10 dishes that will give you a taste of Pensacola living. And no, they’re not all seafood
It's no secret that Pensacola is filled with good food to try. However, when a friend comes into town for a weekend, there's pressure to pick out the best option from a long list of must-try dishes.
Luckily, we've done the hard work for you.
Here we have a list of a 10 Pensacola restaurants and dishes that are certified Pensacola-famous, and that you (and your friends) should definitely check off your bucket list.
1. The Fish House - Grits à Ya Ya
600 S. Barracks St.
If you’re looking for a dish unique to Pensacola, Grits à Ya Ya is likely the name you’ll hear thrown around most often, but for good reason. It was a dish created by The Fish House, a downtown Pensacola seafood spot known for its casual waterfront dining and Southern hospitality since 1998.
The “world-famous” title tacked on before the Grits à Ya Ya's listing on the Fish House menu is only half-kidding, as celebrities from all over the world have tasted it and been turned into grit converts. This dish is based around spiced Gulf jumbo shrimp atop sauteed spinach, portobello mushrooms, applewood-smoked bacon, garlic, shallots and cream over smoked Gouda cheese grits.
If your tastebuds have already been blessed by it, try the Girl Next Door at The Fish House’s neighboring sister restaurant, Atlas Oyster House. The dish is Atlas’ Executive Chef Jason Hughes’ spin on the Grits à Ya Ya and is arguably as delicious. It comes with jumbo Gulf shrimp, C & D Mill stone-ground brie rice grits, roasted local corn, tomato, house-smoked tasso and lemon leek cream.
2. McGuire’s Irish Pub - Senate Bean Soup
600 E. Gregory St.
McGuire’s is as much about the experience as it is the food. More than a million dollar bills line the ceilings under the reddish dim lights with the jolly sound of Irish tunes playing in the background. The restaurant is one many Pensacolians will bring their out-of-town visitors to experience the truly one-of-a-kind atmosphere, and gather with their friends for events, like the annual 5K run drawing thousands every year.
It has been in its current location since 1982 in the original 1927 Old Firehouse. When you’re there, you’ll want to start with the Senate Bean Soup, with the same recipe that was served in the U.S. Senate for $0.18 cents in 1977. Even today, it is still sold at this price. Some say that the flavors bring customers back to their childhood and reviewers on the McGuire’s website praise the “stick to your ribs” quality and “hearty smooth flavor.” However, make sure you only get it as a starter, because if it’s the only thing you order, it’s $18 a bowl.
For the second half of your meal, many enjoy the pork chops, Reuben egg rolls and the Irish Cockles and Mussels.
3. The Grand Marlin - Grouper Picatta
400 Pensacola Beach Blvd.
The Grand Marlin reflects the region with a dish that stars a slice of fresh grouper with a parmesan crust, sauteed spinach, brown butter and crispy capers served with fluffy whipped potatoes. The Grand Marlin is a more elegant option to try some of the Gulf’s freshest seafood while also taking in the sights of the Santa Rosa Sound.
Since 2010, the Grand Marlin has maintained a reputation for its fresh seafood and classy ambiance. The Grouper Picatta is an old favorite for Pensacola locals and the subject of many amazed tourist reviews. The preparation of the fish elevates grouper to a whole other level beyond just the basic grouper sandwich.
Don’t forget to end the night with Florida’s state pie, key lime pie. This one is hard to resist with a key lime mousse, raspberry coulis and a coconut-macadamia graham cracker crust.
4. Hot Spot Barbecue - Burnt end ribs
901 E. La Rua St.
The waft of the smoker outside will reel you into Hot Spot Barbecue, a family owned and operated barbecue fixture that has been a part of Pensacola since the summer of 2013. While not too fancy, it focuses on family and specializes in Southern style barbecue.
