Best Navarre restaurants: 10 restaurants that show off Navarre's foodie scene
Navarre is an unincorporated community in the Florida Panhandle that has a surprisingly large population of 41,940, according to the 2020 U.S. Census.
Much of the Santa Rosa County town is residential suburbs. Locals call it “Florida’s best kept secret,” but that secret may be getting out as tourism increases and more and more development begins to fill in the gaps.
When it comes to places to eat, Navarre has a surprising amount of highly rated restaurants that includes Mexican, Vietnamese, seafood, Italian and more.
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Below, you’ll find our list of our favorite 10 restaurants, but don’t let this list stop you (or your tastebuds) from continuing to explore what Navarre has to offer.
Pho 99 Vietnamese Restaurant
8147 Navarre Parkway
Pho 99 is a Vietnamese restaurant that sits inside a standalone brick building on Navarre Parkway. You can’t miss it because it’s got Pho’ 99 plastered front and center on the building with the name reiterated on the marque just below. You’ll find the inside as unassuming as the outside, with simple seating and mostly bare walls, but remember the focus is the food.
So what do you order? The pho, of course. Many in Navarre consider this to be the best pho in the area. Everything is made to order and comes out piping hot and full of flavor. Some of the highlights on the menu also include cream cheese wontons, sesame chicken and General Tso chicken.
Scooter’s Fish House
1968 Highway 97
Scooter’s Fish House is a place you might have passed by a thousand times, read the sign but never bothered to give it another thought beyond that, you are missing out. Unassuming fronts are somewhat of the marque in Navarre for places that like to put taste first.
Scooter’s calls itself a “Gulf to table” restaurant, indicating the freshness of the fish you can expect to arrive at your table. Locals rave over the fried fish and shrimp, but they’ll grill it up and cook it just about however you like. Other menu favorites include oysters, colossal shrimp and gumbo.
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Sharkbite
8671 Navarre Parkway
Sharkbite on Navarre Parkway is one place that bucks the trend and wears its heart on its sleeve, perfectly blending in with its beachy environment. It’s a small snack cart with tropical vibes that serves breakfast burritos from 6 to 11 a.m. Tuesday through Friday.
The best thing about these burritos, besides how they taste, is how big they are. They’re massive and each is packed with enough for a full breakfast for champions. The Ghostrider is three eggs, cheese, tater tots, Chorizo, jalapenos, green onions, habanero cream sauce and tons of flavor.
J.J. Chago’s
8476 Navarre Parkway
J.J. Chago’s is another breakfast spot, which is fitting since many of Navarre’s residents tend to work in Fort Walton or beyond. Located in a bright blue building, Chago’s has a home-y interior with plenty of art lined along the walls, chalkboard menus list the specialty lattes and there’s some seating available outside. The food, of course, is where this place really shines.
The menu is pretty expansive for a place that is only open for lunch and breakfast. You can find things like a lunch brisket, pulled pork, and French Toast peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The breakfast menu also has a brisket, plus a Cuban breakfast, Mexican breakfast and more. Some of the most popular items on the menu are the brisket breakfast tacos and the slow-cooked pork Cuban sandwich.
La Iguana
8508 Navarre Parkway
Food trucks are some of our favorite places to eat in Pensacola, so it should come as any surprise that we have a few in Navarre, too. La Iguana is a food truck that specializes in tacos and Mexican cuisine. It’s located off Navarre Parkway and has some shade with outdoor seating, though it’s limited, so plan to take it to go.
The tacos you’ll find here are the reason we have cameras on our phones. The deep greens of the cilantro and vibrant reds from the tomato pop against the glistening brown carne asada or brisket on each taco or quesadilla. But they don't just look good, they taste good, too. The meats are marinated and slow-cooked to perfection overnight and really stand up to some of the best tacos you can find in Pensacola.
Where Y’at Seafood
4233A Highway 87
We’ve made a concerted effort on this list not to inundate it with seafood restaurants, but when you live at the beach, they’re not only numerous, they’re delicious, too. Where Y’at Seafood is a little different because it doubles as a seafood market with grocery items it sells to restaurants and the public.
The menu has plenty of seafood to choose from and adds a Cajun twist, too. You’ll find an array of po-boys like the catch of the day, hot sausage, oyster and more. Some entrees include red beans and rice, chicken and sausage jambalaya and crawfish etouffee. But you’ll also find Cajun-style seafood boiled to perfection. You can choose between crawfish, shrimp with head on or off, blue crab and more.
Bella Luna Italian Bistro
7289 Navarre Parkway
If you’re looking for the most authentic Italian food around, look no further than Bella Luna Italian Bistro. The restaurant is located in a strip mall, but don’t judge it for its outward appearance. Inside, the restaurant invokes a more upscale vibe thanks to the ambient lighting, the neutral color palette and table presentation.
The menu is exactly what you want to see at an Italian restaurant. You’ll find favorites like chicken parmigiana and chicken marsala plus some of the chef’s favorites like ravioli al aragosta (lobster ravioli topped with Gongonzola cheese in a vodka cream sauce), gamberi veneziana (pasta sauteed with blackened jumbo shrimp, diced scallops and cherry tomatoes) and more.
The Slippery Mermaid Sushi Bar
8779 Navarre Parkway
When it comes to sushi, The Slippery Mermaid Sushi Bar is the place to go in Navarre. This is another restaurant that sits inside a small, quaint house but packs a lot of character on the inside. On one accent wall, you’ll find colorfully painted window panes, which perfectly complement the teal walls.
As previously stated, sushi is the Mermaid’s forte, though as their website states, sushi doesn’t have to feature raw seafood — or any seafood. There are over 20 signature sushi rolls on the menu and about a dozen local favorites, plus nigiri, sashimi and more. Non-seafood lovers can enjoy rolls like the Steeler Pleaser, which is seared steak, avocado, cream cheese, bacon, sriracha, eel sauce, spicy mayo, crunchies and jalapeno salsa.
Dewey Destin’s Navarre
8673 Navarre Parkway
Dewey Destin’s opened its Navarre Sound location in 2018 and has received a very warm welcome from the community in the time since. It’s a fast-casual restaurant where you order at the window so you can step outside and take in the sights and sounds of the beach. Of course, you are more than welcome to dine inside, too.
The true Dewey Destin experience is a culmination between its simple but delicious menu and its environment. The menu features fried and grilled baskets, steamed crab and shrimp and sandwiches. There’s a full-service bar where you can grab some signature cocktails plus craft beer.
TC’s Front Porch
8558 Navarre Parkway
If you’ve lived in Navarre for virtually any amount of time, you’ve probably already eaten here. TC’s Front Porch is one of Navarre’s most popular restaurants. It’s a family-friendly indoor and outdoor cafe that brings the beach to you through its lively decor and large, open patio that faces the Gulf of Mexico, though it’s not directly on the water.
TC’s is another restaurant that likes to keep things simple with its menu. Baskets include fried fish, shrimp, grouper, mahi-mahi, fried alligator bites and more. Sandwiches feature Cubans, Philly cheesesteaks, clubs and seafood options.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Best Navarre restaurants: 10 restaurants that show off foodie scene
