8 Seafood Dives In Florida Locals Don't Want You To Know About
Florida may have top-tier white-tablecloth coastal cuisine, but some of the freshest seafood in the state comes in a paper basket at a weathered picnic table.
From conch fritters and Low Country boils to sweet potato–crusted mahi and just-caught Gulf shrimp, these seafood restaurants keep it simple as a rule. Many even offer cook-your-catch options after a day of reeling in your fresh catch.
Whether tucked into a strip mall or sitting on the dock of the bay, these beloved seafood dives in Florida deliver atmosphere and flavor you can't find anywhere else.
Crystal River
Equal parts seafood market and dockside dive, The Crab Plant serves fish so fresh you'll see it coming off the boat. They own and operate their own boats, so you know the daily catch is as fresh as it gets—not to mention the owners' combined 60 years of experience in the wholesale, retail, and fish production sides of the seafood industry. Go for any crab or fish dish, or try it all in a Low Country boil; or, if you're visiting during scalloping season (July 1 to September 24), bring your fresh-caught Bay scallops here for them to prepare. Note this Kings Bay gem is cash only, so come prepared.
crabplant.com; 201 NW 5th Street, Crystal River, FL 34428; 352-795-4700
Jupiter
A little more elegant than the 'shack' name would imply (but only slightly), Little Moir's Food Shack has been a Jupiter staple since 2002. Its unassuming strip-mall location gives no indication of the creative takes on fresh, locally sourced seafood awaiting within; the signature sweet potato–crusted fish has a cult following among locals for good reason. (Pro tip: get it blackened beneath the crust.) With ever-changing daily specials, live music, and an always-packed atmosphere, this casual spot is a local haunt and culinary paradise.
littlemoirsfoodshack.com; 103 S US Highway 1, Suite D3, Jupiter, FL 33477; 561-741-3626
, Pine Island (Bokeelia), and
Owned and operated by locals, The Lazy Flamingo has been a Southwest Florida staple for decades. Known for its delightfully tacky vibe, fresh raw oysters, beach-bar cuisine, pink-and-blue 80s-inspired exteriors, and 'the coldest beer in Southwest Florida,' it's the perfect place to unwind after a day in the sun. Popular picks include the fresh beer-steamed seafood, peel-and-eat shrimp, award-winning Caesar salad, and locally famous Flamingo Garlic Bread.
lazyflamingo.com; multiple locations
Key Largo
Tucked on a mangrove-lined stretch of Card Sound Road, Alabama Jacks is an 'if you know, you know' situation—the exterior resembles a big blue fishing shed, and there's always a fleet of Harleys parked outside. This wooden waterfront dive has open-air seating, conch fritters, crab cakes, conch salad, cold beers, and bay breezes—what more could you ask?
facebook.com/realalabamajacks; 58000 Card Sound Road, Key Largo, FL 33030; 305-248-8741
and Nocatee
Visiting fisherman Billy Corkum revolutionized shrimp fishing all the way back in 1913 and Fernandina Beach was never the same: its inlets and marshes fostered the modern shrimping industry and now, more than a hundred years later, Timoti's continues serving up shrimp harvested in the same manner that helped the Isle of Eight Flags flourish. Order at the window (make sure to ask for extra T's Bam-Bam Sauce), then dine at picnic tables outside; there's a playground for the kids. Their Cajun blackening blend is so good, you'll want to bring it home—and the good news is you can.
timotis.com; two locations
Stock Island (by )
Located on the Stock Island shrimp docks, Hogfish Bar & Grill is 'where the fishermen eat and locals meet'—a step into salty, old-school Keys. Try the hogfish (any style), of course, but save room for a hearty slice of housemade key lime pie, too. Come for the seafood and stay for the weekend live music and waterfront views that draw a loyal, unpretentious crowd.
hogfishbar.com; 6810 Front Street, Stock Island, FL 33040; 305-293-4041
and
Leonard Destin founded this eponymous Gulf Coast fishing village in the 1800s; generations later, his great-great-grandson Dewey carries forward the family legacy with restaurants serving grilled, fried, or steamed baskets of Gulf-to-table seafood so good it could only come from a place with fishing in its DNA. Ordering wild-caught Gulf shrimp here is a must.
destinseafood.com; multiple locations
Lantana
As the oldest waterfront restaurant in Florida (and home to the largest tiki bar in South Florida), Old Key Lime House serves up history alongside its famous key lime pie and fresh seafood. With a sprawling outdoor deck overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway, it's been an ideal spot to enjoy live music and local grub on the water since 1889. Between its vibrant lime-green façade, palapa-roofed huts, and charming historic home setting, it's an icon of Southeast Florida.
oldkeylimehouse1.com; 300 E Ocean Avenue, Lantana, FL 33462; 561-582-1889
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