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NORTH

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PANINI PETE’S

Destin

Pete Blohme, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and a recurring Food Network guest star, is a household name in coastal Alabama, where diners clamor for his signature beignets served with fresh squeezed lemon. In March, the owner of Panini Pete’s opened his first location in Florida. Serving breakfast and lunch, the restaurant specializes in savory pressed sandwiches and burgers dressed with homemade sauces and fresh vegetables and herbs (for those who can resist the powdered sugary goodness of the beignets) in a fast and casual atmosphere that was formerly a Wendy’s. “This is the fastest-growing segment of the restaurant industry,” says Blohme. “We want to be a part of this trend that offers consumers higher-quality food with fewer frozen or processed ingredients than a fast food restaurant.” Guests on-the-go can pick up a “beach box,” packed with a panini, side, beverage and more to enjoy while soaking up the sun. paninipetes.com                          

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30A SONGWRITER RADIO MUSIC & COFFE SHOP

Santa Rosa Beach

For two-and-a-half years, Shannon Ireland hosted musicians in his living room and live-broadcasted the performances online. After several bands traveled long distances to play, he and business partner Josette Rhodes realized they needed a bigger venue. Intent on running a music hall/coffee shop, they entered a very caffeinated period “researching the heck out of” beans and brews. They fell in love with nitro coffee, which is brewed for 16 hours in cold water, chilled in a beer keg treated with nitrogen, and served from a tap. “It comes out smooth and creamy, with a foamy head,” Rhodes says. “It looks like a Guinness, but isn’t bitter at all.” 30A Songwriter Radio Music & Coffee Shop opened in January. The space is accented with vintage décor including a three-foot-tall AM tube radio from 1937 and a 1946 record player. It sells music supplies, household accessories, jewelry, incense, sage and crystals in addition to coffee, tea, beer, wine and sandwiches. Artists such as Bryan Kennedy (a Garth Brooks songwriter) and Heritage, a popular Destin-based reggae-fusion band, have played there, as have dozens of locals at a weekly open mic night. “It’s important to us to have a nurturing place that’s safe for people to explore their talents and gifts,” Rhodes says. 30asongwriterradio.com

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SAILORS SIREN

Neptune Beach

Nine months after launching their coastal lifestyle brand online, mother-daughter duo Michele Toomer and Whitney Toomer Canney brought Sailors Siren to the brick-and-mortar world
in May. The Neptune Beach shop offers chic home accessories, such as Haand ceramic tableware, Sea + Stone jewelry, Love & Victory bar pieces and Jenna Alexander illustrations. “All of our favorite shops were starting to blend together, so we began hunting for small makers and more unusual goods that combined a sense of global travel, Southern roots and a relaxed seafaring lifestyle,” says Toomer. “We never carry anything we wouldn’t put in our own homes.” Upon entering, shoppers feel transported to the beach, thanks to the boutique’s neutral palette (resembling sand) and wealth of natural light. Ever hospitable, the ladies welcome each guest with a glass of champagne or a refreshing seltzer while Boo, their English lab, greets visitors with a tail wag. sailorssiren.com 

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PRESERVED RESTAURANT

St. Augustine

Brian Whittington, a 17-year veteran of the restaurant industry, rose up the ranks from dishwasher to become the James Beard–nominated executive chef of Jacksonville’s highly regarded Restaurant Orsay. This spring, he took his talents slightly south to St. Augustine, where he opened Preserved Restaurant, an elegant eatery with a slightly Southern tilt. Situated in Lincolnville, a neighborhood established by freedmen following the Civil War, Preserved sits in a three-story Victorian home that once belonged to Thomas Jefferson’s great-granddaughter. The name has a double meaning, explains hospitality and events manager Francesca Cooper: “We saved as much of the original structure as possible. We also pickle and cure many of our products.” Sourcing ingredients from nearby purveyors, such as Black Hog Farm in East Palatka and Twinn Bridges in Macclenny, Chef Whittington sums up his cooking philosophy as “simple, local and honest.” Among his popular dishes: shrimp and grits, roasted oysters, pork belly, braised short rib, and banana bread pudding dressed with caramel and buttermilk ice cream. preservedrestaurant.com

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CENTRAL

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O COCINA & FLIGHTS

Tampa

There’s a new destination for date night in Tampa. O Cocina & Flights, which opened in April, offers upscale “clean” Mexican fare: entrées like pollo en mole and carne asada, and tapas such as black bean and plantain empanadas. “A lot of places drench their dishes with cheese,” says owner Andrew “Bear” Galavis. “I wanted a more modern menu. This is a place where you can actually see the protein and vegetables on your plate.” The ambiance matches the food’s sophistication. The concrete floor is stenciled with flowers. Edison bulbs dangle from a cloud of globes. Glass barn-style doors lead to a private dining room with a white marble table for 20 with brass and copper chairs. The most distinguishing feature, though, is the tapestry of succulents running behind the bar and up the ceiling. ococina.com

