Unique Eats, Bars & Seafood Shacks

Archie’s Seabreeze is an iconic beach bar on Hutchinson Island in Fort Pierce that has been drawing a mix of tourists, locals, young & old since 1947.

Legendary diners, cafes and dives — our favorite roadside restaurants along the scenic Overseas Highway in the Florida Keys.

The beach town of Marco Island is all manicured and modern, but here are four adventures into the wild and authentic Florida that are within a quick drive. You can wade across a lagoon to a wild beach or have lunch in a funky fishing town or stroll on a boardwalk into a beautiful old growth cypress swamp.

Robbie’s Marina is a don’t-miss stop as you drive through the Florida Keys. Dozens of tarpon, some more than 6 feet long, gather at the dock and lunge for fish from visitors. The restaurant there, the Hungry Tarpon, is highly recommended , too.

TITUSVILLE — Some say it’s touristy; some say it’s authentic. But pretty much everyone agrees that the hushpuppies at Dixie Crossroads are irresistible.

This historic restaurant near Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park at Cross Creek is a great place to eat like a cracker. It offers an old Florida ambiance and menu.

Lionfish are gobbling up native species on Florida Keys reefs. Now you can gobble them up instead. Several Florida restaurants are serving lionfish, said to be delicious.

This authentic Florida fishing village near Bradenton is the perfect place to find classic seafood shacks — open air, casual with the freshest fish.

The Seminole Inn in Indiantown is way off the beaten path, which may be why it’s fun to discover its Southern style home cooking and charming atmosphere.

Peace River Seafood in Punta Gorda is a true Florida crab shack; they don’t come more authentic than this. From its 1927 Cracker cabin to the buckets of fresh blue crabs, it’s a little piece of old Florida.

Four of my favorite stops in the Keys are a little hard to find, and that’s part of their charm. They’re off the Overseas Highway in neighborhoods — and they’re worth discovering.

An open-air Thai brunch and market draws throngs every Sunday morning to this beautiful waterfront temple in Tampa. The food is very good and moderately priced. The exotic gold-trimmed temple is worth visiting just because it’s beautiful, set among shady live oak trees decorated with orchids.

For a quick trip to the Keys, consider Gilbert’s Resort. The upgraded 1950s-era motel and tiki bar is the first lodging you reach on the road to Key Largo. Then, kayak nearby Garden Cove and discover its picturesque sunken barge, a good place to snorkel.

The weather is perfect for getting outdoors, and there’s no better way to enjoy Florida in the Fall than a good, old-fashioned seafood festival. Free parking; Free admission. Camping, fishing, kayaking nearby.

Iconic diners, cafes and dives — landmark eateries on the Overseas Highway in the Florida Keys.

It’s the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Broward County, and, thankfully, nothing has changed in years. It’s a rustic old wooden shack now surrounded by mansions and yachts. History and atmosphere make it worth the splurgy prices — and the food is good.

Key West has so many restaurants that it’s hard to make a decision where to eat. Next time I go, though, I have an intriguing list of restaurants filled with local color and character– and I’m sharing it with you. It comes from a fellow blogger who ate his way through Key West recently.