10 Places Where Locals Love to Eat in Fort Walton Beach

Stewby's Seafood Shanty is a casual take-out and dine-in eatery offering drive-thru and walk-up service, with outdoor picnic tables where you can sit and enjoy your locally-sourced seafood meal. It's a laid-back atmosphere that's family-owned and -operated and offers staples from classic gumbo to a variety of fish sandwiches.

Many items are available grilled or fried, so you can go for whichever option suits you. Some menu highlights include soft-shell crab, colossal shrimp, calamari, a rotating fish-of-the-day selection, and a platter of fried fish, shrimp, and oysters.

The Shack is a family-owned and -operated casual seafood restaurant featuring an award-winning menu and a down-home feel in Fort Walton Beach's historic downtown area, right along Highway 98. From the back deck, you can get great views of the Panhandle while you enjoy the local cuisine.

A few of the favorites on the menu include the crab dip, hickory-smoked wings, smoked tuna dip, blue crab claws, spicy fried ("Bangin") volcano shrimp or crawfish, and drunken mussels. While eating, don't forget to try a specialty drink like the Shack Sunrise, Emerald Shore, or Shack Sangria.

Al's Beach Club and Burger Bar offers something a little different from the many seafood restaurants in the area, featuring classic and craft hamburgers, delicious shakes, and hand-cut fries. This place is a local staple that offers a range of toppings, including jalapeño, avocado, caramelized mushrooms, and, of course, bacon.

Specialty sandwiches like chicken, tuna, and a vegetarian Beyond Burger are also available, as are salads for those who want lighter fare. Enjoy offerings from their selection of wine and draft beer, and don't forget to ask about the caramel or Key lime pie milkshakes.

Bay Cafe is an informal, laid-back French restaurant featuring a large waterfront deck, a fantastic view of the Gulf, and a wide selection of French food and wine. Some of the highlight menu items include French onion soup, escargot in pastry, sauteed scallops, grilled veal rib chops, chicken Florentine, and steak au poivre.

For those looking for lighter fare, there's a lunch menu that features a range of croissant sandwiches and entrees like Omelette Chamonix and shrimp marinara. Be sure to save room for French silk pie and crème Brulee for dessert.

The Blue Collar Cafe is a breakfast and lunch establishment and a great place for what they call a "Texas-sized" bagel. Their breakfast menu includes staples like 2 eggs with potatoes and bacon, cheesy grits, a bagel breakfast sandwich, a breakfast burrito, and country ham.

The lunch menu offers up a range of sandwiches, including Kosher beef hot dogs, a spicy club sandwich, hot roast beef, a turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce and cream cheese, and an Italian hoagie, among other sandwich offerings. Coffee lovers will enjoy a hot, fresh cup of joe made from beans roasted right in-house.

Floyd's Shrimp House has something to suit every shrimp lover, including classic fried shrimp and shellfish that's served in a wide variety of styles, flavors, and sizes. This laid-back and fun restaurant features all-you-can-eat specials with fish and seafood, and it's located right on the Boardwalk in Fort Walton Beach, offering gorgeous views of the Gulf while you dine.

While shrimp is their specialty, it's not all that's on the menu. You can also enjoy oysters, fried seafood platters, and more.

Clemenza's at Uptown is something of a formal, sit-down Italian restaurant with separate lunch and dinner menus that include wood-fired artisan pizza and calzones, crepes, and pasta dishes.

The restaurant has won multiple awards for its fine sit-down meals, including Best Italian, Best Brunch, Best Restaurant, Best Locally Owned, and Best Service and Beverage from Best of the Emerald Coast, as well as Best Restaurant in Walton County from the Emerald Fork Awards. Clemenza's also features a wide wine list featuring domestic and international selections of whites and reds. Don't forget to ask about the daily specials.

Craft beer culture is in full swing at Props Brewery and Grill, where you'll find IPAs, lagers, pilsners, blonde ales, porters, stouts, and more, plus a variety of delicious dishes. The menu features starters like a giant pretzel or fried pickles, a range of sandwiches and wraps, and craft burgers like the half-pound fried pickle burger with jalapeno ranch.

Of course, you can also enjoy seafood favorites like fish and chips or fish tacos. Lighter and vegetarian fare is available on the soup and salad menu.