The great thing about revisiting places you’ve been to before is the comfortable familiarity you have upon your return, going back to favorite restaurants, bars, and points of interest and the ability to explore the area deeper each time you go back. I also like to use return visits to explore outward from the location in a direction I’ve never been before.
On a recent trip to St. Pete Beach, an Old Florida favorite, we drove the 35 miles or so down to Anna Maria Island. The Florida gulf from St. Pete Beach to Marco Island is teeming with things to do and places to see and I decided to start inching my way southward.
The Anna Maria City Pier, built over 100 years ago in 1911 and currently being renovated, with the Skyway Bridge in the far distance.
Coincidentally, the timeshare company that I belong to has a couple of impossible-to-book properties on the island. The drive would be a good way for me to look over the popular properties and see if I felt compelled to add them to my ever-growing Florida Bucket List or not.
We drove out to the properties; one on Bradenton Beach and one on Holmes Beach. They turned out to be quaint vintage motels, right on the beach, that had been converted into timeshare condos. They weren’t luxurious-looking but they did have a certain retro charm. We didn’t get to see the interiors as they were all booked (of course). Interestingly, we were told by the management that a lot of the same people book them for the same week every year their entire lives – that explained why we couldn’t get a reservation.
Via Roma Resort’s retro pool area with the gorgeous Gulf of Mexico in the background.
We walked around the pool area, checked out the hot tubs and then, headed out to the beach. I’ll never forget the curious scene we saw there.
A row of sunbathers sat upright in chairs in a perfectly straight line across the entire width of the property’s white sand beach. All of them were sitting with their arms resting squarely on the armrests, staring right out in front, not talking, not moving, as if they were mannequins. We walked around looking at the property beachfront and admiring the snow-white sand. Not a single head turned in our direction or any direction for that matter. It felt as if we had walked into an artist’s dream beach scene sculpture except that it was real but in a surreal kind of way.
I looked out to see what they were staring at and caught my breath in surprise because the water was the most exquisite hue of aqua and emerald green, I’d ever seen. Anywhere. It was mesmerizing.
Bright umbrellas decorate the beachscape at Bradenton Beach on Anna Maria Island, Florida.
We walked back towards the motel/condos and noticed a sign above a door facing the beach that read, “Beach Bistro”. “Let’s try it for lunch”, we said. We pulled the door handle but it didn’t open. We shielded our eyes with our hands, pressed our faces to the glass door, and tried to peek into the dark tinted windows but couldn’t see inside nor did we detect any sign of movement. Oh well.
We left the white, fluffy beaches and the breath-taking turquoise and emerald water got in the car and drove around the island to look for a different eatery. The narrow road along our route was lined with a dense, tropical landscape of palms, ferns, and flowers. As we got closer to the restaurant, the road widened into a cottagey business district with quaint shops whose signs advertised local arts, crafts, tee shirts, and ice cream.
I checked the internet and came up with a list of possible diners. It turned out that Anna Maria Island had a LOT of restaurants, more than you might expect on a small island 7 miles long and 2 miles wide. Apparently, I was among my food- and beach-loving peers there on the island. Finally, I settled on one named “The Waterfront Restaurant”, thinking that, worst-case scenario, we’d at least get to look at the water while we ate.
A row of verdant hedges stands between the free parking across from The Waterfront and the Gulf of Mexico at the City Pier.
We punched the address into my phone and soon found the restaurant. There was free public parking across the street from it and as we pulled in, we could see the stunning aquamarine water on the other side of the thick green hedge at the head of our parking spot. We admired the view and crossed the street over to the restaurant.
The Waterfront Restaurant
The Waterfront Restaurant is a foodie’s delight whether dining al fresco or inside with cold AC.
We found The Waterfront Restaurant & Craft Bar housed in a charming historic cottage. Flower boxes adorned the front porch where diners could glimpse the aqua waters surrounding the City Pier through the hedges across the street. The back patio offered another al fresco dining option. Or, diners could enjoy the cold AC inside.
“Fresh”, “finest”, “natural”, “green”, “classic”, “creative” – these were the words the restaurant used to describe its cooking on it’s About Our Cuisine website page. Just reading that page would make anyone feel great about what they getting ready to eat. They weren’t just marketing words on a page though. Their commitment to their culinary vision, mission and core values, as declared on the webpage, were indeed infused into their food.
