A PICTURE PERFECT DINING EXPERIENCE

Remarkable Waterfront Restaurants in Clearwater Beach

By By Heather Turk

By Heather Turk

Palm Pavilion’s grilled Palm Shrimp Burger is made with lettuce, tomato, red onion and cilantro mayonnaise

Palm Pavilion Beachside Grill & Bar is a Clearwater Beach landmark Dine with your toes in or above the sand at Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill

Known for its sugar-white sand and crystalclear waters, Clearwater Beach is home to a wealth of waterfront restaurants perfect for guests who don’t want to stray too far from its stunning gulf views when it comes time to get something to eat.

Celebrating its 96th anniversary on May 31, Palm Pavilion Beachside Grill & Bar is a generational favorite with locals and visitors alike. The oldest operating beach pavilion in the Southeastern United States, the restaurant boasts expansive views of the Gulf of Mexico from its outdoor deck and indoor dining room. Guests often see parasailers and boats pass by (keep your eyes peeled for the Captain Memo pirate ship) as they dine on an array of scrumptious seafood and casual American fare, like the perfectly seasoned Palm Shrimp Burger. Live entertainment is featured daily as well as spectacular sunsets, weather permitting. The restaurant actually posts the time the sun should set each day on its website, so be sure to plan your visit accordingly. palmpavilion.com

For more than 30 years, Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill has been another local waterfront favorite. Famous for its “Floribbean Fare” — a fusion of casual American cuisine and freshly sourced seafood (mainly from its own boats) — the open-air restaurant recently added several tables right on the sand for guests to dine at as they watch nearby beachgoers play volleyball or go jet skiing. There’s also a

Soak up three stories of waterfront views at Crabby’s Dockside

Restaurant photos courtesy of Crabby’s Dockside; blackened redfish and lobster mac n’ cheese courtesy of Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa

The Blackened Redfish at SHOR is served with a warm fingerling salad, roasted peppers and chipotle butter

The Lobster Mac N’ Cheese at SHOR is made with a Maine lobster tail, oven-dried tomatoes, baby spinach and a white cheese sauce The view overlooking the Gulf of Mexico from the third floor of Crabby’s Dockside

sundeck located over the sand with 20 tables. While no visit is complete without ordering one of Frenchy’s World Famous Grouper Sandwiches, like The Original “Grouper” Reuben made with grilled grouper, sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing, Swiss cheese and marble rye bread, the restaurant serves several tasty appetizers, too. The Tuna Stuffed Avocados, in particular, are a real palate pleaser. frenchysonline.com/rockaway

The only three-story restaurant on Clearwater Beach, Crabby’s Dockside serves up several waterfront dining experiences for guests to enjoy. The casual seafood eatery has patio seating on its first floor, indoor dining with floor-to-ceiling windows on its second floor and open-air seating on its third floor. Guests can soak up panoramic views of the Gulf of Mexico from all three levels while dining on such flavorful menu selections as the Bairdi Crab — caught by the crabbers featured on “Deadliest Catch” — or opt to have their own fresh catch cooked at the restaurant. To further enhance the delightful atmosphere, live music is showcased daily on the first-floor patio. crabbysdocksideclearwater.com

Guests can feast upon breathtaking views at SHOR American Seafood Grill as well. Located on the second floor of the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa, the restaurant features views of the Gulf of Mexico from both inside the dining room and out on the patio. Guests can take in the sights while relishing the restaurant’s newly revamped breakfast and dinner menus, which offer a variety of upscale American cuisine and regional seafood selections. Dinner highlights include the Blackened Redfish and the Lobster Mac N’ Cheese, both of which guests can watch being prepared in the restaurant’s open kitchen. hyattregencyclearwater.com