Crystal Beach Restaurants

The Best Places to Eat in Crystal Beach

Posted on 3/23/2013

Ocean Reef Resorts has delightfully distinctive private vacation rentals in Crystal Beach and all along Scenic Gulf Drive which extends from Destin to Miramar Beach. These include everything from luxurious condominiums to cozy cottages to beautiful beachfront homes. All of our fine private rental residences and condominiums have full galley or gourmet kitchens. However, no one can resist enjoying the local catch of fresh seafood which is always offered in abundance in the area's great beach side restaurants. There is something wonderful about being seated in a restaurant on the beach with the smell of salt air, the sound of the surf and viewing the huge expanse of Emerald green water that stretches out to the southern horizon. Here is a brief description of some of your choices in Crystal Beach and nearby if you are planning a family visit.

Pompano Joe's Restaurant

Pompano Joe's is just east of Crystal Beach and is an iconic Key West styled restaurant that has been a local favorite since 1995. It has good food, a great bar, a beachfront patio and a wrap around dining balcony that overlooks the glistening Gulf. They are known for their delicious Caribbean styled seafood entrees. The building is rustic yet cheerful at the same time with old plank wood flooring, high beamed ceilings and rainbow colored window frames. Large wooden replicas depicting Gulf caught fish with name tags hang on the walls with the real thing being served on your plate. Popular items include appetizers like "Coral Reef Nachos" piled high with shrimp, scallops and fish; "Voodoo Shrimp" served with a tangy BBQ sauce and French Bread; and a "Smoked Tuna Dip" with Dijon-Mayonnaise sauce. Fresh fish specialty entrees include Tuna, Amberjack, Grouper and Mahi Mahi to name a few. You can get anything from a Po Boy Sandwich to full dinners. Live music is often provided on the outdoor patio during the summer season.

Crab Trap Restaurant

Further down towards the west, in the affluent Destiny neighborhoods, is The Crab Trap. This incredible location offers wide gulf vistas at James Lee Park which has a long boardwalk running beside the shimmering alabaster sands and jewel tones gulf waters. The long promenade that connects each end of the park is reminiscent of a charming 19th century seaside resort. The restaurant resembles a giant white and red roofed Victorian styled pavilion. They feature fresh seafood, wonderful Po Boy sandwiches and a big bar serving all of your favorite frozen beverages. The rustic interiors have high beamed ceilings and expansive windows which are often left open to allow the breeze in from the Gulf. The smell of salt air and sound of the surf will definitely stimulate your appetite for seafood.

A short distance further west is a fairly new beachfront restaurant at the Inn of Crystal Beach called 790 on the Gulf. They feature Cajun inspired dishes served with "southern Louisiana hospitality" and good "down home cooking." They are known for their special gumbo which comes in different varieties like seafood, duck, chicken and andouille sausage. Other Cajun seafood and fish specials change almost daily. Meals are served generously along with comfort food including country fried chicken, crispy fried catfish and even a tasty meatloaf. You may eat indoors or out on their beach side pool deck which looks over the sugar white sand for added atmosphere. Happy hour specials are popular among local natives with decent drink and appetizer values.

Looking for unusual specialty combinations that include great Italian and maybe even a little sushi? I know it sounds like a strange mix but Camille's serves up both in its popular Crystal Beach restaurant. Owned by local native Charles Morgan, this restaurant was named after his Mom and Grandmother. He received local fame years ago with his popular original restaurant called Harbor Docks which overlooks the marina in Destin. Italian dishes at Camille's include tasty thin crust pizza as well as seafood pastas with shrimp, seared jumbo scallops and artichoke hearts. Crusted grouper is often on the menu along with the Catch of the Day which is blackened, grilled or fried. Appetizers include coconut wasabi scallops, large bacon wrapped shrimp, fried green tomatoes and a giant selection of fresh sushi. The interiors of Camille's have a Tuscan style but with vibrant, bright colors that look both chic and casual at the same time. A covered deck is available for outdoor dining and usually there is a festive crowd of patrons enjoying the old world dining ambiance.