I especially loved how said they embrace classic cooking techniques yet dedicate “one page of the menu daily to unusual items and special presentations where our creativity and depth can be explored”. I imagined working my way through that one ever-changing menu page devoted to creative food play.
Grouper Tacos served with fresh pineapple and purple cabbage slaw and pico de gallo.
Here’s what we ordered. Grouper Tacos made with premium black Gulf grouper seasoned and lightly seared then served in flour tortillas with cheddar jack cheese and jicama slaw. Pineapple and purple cabbage slaw and fresh pico de gallo were served on the side. If you’ve never had fresh pineapple and purple cabbage slaw, it’s a game-changer. Honestly, I never even liked coleslaw until I tasted this dish. Now, it’s my slaw benchmark.
Key West grilled shrimp combine with the Tropicale Salad for a naturally delectable flavor.
My entrée was the Tropicale Salad with added-on Gulf Shrimp. The salad was made with a baby arugula base topped with sliced avocado, hearts of palm, shaved Parmesan-Reggiano and a balsamic vinaigrette on the side. Gulf-caught grilled Key West pink shrimp were served alongside the salad. This was the first time I’d been introduced to this flavorful salad combination and I wondered why that was since the ingredients complemented each other so naturally and deliciously.
The Waterfront’s classic Key Lime Pie is a serious contender for Best Key Lime Pie. Ever.
I love Key Lime Pie and probably ate enough slices on this trip to equal a whole pie. But the one served at The Waterfront may be the best Key Lime Pie I’ve had. Ever. A toasted coconut graham cracker crust was filled with a classic tart and creamy key lime filling. The pie was plated onto diagonal raspberry sauce stripes topped with whipped cream clouds. Without knowing the recipe, I could only imagine that the difference between this key lime pie and all the others I’d ever tried was in the restaurant’s stated commitment to using fresh ingredients and hand-crafted, onsite preparation of the individual components – think fresh coconut and Key limes, house-made filling and fresh whipped cream.
I have an instinct for finding good places to eat and with The Waterfront Restaurant, I did it again. But I’m not the only reviewer applauding their cuisine. The restaurant won the TripAdvisor 2016 Certificate of Excellence and was voted one of OpenTable’s 2016 100 Best Al Fresco Dining Restaurants in America. The Waterfront is a must-do on any Anna Maria Island trip itinerary!
Good To Know Before You Go
We had no lunch reservation and were seated within a few minutes. However, our server advised us that dinner reservations are highly recommended.
There are free parking spots across the street from the restaurant but they may be full during peak dining times.
The island free public trolley stops across the street at the City Pier. Catch it for a scenic overview of the island or convenient way to get around without having to drive.
Public restrooms are located across the street from the right side of The Waterfront when facing the restaurant. Note these for future reference when visiting other points of interest in the area that don’t have facilities.
The Waterfront Restaurant & Craft Bar, 111 South Bay Blvd., Anna Maria, Florida 34216; Phone: 941-778-1515; Email: info@thewaterfrontrestaurant.net; Hours: Sunday through Thursday 11:30 am – 9:00 pm, Friday & Saturday 11:30 am – 10:00 pm.
A tranquil pocket beach just west of the City Pier perfect for a private escape.
Epilogue
After we returned to Texas, I was finally able to book a week-long reservation for next summer at one of the properties we viewed. Now that I know what a food lover’s paradise Anna Maria Island is, I’ll plan a full dining itinerary for the trip, including a return to The Waterfront Restaurant & Craft Bar to explore their dinner menu and try out their craft cocktails. And I’ll make another attempt to visit the Beach Bistro, which I’ve since learned is an award-winning and highly acclaimed restaurant.
This rather nondescript building actually houses an award-winning and highly acclaimed restaurant. To be continued…
WANT TO SEE MORE OF ANNA MARIA ISLAND AND FLORIDA’S SOUTHWESTERN GULF COAST?
Visit our gallery below. Click on a picture to start the slideshow. Then, click on the “I” in the lower left-hand corner to display the captions.
All galleries are “works in progress” with more pics to be added.
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