From fine dining to casual waterfront spots, these are Florida’s 12 must-try restaurants of the year.
From upscale fine dining to laid-back waterfront gems, Florida boasts an impressive array of dining destinations — including three that earned a spot on USA TODAY’s 2025 Restaurants of the Year list. Our USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida Dining & Entertainment team, made up of food writers who live and work in communities across the state, has handpicked nine additional standout restaurants that define dining in the Sunshine State this year. These aren’t just places with awards or social media hype — they’re beloved by locals, led by talented chefs, and serve unforgettable dishes that keep people coming back. From luxurious seafood with international influences to legendary Cuban cuisine, these are Florida’s must-visit restaurants of 2025, chosen by the writers who know their communities best. Read on to discover why these 12 places stand out — and start planning your next amazing meal.
What's the best restaurant near you? Check out USA TODAY's 2025 Restaurants of the Year. Bicyclette Cookshop | Naples, Florida
What happens when a wunderkind chef teams up with a retired McDonald’s president on a new restaurant? The ultra-fun Bicyclette Cookshop, where deliciously playful food in a contemporary, casual setting boasts clever surprises without feeling twee or preten tious. Like René Magritte, the surrealist painter acclaimed for presenting familiar objects and subjects in unfamiliar ways, executive chef-partner Kayla Pfeiffer uses food as her medium, next-leveling classic comfort fare where every intentional ingredient is well thought out. But don't just trust us; the
James Beard Foundation acknowledged her talent, giving her a semifinalist shout-out in its best "Emerging Chefs" category in 2025.
− Diana Biederman, Naples Daily News (Fla.) 'Chopped' champ's eclectic restaurant in a Naples strip mall named among best in U.S. Columbia Restaurant | Tampa
There are few, if any, things more famous from Tampa than the Cuban sandwich — and no better place to enjoy one than at Columbia Restaurant, which was founded in 1905 and is recognized as the oldest restaurant in the Sunshine State. Named Florida’s
best sandwich by Food & Wine magazine in 2021 , Columbia’s Cubano features baked ham, Genoa salami, mojo-marinated roast pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard on freshly baked Cuban bread from La Segunda Central Bakery, established in 1915. Columbia’s many excellent examples of Cuban and Spanish cuisine (with Italian influences) include the Original 1905 Salad, prepared tableside, the paella, and the roast pork a la Cubana — as well as my personal favorite, the Red Snapper "Adelita." Also, be sure to consider the tapas options, including scallops baked in a clay casserole with lemon butter, irresistibly seasoned bread crumbs balancing sweet and savory notes, and white wine. For beverages, their sangria, also prepared tableside, is among the best this side of Spain.
Harold's | Fort Myers
Opened in 2015 as a 34-seat venue, this south Fort Myers gem more than quadrupled in late 2021 to 150 seats. Many of those face the open kitchen through the L-shaped bar where owner Harold Balink can be seen crafting away before dashing off to greet longtime and first-time customers with equally genuine enthusiasm. “I get to about 98 percent of the customers,” the local culinary legend said. That personal touch radiates to his staff who have mastered the art of service; their style professional yet personable, formal yet friendly as they skillfully guide you through the one-page menu.
Il Lusso | Tallahassee
Nineteen61 | Lakeland, Florida
Oceano | The Palm Beaches
With the Michelin Guide’s recent announcement that the
Palm Beaches will be added to its coverage area in 2025, one spot the team’s top-secret inspectors must visit is Oceano. The restaurant reopened Jan. 17 after a six-month remodeling, and not only does it look spectacular, the food is fantastic. No surprise because it’s helmed by husband and wife exec chef-partners
Jeremy and Cindy Bearman , who shared a "Best Chef: South”
James Beard Award semifinalist nod in 2023.
Pearl & Horn | Pensacola
The adventure at Pearl & Horn starts with where you sit. The restaurant’s theme celebrates the best of land and sea, and the two sections of the divided restaurant reflect that. The Pearl portion boasts a chic marble bar with views of freshly shucked oysters and handcrafted cocktails, while the Horn portion features woodland tones and rich brown leather booths. The menu spans flavors from around the world, including Chef George Lazi’s roots in the country of Georgia, located in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Once you’ve chosen your seat, you can pick the menu section you prefer, whether it’s the crispy red snapper fillet with adjika beurre blanc and hasselback heirloom fingerlings or the baharat-dusted Colorado lamb chops — just a couple of the myriad delights on this intrepid, globe-trotting menu.
– Brittany Misencik, Pensacola News Journal (Fla.) USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year 2025: Pensacola restaurant named one of best in U.S. Spanish River Grill & Wine Bar | New Smyrna Beach
After originally opening beachside 17 years ago,
Spanish River Grill returned to New Smyrna Beach's dining scene nearly two years ago — and its revival has proven worthwhile. Housed in a rustic-mod setting, this South Volusia tapas-style restaurant and wine bar offers a dining experience steeped in Spanish flavor that far exceeds its modest dimensions. Renowned chef Henry Salgado, a two-time James Beard semifinalist, curates a menu that serves as a dining playground of textures, flavors and techniques, with each dish showcasing a dynamic range of culinary creativity.
Stirrups | Ocala
Swordfish Grill | Cortez, Florida
Details: 4628 119th St. W., Cortez; 941-798-2035;
swordfishgrillcortez.com Gaze southward from the back patio of Swordfish Grill, and you can see the downtown Sarasota skyline in the distance. However, you might as well be a thousand miles away, nestled in the historic commercial fishing village of Cortez. Surrounded by working docks and pristine mangroves, gray pelicans and blue herons, leaping mullet, and frolicking dolphins, the experience is a delightful slice of Old Florida paradise.
Sarasota area waterfront restaurant named one of the best in the U.S. Taverna Oceana
Fourteen years after launching seasonal Italian cuisine restaurant Taverna in the heart of historic San Marco Square, owners Sam and Kiley Efron in May launched their new raw bar and seafood concept, Taverna Oceana, next door in the trendy neighborhood just south of downtown. Sophisticated but unpretentious, Oceana offers a menu of three-tier seafood towers, oysters, caviar service, smoked filet mignon and even "grown-up tater tots"
— smothered with salmon roe and sour cream.
Vine & Olive | Titusville, Florida
Wade Tatangelo is Ticket Editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and Florida Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor for the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached by email at [email protected].