The restaurant starts by choosing prime varieties of meats, then prepares them in the restaurant’s outdoor smokers. You’ll get your food fast, but after hours of slow cooking, the meat will be falling off the bone. It’s the place to go for massive, mouthwatering ribs and tender brisket sandwiches, washed down with a half sweet, half unsweet tea and topped off with a cool and creamy slice of lemon pie. If summertime was a meal, Hotspot would have it.
5. The Point Restaurant - The Famous Point Mullet Sandwich
14340 Innerarity Point Road
If you like to enjoy your fried seafood plates in a well-loved hole-in-the-wall, The Pointe has been known as “the place to go for fresh seafood for generations” since first opening in 1985. The Restaurant is the oldest restaurant in the Perdido Key area and has a wide following, even earning recognition from Southern Living in 2023 for the best seafood dives in Florida.
There are plenty of favorites on the menu, like the house made crab cakes, oysters and crab claws, but the mullet is what many locals make the drive for. Mullet has the nickname of a “trash fish” due to its bottom-feeding nature, but Pensacolians proudly claim it as a local fried fish favorite. Due to the Gulf of Mexico's sandy bottom and bright blue waters compared to the muddy Mississippi River − the fish have a cleaner flavor profile in the Panhandle region, and locals think they just taste better than the mullet from surrounding states.
At the Point, you can enjoy mullet in a multitude of ways, from the Famous Point Mullet Sandwich, a deep-fried fresh mullet served on grilled Texas Toast with coleslaw and tartar, to the dinner with whole fish butterflied in half. The mullet backbones, advertised as “the sweetest part of the fish,” are also a can’t miss on the appetizer menu.
6. Blue Dot Barbecue – Hamburger
310 N. DeVilliers St.
Blue Dot is a Pensacola staple for its old-school simplicity. The ingredients to the beloved burgers aren’t a mystery, and owner J. Byron Long shares his recipe proudly: mayo, mustard, tomato, onion, salt and pepper. Still, it has held onto the reputation as Pensacola’s best burger for a reason.
At Blue Dot, keepings things the same is one of their biggest strengths, as the stop is a family tradition in the Belmont DeVilliers neighborhood. Long has kept alive the traditions his uncle Blue Robinson, and his wife, Dot, started back in 1946. Blue Dot maintained a menu in the ‘40s but it was scaled down to just the burger. Long’s father added ribs that are available on Saturdays. It’s cash only and served in a brown paper bag in a no fuss environment, but you'll crave their juicy burgers time and time again. If you’re looking for somewhere to customize toppings and get crazy with your sides, locally owned food truck Brown Bagger is a solid alternative.
7. Agapi Bistro + Garden - Gulf Scamp Cervantes
555 Scenic Highway
Gulf Scamp Cervantes is a dish crafted by prized Pensacola chef Gus Silivos. Scamp grouper is a Gulf favorite, and Silivos has created a reputation for his special way of preparing it. The recipe starts with a generous portion of locally line-caught scamp, served with jumbo lump crab meat and a shallot cream reduction over a creamy herb risotto.
The Scamp Cervantes was the signature dish at Skopelos at New World, which was founded in 1959 by Paul Silivos and Pete Geeker and named after the Greek island where the Silivos family originates. Legend has it, the Scamp Cervantes was even served to former President George H. W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush when they visited the restaurant in 1992.
When Skopelos permanently closed, the dish lived on at Agapi Bistro, which is owned and operated by Gus Silivos in the East Pensacola Heights neighborhood. In its online reviews, the dish is described as a “showstopper,” a “staple” and a “go-to entrée.” Don’t pass on dessert, as Agapi offers an irresistible baklava cheesecake along with interactive desserts like a house-curated "chocuterie" board and crème brulee flight.
