17 Florida restaurants named among Top 100 in U.S. for outdoor dining by OpenTable

Wade Tatangelo, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Updated ·2 min read
10

Boasting charming waterfront restaurants and rooftop bars with delicious dining options, Florida recently finished second in the U.S. among states with the most top-rated eateries for dining al fresco. The online restaurant reservation and review service OpenTable's annual list of 100 Most Popular Restaurants for Outdoor Dining included 17 restaurants from the Sunshine State. Only California, with 31, had more.

Naples had the most with four restaurants, followed by Sarasota, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, and the Orlando area with two each. Restaurants from Fort Myers, Miami, Jensen Beach, Key West, and Pensacola also made the list, which spans 20 states.

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Del Mar's covered terrace on Fifth Avenue South in Naples.
Del Mar's covered terrace on Fifth Avenue South in Naples.

OpenTable noted in a press release that the list was created by analyzing over 13 million OpenTable diner reviews, and that outdoor dining increased 20% in May and 19% in the first half of June (June 1–15), compared to 2022.

"Outdoor dining is up 19% (year-over-year) for June (1 – 15), a strong start to the season," said Susan Lee, Chief Growth Officer of OpenTable, in a statement. "With many restaurants elevating outdoor dining spaces for summer and beyond, this list represents dining destinations with incredible outdoor – and culinary – offerings."

Returning Florida favorites include Dry Dock Waterfront Grill on the Sarasota County side of Longboat Key and Ulele on Tampa Riverwalk. Newcomers include DOYA in Miami.

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Dry Dock Waterfront Grill is at 412 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, overlooking Sarasota Bay.
Dry Dock Waterfront Grill is at 412 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, overlooking Sarasota Bay.

  • Alberto's on Fifth – Naples

  • Campiello – Naples

  • Columbia Restaurant – Celebration

  • Connors Steak & Seafood – Fort Myers

  • Del Mar – Naples

  • DOYA – Miami

  • Dry Dock Waterfront Grill – Longboat Key

  • Kyle G's Prime Seafood – Jensen Beach

  • Latitudes Key West, FL on Sunset Key – Key West

  • Louie Bossi Ristorante – Fort Lauderdale

  • Ocean Prime – Tampa

  • Raglan Road Irish Pub – Lake Buena Vista

  • Takato Restaurant – Fort Lauderdale

  • The Claw Bar – Naples

  • The Grand Marlin of Pensacola Beach – Pensacola

  • The Rosemary & Thyme – Sarasota

  • Ulele – Tampa

Wade Tatangelo is Ticket Editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and Florida Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. He can be reached by email at wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.​​​​​​

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Most popular Florida restaurants for outdoor dining by OpenTable