This Florida Restaurant is a Best Kept Secret

Author Anne Erickson

April 1st 2:05 PM

Florida is home to many delicious eateries and restaurants. In that spirit, let’s recognize one Florida restaurant that’s a best kept secret in the state and beyond. When it comes to eating out, maybe you’re someone who sticks to the favorites. I certainly have my favorite spots that I frequent more often than others. But, sometimes it’s nice to find a restaurant that’s a bit off the beaten path. It’s nice to find something new that perhaps other people haven’t discovered yet.

Florida Restaurant is a Best Kept Secret

Tasteofhome.com has put together a list of the best small-town restaurants across America. “Our Community Cooks helped us find the country’s best small-town restaurants,” they state in the article. “Each spot cooks up hearty and delicious food that’s beloved by locals and any folks passing through.”

If you’re wondering about the outlet, I’ve read Taste of Home magazine for years. They’re a great source for recipes and more food-related content. I remember as a kid, getting Taste of Home magazine when it first came out and reading through all the recipes. I loved cooking and baking growing up, so Taste of Home was one of my favorite magazines. The publication got its start in 1993. The idea was to have people across America submit their recipes to share and get published in the magazine. “Taste of Home’s network of home cooks is the heart of the brand,” they write on their about page. “Passionate about food and entertaining, they have their own home test kitchens, creating new recipes and sharing the stories behind them with us.” They have a team of “Community Cooks,” which are home cooks based in the U.S. and Canada who share what they are cooking, so you always get a wide range of different recipes to try. But, if you don’t feel like cooking, that’s where this Florida restaurant comes in.

Now let’s get to the best of the best. What’s the best small-town restaurant in Florida and the state’s best kept secret? It’s Great Southern Café in Santa Rosa Beach. Of the spot, the publication states, “One of the most popular dishes at this seafood restaurant is the Grits à Ya Ya: blackened shrimp, bacon, mushrooms and cream over smoked gouda cheese grits.” They add, “One visit to the Great Southern Café and you will be hooked! So, next time you’re in the Santa Rose Beach area, give this best kept secret a try.

5 Florida Beaches Named the Best 'Secret Beaches' in America

• Shell Key Preserve

  Shell Key Preserve, Florida is ranked No. 2 on the list. That’s amazing! What makes it stand out? According to Family Destinations Guide, “The beach is unspoiled and natural, with no development or buildings, offering a peaceful and serene atmosphere.”

  Shell Key Preserve

  Shell Key Preserve is a jewel-in-the-rough that few people take the time to experience. A 1,828-acre archipelago at the mouth of Tampa Bay off Florida's Gulf Coast, Shell Key Preserve is frequented primarily by birds and other wildlife. For people to get there, they must take a boat to Shell Key, the biggest piece of dry land in the preserve.

• Lovers Key State Park

  Lovers Key State Park is ranked No. 6 on the list. According to the official Florida State Parks website, the park “protects some of the most pristine barrier islands in Southwest Florida.” It also features “over two miles of sugar-sand beaches.”

  Lovers Key State Park

  Once a collection of secluded barrier islands reachable only by boat, Lovers Key, in recent years, has become a romantic destination for spectacular, beachside weddings.

• Dry Tortugas National Park

  Dry Tortugas National Park is ranked No. 9 on the list. According to the park’s official website, “This 100-square mile park is mostly open water with seven small islands.” It’s also accessible only by boat or seaplane.

  Dry Tortugas National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

  Almost 70 miles (113 km) west of Key West lies the remote Dry Tortugas National Park. This 100-square mile park is mostly open water with seven small islands. Accessible only by boat or seaplane, the park is known the world over as the home of magnificent Fort Jefferson, picturesque blue waters, superlative coral reefs and marine life, and the vast assortment of bird life that frequents the area.

• Boneyard Beach

  Boneyard Beach is ranked No. 10 on the list. According to the Florida State Parks website, it “is a favorite Jacksonville retreat and close-kept secret.” It also offers three miles of shoreline along the Nassau Sound.

  Boneyard Beach

  Escape the hustle of the city shore and explore a wilder side of Jacksonville at a one-of-a-kind beach at Big Talbot Island State Park.

• Navarre Beach

  Navarre Beach is ranked No. 13 on the list. According to the Visit Florida website, “Navarre, a compact beach community found just east of Pensacola at the far northwestern tip of the state, beckons with 12 miles of pristine white shoreline.”

  Navarre Florida - Vacation Guide & Attractions in Navarre FL

  Nestled between Gulf Islands National Seashore and Navarre Beach County Park, the beach community of Navarre offers solitude and simplicity. Relaxation is the main attraction here.

• Source

  This study comes from the Family Destination Guide. They surveyed 3,000 families in the United States to find the hidden beaches they most want to visit in summer 2023. Find the full list here.

  100 Best Secret Beaches in the USA for (2024)

  Looking for the top hidden beach destinations in the USA? Click this now to discover the BEST secret beaches in the USA - AND GET FR

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Author Anne Erickson

Category:

• Human Interest
• Sunny 106.3
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