Destin has some of the best restaurants in Florida’s Panhandle, especially if you love fresh Gulf seafood and waterfront dining. Nicknamed “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village,” Destin sits along the Emerald Coast where the Gulf of Mexico meets white sand beaches and some of the most productive fishing waters in the Southeast. That fishing heritage still defines many of the best restaurants in Destin, FL, with local snapper, grouper, shrimp, oysters, and fresh catch coming straight from Gulf boats to restaurant kitchens daily.
But the best restaurants in Destin aren’t limited to seafood shacks and waterfront oyster bars. Alongside the harborfront seafood spots, you’ll also find one of the best Irish pubs in Florida, a serious Italian restaurant, chef-driven farm-to-table cooking, sushi tied directly to the local fishing fleet, and several fine dining restaurants worth planning a special dinner around. Whether you’re looking for a casual lunch after Crab Island, fresh seafood overlooking the harbor, or a romantic waterfront dinner at sunset, these are the Destin restaurants I return to most often and recommend without hesitation.
You can also check out my guides to the best bars in Destin, the best happy hour in Destin and best breakfast in Destin for the full picture.
Top Picks for the Best Restaurants in Destin, FL
Here are my top picks for the best restaurants in Destin, FL across a range of dining styles, from a casual seafood lunch on the water to the best special occasion dinner in town.
BEST SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
Boshamps
Fresh Gulf seafood, harbor views, and live music make Boshamps one of the best waterfront restaurants in Destin for dinner.
BEST COCKTAILS & SEASONAL MENU
Bitteroot
A chef-driven menu, strong seasonal cocktails, and one of the best happy hours in Destin.
LOCAL FAVORITE
Harbor Docks
A longtime Destin institution known for fresh Gulf seafood, excellent sushi, and deep ties to the local fishing fleet.
BEST WATERFRONT LUNCH
Dewey Destin's
Picnic tables on the dock, fresh Gulf seafood baskets, and one of the best casual waterfront lunches in Destin. Original location only.
The Best Restaurants in Destin, Florida
Destin has far more good restaurants than most beach towns its size, from casual dockside seafood shacks and oyster bars to upscale fine dining and surprisingly strong non-seafood restaurants. Whether you’re looking for fresh Gulf seafood, waterfront dining, sushi, steaks, or a great sunset dinner, these are the Destin restaurants I think stand out most.
Many also happen to be some of the best waterfront restaurants in Destin, with harbor views, beachfront settings, and seafood coming straight from local Gulf boats.
Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House
Boshamps is my favorite seafood dinner spot in Destin and one of the restaurants I return to most often when I’m in town. Like many waterfront restaurants along the harbor, they serve fresh Gulf fish such as snapper and grouper alongside whatever happens to be coming off the boats that day, but Boshamps feels a little more polished and Southern-influenced than many of the more casual seafood spots nearby.
The signature dish here is “The Original Snapper Destin,” which layers Gulf snapper with jumbo lump crab, Gulf shrimp, lemon butter, and béarnaise over smashed potatoes and collard greens. It remains one of the best seafood dishes in Destin and still one of the standout entrées on the menu. The price has climbed significantly over the years and now usually lands somewhere in the upper-$50 range depending on market pricing and seasonal fish availability.
Beyond the food, Boshamps has one of the best waterfront settings in Destin. The large outdoor deck overlooking the harbor stays packed during busy season, especially around sunset and during live music hours. Even the bar fills up quickly most nights, so it’s worth arriving early if you want to avoid a long wait.
SEAFOOD | WATERFRONT | LIVE MUSIC | DATE NIGHT | OYSTERS | SUNSET VIEWS
Harbor Docks
Harbor Docks is one of my two favorite waterfront restaurants in Destin alongside Boshamps, but the atmosphere here feels completely different. While plenty of Destin restaurants serve fresh Gulf seafood, Harbor Docks has deeper ties to the local fishing industry than almost anywhere else in town. The restaurant operates its own wholesale seafood market, originally created to supply the kitchen with local fish but now providing fresh Gulf catch to restaurants across Destin and much of the Southeast.
The seafood is excellent, but what really sets Harbor Docks apart is the sushi program. Long before sushi became common along the Emerald Coast, Yoshie Eddings helped introduce it to Destin after moving here from Tokyo in the late 1980s. At the time, sushi was still unfamiliar to much of the area, but Harbor Docks recognized that fresh Gulf fish could work beautifully for sushi and sashimi. Decades later, the sushi menu she helped build remains one of the restaurant’s biggest draws.
