Posted on 3/25/2022
Our Ocean Reef Resorts guests love to vacation at our wonderful beach properties. They enjoy basking on the sugary shore, luxuriating in the glowing jewel-toned Gulf, and creating magical memories with their families or friends. Our vacation rentals all include full kitchens, and most have grill access, so you may enjoy creating a family feast when you decide to dine in. Not only does this save money but it’s also a lot of fun! Since most folks come to the beach from somewhere inland, fresh seafood is usually one of the most desired features on the menu here. Our Gulf Coast caught fish, shrimp, and oysters are excellent and cost much less than they do elsewhere. The Emerald Coast harbors the largest private charter fishing fleet in all of North America, so it goes without saying that seafood is blessedly abundant here.
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For those of you vacationing at one of our fine rental properties in Panama City Beach, here are a few of the best Seafood Markets close by. Take a look at each one and pick your favorites. The Five Top Rated Seafood Markets listed in alphabetical order include: Anderson's, Buddy’s, Local Steamer, Shrimp City, and Surfside Shrimp.
Anderson Seafood Market
5550 N Lagoon Dr, Panama City Beach, FL 32408 | (850) 235-3276
Anderson Seafood Market is quite iconic as this local family has been fishing the Gulf Coast since the 1850s. The tradition has continued several generations forward up to today. They are located at Captain Anderson’s Marina at 5550 North Lagoon Drive, on Panama City’s Grand Lagoon. This place is “one-stop shopping” for a number of things. Besides the Seafood Market displaying the latest Gulf catches available for purchase, there is also a much-loved Seafood restaurant and bar here. Charter boats moored nearby on the docks are available to take adventurers out on deep-sea fishing trips, which can last 5, 6, 8, 10, or 12 hours - and some are overnight. They also have popular two-hour sunset dolphin spotting excursions, which are fun and magical.
Buddy’s Seafood Market
111 S, FL-79, Panama City Beach, FL 32413 | (850) 234-2609
Buddy’s Seafood Market is another family venture which originally started in Port St. Joe’s and is now located at 111 South Highway 79 in Panama City Beach. They have a retail fish market that serves Grouper, Mahi, Snapper, Yellow Fin Tuna, other seasonal fish, and fresh-caught Gulf shrimp. They also have a popular “Steam Bar,” which provides fresh shrimp with special seasonings steamed and ready to eat. You may also have them add seasoned new red potatoes, corn on the cob, and Key Lime pie. In addition, they sell tasty tuna and crab dip, and gumbo. They are open seven days a week and year-round.
Local Steamer Seafood Market
14656 Front Beach Rd, Panama City Beach, FL 32413 | (850) 866-9330
Local Steamer Seafood Market has a convenient location at 14656 Front Beach Road. They sell fresh Gulf caught shrimp in various sizes from medium to big and jumbo. You may buy them ready to steam yourself or have them do it for free. However, their main service and the most popular are the ready-to-go meals. All are freshly steamed and include platters of Snow Crab legs, Shrimp, Royal Red Shrimp, or Scallops. All include steamed corn on the cob, potatoes, and sausage. A huge Family Platter (for 4) includes the crab legs and your choice of shrimp, along with everything else. They are open daily from 11:30 am till 11:00 pm. This place has received top billing from Florida Trip Guides and has a 4.7 rating on Yelp.
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Shrimp City Seafood Market
3016 Thomas Dr, Panama City, FL 32408 | (850) 235-4099
Shrimp City Seafood Market is located at 3016 Thomas Drive at Pier 77. This local family-run operation has been happily serving visitors for almost 50 years and is quite popular. They sell quantities of fresh seafood ready to be cooked that can be sized individually, family, or in party sizes. The selection, of course, includes varieties of succulent shrimp as well as oysters, grouper, tuna, and crabmeat. You may also get orders to have them done with savory seasonings and steamed. This place is right next door to a popular restaurant called Pier 77. They serve loads of seafood dinners, including shrimp, oysters, crab, fish of all kinds, and gumbos. These dishes come fried, broiled, grilled, or blackened. They are served with yummy comfort foods that include stuff like creamy cheese grits, fried okra, onion rings, and season roasted potatoes. They also offer savory steaks and chicken for any landlubbers in your group! The Shrimp Seafood Market is open from 10:00 am till 6:00 pm Mondays thru Thursdays; 10:00 am till 7:00 pm Fridays and Saturdays, and 10:00 am till 6:00 pm on Sundays
Surfside Shrimp Company
8011 Thomas Dr, Panama City, FL 32408 | (850) 238-8842
The Surfside Shrimp Company is a full-service seafood market located at 8011 Thomas Drive at the eastern end of Panama City Beach. They sell fresh seafood ready to cook, including Snow Crab Clusters, Royal Red Shrimp, Jumbo White Shrimp, Grouper Filets, Tuna Steaks, Oysters, Black Mussels, and Sea Scallops. They have an Oyster Bar for fresh-shucked shells with to-go orders available for raw, baked, or Rockefeller-styled oysters, corn, and potatoes. They are open daily from 2 pm till 8 pm.
Now that you have a few choices for great seafood markets near your favorite vacation rental in Panama City Beach, take your pick. Enjoy steaming them in one of the great kitchens or on the grill at your Ocean Reef Resorts vacation home. You might even be entertaining beside the Gulf or poolside as you prepare your own version of a Surf n Turf or just a Surf Feast! You may want to have more than one of these too.
You will be happy to know that each place will pack up whatever seafood delicacy you’ve purchased and preserve it on ice for your travels back home. This way, you will be able to take some delicious souvenir memories with you! Bon Appétit.
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