Tampa’s Salt Shack on the Bay listed among New York Times’ 50 best restaurants in the nation

Beachy, waterfront restaurants are a dime a dozen in Tampa Bay, but one concept in particular recently received an accolade that sets it apart from the rest.

Tampa’s Salt Shack on the Bay—located right below the Gandy bridge at 5415 W Tyson Ave. in Rattlesnake Point—is the only local restaurant to make the New York Times’ nationwide “best restaurants” list, which it releases annually.

“For the third annual New York Times Restaurant List, we sent a dozen reporters, editors and critics to hundreds of places across the United States — from Rattlesnake Point in Florida to the Arts District in Los Angeles — to find our favorites,” the newspaper writes in its introduction. “It wasn’t easy to narrow it down, but here are the 50 restaurants that excite us most right now.”

Self-described as a “rustic-refined beach getaway” The New York Times writers were captivated by Salt Shack on the Bay’s “sprawling menu with a Caribbean bent,” sunset views of Old Tampa Bay and its completely-outdoor ambience.

“Jimmy Buffet [sic] would have liked this place, where there is no problem a platter of fresh Gulf shrimp and a drink with a pineapple slice couldn’t solve,” the Times added. “But the real gold is anything that lets all that great Gulf seafood shine.”

Salt Shack on the Bay celebrated its grand opening in the summer of 2019. Accessible by both car and boat, locals and tourists alike appreciate the waterfront restaurant’s spread of beer, wine and fruity cocktails alongside its menu of classic seafood fare.

The only other Florida-based concepts to make the cut are both located in Miami: Peruvian restaurant Maty’s (which is ran by a James Beard-nominated chef) and barbecue eatery Smoke & Dough.

For more information on the now critically-acclaimed Salt Shack on the Bay, head to its Facebook page at @saltshacktampa or its website, where you can find a great summary of the history of Tampa’s Rattlesnake Point.

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This article appears in Sep 14-20, 2023.