Beyond sushi, the menu includes fresh catch specials, seafood tacos, Pad Thai, and fried rice, giving Harbor Docks a more eclectic feel than many of the traditional seafood restaurants nearby. If I had to pick one restaurant to return to regularly in Destin, sitting at the Harbor Docks bar for sushi and fresh Gulf seafood would probably be it.
SEAFOOD | SUSHI | WATERFRONT | LOCAL FAVORITE | DATE NIGHT
Bitterroot
Bitterroot is one of the more interesting restaurants in Destin because it doesn’t fit the typical beach-town seafood restaurant mold. Located in a small shopping center off Commons Drive, it’s easy to overlook, but since opening in 2020 it has quietly developed one of the stronger food and cocktail programs in the area.
The menu changes frequently and leans into seasonal New American cooking that stands out from many restaurants in Destin. Depending on when you visit, you might find dishes like whipped ricotta dip, duck confit, short rib gnocchi, Wagyu burgers, or braised short rib alongside rotating seafood and steak specials. The kitchen blends Southern ingredients with a more chef-driven approach, which helps the menu stand apart from the more traditional Gulf seafood restaurants nearby.
The cocktail program is stronger than you might expect from the location, with a serious whiskey selection, creative seasonal drinks, and one of the better happy hours in Destin running daily from 3-6pm. The atmosphere is upscale without becoming overly formal, and compared to many restaurants closer to the harbor or beach, Bitterroot tends to draw more locals than tourists.
If you’re after fresh Gulf seafood and waterfront views, there are better options in Destin for that. But if you want a more ambitious menu, seasonal dishes, and strong cocktails in a setting that feels more like a modern neighborhood restaurant than a typical beach-town spot, Bitterroot stands out from almost everything else in the area.
NEW AMERICAN | COCKTAILS | DATE NIGHT | HAPPY HOUR | WHISKEY | SEASONAL MENU
Dewey Destin's Seafood Restaurant
For a casual waterfront seafood lunch in Destin, Dewey Destin’s original location is hard to beat. Sitting right on Choctawhatchee Bay overlooking Crab Island, it has one of the best waterfront setups in town for a relaxed midday meal.
The setup here is part of the charm. You order at a window, grab a picnic table on the dock, and wait for someone to holler your name when the food is ready. The menu focuses on simple Gulf seafood done well, with fried baskets of shrimp, fish, oysters, and scallops alongside grilled options if you want something lighter. It’s common to see people pull up by boat or jet ski directly from Crab Island, which gives the whole place a genuinely local old-Florida feel that’s becoming harder and harder to find around Destin.
The Harborside location on Harbor Blvd has a more traditional sit-down setup and a slightly larger menu, but the original spot is still the one worth seeking out. It’s tucked down a gravel drive behind a few houses, so keep an eye out for the small open sign on the left side of Calhoun Avenue.
SEAFOOD | WATERFRONT | CASUAL | CRAB ISLAND | LUNCH | LOCAL FAVORITE
McGuires
McGuire’s is one of those places that comes up in almost every conversation about the best restaurants in Destin, and for good reason. The original McGuire’s Irish Pub opened in Pensacola in 1977, and the Destin location followed in 1996 along the harbor. Today, both have become Florida Panhandle institutions and remain among the most recognizable bars and restaurants in the region.
Part of what makes McGuire’s so popular is that it offers something completely different from the seafood-heavy dining scene that dominates Destin. Instead of Gulf fish and beach food, the menu focuses on steaks, burgers, Irish specialties, and hearty pub fare like shepherd’s pie and Irish lamb stew. The steaks are consistently rated among the best in Destin, and the portions are large enough that sharing is genuinely worth considering. The atmosphere feels more like a crowded old pub than a tourist restaurant, with live music nightly, dim lighting, and thousands of signed dollar bills covering nearly every inch of the walls. They also serve one of the more popular Sunday brunches in Destin, especially for the frozen Irish coffee and complimentary beignets that come with every entrée.
It would be easy to assume a place this popular coasts mostly on atmosphere, but McGuire’s delivers on both fronts. Prices are relatively reasonable for Destin, and between the main dining room’s 500 seats and the 150-seat upstairs deck overlooking the harbor, there’s usually a spot that works regardless of group size. They stay open until 2am every night, which makes McGuire’s one of the better late-night restaurants in Destin if you want a real meal after most kitchens have closed. The downstairs pub and upstairs deck also make it one of the more popular bar and happy hour spots along the harbor.
