Rocco Smith
Clearwater is easily one of the most beautiful cities in the Tampa Bay area if you ask me. I love visiting Clearwater and soaking up the Florida sunshine with my feet in the sand. Clearwater and Clearwater Beach are both full of attractions to help you relax and enjoy yourself, but the restaurants are the most enticing, by far.
Going out to eat in Clearwater, Fl is an experience unlike any other, as long as you know where to go. As a Florida native, I’ve spent a lot of time all over the state, and the first thing I do when I’m in a new city is try to find all of the best restaurants near me.
During my travels, I’ve tried a lot of restaurants, both good and bad, and so I thought it might be helpful to share my favorite experiences with my fellow foodies out there.
For that reason, I made this list ranking the best restaurants in Clearwater, Florida that I think everyone should check out. You’ll find everything from Italian bistros to seafood places, Mexican restaurants and more. I’ve made sure to include a little something for everyone, so you’re bound to find a restaurant you love!
Best Restaurants in Clearwater
- Lenny’s Restaurant
- Bait House
- Clear Sky Cafe
- Columbia Restaurant
- Crabby’s
- Cristino’s Coal Oven Pizza
- Marina Cantina
- Salt Cracker Fish Camp
- Wildflower Cafe
- Bascom’s Chop House
- Blinkers Beachside Steakhouse and Lounge
- Caretta on the Gulf
- Frenchy’s
- Kara Lynn’s Kitchen
- Poppa’s BBQ
- Ristorante Acqua Alta
- Rumba Island Bar & Grill
Lenny’s Restaurant
21220 US Hwy 19 N, Clearwater, FL 33765
Phone: 727-799-0402
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Lenny’s Restaurant is ranked first on my list of Clearwater’s best places to eat. This place has been a longtime fixture of Clearwater and a favorite among locals. This is one of the greatest places to go for breakfast and lunch in the city.
I have to say that the omelettes are my favorite things to order from Lenny’s, especially Dan’s Famous Gator Omelette made with fresh gator tail. A true Florida delicacy!
Check out Lenny’s Restaurant right next to Magnuson Hotel Clearwater Central and La Quinta Inn by Wyndham Clearwater Central off of US Highway 19.
Bait House
45 Causeway Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33767
Phone: 727-446-8134
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Next up is Bait House, easily one of the top Clearwater restaurants when it comes to seafood. This may even be one of my favorite seafood places on the whole West Coast of Florida. They have everything you could ever need.
Bait House is only steps away from the soft sugar sand of Clearwater Beach inside the massive marina parking lot across from Pier 60 Clearwater.
My favorite part about Bait House is the seafood (duh!) and I almost always order the clam chowder to start with, but then I finish up with their fresh catch platter with whatever the catch of the day is.
Clear Sky Cafe
490 Mandalay Ave Ste 1 Clearwater, FL 33767
Phone: 727-442-3684
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Clear Sky Cafe is sure to become one of your favorite places to eat near Clearwater once you try it. This seafood restaurant is lively and everything they serve is fresh off the fishing boat, probably caught not too far away.
They have one of the best grouper sandwiches I’ve ever had here at Clear Sky Cafe, but that’s not all. The Cuban sandwich and the muffuletta are also pretty mind-blowing. It’s the perfect spot to grab lunch while you’re enjoying the beach.
Look for Clear Sky Cafe off of Mandalay Avenue right next to the Sandpearl Resort.
Columbia Restaurant
1241 Gulf Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33767
Phone: 727-596-8400
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Columbia Restaurant is a widely-known, well-loved name that frequents my lists all over Florida, and for good reason. This Spanish restaurant is always an amazing place to eat, no matter where I’m at.
What I recommend the most from Columbia Restaurant is their paella almost every time, but if you’re not looking for anything with seafood in it, they have a ton of other options as well like roast pork and chicken with yellow rice.
Head down to Columbia restaurant the next time you’re looking for places to eat near Clearwater with a bit of a Hispanic flair. They’re right off of Gulf Boulevard on Sand Key, right next to the Sheraton Sand Key Resort and Sand Key Beach.
Crabby’s
333 S Gulfview Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33767
Phone: 727-608-2065
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Right next to the Beachview Inn Clearwater Beach is one of my favorite places to eat out in Clearwater, Crabby’s. This isn’t their only location, either. You can find Crabby’s Dockside across from Pier 60 Park off of Causeway Boulevard.
Whichever one you choose, it’ll be delicious. I always come here for the fish n chips and a hand-crafted cocktail like a mai tai or a refreshing mojito to beat that famous Florida heat.
