Where to eat: 10 essential restaurants in Fort Pierce include 12A Buoy, Pineapple Joe's
Bucket-list restaurants in Fort Pierce are legendary and beloved, whether it be for the food or for the views — or for both. They can be found on the beach by the Atlantic Ocean, on the water by the Indian River Lagoon or downtown.
When you think of Fort Pierce, you think of these restaurants.
The city has too many must-visit restaurants to include them all, so TCPalm plans to make more lists. If you have a restaurant that should be included in the next list for Fort Pierce or any Treasure Coast city, email laurie.blandford@tcpalm.com.
Here are 10 essential restaurants in Fort Pierce.
Legendary restaurants: These 7 icons have stood the test of time on the Treasure Coast
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12A Buoy has been a staple of Fisherman's Wharf since owners Katie James and Owen Hartley opened the small seafood restaurant in 2009. It's described as a rustic dive with exceptional eats, highlighting lunch and dinner options from its small kitchen on paper menus. Popular appetizers include lobster mac and cheese and hanging extra thick-cut black pepper and maple glaze bacon. Menu favorites include fresh catch fish, raw bar options, fried shrimp, Florida Black Angus burgers and homemade desserts.
22 Fisherman's Warf, Fort Pierce; 772-672-4524; 12abuoy.com
Archie's Seabreeze started when a former guard shack from the World War II Navy base became a beer joint in 1947. Archie Hitchins was the first owner, but it was Archie Summerlin who added ice cream, sandwiches and the infamous burgers in 1966 that still are a menu mainstay. Summerlin ran the business until his death in 1988 at age 59. Patty McGee bought Archie's from Summerlin's sister in 1994. Its slogan remains the same: "no shoes, no shirt, no problem."
401 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce; 772-460-3888; archiesftpierce.com
The late Dennis Horvath and his sister opened the original Captain's Galley Restaurant in 1984 across from the Fort Pierce City Marina and P.P. Cobb General Store. In 1987, Horvath moved and expanded the restaurant to the corner of Seaway and Indian River drives. He ran the eatery with his wife and three children until his death in 2014. Expect to wait for a table, especially for Sunday brunch. Get the Belgian waffle, but split it with someone to save room for more menu items. Order smaller portions of some plates, such as eggs Benedict and pigs in a blanket.
825 Indian River Drive, Fort Pierce; 772-466-8495; captainsgalleyfortpierce.com
Chuck's Seafood Restaurant opened in Fort Pierce on the Indian River Lagoon in 1961 on the Indian River Lagoon. Chuck and Elodie Tabor opened the restaurant using the 'Old Florida' recipes they developed in the 1940s for its famous fried shrimp. Peter Angelos took over in 1984 and ran it with his daughters, Georgette and Nicola — until they became owners when he retired in 2021. The Angelos sisters added weekend brunch and started selling bags of 'Chuck's Famous Seafood Breading' and Mason jars of 'Crazy Nick's Calypso Sauce,' the restaurant's house cocktail sauce and house tartar sauce. They also expanded the outdoor seating area and added live music.
822 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce; 772-461-9484; facebook.com/ChucksSeafood
Dale's Bar-B-Q, known as Dale's BBQ South, was founded by Dale Ernsberger Jr. in 1962. Andrew Sparks took over ownership in 2020 from Daniel Kinser, according to state records. It's not affiliated with the former Dale's BBQ West on Okeechobee Road, which rebranded to become Moonswiners Bar-B-Q in 2014. Dale's BBQ South is known for its sweet tea, onion chips, coleslaw, barbecue sandwiches — beef or pork — and homemade sauces.