IRISH PUB | STEAKS | LIVE MUSIC | LATE NIGHT | LOCAL FAVORITE | BRUNCH
Beach Walk Cafe
There are several restaurants along Scenic Highway 98 that draw big crowds for beachfront dining, including places like The Crab Trap and Pompano Joe’s Seafood House. But for quieter fine dining and a more romantic atmosphere, Beach Walk Cafe stands out as one of the best special occasion restaurants in Destin.
Located inside the adults-only Henderson Park Inn, the restaurant sits directly on the Gulf with unobstructed beach views and a much calmer atmosphere than many of the larger beachfront restaurants nearby. The menu rotates regularly based on seasonality and local seafood availability, but you can usually expect Gulf fish like snapper alongside steaks and dishes built around fresh regional ingredients. Recent standouts from diners include the crab cakes, Gulf snapper with mushroom and corn risotto, and the lobster bisque.
Executive Chef Daniel Peters is a Destin native who returned to the area after spending years working in Napa Valley kitchens under several award-winning chefs, and the food reflects that balance of Gulf Coast ingredients with a more polished fine dining approach. The setting carries a lot of the experience here as well, especially around sunset when the dining room and beachfront veranda become one of the most romantic dinner spots in Destin.
A few extras are worth knowing about before you book. Wine Down Wednesdays offer 20% off bottled wine with dinner, the first Sunday of each month features a brunch with a Bloody Mary bar, and the “Toes in the Sand” experience lets you reserve a private table directly on the beach at sunset for something even more memorable. Beach Walk Cafe is open for dinner Monday through Saturday.
Note: The restaurant is restricted to guests 13 and older, and reservations are strongly recommended during busy season.
FINE DINING | DATE NIGHT | WATERFRONT | SUNSET VIEWS | UPSCALE
Bric à Brac
There’s probably no true hidden gem among the seafood restaurants in Destin anymore given how popular the area has become, but Bric à Brac comes closer than most. It sits slightly away from the busiest waterfront areas and doesn’t come up nearly as often as the larger seafood restaurants along the harbor or beach despite being one of the more fun and distinctive places to eat in town.
The restaurant is family owned and operated by brothers Rodolfo and Fernando Petit, who grew up in Costa Rica before moving to the Emerald Coast, and that family-first energy carries into the dining room. The menu blends Gulf seafood with Southern and Cajun influences, and while you can order grilled or blackened fish, most people gravitate toward the crab cakes, made with 98% jumbo lump crab meat and easily the signature dish of the house. The stuffed bell peppers, smoked tuna dip, and shrimp and grits are also worth knowing about before you order.
The atmosphere is casual and lively, with eclectic décor, murals, and vinyl records covering the walls, while live music runs several nights a week. It’s also a little more reasonably priced than many of the better-known seafood restaurants in Destin, which makes it an easy place to revisit more than once during a trip.
SEAFOOD | LIVE MUSIC | CASUAL | LOCAL FAVORITE | CAJUN
Louisiana Lagniappe
Louisiana Lagniappe has been one of the defining seafood restaurants in Destin since opening in 1984 inside what was originally the Sandpiper Cove Yacht Club. While many restaurants in town lean into casual beach-bar atmospheres, Louisiana Lagniappe feels quieter and more traditional, with a waterfront setting that’s refined without becoming overly formal.
The menu focuses on Gulf seafood prepared with strong Louisiana and Creole influences, and this is one of the places in Destin where ordering local grouper or flounder almost feels mandatory. The grouper preparations are consistently excellent, whether grilled simply with lemon butter or topped with crabmeat and richer Creole-style sauces. The blackened redfish finished with jumbo lump crab, lobster medallions, garlic beurre blanc, and hollandaise is another standout worth knowing about before you sit down. The menu rotates depending on what local fish are coming in fresh, but dishes like the Seafood Lagniappe, Grouper Pecan, and Snapper Destin have remained longtime menu anchors.
This is the kind of restaurant where even the simpler grilled fish plates stand out because the seafood quality is so high. Every entrée also comes with the restaurant’s well-known hushpuppies, house salad, and twice-baked potato, which longtime customers almost treat as part of the experience.