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Destin Sushi


If you are looking for a really romantic restaurant in Crystal Beach you should travel down to the end of Scenic Gulf Drive at the Henderson Beach State Park. Here an old Cape Cod styled building features the Beachwalk Cafe that overlooks not only the gulf but has unobstructed views of dazzling sunsets over the park. This award winning restaurant serves up gourmet seafood and mainland entrees with special sauces that are heavenly. This is also one of the most romantic restaurants in Destin and along Scenic Gulf Drive so it is the perfect place to go for a honeymoon, special anniversary, hallmark birthday or any other celebration. You may dine inside the enchanting beachfront dining room or outdoors on the sandy beach patio illuminated by Tiki Torch lighting. Beach side dining doesn't get much better than this!

Sarah K's Gourmet

Perhaps you want to dine in at your beautiful "home away from home" but don't want to take a lot of time to prepare a gourmet family feast. Whether you are planning an intimate romantic dinner for two or a celebratory dinner with family and friends, Sarah K's Gourmet is the answer. How lovely to have such gourmet food available, which can be waiting in your property upon arrival.


Sarah K is a vivacious young chef who became a culinary phenomenon among locals after opening her business and is now receiving national recognition as well. "Emerald Coast Magazine" selected Sarah K's Gourmet as the best of the best for 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 in reader poll surveys. "Taste of Home", the nation's largest circulated magazine, gave her the award for being among the "Top Five Best Crab Cakes" in the entire United States. (As an Ocean Reef guest you receive a complementary bottle of Champagne with the purchase of 4 or more crab cakes.) Sarah has now been featured on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CNN, The Weather Channel and on national radio programs. Articles have been written and published about her culinary skills in The Northwest Daily News, Destin Log, Walton Sun, Destin Magazine, The Beachcomber, Condo Living Magazine, Coastal Angler, Emerald Coast magazine and the most recent edition of Souvenir Magazine.


Sarah K's delicious gourmet foods are prepared in advance and are ready for the oven. All you have to do is pop it in, turn on the timer and set it on bake. Your guests will automatically assume that you whipped up these gourmet meals by yourself and in a sense you did. After all, it was you who turned on the oven and set the timer! There are no pots or pans to clean up either since all entrees come in disposable trays. In addition, you will be able to enjoy a wonderful meal for less than what you would pay in most area gourmet restaurants and have it in the comfort of your own vacation rental.


Choices of Appetizers include Baby Crab Cakes, delicious mini Chicken Salad Sandwiches or Tenderloin Sandwiches on Blue Cheese Biscuits and Fried Chicken Fingers. There is also a Hummus Platter available as well as her Signature Multiple Cheese Spread infused with horse radish.


Main Entrees serve up to eight adults depending upon the dish. They include the big Lump Crab Cakes, Chicken Breasts with Crab Meat, Chicken Florentine, Chicken Verona, Buckhead 8oz Center Cut Filets, Cheese or Meat Lasagne, Chipotle Lime Tilapia and a Taco Bake Casserole.


Side Dishes include delicious "comfort food" like cheesy Broccoli Supreme Casserole, Twice Baked Potatoes, Baked Potato Casserole, Macaroni and Cheese or Macaroni and Cheese Bites. If you are planning a beach picnic, you may want to get an order of her famous Chicken Salad, Home Made Potato Salad with Southern Mustard or Baked Potato Salad with sour cream, bacon and chives. These all come in four pound containers.


Decadent desserts include moist Malibu Rum Cake with a light coconut flavor, Chocolate Malibu Rum Cake which is drizzled with melted Ghiradelli, fresh Key Lime Pie a Florida favorite, a dozen Dipped Strawberries coated in an assortment of white, dark or milk Ghiradelli Chocolate or their most popular offering, the Death By Chocolate Brownie Tray with thirty-six bite sized trips to Heaven!


If you are planning to have a nice brunch, Vegetable or Bacon and Cheese Quiche is available as well as Sausage Casserole which is chock full of cheese and meat. These dishes serve up to eight people. Have one of these and all you have to do is get the champagne for your own Champagne Brunch out on your balcony, beach side sun deck or near the pool. If you'd like to take advantage of Sarah K's in room dining options visit our online concierge.

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