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TREASURE ISLAND BEACH RESORT

Treasure Island

March ushered in a new chapter of luxury for Pinellas County with the opening of Treasure Island Beach Resort. The Art Deco–inspired property features 77 suites swathed in an oceanic palette of beige, gray and blue with contemporary furnishings. Each suite boasts a spacious living room with a full sleeper sofa, armchair and flat-screen television and a well-appointed bathroom, complete with a rainforest shower, marble sinks and cozy bathrobes. Beds have crisp, white linens, and kitchenettes are outfitted with every convenience. Suites facing the Gulf of Mexico feature private glass-railed balconies. BRGR Kitchen & Bar, the on-site restaurant, serves custom-seasoned burgers with house-made sauces and freshly baked buns paired with hand-cut fries. Additional amenities include turndown service and a personal concierge. treasureislandbeachresort.com

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HERMAN’S LOAN OFFICE

Orlando

On the heels of Hanson’s Shoe Repair’s success, in January the speakeasy’s owners opened Herman’s Loan Office, named after the location’s tenant in the 1940s. “We can’t accommodate everyone at Hanson’s, so we added a similar concept for those who want a reprieve from Orlando’s club scene and its volume-style approach to drinks,” says general manager and head bartender René Nguyen. Herman’s serves “bespoke cocktails,” which bartenders create after asking patrons three questions about their taste preferences: “Light or dark?” “Refreshing or spirituous?” and “Comforting or adventurous?” Parties of four or more can also opt for punch, which arrives in a vintage bowl with matching cups and ladles (sourced from estate sales and antique shops in Central Florida). “It’s our version of bottle service,” Nguyen says. The aesthetic is light and airy, with a white marble bar, whitewashed brick walls and beige upholstered chairs. hermansloanoffice.com

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SMITH & ADAMS CONFECTIONS

Orlando

Beleaguered by the long hours and high emotions of the legal world, attorney Kim Adams turned in her briefcase to pursue a vocation that makes people smile. When her friend Kelly Smith, a confectionary artist who spent more than 25 years making treats at Walt Disney World, approached her about starting a dessert business, Adams was “100 percent on board.” The duo started out selling at farmer’s markets and, after numerous questions about where they retailed, set up shop in Colonial Plaza last December. Smith & Adams Confections features a dining room and an open kitchen so guests can watch Smith create bonbons, macarons, brittles and gelato. The cornucopia of chocolates includes popular favorites, along with bonbons filled with more curious ingredients such as absinthe, Sriracha chili sauce and goat cheese. A popular destination for birthday parties, the shop recently added chocolate-making classes to its offerings. smithandadams.com

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TAKODA VILLAGE

River Ranch

“Glamping,” an experience that marries the great outdoors with opulent accommodations, has made its way to Central Florida. In April, Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo opened Takoda Village, a cluster of luxe teepees sheltered beneath a canopy of 100-year-old oak trees. The 651-square-foot teepees graciously sleep four and include such comforts as a double-sided stone-hearth fireplace, screened-patio deck, microwave and refrigerator, leather chairs, king-size bed, full sleeper sofa and an air-conditioning and heating unit. Decorated in a Native American theme, the teepees feature private en suite bathrooms with a vanity table, shower and claw-foot bathtub. A communal chickee hut, built by the Seminole tribe of Florida, sits in the common area amid outdoor fire pits, hammocks, festoon lighting and dining tables. Activities include horseback riding, trap and skeet shooting and airboat rides. westgateriverranch.com

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SOUTH

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CALUSA BREWING

Sarasota

While stationed in San Diego a few years ago, Sarasota natives Vic Falck and Geordie Rauch became infatuated with the city’s craft beer scene and discussed re-creating the experience back home one day. As they kicked around ideas for their prospective business, friends introduced them to Jason Thompson, an avid home brewer, who offered to take his skills cross-country—if they were hiring. In April, the trio opened Calusa Brewing, an 8,500-square-foot brewing facility with a tasting room. They named the brewery in honor of a Native American tribe that inhabited Southwest Florida until the early 1700s. “We wanted something that represented who we are and where we came from,” Falck says. “The Calusa subsisted predominantly off fisheries and estuaries. We grew up immersed in the local aquatic scene, so it seemed natural.” Decorated with handmade wood furnishings and reclaimed tables made of wine and whiskey barrels, the tasting room has an affable ambiance. Its repurposed bar and tables originated as wood beams in the historic Belleview Biltmore Hotel in Belleair. Twelve-foot-tall windows allow patrons to peer inside the brew house and fermentation farm. Calusa brews a variety of beers and serves 11 to 16 on tap, along with nitro coffee, and hosts a rotation of local food trucks outside. calusabrewing.com