The restaurant overlooks the harbor inside Sandpiper Cove, and while the atmosphere is upscale, it still feels relaxed enough that you don’t need to dress up for dinner. Louisiana Lagniappe does not take reservations and fills up early most nights, so arriving closer to opening is usually worth it.
SEAFOOD | FINE DINING | WATERFRONT | CREOLE | DATE NIGHT | LOCAL FAVORITE
Camille’s at Crystal Beach
You wouldn’t expect one of the best waterfront restaurants in Destin to be sitting above a small motel along Scenic Highway 98, but that’s part of what makes Camille’s at Crystal Beach such a longtime local favorite. The upstairs dining room feels more intimate than many of the larger waterfront restaurants nearby, and despite the laid-back beach setting, the food is taken seriously.
Camille’s shares ownership with Harbor Docks and sources its seafood directly from the Harbor Docks Seafood Market, giving it the same Gulf-to-table connection that makes Harbor Docks so reliable. The sushi program carries the same influence from Yoshie Eddings, who helped introduce sushi to Destin decades ago, and it remains one of the restaurant’s biggest draws. The TNT roll and crunchy shrimp roll get most of the attention, but the fresh catch specials and stuffed shrimp are also worth knowing about if you’re leaning toward a full dinner.
Part of what makes Camille’s stand out is that it works equally well as a nicer dinner spot and a casual daytime stop near the beach. The downstairs café serves coffee from Destin Coffee alongside freshly baked cinnamon rolls, breakfast tacos, avocado toast, smoothies, cocktails, and sandwiches like the Cubano with mojo roast pork. It’s common to see people walking over from Crystal Beach for coffee in the morning or stopping in for a drink during the afternoon before heading back to the sand.
SUSHI | SEAFOOD | DATE NIGHT | COCKTAILS | LOCAL FAVORITE
Marina Cafe
Marina Cafe has been one of the best fine dining restaurants in Destin since the late 1980s and still feels a little different from many of the harborfront restaurants around town. While plenty of places along the water lean casual and beachy, Marina Cafe goes for a more polished atmosphere with a large dining room overlooking the harbor through a thirty-foot window wall, an extensive international wine list, and a menu that blends Gulf seafood with steaks, sushi, brick oven pizza, and contemporary coastal dishes.
The menu changes regularly, but the pan-seared andouille-crusted Louisiana redfish has remained the restaurant’s signature dish for decades and is still its most ordered entrée by a wide margin. Seared scallops, fresh Gulf fish, and filet preparations round out the longtime staples. It’s one of the better restaurants in Destin for a nicer dinner that still feels relaxed, and the harbor views at sunset make it especially popular for date nights and special occasions. Reservations are strongly recommended if you want a window table.
That said, Marina Cafe is just as well known locally for its happy hour and early dining specials as it is for dinner. The lounge runs one of the most popular happy hours in Destin, with half-priced cocktails, wine, martinis, sushi, and discounted appetizers from 5-7pm daily. The BOGO entrée special from 5-6pm in the dining room is one of the better dining deals in Destin if you can grab an early reservation, though steaks are excluded.
FINE DINING | HAPPY HOUR | WATERFRONT | SUNSET VIEWS | DATE NIGHT | STEAKS
Mimmo's
Mimmo’s Ristorante Italiano is one of the best Italian restaurants in Destin and a welcome break from the seafood-heavy dining scene that dominates much of the area. The restaurant is owned and operated by Chef Mimmo La Innusa himself, and the menu reflects that hands-on approach with homemade pastas, brick-oven pizzas, and classic Sicilian-style dishes made from scratch daily.
The first thing most people mention after eating here is the garlic rolls, which have become the restaurant’s signature item. They’re woodfire-baked rolls brushed with garlic butter and parmesan, essentially Mimmo’s version of garlic knots, only much better than most you’ll find elsewhere. They’re worth ordering every single time.
Beyond the rolls, the menu balances casual comfort food with more polished Italian dishes. You’ll find brick-oven pizzas and baked pastas alongside dishes like Pappardelle All’Aragosta, veal marsala, penne alla vodka, and seafood pastas. The interior feels more polished than you might expect from a Destin strip-center location, with natural stone and wood accents, terra cotta walls, and a marble bar that becomes a surprisingly strong cocktail spot later in the evening. The atmosphere works equally well for a casual family dinner or a nicer night out.
It’s one of the most consistently reliable restaurants in Destin, which helps explain the loyal local following it has built since opening in 2013 and its eventual expansion with a second location on 30A.