3362 S. U.S. 1, Fort Pierce; 772-461-0052; dalesbbqsouth.com
Hurricane Grill & Wings is a national chain that started on Fort Pierce's South Beach in 1995. The Seaway Drive original was called Chris' Hurricane Bar and Grill after founder Chris Russo, who was only 22. Known for its chicken wings and cold beer, that spot is still one of eight Hurricane restaurants in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties. Since becoming a franchise, the restaurant has expanded to 40 locations in the U.S., including 29 in Florida. The restaurant is famous for its jumbo wings and 35 flavors. Signature sauces include Roasted Garlic Inferno for serious heat, Coco Loco with heat from habanero and cool from coconut, Gold Rush with spicy honey mustard, Cyclone with sweet and spicy chili sauce, and Kogi Secret Weapon with sweet garlic soy sauce.
2017 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce; 772-467-9464; hurricanewings.com
Little Jim Bait & Tackle in Fort Pierce, known as Little Jim's, was built in 1942 and originally served as a Navy guard shack and barrier island checkpoint during World War II. When the Navy left in 1944, it gave the city the land, the shack and the wooden bridge. What started out early as a bait shop grew into the popular live music hangout Little Jim's is today. Menu highlights include the pimento cheese spread and house-made classic onion dip with chips for an appetizer, as well as its tacos, pizzas, sandwiches and smash burger. It also serves breakfast from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
601 N. Causeway, Fort Pierce; 772-468-2503; littlejimbaitandtackle.com
Joseph Robert "Joe Bob" Clemenzi opened Pineapple Joe's Grill & Raw Bar and ran the restaurant for decades with his wife, Mabel, before his passing in 2021. The large dining area with walls lined by pecky cypress wood panels features a clawfoot tub near a pool table topped with a Budweiser chandelier. Its menu includes raw bar options and items from the grill: burgers, hot dogs, chicken breast sandwiches, shrimp, oysters and clam platters. Highlights include the conch fritters, served with its secret sweet and tangy calypso sauce, and the signature pineapple fritters, which are slightly sweet, doughnut hole-like balls. Save room to try the freshly made Key lime pie for dessert.
6297 N. U.S. 1, Fort Pierce; 772-465-6930; facebook.com/pineapplejoesgrill
All things food: Roundups of the latest reviews, inspections, new and best restaurants
The Pot Belli Deli has been a staple of downtown Fort Pierce since owner Lisa Spagnuolo opened the small diner inside the historic Arcade Building in 1989. It's open for breakfast and lunch with low menu prices. For breakfast, order two eggs, bacon or ham or sausage, grits or home fries, and a biscuit or toast for $10.50. It also has pancakes, Texas-style French toast and biscuits and gravy for less than $9. For lunch, order a jumbo hot dog with chili and cheese for less than $8 or the deli burger with lettuce and tomatoes for less than $9. All cold subs and hot subs are less than $10 each.
101 N. U.S. 1, Fort Pierce; 772-465-4888; potbellideli.com
Sharky's is the only restaurant on North Hutchinson Island. Its plaza was built in 1979, and the owners opened a sandwich shop called Mike's Giant Submarines, which became Sharky's in 1985. It's been owned by Cindy Rohn and her son, Derek, since 2010. It has a laidback, casual atmosphere where customers walk up to the counter to place their orders before they grab a table. It started out with just subs but grew to have an extensive menu with pizza, wings, salads and hamburgers. The subs are named after different sharks: the Great White is an Italian, the White Tip is ham and turkey, the Mako is roast beef and turkey and the Hammerhead is chicken Caesar. Derek Rohn created the Buffalo Soldier with fried chicken, diced and tossed in wing sauce, then topped with bacon and cheddar cheese and toasted.