8. Angelena’s Ristorante Italiano – Monthly pasta tasting menu
101 E. Intendencia St.
Angelena’s is the newest establishment on the list, debuting in 2019 and helmed by Food Network celebrity chef James Briscione (who was also voted one of People Magazine’s “Sexiest Chefs Alive” in 2016), but the restaurant has made a lasting impression in Pensacola for its hand-rolled pastas and coastal Italian cuisine. It was created to become a destination restaurant in Pensacola part of Quint and Rishey Studer’s $52 million downtown apartment building project. Ever since, you’ll often see a lively crowd every night filling the booths and walk-ins eying up seats at the bar to snack on Short Rib & Truffle Arancini or sip on a lemon martini.
One of the most unique ways to enjoy Angelena’s is by going with whatever the monthly rotating pasta tasting menu is. These are typically based around seasonal ingredients and Briscione’s ever-evolving creative inspiration. You get three plates of pasta for $55, or with an optional wine pairing add-on for $85. You can also order any of the three pastas individually for $21 each.
For the month of March, Angelena’s is featuring a Green Garlic Ravioli with Mississippi green garlic pesto and ricotta parmesan, a BBF (Beat Bobby Flay) Crawfish Tortellini made with andouille and leek filling, brown butter and lemon and a Braised Lamb Ragu with white wine, mint cavatelli and pecorino. The BBF Crawfish Tortelli was Briscione’s winning dish in the Food Network show, Beat Bobby Flay. These pasta tasting menus are an excellent way to take in the flavors of the region, with unique dishes designed specifically for Pensacola to enjoy.
9. Peg Leg Pete’s - Oyster Sampler
1010 Fort Pickens Road
Peg Leg Pete’s has been a Pensacola Beach favorite since 1991, and a must-visit spot for tourists and locals alike. The iconic bar's reputation spread this month when it was included on Southern Living’s list of top 18 beach bars in South. It was recognized for unique menu items like their oyster shooters, that come with a raw oyster, bloody Mary mix and beer or vodka. However, the drinks aren’t the only reason that Peg Leg’s has become a Pensacola Beach attraction.
As a sister business to Maria’s Fresh Seafood Market, the fish doesn’t get much fresher than at Peg Leg's. The meaty oysters are an obvious must try due to the restaurant’s raw bar, and one of the best ways to get a taste is the oyster sampler which includes a variety of the restaurant’s baked specialties including their Buffalo Blue, Cajun, Rockefeller, Spicy Lafitte and Imperial.
Entrée wise - one of the best ways to experience Peg Leg’s is through the Mixed Grill, which is a Gulf Coast feast. The plate includes large shrimp paired with fresh Gulf grouper and large sea scallops, basted and chargrilled. The seafood is served with rice pilaf, sugar snap peas, garlic toast and sides of dill sauce and garlic butter for dipping. Aside from the food, allow yourself to be swept away by the sound of live music strumming, sand between your toes and a signature Shipwreck cocktail in hand.
10. The Sandshaker - Original Bushwacker
731 Pensacola Beach Blvd.
We know that drinks don’t count as a meal but would be remiss not mention the cocktail that Pensacola is most famous for: the Bushwacker. Plus, it’s creamy enough to count as a milkshake, so it could at least be considered a dessert, right?
The Bushwacker’s fame is largely tied to one Pensacola Beach bar- The Sandshaker. Linda Taylor first purchased the Shaker in 1973 when it wasn’t much more than a living-room sized bar attached to the Mai Kai Hotel. When then-bar owner Linda Taylor came back from the Virgin Islands in 1975 with a recipe for a certain frozen Kahlua coffee cocktail, the bar would never be the same. Taylor would make the drinks to order, blender by blender, until the high demand required a frozen drink machine in 1980. Even so, all batches are made by hand to this day, using Kahlua as one of the main ingredients.
Now, bars all over Pensacola have taken their own whack at it, making different variations based on preference and new alcohol developments, like the Stoli caramel vodka and peanut butter Screwball whiskey. The Sandshaker still uses Taylor’s prized original recipe today.
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This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Food Pensacola is known for: 10 dishes that reflect the city's best