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1500 SOUTH

Naples

He’s won two James Beard Awards, appeared on numerous television programs, run a quartet of trendy restaurants spread across the country, and spent a decade as Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef. Now Art Smith, a sixth-generation Floridian, is back in his home state at the helm of 1500 South, an airy waterfront eatery at Naples Bay Resort. The menu is Southern with an Italian twist (think: Key West pink shrimp mac & cheese) and includes his famous fried chicken with homemade rosemary biscuits and signature hummingbird cake. Decorated in soothing shades of white, cream and beige, the restaurant exemplifies the nearby beach. Picture windows and abundant outdoor seating provide diners with a coveted view of Gulf Coast sunsets. 1500southnaples.com

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BURLOCK COAST SEAFARE & SPIRITS

Ft. Lauderdale

During Prohibition, “Fort Liquordale” had a thriving smuggling operation between Cuba and the Bahamas. In November 2015, the Ritz Carlton opened Burlock Coast Seafare & Spirits, a chic eatery paying homage to the city’s nefarious past. The name is a nod to rumrunner Bill McCoy’s invention that revolutionized the bootlegging business. The burlock was a package that held six bottles of booze and concealed the loot with straw. Intimate speakeasy-styled rooms contrast with breezy, open spaces decorated with weathered wooden planks, representing rum-running vessels of yore, and glass pendant lighting, reminiscent of rum bottles. The menu incorporates pork from Palmetto Creek Farms, greens from Hallow Herb Company, root vegetables from Two Doves Farm and bread from Zak the Baker. “We work with great farms that grow their products with love from start to finish,” said Chef Gavin Pera. “We approach the menu with the mindset of respecting the ingredients.” Burlock Coast’s bar stocks more than 150 rums, along with local beer. ritzcarlton.com

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HYDE BEACH KITCHEN + COCKTAILS

Hallandale Beach

With three floors offering three distinct experiences, Hyde Beach Kitchen & Cocktails, which opened in August 2015, draws a diverse crowd of beachgoers, foodies and nightlife connoisseurs. The first floor has cabanas, daybeds, and a volleyball court and serves quick bites and fresh-pressed juices. On the second floor, Chef Danny Elmaleh—best known for his award-winning concept, Cleo, in South Beach—creates casual yet refined dishes, such as mushroom gnocchi, pumpkin butter rolls, corvina with spiced tomato sauce and Niman Ranch short ribs. A members-only lounge, which features a hot tub, sits on the third floor. The restaurant hosts weekly events, including Sunday brunch with bottomless mimosas and Bellinis, discounted margaritas on Mondays and complimentary beachside movies on Thursdays. sbe.com

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GROWN

Miami

Shannon Allen, host of the Pre-game Meal, loves preparing delicious, nutrient-dense meals for her five children at home. These days she seldom has time to do so. “Like most busy families, we juggle homework, afterschool sports and everyday commitments,” she says. Unwilling to wait for someone else to create a fast, healthy food option, she and her husband, 10-time NBA All-Star, Ray Allen, started Grown, a concept catering to diners seeking “convenience without compromise.” Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner with a full-service drive-thru, grab-and-go choices and family-style meals, the restaurant, which opened in May, sources from local purveyors. The menu includes omelets, pancakes, organic soups, salads, free-range rotisserie chicken, slow-cooked grass-fed brisket, gluten-free items, fresh-pressed juices and more. Grown’s rustic façade is crafted from reclaimed barn wood. A palette of crisp whites and ocean blues lend a blithe atmosphere to the dining room. The restaurant also boasts a rooftop garden, a play area with an interactive iPad bar equipped with nutritional- and fitness-themed games, and a private space, “the Kindergarden,” which houses cooking classes and wellness demos. grown.org

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ZEST

Miami

In February, Chef Cindy Hutson, of Ortanique on the Mile, introduced her brand of fusion cooking to Miami’s Southeast Financial Center, the state’s tallest office building. Zest features an ethnically diverse and seasonally driven menu with influences from the Caribbean, Latin America and Asia. Hutson describes her philosophy to “create without limits and cook everything under the sun.” Culinary notes: “Cast Iron Charred Calamari” with grilled lemon, blistered Shishito peppers and preserved orange glaze, “Root Beer Braised Pork Belly” with cherry vanilla scented Boniato foam, a micro green salad and Caribbean yam crunch, and the “50/50 Meatball,” made with ground lamb and beef, spiced marinara and goat cheese ricotta. Wood floors embellished with a curlicue motif, along with chairs and sofas upholstered in shades of tangerine and chartreuse, set a buoyant mood. zestmiami.com

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