A World of Good Tastes

If America is the Melting Pot, then Florida’s Emerald Coast is the seasoning. You thought you were coming for the sugar white beaches, and the warm, tropical Gulf waters, but it’s really for the food. What you might not know is that no matter how your culinary tastes run, no matter what country you think offers the best cuisine, you can find it all here. more

There's More to Life Than Just Salad

What is a vegetarian to do when faced with the dilemma of finding a good meal out while on vacation? Many restaurants can accommodate those diners who prefer fennel to filets, or Brie to brisket, with only a limited selection of a la carte side items. A house salad is also an overdone alternative. It should not be a chore to find enough meatless dishes to actually build a meal around. more

Florida Restaurants Go To The Dogs

Beginning next month, Emerald Coast pet owners may have the opportunity to dine with their furry sidekicks.Gov. Jeb Bush recently signed a new bill that goes into effect on July 1 that establishes a three-year pilot program that allows restaurants to permit partons' dogs at designated outdoor portions of their establishments. After the trial period, the bill will be re-visited to determine if it will be extended. Each local government would decide whether to participate in the program, but individual restaurant owners would not be required to adopt the new law. more

Dining Out With Children Made Easy

We’ve all been there. Finally finding the time to have a quiet meal out, or wanting to celebrate a special occasion, we go to our favorite restaurant only to discover that a herd of buffalo is occupying the table adjacent to ours – loud, messy, stampeding little buffalo. We also discover that their handlers are doing everything they can to ignore the ruckus their beloved bovines are creating. Perhaps, that much-maligned circus has on occasion originated from our own table. more

Food For Thought
You may come to the Florida Panhandle for the sugar white sands and clear emerald green waters, but the abundance of fresh seafood will keep you coming back.

Destin is not called the “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village” for nothing. The whole month of October is devoted to the sport with an annual fishing rodeo (for those who have never been to a fishing rodeo, small, wet saddles are not involved). more

Say Goodbye To The $2 Tipper

If you are too cheap to tip, stay at home! As harsh as those words sound, everyone needs to hear them. The Emerald Coast is full of expensive, fancy restaurants. If you can afford to eat at them, you can afford to tip.

Working as a server in a restaurant for several years, I feel that it is my personal duty to educate the public on how to tip. more

Breaking The Rules

One of the great pleasures of vacationing is the luxury of dining out in resort restaurants. It is a time to feel rich and experience culinary masterpieces. The choice of filet or prime rib, or salmon versus lobster is not so challenging. Yet, when it comes to selecting a dinner beverage, do you dare to be bold, to be adventurous, or do you take the plebeian way out and simply follow the passé rule of “white wine with white meat and red wine with red meat”? more

Five Places for A Good Breakfast

If you’re like a lot of us, breakfast is your favorite meal. On a cool day – or a hot day – nothing beats getting a good start to the day with your favorite. Just what that favorite is may vary, but breakfast is what makes these places very popular here on the Emerald Coast. more

Lunching With The Locals

Our area has an abundance of high profile chain restaurants and eateries that appeal to many people. These dining establishments are where the masses – in our case the tourist crowd – winds up for lunch. But where are the places the locals eat when they aren’t “brown-bagging” their lunch? Here are five of these out of the way spots: more