Last updated on July 20th, 2024 at 07:36 am
Whenever I pick up visitors at Fort Lauderdale’s airport, our first stop is the Southport Raw Bar for a quick immersion in the ambiance of South Florida.
And it works every time.
Seated at the raw bar or out on the patio, looking down a scenic canal filled with sailboats and yachts, you are acutely aware of where you are.
The Southport has been around since 1973, and there is definitely an ‘Old Florida’ feel to the place. The outdoor patio on the docks was added in the ‘90s, and you have to wonder what took them so long.
We always start with a pitcher of beer and a couple of orders of spiced shrimp — Southport staples — and then move on to whatever strikes our fancy.
The locals will tell you, and I’m a local, that the cheese steak and roast pork hoagies are the most popular menu items. (The roast pork is served on garlic bread with duck sauce.)
Clams and oysters are shucked to order, and there is a variety of fried baskets and seafood platters. The featured fish served here is mahi-mahi, which is abundant in local waters, sustainable and fresh.
If you like smoked fish dip, you’ll love Southport’s take on this South Florida staple.
After a few beers and bites, I take my guests for a ride east on the 17th Street Causeway for a view of the port and cruise ships, then continue across the bridge to A1A for their indoctrination to Fort Lauderdale’s famous beach.
A nearby alternative to Southport is Kelly’s Landing, just a half-block south on Cordova Road. Kelly’s imports New England seafood, and the fried belly (Ipswich) clams are to die for. A friend had the fish and chips at Kelly’s, and he said it was the best fried scrod he had eaten since visiting Ireland. Don’t forget the malt vinegar!
Southport Raw Bar, 1536 Cordova Rd Fort Lauderdale, 33316; Phone: (954) 525-2526. The Southport is one block north of the 17th Street Causeway on Cordova Road, next to Brownie’s Third Lung (a legendary dive shop). Hot tip: Parking can sometimes be a challenges. The small parking lot out front is often full, but there’s a second parklng lot behind the restaurant on SE 16th Street.
Getting there by boat: Southport sits at the end of the 15th Street canal, which can be accessed from the Intracoastal Waterway immediately north of the 17th Street Causeway bridge. Dock slips usually available.
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