Dining Anna Maria Island Restaurants

One of the things we love most about our Anna Maria Island condo is its location: Bradenton Beach. Ideally situated near the island’s south-center, we’re in close proximity to, well, everywhere. But even so, we love to frequent several of our closest eateries – Bradenton Beach’s finest restaurants, pizza joints and mom-and-pops.

The Beach House Restaurant is perfect for families, with plenty of room for kids to play on the beach while you enjoy the sunset, a tropical drink and fresh Florida seafood. Both locals and tourists alike enjoy the fine dining, which is served “Florida Style” from the inside dining room or the covered deck right on the white-sand beaches of the Gulf of Mexico. Exceptional local artists perform at the Beach House, assuring that the fabulous seafood won’t be the only thing you’ll be talking about after you leave.

Holmes Beach is home to many of Anna Maria Island’s great restaurants, including Hurricane Hanks, serving some of the best seafood and Caesar salad in the area. Right across the street from Hurricane Hanks is the Lobster Restaurant, offering over 50 different kinds of martini’s – do you prefer shaken or stirred? – and one of the area’s most unique settings with multiple environments. Fins Bar in the Courtyard offers alfresco dining, while the main restaurant will seduce you with unique wood architecture and accents, as well as polished travertine stone floors.

A short walk from the Martini Bistro, you’ll happen upon the newly opened Eat Here Restaurant, owned by the legendary Sean Murphy, recipient of the highest Zagat ratings for food and service in the state of Florida and currently the eight-time recipient of Florida Trend’s Golden Spoon Award. Murphy is also the twelve-time recipient of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.

Without a doubt, the biggest food rivalry on Anna Maria Island is the ongoing burger rivalry between Skinny’s Place, located directly across from the Manatee Public Beach, and Duffy’s, located just a little further north. The truth is they are both wickedly good burgers – thick, juicy and unforgettable. (Do yourself a favour: try both!)  

Directly across from Skinny’s sits The Beach Café, which on many evenings offers not only live entertainment but also special buffets at phenomenal prices. Cafe on the Beach serves up breakfast, lunch, and dinner, although the all-you-can-eat breakfast pancake feast, served right on the white-sand beach, is an island favourite.

The most acclaimed restaurant on Anna Maria Island is, of course, Beach Bistro. For more than 26 years, Beach Bistro has been Anna Maria Island’s most romantic fine-dining destination. Located waterfront on the Gulf of Mexico, the restaurant’s scenic backdrop and spectacular sunsets make it the perfect place to celebrate special occasions or simply relax after a long day.

Further north on Anna Maria Island, you’ll find some very different and unique island restaurants, such as The Sign of the Mermaid, which is housed in a cottage built in 1913 and serves award-winning dishes on linen-covered tabletops tucked into intimate little rooms.

Amidst tough competition, the most popular restaurant on Anna Maria Island is the world-famous Sandbar Restaurant. The Sandbar is situated on a large expanse of powder-white sand beach, and offers nearly unimaginable views of the Gulf of Mexico. We think it’s the best spot on Anna Maria Island to watch the sunset and, later, the stars that set the entire night’s sky ablaze.

(Fun fact: The Sandbar was chosen by brides as the Best of the Best for Ceremony and Reception Site on the West Coast of Florida by the knot’s “Best of Weddings” issue for 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, and was chosen Best Reception Site on the West Coast of Florida for 2007. According to magazine representatives, no other company in the region has received this award more than once.)

Just a short distance from the Sandbar, you’ll find the Waterfront Restaurant, providing indoor and outdoor dining and beautiful views of Florida’s Intra-Coastal Waterway. Directly across from the Waterfront Restaurant is the Anna Maria Island City Pier Restaurant, located at the end of a pier and home to some of the best lobster bisque this side of New Orleans.

Bonus: While at the pier, the kids can cast a line while Mom and Dad enjoy a cold brew, and a spectacular view of the nearby Sunshine Skyway bridge, which spans Tampa Bay and connecting St. Petersburg with Terra Ceia. At 29,040 ft. (a little over 5 miles across), it’s the world’s longest bridge with a cable-stayed main span, and is truly a sight to see. Dolphins can also be spotted frolicking around the pylons, which is fun to watch and well worth the stop.

Just north of the City Pier Restaurant, you’ll find what locals call the best restaurant on Anna Maria Island: Situated at the end of a 100-foot pier and jetting out into the water is the Rod & Reel Restaurant. While walking across the pier, you’ll encounter locals and tourists alike, young and old casting their lines into the water and more than happy to strike up a conversation. The restaurant has a cozy bar downstairs, and both indoor and outdoor tables to give you the feeling of sitting in the middle of Florida’s Intra-Coastal Waterway, enjoying some of the best food on Anna Maria Island. 

What is so appealing about dining on Anna Maria Island is that a car is not necessary. If it’s too far to walk, you can take the free trolley to any restaurant on Anna Maria Island. Best of all, the trolley stops right in front of our condo.