1012 Shorewinds Drive, Fort Pierce; 772-466-2757; facebook.com/sharkys.fortpierce
Laurie K. Blandford is TCPalm's entertainment reporter dedicated to finding the best things to do on the Treasure Coast. Email her at laurie.blandford@tcpalm.com. Sign up for her What To Do in 772 weekly newsletter at profile.tcpalm.com/newsletters/manage.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: 10 essential restaurants in Fort Pierce: Chuck's Seafood, Dale's BBQ
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Power was cut by the flooding, with authorities inspecting the damage. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted the quake warnings were issued in a timely fashion, people were evacuated quickly, and buildings withstood the shocks. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
4 days ago
Russia's Far East 'land of fire and ice' avoids major damage from earthquake and tsunami
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MOSCOW (AP) — A powerful earthquakes struck Wednesday off Russia's Far East coast, flooding a fishing port with waves from a tsunami, cutting power to a few areas and sending some panicked residents fleeing buildings but causing only a few injuries. Regional authorities say they were prepared for the 8.8-magnitude quake and the subsequent waves, and moved quickly to keep residents safe. They introduced a state of emergency in some areas, but said there was no major damage. Here is what to know about the Russian areas hit by the quake and tsunami: Kamchatka peninsula Dubbed the 'land of fire and ice,' Kamchatka is one of the most active volcanic regions on Earth. It has about 300 volcanoes, with 29 of them still active, according to NASA's Earth Observatory. Quakes and tsunamis regularly strike the peninsula that lies close to an ocean trench where two tectonic plates meet. The 1,200-kilometer (750-mile)-long peninsula nine time zones east of Moscow faces the Pacific Ocean on its east and the Sea of Okhotsk along its west coast. Kamchatka and a few nearby islands have a population of about 290,000 with about 162,000 of them living in the regional capital of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in Avacha Bay on the peninsula's southeast. There are few roads on the peninsula, and helicopters are the only way to reach most areas. Fishing is the main economic activity. A major base for Russian nuclear submarines is located in Avacha Bay. The tallest volcano is Klyuchevskaya Sopka (4,750 meters or 15,584 feet), the largest active volcano in the Northern Hemisphere. Observers heard explosions and saw streams of lava on its western slopes, according to the Kamchatka branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences' geophysical service. Scientists have anticipated the eruption for some time, with the volcano's crater filling with lava for weeks and the mountain emitting plumes of ash. It last erupted in 2023. The Kuril islands The four volcanic islands, known in Russia as the Kurils, stretch between Kamchatka and the Japanese island of Hokkaido. The islands were captured by the Soviet Union from Japan in the closing days of World War II. Japan asserts territorial rights to the islands it calls the Northern Territories, and the dispute has kept the countries from signing a peace treaty The islands have a population of about 20,000, and the local economy is based on fishing. The Russian military has bolstered its presence in the area, refurbishing a Soviet-era air base and other outposts. The impact of the quake and tsunami The authorities on Kamchatka and the Kurils said they have been prepared for a major quake for a long time and acted quickly to protect the population. The 8.8-magnitude quake, centered about 120 kilometers (75 miles from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, struck at 11:24 a.m. local time (2324 GMT Tuesday, 7:24 p.m. EDT Tuesday) at a depth of about 21 kilometers (13 miles), according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Multiple aftershocks as strong as 6.9 magnitude followed. The earthquake appeared to be the strongest on record since the 9.0 magnitude earthquake off northeastern Japan in March 2011 that caused a massive tsunami. Only a few stronger earthquakes have ever been measured anywhere. Regional authorities on Kamchatka said several people were injured, but they didn't elaborate. Regional health department chief Oleg Melnikov a few injuries occurred during evacuations, including a hospital patient injured while jumping out of a window. All were in satisfactory condition, he said. Video from Russian media showed doctors on Kamchatka holding a patient and medical equipment as an operating room shook during surgery. The quake damaged a kindergarten in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, but no children were in the building, which was closed for renovation. Municipal workers inspected about 600 apartment buildings and said no evacuations were needed. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky was protected from big tsunami waves by its location on Avacha Bay. Emergency workers evacuated about 60 tourists from a beach of black volcanic sand on the Pacific side. Tsunami waves could have been as high as 10 to 15 meters (30 to 50 feet) in some sections of the Kamchatka coast, Russia's Oceanology Institute said, noting the biggest were under 6 meters (about 19 1/2 feet) near populated areas of the peninsula and the nearby Kuril islands. Severo-Kurilsk Mayor Alexander Ovsyannikov said tsunami waves flooded the fishing port along with a fish factory and swept fishing boats out to sea. Power was cut by the flooding, with authorities inspecting the damage.