If you like shellfish, then you need to come to Crabby’s. They have a wide range of oysters served in different ways alongside Prince Edward Island mussels and New England middle neck clams.
Cristino’s Coal Oven Pizza
1101 S Ft Harrison Ave, Clearwater, FL 33756
Phone: 727-443-4900
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Heading over towards the mainland, Cristino’s Coal Oven Pizza is up next. When it comes to Clearwater restaurants, no one does pizza like Cristino’s. It’s the place I recommend the most for anyone in the mood to grab a slice of pizza.
They don’t just do pizza, either. Cristino’s has a huge menu with plenty of tasty options like paninis, pasta, salads, chicken parmesan, and more. Of course, coal-fired pizza is the specialty.
I’m old-fashioned, so I usually stick with a classic pepperoni pizza, but when I want to switch it up, I’ll go for something like their white pizza or a Margherita pizza.
Marina Cantina
25 Causeway Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33767
Phone: 727-443-1750
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Marina Cantina is the place to go in Clearwater for delicious Mexican food in a fun, lively atmosphere with beautiful views of the marina from their rooftop deck, not to mention the tequila bar.
What I recommend you order from Marina Cantina is definitely the po’boy, either shrimp or oyster. Either that or the grouper tacos which are absolutely to do for.
Of course, what would a Mexican restaurant be without a proper selection of margaritas? Not to worry, Marina Cantina has 9 different kinds to choose from and countless 100% agave tequilas to try. What more could you want?
Salt Cracker Fish Camp
25 Causeway Blvd, Clearwater Beach, FL 33767
Phone: 727-442-6910
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Right next door to Marina Cantina is Salt Cracker Fish Camp, another one of the greatest Clearwater Beach Restaurants for anyone in search of fresh seafood and great drink deals.
I am a huge fan of the fried calamari here at Salt Cracker Fish Camp, but another thing that always blows me away is their jalapeno and corn hushpuppies. Those are 2 phenomenal ways to start your meal, but there is so much more that you’ll love.
The raw bar is also a great reason to visit Salt Cracker Fish Camp. They offer delicacies like oysters on the half shell, peel n’ eat shrimp, shrimp cocktail, and split king crab.
Wildflower Cafe
1465 S Ft Harrison Ave #105, Clearwater, FL 33756
Phone: 727-447-4497
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This next place is called Wildflower Cafe and they are located over off of South Fort Harrison Avenue next to the Summerside Inn, just east of the Belleview Inn and the Belleair Country Club with its sprawling luxury golf course.
I love coming to Wildflower Cafe for a tasty breakfast or brunch on their outdoor patio on a beautiful day. Sundays are when brunch is served and you can order mimosas, bloody marys, and all your favorite morning cocktails.
I highly recommend their Mile High Baked French Toast, it’s simply out of this world. They might actually have the fluffiest French toast I’ve tried in a long time.
Bascom’s Chop House
3665 Ulmerton Rd, Clearwater, FL 33762
Phone: 727-573-3363
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This next place is perfect for anyone getting off a plane at the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport who might need to treat themselves to a juicy steak after a long flight. Bascom’s Chop House is located right off Ulmerton Road, south of the airport, in front of the Quality Inn & Suites St. Petersburg Clearwater Airport.
You can get pretty much any cut of USDA Prime steak you can imagine, flame-grilled to perfection to the point where it just melts in your mouth. Choose between classics like a bone-in filet mignon to Japanese A5 wagyu striploin and everything in between.
Blinkers Beachside Steakhouse and Lounge
476 Mandalay Ave, Clearwater, FL 33767
Phone: 727-754-1757
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Blinkers Beachside Steakhouse and Lounge is another one of the top-rated Clearwater Beach restaurants that I think everyone should try. If you want delicious surf n’ turf, then this is the spot for you, among other things
Some of my highest recommended menu items from Blinkers include the beef carpaccio and the ahi tuna to start with. I would then order a decent bottle of red wine and indulge in the Prime bone-in ribeye.
The best part is that Blinkers is already located inside a hotel, The Residences at Sandpearl, so when you get too full to move, just book a room!
Final Thoughts
If the pristine beaches and the clear waters of the gulf aren’t enough to convince you to visit Clearwater, Fl, then this list of incredible places to eat around the city should do it. As you can see, there is no shortage of restaurants near Clearwater, so go ahead and check out a few of my favorites and see what you think!
If you’re heading towards the nearby city of Largo, you might want to check out some of our favorite places to eat down there.
Did I leave a restaurant out of this list? Make sure you leave me a comment and I’ll check it out!
