8 Orange Beach & Gulf Shores Restaurants You MUST Try

Whether you are vacationing in the gulf coast area, live nearby, or are just passing through, you want to find great food you can enjoy and tell your friends about. I was just in Gulf Shores and found these 5 Gulf Shores AL restaurants that I’d come back to again and again. These restaurants are serving up dishes with local, seasonal ingredients that you just need to try.

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This summer, I went down to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama for some fun in the sun and much needed beach time. I had such a great time, but I didn’t quite know how to start telling you about all the great things there. Since I love to travel by my stomach, I thought it would be perfect to start there and begin with food. I don’t think you’ll mind because these 5 Gulf Shores AL restaurants are serving up some of the best local seafood, produce, and bites in the area. From casual coffee houses like the Southern Grind to local favorites like Cosmos to  upscale dining at Fisher’s Upstairs, you can sample your way around the area and discover new favorites to keep you coming back.

Before I get to the food, let me tell you a little about the area

Having grown up in Southern California and then moving to coastal North Carolina after college, I spent a lot of time at the beach. Honestly, I think any day at the beach is a great day! I’d never been to a gulf beach and now I will admit that before my visit, I was a little hesitate about visiting areas around the Gulf of Mexico. I hadn’t heard anything bad, but it just wasn’t the ocean.

Let me just tell you, that I loved my visit to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. The people are warm and welcoming, the sugar white sand beaches were to die for, but the food….. Oh my goodness…. I will return again and again just for the food. Since I was in the area for a press trip, I was treated to some of the best Gulf Shores and Orange Beach restaurants. There was seafood….. YES, loads and loads of fresh, local seafood. Grilled, blackened, raw sashimi …… You get the idea. I want to tell you about 5 Gulf Shores restaurants are I absolutely loved and would recommend to anyone when they are in the area. I’d even encourage you to make this trip just to enjoy these local eateries.

Gulf Shores AL Restaurants

Let’s start with breakfast and coffee. Most of my adventures are fueled with caffeine. So let’s start here…..

The Southern Grind Coffee House

This locally owned coffee shop serves morning essentials like freshly brewed coffee, cappucinos, breakfast entrees, and pastries. But it’s also a great place for lunch and dinner. It’s located at The Wharf which is a entertainment and shopping district in Gulf Shores. There are all sorts of shops here to for you to check out. The kids will love the nearby ferris wheel too.

During my visit to Gulf Shores, I was with a group of fellow travel writers, podcasters, and videographers. On our first morning, it was a great spot to sit with locals like the Nature Tourism Specialist, Chandra Wright of the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium and talk about the area. You can grab your coffee to go or eat inside this quaint shop.

Owners Jaime and Jimmy have created a special oasis on The Wharf for guests. Their menu and coffee is spot on! But be warned that you may go in for the coffee but come out with a little something for the house. Jaime has an interior design background and in the shop area of the store, you can find her hand-painted home decor and other one-of-a kind gifts.

I’d recommend everything from the latte to the french toast. If I was a little more adventurous, I would have had a scoop gelato for breakfast. Why not? When you are on vacation, vacation calories don’t count. Right?

Buzzcatz Coffee & Sweets

This scratch made coffee shop, bakery, and ice cream shop are serving up locally roasted coffee, baked goods, and ice cream. Pastries and biscuits here are out of this world! But don’t take our word for it. In 2017, Buzzcatz’s pastry chef won 1st Place in the International Biscuit Festival’s Special Category. Biscuits like the blueberry ones pictured away are flaky and delicious. It’s easy to see why Buzzcatz is a local favorite. Stop in for a cup of locally brewed coffee and be sure to try one of their homemade pop tarts.

 

The Gulf Restaurant

I can’t think of a better place to have dinner than overlooking Perdido Beach. This outdoor restaurant is serving up locally inspired food. The kitchens, yes kitchens plural, are housed in stacked metal shipping containers. It’s so cool!! Guests can order tacos, fresh fish, salads, sandwiches, and craft cocktails from one of the kitchens/bars and then find a spot in the outdoor seating area. Choose a picnic table, chair, or couch on the beach to enjoy your meal.

The relaxed atmosphere is perfect for families.  The kids can play in the sand while adults hang out or lounge on one of the sitting areas with friends. If you are lucky, you may even see the U.S. Navy Blue Angels planes zoom by as they fly along the beach from Pensacol where they are based.

The Gulf is only of many Gulf Shores AL restaurants that’s pet friendly. So bring your pooches but beware there is a resident cat that calls this place home. He can usually be found longing around.

What I Had and Would Highly Recommend:

• Berry Mojito (alcholic)
• Fried Grouper Sandwich with house made lemon dill sauce and served on a brioche bun and a side of hand cut fries
• Freshly steamed crab legs with clarified butter
• Hummus with warm pita chips

Normally, I don’t order fried food, but locals recommended the fried grouper sandwich. Actually they recommended the “Daily Special” which happened to be the Fried Grouper Sandwoch. They said you will never go wrong with the special and they were 100% right! It was delicious and full of flavor. The sandwich itself was huge. I should have placed someone in the picture to show scale. But let’s just say, you won’t be hungry after this.

The Yard – Milkshake Bar

This milkshake bar brings everyone from far and wide with wild combinations and large than life portions. Create your own combination or select from one of the house specialties. Just bring your appetite because whether in the pint or quart sized jars, The Yard is serving up delicious fun and dessert.

 

Anchor Bar & Grill

When you visit the beach, you MUST eat on a boat while you are here. The Anchor Bar and Grill just happens to sit on land. But come and sit out on the deck of this boat themed bar and grill for gorgeous views of Terry Cove and Hudson Marina to enjoy great food and drinks. Chef Jonathan Kastner has created a small, scratch-made menu with fresh local ingredients. But don’t let the size of the menu fool you. Everything is FANTASTIC!

