the 941

Like Venice, we don’t venture out to Anna Maria and Holmes beach nearly as often as we should. Unlike Venice, we’d really like to spend more time there thanks to the casual, less-spoiled atmosphere of this thankfully still underdeveloped stretch of land. Food options are many — as long as you like seafood — ranging from one of Florida’s few nationally-recognized restaurants to mom and pop burger bars. And, as usual, let us know if we left anything out.

BEACH BISTRO 101 66th St. Holmes Beach, 778-6444 or beachbistro.com
Sean Murphy’s long-standing palace to expensive beachside fine-dining has succeed for decades despite the astronomical prices, for a few key reasons: the food is outstanding, the view is unbeatable, and the restaurant is made for special occasions.

BEACH HOUSE RESTAURANT 200 Gulf Dr. N., Anna Maria, 779-2222
Typical Floridian beach menu, with copious amounts of shrimp and grouper, but the real draw is the beachfront setting. It’s casual, so you can nosh and sip while the kids run through the sand in clear view.

BRIAN’S SUNNY SIDE UP CAFÉ 5360 Gulf Dr., Holmes Beach, 778-4140
Breakfast and lunch classics featuring hearty blue plate specials at mid-day.

THE CITY PIER RESTAURANT 100 S Bay Blvd., Anna Maria, 779-1667 or thecitypier.com
More straightforward casual Florida cuisine out at the end of Anna Maria’s city pier, so the views are spectacular no matter which window you look out of.

DA GIORGIO 5702 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 779-0221
Classic Italian cooking with a focus on seafood.

DUFFY’S TAVERN 5808 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 778-2501
Long recognized by a hell of a lot of Gulf Coast denizens as having the best burger in the area, Duffy’s also serves as a gathering spot for locals.

FEELING SWELL SURFBAR AND CAFE 9903 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria, 896-7879 or feelingswellsurfbar.com
Feeling Swell caters to the local surfing crowd by selling and renting boards and dishing up simple but flavorful light dishes for a post-wipeout energy boost.

HURRICANE HANK’S 5349 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, 778-5788
No surprises when you look at the seafood-dominated menu at this lunch and dinner spot, but it has a loyal following among both locals and the yearly influx of regular Anna Maria visitors.

ISLAND GOURMET & PIZZA 5604 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 778-0333
Casual Italian and NY-style pizza close to the beach.

GINNY AND JANE E’S CAFÉ & BAKERY 9807 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria, 778-8203
You can check your email, buy an outdoor seating arrangement, and nosh on incredible fresh baked goods all in one convenient stop. There’s also a cafe menu featuring quiche and sandwiches constructed on their own bread.

MATT & DOM’S PASTRY CAFÉ 9701 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria, 778-3909 or madpastrycafe.com
Formerly of the Ritz-Carlton, pastry chef Matt Schole churns out tempting pastries in this little coffee shop and bakery.

MELINDA’S CAFÉ & CATERING 5315 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, 778-0411
This breakfast and lunch joint has an extensive menu of eggs all-day and sandwiches, along with homemade tamales and burritos.

MR BONES BBQ 3007 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, 778-6614
Not your typical barbecue joint, Mr. Bones is a funky little spot that’s served a eclectic mix of world cuisines for years now. Ribs, served glazed with a half-dozen different sauces, are the star.

OLD HAMBURG SCHNITZELHAUS 3246 East Bay Drive, Holmes Beach, 778-1320
Meat — pounded thin, breaded and fried — along with other German eats and drinks.

PARADISE CAFÉ & BAGELS 3210 East Bay Drive, Holmes Beach, 779-1212
The usual bagels and fixin’s, fortified by homemade soups and other lunch items. Paradise also does dinner, but only during season.

ROD & REEL PIER 875 North Shore Drive, PO Box 1268, Anna Maria, 778-1885 or rodandreelpier.com
Rod and Reel serves some convenience foods meant for a quick nosh while stocking up on live bait shrimp.

ROTTEN RALPH’S 902 Bay Blvd. S., Anna Maria, 778-3953
A full bar and a full menu of simple seafood.

RUDY’S SUBS & MORE 9906 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria, 896-7844
Hot and cold subs, including a damn fine cheesesteak.

SANDBAR RESTAURANT 100 Spring Ave., Anna Maria, 778-0444 or sandbar-restaurant.com
Sandbar has an almost perfect beachfront setting, along with a casual atmosphere that belies its better than the usual Florida seafood menu.

SIGN OF THE MERMAID 9707 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria, 778-9399
Set in a lovely converted beach cottage, Sign serves well-executed fine-dining classics focused on seafood.

SKINNY’S PLACE 3901 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, 778-7769
A family-owned bar and restaurant originally opened back in 1925, Skinny’s has ice-cold beer, burgers and an open-air atmosphere that makes it a perfect fit with on the island.

TORTILLA BAY SOUTHWEST GRILLE 5318 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 778-3663
Casual, quick Tex-Mex like a lot of chains out there, but this spot is independently owned.

WATERFRONT RESTAURANT 111 Bay Blvd. S., Anna Maria, 778-1515
Waterfront ha stunning views across the water surrounding northern Anna Maria, a good beer and wine selection and seriously elegant cuisine that takes advantage of local fish and shellfish whenever possible.

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