When your family lives more than 100 miles away and you have a craving for a delicious home-cooked Italian meal, it may be time for you to stop in at Magnolia Grill in Fort Walton Beach.
A mom and pop eatery does not have to specialize in unhealthy fried cuisine in order to be just like the food your mama made. All it needs is the extra care, time and love that goes into each dish at Magnolia Grill.
The family-owned restaurant, founded by Tom, Peg and Meghan Rice, is just as much known for its character and charm as it is for its food.
Set in downtown Fort Walton Beach, the building – a historic home turned into commercial property – greets guests with a little touch of French architecture that is dimly lit by Christmas lights.
Beautiful trees surround the walkway as hungry dinner patrons walk onto the porch lined with a white railing that surrounds the entire home. However, it is through the double doors that the enchantment starts.
Local history has found a home at Magnolia Grill. Accordion music fills the front room taking all that enter back in time. Each room is filled with historic memorabilia from the local region – be prepared to find all the treasures that helped mold the town.
Interestingly enough, Magnolia Grill was not always a restaurant. It was once the home of Dr. G. G. French. And, the story of how it came to be French’s home is quite unique in itself. The house was ordered from a catalog in 1910 and was then shipped in pieces to Camp Walton, Fla. French, lacking carpentry skills, built the house from a kit and made it what it is today. Amazingly, after almost 100 years the house suffers very little from its age.
Some of the original signs and material were found within the structure after the Rice family took over and are now proudly on display inside the restaurant.
Let’s not forget that it is the food that initially attracts you to Magnolia Grill …
Featuring a menu of Italian, seafood and steak dishes, Magnolia Grill offers a little taste of delight to every diner.
Tom Rice has had the opportunity to perfect the menu items through his work across the Emerald Coast in restaurants of past and present.
In his newfound career as owner and head cook at Magnolia Grill, Rice never allows taste and quantity to be sacrificed for a quick buck. He slaves alongside line cooks to make each bite of tasty food as succulent as the last.
Diners, prepare to dazzle your taste buds …
After enjoying a delicious salad, the entrée is delivered with a basket of garlic bread. It is the sausage and pepper dish that gets me every time. Several Italian sausages are cooked with green peppers, onions and marinara sauce and served in a small dish next to an even bigger helping of spaghetti.
Each bite is better than the first, making it hard to stop when your stomach tells you, “No, no more.” However, you must stop eventually in order to save room for dessert.
You simply cannot escape Magnolia Grill without trying one of the mouth-watering desserts.
Following your meal, your server will deliver a dessert tray to your table. Most of the desserts are made by the tender touch of Peg Rice, but other staff has a hand in making specialties known only to the Magnolia Grill.
After it is all over, you may want to sit a while and enjoy the atmosphere while your stomach digests all the food you just ate.
The Magnolia Grill is sure to become your favorite place to eat for business lunches, romantic evenings and family affairs.
Cost
The cost of a meal at Magnolia Grill is a little higher than most mom and pop joints on the Emerald Coast; however, you get more food for the price you pay than at most restaurants. Dinner entrees range between $13 and $26. Lunch, a more economical choice, can be purchased for about $10.
Magnolia Grill
157 Brooks St.
Fort Walton Beach, FL
(850) 302-0266
Hours of operation
Lunch: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mon-Fri
Dinner: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mon-Thur and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Fri & Sat
