These restaurants in Key West, Fort Lauderdale named best beachfront spots in Florida

Connie Ogle
·3 min read

Two restaurants in Fort Lauderdale and one in Key West were named among the best beachfront restaurants in Florida.

Travel website Trips to Discover explored and rated restaurants with a waterfront view across the state and just published its 15 Best Beachfront Restaurants in Florida list.

No Miami-Dade spots made the cut — sorry, South Beach — and even Naples, which was named earlier this year as the best city to live in in 2023, had no waterfront restaurants on the list.

Trips to Discover praised the following spots for good views and good food:

This oceanfront Florida Keys landmark just reopened after six years and a big renovation

Casablanca Cafe

Casablanca Cafe in Fort Lauderdale is located in the oldest building on Fort Lauderdale Beach.
Casablanca Cafe in Fort Lauderdale is located in the oldest building on Fort Lauderdale Beach.

This two-story yellow restaurant is technically not on the beach; it’s located across the street from the sand in a Mediterranean revival-style building built in 1927 (which makes it the oldest structure on Fort Lauderdale Beach). But it’s not just the Spanish and Middle Eastern details that draw diners, Trips to Discover reports. “Aside from its beautiful ambiance, the menu is also fantastic — try the Blue Crab Crusted Mahi Mahi, Lime Cilantro Fish Tacos, or Moroccan Lamb Shank as you listen to the tune of live music from its spacious wrap-around bar. If you’re feeling celebratory, the Beach Bonfire Old-Fashioned, Pink Sunset Paloma, and #NoSleep Martini pair well with the ocean views.”

S3

S3 restaurant (it stands for “sun, surf, sand”) on Fort Lauderdale Beach was just named among the best beachfront restaurants in Florida.
S3 restaurant (it stands for “sun, surf, sand”) on Fort Lauderdale Beach was just named among the best beachfront restaurants in Florida.

“S3” stands for the essential elements of any beach: sun, surf, sand. But Trips to Discover also praises three other “s” elements: steak, seafood and sushi. The restaurant at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort is “an upscale, casual chic spot with a laid-back atmosphere,” the site reports. “It has everything you’d want in a beachfront spot – indoor/outdoor seating, Atlantic and Fort Lauderdale beach vistas, and a menu of coastal cuisine. They serve the freshest daily catches as well as premium cuts of meat, along with a one-of-a-kind sushi bar. Don’t miss the Happy Hour specials Monday through Friday.”

Salute! on the Beach, Key West

Diners enjoy a waterfront sunset at Salute! on the Beach in Key West, which was just named one of the best beachfront restaurants in Florida.
Diners enjoy a waterfront sunset at Salute! on the Beach in Key West, which was just named one of the best beachfront restaurants in Florida.

Trips to Discover praised this spot on Higgs beach between White Street Pier and Casa Marina as the perfect location for an after-lunch swim or romantic sunset dining.

“This well-loved restaurant will have you in vacation mode,” the article says. “For the best views, sit on the outdoor porch area while you dine on the Caribbean-influenced takes on Italian classics. Don’t miss the calamari sautéed with marinara sauce, pasta with mussels, and grouper cakes, then treat your taste buds to a slice of Blue Heaven key lime pie.”

The rest of the list

The 12 other restaurants included in the Best Beachfront Restaurants list are: Caddy’s Treasure Island in Treasure Island near St. Pete Beach; Oceanside Beach Bar in Grill on Flagler Beach; Palm Pavilion Beachside Grill & Bar and Caretta on the Gulf in Clearwater; The SandBar Restaurant in Anna Maria Island, which was chosen as one of the best small towns in the United States earlier this year; Benny’s on the Beach in Lake Worth Beach; Beach Walk Cafe in Destin; and Beach House Waterfront Restaurant in Bradenton Beach.

Doc’s Beach House in Bonita Beach also made the list, but the beach-level restaurant suffered damage from Hurricane Ian last year and is currently only offering outdoor dining as repairs are made to the interior.

This iconic Florida Keys restaurant has reopened after a full renovation. Take a look

Restaurant information

Casablanca Cafe: 3049 Alhambra St., Fort Lauderdale; casablancacafeonline.com; 954-764-3500

S3: Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, 505 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Suite S, Fort Lauderdale; s3restaurant.com; 954-523-7873

Salute! on the Beach: 1000 Atlantic Blvd, Key West; saluteonthebeach.com; 305-292-1117