ITALIAN | PIZZA | DATE NIGHT | FAMILY FRIENDLY | LOCAL FAVORITE
Bijoux
Bijoux is one of the best fine dining restaurants near Destin for a special occasion dinner and feels noticeably more polished than most beach-town restaurants in the area. Located in the Market Shops near the entrance to Sandestin, it has been one of the top upscale dining destinations along the Emerald Coast since opening in 2002, combining Gulf seafood and prime steaks with strong French and New Orleans influences.
The menu changes seasonally, but the kitchen’s “coastal cuisine with a New Orleans flair” identity stays consistent throughout. Standout starters include the crab beignets made with jumbo lump blue crab and curry aioli, the tuna carpaccio, and the tempura-fried Maine lobster tail served with green tea soba noodle slaw. Prime steaks, fresh Gulf fish, and seafood-focused specials make up the core of the dinner menu alongside an award-winning wine list and a full cocktail program with an extensive martini selection.
While seafood remains central to the restaurant, Bijoux also stands out as one of the better steak restaurants along the Emerald Coast, with filet and ribeye preparations that consistently draw praise. The main dining room seats up to 120 guests, while the outdoor courtyard adds another 70 seats for a more open-air dinner when the weather cooperates.
The atmosphere is upscale but still relaxed enough for resort wear, which fits the Sandestin area well. Between the food, wine program, and more intimate setting, Bijoux remains one of the strongest options near Destin for a dinner that feels elevated without becoming stuffy.
FINE DINING | STEAKS | SEAFOOD | DATE NIGHT | WINE LIST | UPSCALE
My Honest Take on Two Popular Beachside Restaurants
Fudpucker’s Beachside Bar & Grill and LuLu’s Destin probably wouldn’t make my list of the best food-focused restaurants in Destin, and I won’t pretend otherwise. But if you’re traveling with kids, both are absolutely worth knowing about because they’re easily two of the best family restaurants in Destin.
Fudpucker’s has “Gator Beach,” where live alligator shows run throughout the day, plus an attached Fat Daddy’s arcade and the ability to book birthday parties. LuLu’s sits on the bay just off the Mid-Bay Bridge with a small beach area, paddleboard rentals, an arcade, and a henna station during the summer months. The food at both is perfectly fine. The experience for kids is the real draw.
This list doesn’t cover every good restaurant in Destin, and that’s intentional. There are plenty of places with great views, lively atmospheres, and loyal followings that didn’t make the cut simply because I keep a fairly high bar for what earns a spot on a best-of list. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t explore beyond these recommendations.
The one thing I would genuinely encourage is skipping the chain restaurants you can find back home and supporting the locally owned spots and the fishermen supplying them instead. Many of the best restaurants in Destin are still independently owned, and that’s a big part of what makes the dining scene here feel more personal and worth seeking out in the first place.
FAQ About Destin Restaurants
What are the best seafood restaurants in Destin?
Boshamps, Harbor Docks, and Louisiana Lagniappe are my top picks for seafood in Destin. All three serve fresh Gulf fish daily, but each offers a different experience ranging from casual waterfront dining to more refined Creole-influenced seafood dinners.
What are the best waterfront restaurants in Destin?
Boshamps, Dewey Destin’s, Marina Cafe, and Beach Walk Cafe stand out for waterfront dining in Destin. Whether you want harbor views, beachfront sunsets, or a casual seafood lunch overlooking Crab Island, these are the spots I’d prioritize.
What is the best fine dining restaurant in Destin?
Bijoux, Beach Walk Cafe, and Marina Cafe are the strongest fine dining restaurants near Destin. Bijoux is ideal for upscale steaks and seafood, Beach Walk Cafe is best for a romantic beachfront dinner, and Marina Cafe balances fine dining with one of the best harbor views in town.
What restaurants in Destin are best for families?
Fudpucker’s and LuLu’s are two of the best family restaurants in Destin because they offer much more than food alone. Both have kid-friendly entertainment, casual menus, and activities that make them especially popular with families visiting the Emerald Coast. Honestly though, Destin is such a big family vacation destination that you’ll find kids at most restaurants earlier in the evening.
What restaurant in Destin has the best sushi?
Harbor Docks is my top sushi pick in Destin thanks to its long connection to the local fishing industry and the influence of Yoshie Eddings, who helped introduce sushi to the area decades ago. Camille’s at Crystal Beach is another strong option, especially for sushi near the beach.
