eating on 30-A--I am overwhelmed!! Plz help

[arkiegirl]

Coming to Seagrove in a week and a half. I am the planner. I have looked at lists, posts, and website on local eating establishments but I am overwhelmed. I have never been to the area (only to Destin), so I am having trouble keeping it all straight in my head. I know you locals get tired of my tourist questions--but isnt that what boards like this are for?

Some questions:

SEAFOOD!!!--where do you recommend for good seafood--NOT the upscale places (we dont want to make reservations, dress nice, and have facny place settings with our bunch). This will be 2 fams with children. We cant spend a fortune on food. I would like something that compares to Dewey Destins. We love that little shack! Does Pickles and Flip Flops have seafood items? I would love to have recommendations of things to order, prices, etc. And please dont refer me to 30-A websites, I have looked at several but I want personal recommendations.

So I know we will get tired of seafood, other suggestions--casual, family oriented, etc.

What places do you recommend for carry outs?

And for other tourists, what meals did you plan to fix in your condo? I am looking for easy meals (besides sandwiches) to fix for our group. I have so far taco salad, spaghetti,..................what else, things that dont require a lot of ingredients.

 

[La Botana]

Stinky's is great place for seafood and Flip Flops is great and the kids will really enjoy. La Botana is great for good glass of wine and some real Latin Tapas. 30a is the best for dinning !!!!

 

[TreeFrog]

Arkiegirl-

Lord knows there must be 873 SoWal posts on restaurant recommendations, so your overwhelmedness (have I made another new word?) is understandable.

You'll be in Seagrove, I live there, so I'll give you some comments from that perspective.

1-Old Florida Fish House is NOT what the name implies. Nothing like Dewey Destin. Big, loud, crowded, pricey entrees, spotty service. The flamers will jump me soon and they are jammed with families in the season, but I wouldn't take two families of kids there.

2-Stinky's is great, but it's a little pricey too if you're feeding a bunch of kids.

3-Angelina's for takeout pizza and pasta. Quick and close by. Stick with the basics, get pizza and spaghetti. The fancy pastas sound attractive but aren't as successful. I happily eat a lot of dinners from there. Friends don't let friends eat pizza from Bruno's, though. Or, head east and get takeout from Cowgirl Kitchen in Rosemary.

4-Flip Flops is great for lunch. Say hi to Greg and Shea.

5-My suggestion for the Dewey Destin equivalent is Hurricane Oyster Bar in Grayton. Kid friendly, good seafood selection, picnic tables overlooking the pond in good weather.

6-Breakfast at Hibiscus in Grayton.

7-Pick up steamed shrimp at Goatfeathers in Seagrove. Throw together a bagged salad, boil a little corn, bust open a box of ice cream at the end. Everybody goes away happy.

8-I still really like Seagrove Market for sandwiches and po-boys. Grilled and fried grouper, grilled and fried shrimp, fried oysters. All good. For some reason, they don't do catfish all that well, though. No matter, you should be able to get good catfish at home. At least in the flatlands, every town in Arkansas with a post office has (or used to have, when I was there) a catfish joint.

9-IxNay on Pickles. If you need lunch in Seaside, try Roly Poly instead. One rollup will feed two kids, unless they are teens. The Taco Bar is a great favorite of mine, but it's not cheap. Or , step over to Modica Market and pick up some of the great deli stuff, eat it right there on one of their outdoor tables.

10-Fine dining in Seagrove, if you can dump the kids - Cafe 30A is great. Not to take away anything from Cafe Tango, Fire, Borago, Gravel Road, Criolla's, D&K, Basmati, Bud and Alley's, Onano, 30A Chops, and the many other fine dining spots. I'm just saying the one nearest you is very good, if you don't want to venture far.

11-And finally, everybody loves the Red Bar. Very kid-friendly and fun for all.

 

[beachmouse]

Publix has good rotisserie chicken, which you can use in a lot of different easy dishes. They've also got some good bakery offerings. Their french hamburger rolls are great for burgers and sandwiches, as are their cuban rolls when you can find them.

More good bakery stuff and lunch offerings at Fabrice's.

 

[Minnie]

For the best tuna salad on 30-A try Wild Olives at Rosemary Beach. Pizza is great at either Pizza by the Sea or Amore' at Gulf Place.

 

[TreeFrog]

Publix has good rotisserie chicken, which you can use in a lot of different easy dishes. They've also got some good bakery offerings. Their french hamburger rolls are great for burgers and sandwiches, as are their cuban rolls when you can find them.

More good bakery stuff and lunch offerings at Fabrice's.

The rotisserie chicken is indeed good. And popular. So much so, that it can sell out quickly. Coupla times, I've been wondering if I'd have to wrestle somebody. :funn: Might not hurt to call Publix and find out when the next batch is expected to pop out of the unit.

And Publix's key lime pie is far better than it has a right to be, for a grocery store bakery. Not to be missed. If you don't like it, PM me and I'll pick up the leftovers.

 

[Jdarg]

I agree with everything Treefrog said. And with 2 families to seat together, prepare to wait, wherever you go. I have noticed that the Red Bar has people overflowing into the street at 5, trying to beat the rush!

I would add Amore pizza (sit on the patio), and Smiling Fish for lunch (arrive at 11:30).

There isn't anything like Dewey's here. We go to Freeport when we want good fried seafood- Nick's. Although lots of people are talking about the Luv Shack- do a search on this site for it.

 

[Franny]

Love Shack should be checked out, Friday nights all you can eat flounder and they have a pool for the kids. Another place that we forget about is Boon Docks, good food and reasonably priced. Located north of Hwy 79 directly on the intercoastal.

 

[srroth]

Check out Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken located in Redfish Village. 30A and Hwy. 83
It's affordable and the food is great. Say hi to Courtney.

 

[flipflopsgrill]

Flip Flops Po Boys

I agree with TreeFrog ... many great restaurants on 30-A...

We are very family friendly, very affordable and very casual...our best items are our fresh burgers, chili dogs, shrimp po boys, blackened grouper po boy and fried grouper po boys...so come by and say hi... oh we also do hot fresh beignets for Breakfast...we are open 8am to 8pm 7 days a week...


see ya.