When you’re traveling with the family in Anna Maria, you’ll want to have a few satisfaction-guaranteed spots to grab a bite to eat. On Anna Maria Island, there’s no shortage of American restaurants serving up the food you know and love.
If you’re looking for a great place to dine on the island, check out one of these top Anna Maria American restaurants.
Rod and Reel Pier
This Old Florida-style favorite is a community hub on the island. The Rod and Reel Pier serves thousands of locals and visitors every year. With a retro vibe and tasty food, this is one of the classic Anna Maria American restaurants.
The grouper sandwich, crab cakes, and the Pier Burger are just a few of the menu highlights. You won’t have trouble making up your mind on dessert, as they have just one menu item: Key Lime Pie. They serve $1.50 glasses of draught beer and offer a full-service bar, as well as deck seating.
Perhaps the most unique thing about Rod and Reel is its location: at the end of a 350-foot pier on the north end of Anna Maria Island. Come at sunset time to catch the burst of color erupting over Tampa Bay. The pier is also a favorite among amateur fishers and a great place to catch snook, a regional favorite.
Mr. Bones BBQ
As its name suggests, Mr. Bones BBQ is famous for one thing: world-famous ribs smothered in house-made sauces.
This Gulf Drive restaurant serves up the meat of all kinds – ribs, pulled pork, barbecue chicken – as well as vegetarian dishes. Meat eaters can order spare or baby back ribs and choose from the restaurant’s five sauces: BBQ, Hot, Honey Glaze, Mongolian, and Mandarin. Mr. Bones also offers jambalaya and shrimp and grits as part of its Southern Fare menu. Vegetarians can choose from Thai Curry Tofu, quesadilla, or a home-made black bean veggie burger.
Mr. Bones BBQ prides itself on making everything in-house and using local and/or organic ingredients whenever possible.
Eat Here AMI
Cozy meets innovation at Eat Here AMI, one of the best beach restaurants with American fare in the area. Eat Here was opened by the owners of Beach Bistro, a sensational fine dining restaurant on the island, so expect good things. It offers a casual alternative to fine dining, dubbed by the chef as “bistro-lite.”
Opened in 2012, Eat Here AMI is located on the bay side of the island, adjacent to the waterfront. It is unpretentious yet inventive, offering fresh-caught seafood and meat and products from local farms. The menu features American classics, such as French onion soup, tenderloin, and local mangrove snapper, as well as more unusual dishes for those who like to dabble. Some of these include tempura beets, “Shrimpcargot,” and wood-fired clams.
Wicked Cantina
Sizzling DIY fajita platters and nacho cheese are just a few of the plates associated with Tex-Mex, a popular cuisine that can be found in a number of Anna Maria American restaurants.
Head to Wicked Cantina, a Mexican-style bar diner that offers some of the best Tex-Mex in the area. Here, you’ll enjoy tacos, quesadillas, burritos, and a local favorite, the Taco Salad. They also serve American classics like the cheeseburger and chicken sandwich, as well as the ubiquitous Florida grouper sandwich.
Plan Your Next Visit
For more information on Anna Maria vacation rentals near these fine eateries, browse our available rentals online today!
If you’d rather dine at Anna Maria Island’s perfect vacation rentals, grab a “Family Pack to Go” – a DIY burrito kit that includes, a choice of meat, flour tortillas, refried beans, and all the fixings for a family of four.
Skinny’s Place
Skinny’s Place is one of the island’s oldest beach restaurants with American fare. This beach shack was opened in the 1950s and has served one of Anna Maria Island’s favorite burgers ever since.
You can get just about any burger you’ve ever dreamed of at Skinny’s – classic hamburger or cheeseburger, bacon cheeseburger, among others – as well as a chicken breast sandwich, hot dog, and other American fares. If you’re in need of a quick snack, stop by for a basket of fries or onion rings and an ice-cold beer.
Skinny’s also offers food to go (in eco-friendly containers) – just what you need for a family picnic on the beach.
