogs such as bacon, macaroni, and cheese or a California BLTA (bacon, lettuce, tomato, and avocado) make this a great stop for quick meal. In addition to vanilla and chocolate, shakes can be made with Baileys Irish Cream and Kahlúa liqueur, while the Minute Maid Frozen Lemonade adds Tito's Handmade Vodka.

The Emerald Coast's worst-kept secret is the Donut Hole. Lines of customers appear at 6 am for scrumptious baked goods (which tend to sell out) to go. Breakfast, which is served all day, is supplemented by diner foods later on. There are two other Donut Hole locations: the original on Highway 98 in Destin and one inland in Santa Rosa Beach.

Taking inspiration from Greece, Turkey, the greater Mediterranean and Middle East, this meze and bar restaurant consistently wins accolades for their amazing small plates that are amazing to share with many people. The drinks are creative and unique, making the perfect start and end to the meal. The best thing to do is order a mix of cold and hot meze for the table, and finish with a Turkish coffee and desert. Notable dishes on the menu include their take on muhammara (roasted red pepper hummus) topped with pomegranate molasses; the adana kebap (spiced ground lamb); and the whole grilled branzino. 

Sleek and stylish, Dragonfly is a bit of everything the young and beautiful people want—a pretty space featuring sushi, colorful martinis, and modern, izakaya-style small plates. Groups of dressed-up twenty- and thirtysomethings gather indoors and out to share plates of robata-cooked meats and vegetables, along with tempura, rolls, noodle dishes, and salads, all beautifully presented. The daily happy hour is hugely popular with locals.

Just upstairs from Casino Beach Bar is Drift, a fine-dining venue with the best views on the beach. Enjoy an award-winning wine list, prime rib on Sundays, and sunset happy hours in a spectacular setting. 

Palm Beach's window on Asia has a sleek sushi bar and floor-to-ceiling glass doors separating the interior from the popular terrace dining area. Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and Vietnamese selections are neatly categorized: Wind (small plates starting your journey), Water (seafood mains), Fire (open-flame wok creations), Earth (meat dishes), and Flavor (desserts, sweets). Pick from dim sum to sashimi, pad Thai to Szechuan beef, steamed sea bass to shrimp lo mein. On weekdays, come for the early shift (5–6 pm) for half-price sushi and cocktails in the restaurant's Dragonfly Lounge.

It's farm-to-table surf and turf at this elegantly understated restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel Miami, where hefty portions of the finest cuts and freshest seafood headline the menu, prepared by renowned chef Aaron Brooks. For a more casual experience, enjoy your meal and the restaurant's artisanal cocktails under the skies on the alfresco terrace.

Don't overlook happy hour weekdays 4--7 pm with $1 oysters, 2-for-1 bites, and $8 bubbles and cocktails.

A massive brick structure that, according to Disney lore, was the original power plant for the town of Disney Springs, houses this entertainment arena of more than a half-dozen distinct and richly themed rooms where food and drink mingle with palm readers, aerialists, contortionists, and other sideshow acts. The steampunk decor includes a massive clock in the main lobby and a dramatic, working steam engine. The daytime menu reinvents bar food like signature burgers, hawker-style lamb balls, and the whimsical candied bacon strips hung on a miniature clothesline. After 10 pm, a dress code goes in effect as the space becomes an over-21 club with dancers and a live band powering up the power plant.

In the relatively short time this gastropub has been around, it has handily earned a spot at the table of Tampa culinary musts. The internationally influenced, creative menu changes almost every day as chef–owner Jeannie Pierola experiments with a revolving list of intriguing ingredients. Choices include Korean-style fried chicken and waffles as well as butternut squash and coconut gnudi (a type of gnocchi). And the list goes on. The kitchen happily makes substitutions or changes recipes if you have any dietary restrictions. The bar has a great list of craft cocktails.