At Gulf Coast Beachfronts, we know that you come to Panama City Beach to experience the sun and surf. There are many reasons why people choose Panama City Beach as a favorite place to stay while they are here. There are many things to do in the area including state parks where you can experience all of nature’s splendor, and family attractions such as Pier Park shopping and Shipwreck Island Water Park. After a day of swimming with the dolphins, the next question you may have is where to eat. Our Panama City Beach condo rentals have excellent kitchens for dining in, but what’s the fun in that when you have fabulous restaurants nearby that keep people coming back year after year?
We know that if you are staying in one of our beautiful Panama City Beach condo rentals, there are almost too many choices for dining. It is hard to decide which ones to try. We want to make sure that you have the best dining experience possible while you are in the area. That is why we have taken it upon ourselves, to the detriment of our waistlines, to visit some of the best restaurants in the area that are closest to our condos in Panama City Beach. Keep in mind that these are not paid reviews but are the results of our own experiences after touring many local restaurants and sampling many excellent savory dishes, all for the sake of research of course. These are the places we frequent and expect you will love them too.
The Grand Marlin
Seafood is king at the Grand Marlin. This is one of the higher-end restaurants on our list that features a great view of the marina. You can watch the boats gently sail in and out while you dine on specialties such as crab, steaks, lobster dishes, and of course their famous raw oyster bar. All of their seafood is fresh, and the atmosphere is absolutely stunning. The scenery, great service, and excellent cuisine make for an absolutely relaxing dining experience. Be sure to enjoy a selection off their exquisite wine and cocktail list.
Lisa’s Kitchen Café & Catering
If you are in the mood for a great sandwich, this is the place to go. They make all of their food from scratch using only the freshest ingredients. Their sandwiches are made from their own homemade Focaccia bread and they make delicious soups and salads featuring their own salad dressings. Even the mayonnaise is homemade here! In all honesty, you could not go wrong with anything on the menu. This little sandwich shop is more than an ordinary deli and is a great place to stop by as you enjoy the local sights and sounds.
Firefly
Firefly is another great restaurant that you have to try. It is best known for its romantic setting, but also features a kid’s menu and an area for more relaxed dining. Whether you decide to try the yellowfin tuna tartare, or sweet and spicy pineapple shrimp, you will be sure to be pleased. Their roasted duck breast, bone-in rib eye, Australian rack of lamb, and seasonal Gulf fish all make excellent choices for a special night out. Its elegant atmosphere, famous sushi bar, and award-winning cuisine stood up to the tests of our taste buds wonderfully.
Thomas Donut & Snack Shop
Before your set out on your day of fun to enjoy the local sights, Thomas Donut & Snack Shop is the perfect start. This donut shop has stood the test of time and a local and tourist favorite for years. They feature a wide variety of fresh, homemade local doughnuts. They also have snacks such as shrimp melt sandwiches, grilled chicken and avocado sandwiches, pizza, and hot dogs. But of course, what you want to know is about the doughnuts. Well friends, they are delicious, but then again, they are doughnuts so how could you go wrong?
Schooners
Schooners is a great traditional beach bar that is close to all of the beach front action. They feature live bands and are right on the beachfront. They feature beach bar specialties such as crab cakes, white shrimp flatbread, tuna medallions, peel and eat shrimp, specialty burgers, and other beachy favorites. We thought the food was really good, but our favorite thing about this restaurant was the environment. Schooners is the place for fun and has a family-friendly party atmosphere. If you are here during their annual Lobster Festival, be sure to check out some of the excellent sand sculptures. Don’t forget to bring your camera for some beautiful surf and sunset photo ops. This is a place that needs to be part of your experience when you stay at one of the condos in Panama City Beach.
Dee’s Hang Out
We have saved the best for last, in our opinion. Dee’s Hang Out is perhaps on the top of our list of all the places we have reviewed so far. They feature Jambalaya, oysters almost any way you can imagine, specialty burgers, blackened redfish, crab, and shrimp. A great bottled beer list including American favorites, premium domestics, and imports makes an excellent finish to your day. They also have a great kids menu. There is only one drawback. It seems that everyone else in Panama City Beach knows about it too. The wait was long, but in the end, we think it was well worth it. If you don’t want to wait, you can always order online for a pickup from the comfort of your Panama City Beach condo.
There you have it, the 30A Beachfronts list of some of the best places that you do not want to miss when you stay at Tidewater Beach Resort, Splash, or any other one of our excellent Panama City Beach condos. We have many condos near Pier Park and other popular attractions.
That is not all we have to offer, if you have a vacation rental, be sure to give us a call for your property management needs. Whether you are looking for a beach front rental or have one to offer, we take the stress off so that all you have to do is enjoy the sunshine and wiggle your toes in the sand.
