Local Guide
Coastal Flavors
Five local dining staples we actually eat at — from 30A to Panama City Beach.
After twenty-five years of living and working on this coast, we have eaten our way through a great many restaurants. These five are the ones we keep going back to — and the ones we send people to when they ask.
Not a sponsored list, not a ranking. Just five places we like, running west to east, with the thing we would order at each.
01 · Santa Rosa Beach
Stinky’s Fish Camp
5960 W County Hwy 30A, Santa Rosa Beach
Do not let the name put you off — Stinky’s is a 30A institution. It sits right on a coastal dune lake, which makes it the rare place where the view is as good as the seafood.
What we’d order: get there early for Sunday brunch. The crawfish pie is a local obsession and it sells out.
02 · Rosemary Beach
Cowgirl Kitchen Market & Cafe
54 Main St, Rosemary Beach
Right on the town square in Rosemary Beach, and considerably more relaxed than its surroundings might lead you to expect. Our favourite stop for a long lunch when we are already down that end of 30A.
What we’d order: a tub of the pimento cheese to take away. It is the ideal companion to a sunset bonfire on the beach.
03 · Inlet Beach
Crabby Steve’s Highpointe
10254 E Co Hwy 30A, Inlet Beach
One of the better-kept secrets on this coast. Gulf-front dining where you get the breeze and the water without the queue you would face a few miles west.
Finding it: it is tucked in behind the Highpointe high-rise. Follow the beach access signs and keep walking — it is worth the extra minute.
A Local’s Note
Nearly everywhere on this list is busier between May and September than the rest of the year, and most of them do not take reservations. Eating early is not a compromise here — it is how the people who live here do it.
04 · Panama City Beach
Boon Docks
14854 Bay View Cir, Panama City Beach
Sitting under the West Bay Bridge, Boon Docks is Old Florida at its best. Fried shrimp, hushpuppies, and a view of the water that has not been redeveloped into anything else.
What we’d do: take a table outside on the dock at dusk and watch the local boats work their way through the bridge.
05 · Panama City
Capt. Anderson’s Restaurant
5551 N Lagoon Dr, Panama City
No trip to Panama City Beach is really complete without it. Capt. Anderson’s has been part of this community for decades, and it has stayed good for the whole of that time — which is rarer than it sounds.
What we’d order: the grilled Scamp Lagniappe. It is the local favourite for a reason.
Eating well is part of living well here. We take some pride in knowing what our area actually has to offer, because it is the same knowledge that tells you which streets flood, which communities have real beach access, and which buildings are worth the HOA.
Whether you are here for a week, having a look before you buy, or already living it — we hope this saves you a mediocre dinner or two.
Experience Counts
Thinking about making this home?
Vacation property, investment, or somewhere to stay for good — we know this coast street by street.