Must Try:

• Tuna Poke Bowl + Spring Vegetable Salad 
• Short Rib Nachos
• Fish Tacos

I was starving after a morning of exploring the Backcountry trails. Our server recommended I combine two entrees (Tuna Poke Bowl + Spring Vegetable Salad) for a more filling meal. The salad that came out was definitely enough to satiate the most ravenous of explorers and could easily be split between 2 people.

The poke bowl featured fresh Gulf tuna, sesame, avocado, seaweed, honey, macadamia nuts, and soy pickled mustard seeds. Served with togarashi and lime dusted pork skins. The salad wasn’t just greens, but featured seasonal raw, roasted, and pickled vegetables all tossed in a charred tomato vinaigrette.

Whatever you decide to order, save room for dessert. The Ricotta cake with fresh Louisiana strawberries is to die for! Actually order two, one to eat there and one to take home!

 

Cosmos Restaurant and Bar

This fun and quarky Orange beach restaurant is a great place for lunch or dinner. Louisiana born Executive Chef, Rob Benson, brings a cajun twist to locally available ingredients for unique dishes. Here you can sit indoors or outside on the patio. Both provide a wonderful atmospher. Cosmos is another of the aGulf Coast’s few pet friendly restaurants allowed dogs on the patio. This restaurant was actually named after one of the owners’ rescue dogs, Cosmo.

Dishes I LOVED:

• Firecracker Shrimp Appetizer
• Sesame Seared Tuna Salad
• Banana Leaf Wrapped Fish  – On the list of 100 Things to Eat in Alabama Before You Die 
• Peanut Butter Pie

 

Shipp’s Harbour Grill

Shipp’s is an Orange Beach restaurant overlooking the water. Owners, Regina and Matt Shipp, created this welcoming coastal seafood restaurant in Sportman Marina over 20 years ago. Their menu features local produce and seafood and is one of only a handful of “Hook and Cook” restaurants in the area. That means if you catch it, you can bring it in to them where the chefs will create a delicious entree one of three ways.

After our deep sea fishing trip with Ocean Ox Charters, we caught a few Mahi Mahi and a Vermillion Snapper. The crew cleaned and fileted our fish and then we brought it to Shipp’s where they created Fish Tacos.

If you don’t want to go deep sea fishing for your lunch,  no worries! Shipp’s Harbour Grill  has a huge menu filled with coastal favorites, salads, Island fare, and sushi. While we were there, we were treated to sampling menu of some of their favorite and most popular dishes. There was a little bit of everything.

My favorites were these:

• Grouper Ponchatrain – {first picture above} Also one of that list off 100 Things to Eat Befor eyou Die that Cosmos is on.
• Ben’s Blackened Tuna
• Jalapeno and Gouda Cheese Hushpuppies
• 8 oz Filet
• Drunk Brownie

 

Fisher’s Upstairs at Orange Beach Marina

This is actually two Orange Beach restaurants under one roof; Fisher’s Dockside and Fisher’s Upstairs. Enjoy lunch or dinner downstairs at Fisher’s Dockside for a casual atmosphere. It’s said that they serve one of the best Sunday Brunches in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. As I have yet to be in town on a Sunday, I will let you decide.

For an upscale dining experience, head to Fisher’s Upstairs where James Beard Award Nominated chef Bill Briand is serving a seasonally inspired menu. The decor is literally straight out of Southern Living magazine, as its been featured in that publication. The atmosphere is warm with coastal tones. Staff is exceptional and makes this dining experience quite memorable.

Must Try:

• Point Aux Pins or Murder Point Oysters
• Grilled Radicchio Salad
• Lamb Shoulder Roast over preserved lemon rice grits
• Jumbo sea scallops with cauliflower purée
• Steen’s Cane Syrup Caramel Popcorn Dome

Start your meal with these Point aux pins oysters. They are from the first oyster farm in Alabama and are grown using a method developed by Auburn University. These and the Murder Point oysters are the most popular boutique oysters in the area.

For main entrees, you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. I ordered the Lamb Shoulder Roast and it was amazing. If you want something other than seafood, this is an excellent choice. If you would prefer to stay local, I’d recommend the seared sea scallops.

For desserts, you MUST try the Steen’s Cane Syrup Caramel Popcorn Dome. It’s vanilla ice cream served on a crisp cookie and topped with a caramel syrup and fresh popped popcorn. It’s aweird combination that comes together really well and will leave you wanting more. I enjoyed it so much that I created my own version this at home. Get  my recipe for this copycat version in this Brown Sugar Ice Cream with Caramel Popcorn.

Big Beach Brewing Company

Although not a Gulf Shores or Orange Beach restaurant, the Big Beach Brewing Company needs to be mentioned here. It’s a great place to stop in if you like microbrews. Big Beach is the state’s southernmost microbrewery and the first to open up in the area. They regularly rotate what’s on tap to provide a variety for visitors. Food isn’t available on site, but you can stop by and enjoy local music most weekends and the yard is family and pet friendly.

 

These 8 Gulf Shores and Orange Beach restaurants were all places I loved on past trips. I would gladly return again and again to enjoy them. I think you will too.  There is something here on the Gulf Coast for every member of the family and at different price points. Head down to Gulf Shores and enjoy the bounty the area has to offer. If you are looking for more fun, check out this article filled with things to do in Gulf Shores.

 

Note: I traveled to Gulf Shores as part of a press trip with the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism. All opinions are my own.