What are your Top Sowal Restaurants?

[Will B]

Post deleted...

Did some funky multiple copy and paste of the same thing above...

 

[Teresa]

HA HA HA HA!!!!

What did you do? Google "restaurants in Sowal" and list every place?



Sorry...couldn't resist!

No, I listed all my favorites (about 15) then looked at SoWal.com dining guide and realized there are some we visit frequently - we love them all for various reasons - could NOT leave them off. There are some that I visit for ONE thing, and some that we visit because they are so family oriented, etc. Flip Flops is my favorite local fast food! and its better than any fast food chains, for sure.

I am going to think about it and try to narrow it down to 12.

Now is a good time to go into the dining guide and do your ratings.

 

[30A Skunkape]

We got to try Fire in their new spot yesterday. The space is awesome, and the food continues to be cutting edge. We went for brunch, and I enjoyed one of their 'experimental' bloody marys (they infuse the vodka with pickled goodies) and had the chef's special sandwich, which was a grouper taco. Excellence.

Last night we went to Fish Out of Water, and I'm here to tell you, this place has just upped the ante on fine dining here. I had one of the best salads of my life there, a locavore/organic offering. Usually my eyes glaze over when they start talking about that kind of stuff, but this really sounded intriguing-it had wonderful heirloom carrots (purple!), all sorts of greens, wonderful asparagus, crisped squash and a tart basil infused dressing with a portion of local goat cheese. My main entree was a pappardelle pasta dish with a cream sauce that featured some simmered basil and primo tuna. Punzy had raw oysters (always good there) and an amazing grouper on polenta dish. The fish was flash fried with a perfect crunch and topped with a lump crabmeat sauce. Words can't do it justice.

The executive chef is new, I believe he was sous chef there previously. He is certainly ambitious. Everyone in the mood for high quality food and service should try it. We were actually going to go to Stinkys before we went to FOOW, but the wait for two was an hour and a half! I love Stinkys, but I just can't do it for dinner in tourist season-and I can't believe the food, service or prices are any better than what we enjoyed last night.

 

[Iris]

Thirty-A Café
Fish Out of Water
George’s
Smiling Fish Café
Tarpon Bar
Pizza – Bruno’s / Pickle Factory / Pizza Bar – It depends on what type of pizza I am craving, the atmosphere I am in the mood for, and whether I want a cocktail or not…
Shorty’s
V – but have only been there once, so I reserve the right to delete it off my top 10
Outside of SOWAL:
Gene’s Oyster Bar(best secret in the Panhandle)
Oisha Thai(best fresh to order Thai in the area)
Dee’s Hangout(best Roast Beef PoBoy outside of NOLA)

 

[Arkiehawg]

Let's do this list a bit diferently. These are places that are easy on my wallet and have a specialty I like. They are also places I can go into wearing my usual attire of a baseball cap, tee shirt and shorts and feel perfectly at home and not necessarily part of the elite crowd. Anyway, here they are.

1. Shoomama's-great oysters and fish tacos
2. 98 Bar-B-Que-the name says it all. Best "feast for four" anywhere.
3. El Mercandito-great Cuban sandwich and tamales.
4. The Caf-best fried chicken around.
5. Bayou Bill's-try the paradise shrimp, my favorite.
6. Marie's-any dish is a treat!
7. Sally's Backside-the meatloaf is superb and morning breakfast biscuits a legend.
8. Nicks-fried seafood is always great.
9. House of Klaus-you can't beat his pastrami sandwich and it isn't on the menu.
10.Louis Louis-the pork tenderloin is to die for!

There are more that a local likes that are old standby's, I'm sure such as Angelina's which is wonderful for their antipasto salad and stromboli but these all are my favorites. Reasonable, good food and casual. I have found one thing for sure. It is almost unheard of to get a bad meal in SoWal.

AA, our polytics may differ, but our belly's like the same grub! IMO, I would add Fat Clemenza's....

 

[Teresa]

Had lunch at 98BBQ today: best french fries ever. great BBQ too - hard to come by around here!

 

[Andy A]

AA, our polytics may differ, but our belly's like the same grub! IMO, I would add Fat Clemenza's....

I haven't tried Fat Clemenza's but it is on my "to do" list. There are so many really good restaurants,as I've mentioned previously, it is almost impossible to get a bad meal. For that, I am eternally grateful and Arkiehawg, I'm pleased that are belly's are on the same page.

 

[Paula]

Georges at Alys Beach
Beignets at Flip Flops (wish they'd have them all year round not just during peak seasons!)
Brunch at Fire
Stinky's fish camp
Liars club for breakfast, especially if I get a table in the little back room on the lake
fresh fish caught off Seacrest Beach and eating them at home 15 minutes after they were caught (taste so delicate - like butter)
So many great places to eat, but these are our favorites (and I'm glad to hear Caliza is on the list, so we'll get there more often now, too)

 

[Beach Runner]

New top 9 list from going to FOOW last night after reading Skunky's rec:

Fish Out Of Water – see Skunky's list; also the beef tenderloin is fabulous
Pizza Bar – everything on the menu
Borago – everything on the menu
Stinky’s – breakfast: crayfish étouffée with grits, bacon; lunch: Great Big Salad with shrimp, andouille po’ boy
Hibiscus – spinach-feta frittata, pancakes, served with love by Cheri
Shoo Mama’s – Diablo burger with fried jalapeños
Café Thirty-A – Maine Lobster in Paradise, wood oven roasted fish
Taco Bar – carnitas tacos, cheese dip, Texas margaritas
George’s – Salade Niçoise
​

 

[Bell V.]

We love Gene's Oyster Bar -- it's such a quirky humble little place. I wish they sold beer. Otherwise, it's a MUST when the weather gets cold.