These restaurants may be a bit of a hike from Tampa Bay, but they’re worth the trek. Right now, the Bradenton area has never had so many great culinary hot spots. So, whether you’re in the mood for seafood, Tex Mex or just a new waterfront view, there are plenty of good reasons to cross the Skyway.
Blue Marlin Seafood
121 Historic Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach
Blue Marlin opened in a blue 1920’s cottage back in Nov. 2011. The restaurant’s menu is primarily centered around grouper, snapper, cobia and hogfish dishes that are brought in by the local A. P. Bell Fish Company. Blue Marlin is open Monday through Saturday from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. and on Sunday from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. The restaurant usually hosts live music on Fridays and Saturdays.
Photo via Blue Marlin/FacebookThe Bridge Tender Inn & Dockside Bar
135 Bridge St., Bradenton Beach
Since they’re a waterfront restaurant on Anna Maria Island, The Bridge Tender’s menu focuses on seafood and comfort food. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and offers inside and outside seating. They also serve beer and cocktails.
Photo via The Bridge Tender Inn & Dockside Bar/FacebookBeach House Waterfront Restaurant
200 Gulf Drive N, Bradenton Beach
Featuring 650 feet of Gulf-front beach, the Beach House serves a tropical, seafood-based menu for both indoor and outdoor seating. Throughout their renovations, which were completed in 2017, the restaurant focused on conservational and environmentally conscious construction. They’re also a United Nations global observatory site.
Photo via The Beach House Restaurant/FacebookCaddy’s Bradenton
801 Riverside Dr. E, Bradenton
Accessible from the Manatee River, visitors are able to sit by the water and munch on American food at Caddy’s Bradenton. The restaurant is pet friendly and has a sand volleyball court. They also serve local craft beer and have a liquor bar. Caddy’s Bradenton is opens daily at 11 a.m. The restaurant closes at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, and at 10 p.m. all other nights.
Photo via Caddy’s at the Pointe/Facebook3 Keys Brewing and Eatery
2505 Manatee Ave. E, Bradenton,
3 Keys Brewing is a small batch brewery and eatery with a “weekly evolving” selection of beer and pub style food. The restaurant has bingo on Thursdays, live music on Saturdays and trivia on Sundays. Visitors are able to bring beers and ciders home with them in growlers. Seating is “community style,” meaning you might have to sit with strangers at a large table, and visitors order food at the bar. Burgers range from $11 to $14 and the beef is sourced locally from Lakewood Ranch, 10 miles away. 3 Keys Brewing is open Monday through Thursday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Photo via 3 Keys Brewing & Eatery/FacebookPier 22
1200 1st Ave. W, Bradenton
Just down the street from Bradenton’s city hall, Pier 22 serves lunch and dinner from the city’s historic pier that was built in 1928. If you’re in the mood for fish, Pier 22 has grouper, cod, halibut, tuna, salmon and American red snapper dishes. There is also an array of land-based meals, including market priced fresh game “delicately sourced protein from around the world.” Sandwiches at the waterside restaurant range from $13 for a barbecue chicken sandwich to $18 for soft shell crab or grouper sandwiches. A sushi bar is open at the restaurant all day on Wednesdays and Fridays. The restaurant is open from 11:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. on Fridays through Saturdays and 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Sundays. Free docking is available if you arrive by boat.
Photo via Pier 22/FacebookAnna Maria Oyster Bar on the Pier
2200 Bridge St., Bradenton Beach
This oyster bar offers lunch, dinner and a full bar right on the water. Oysters can be served nine different ways, but the restaurant also offers a variety of seafood and American cuisine.
Photo via Anna Maria Oyster Bar on the Pier/FacebookO’Bricks Irish Pub & Martini Bar
427 12th St. W, Bradenton
According to their website, O’bricks is “housed in two of downtown Bradenton’s oldest structures,” with the grill and banquet room located in the Anderson-Finkham Building, which was built in 1901. Open daily from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m., the restaurant offers flatbreads, sandwiches and a variety of entrées. The lunch menu is served daily from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. and the dinner menu goes from 4 p.m. until 10. The restaurant also has a brunch menu which is served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Visitors can also bring in your own bottle of wine for a $15 “corkage fee” per 750 ml bottle.
Photo via O’Bricks Irish Pub & Martini Bar/FacebookChang Kao Thai Cuisine
6233 14th St. W, Bradenton
Formerly Thai Spice, Chang Kao Thai Cuisine serves a range of Thai food like Tom Kha Chicken, Seaweed Salad and Green Curry Duck. Dishes on the lunch menu, which is served until 3 p.m., range from $8.95 to $12.95. Chang Kao is open from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. then 4:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. On Fridays, the restaurant is open from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. then 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. On Saturdays, Chang Kao is open from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. then 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. It is closed on Sundays.
Photo via Chang Kao Thai Cuisine/FacebookCentral Cafe
906 Manatee Ave. E, Bradenton
According to Central Cafe’s website, their owner, Marsha Forrest,enjoys sipping LOLA Rosé and listening to Corinne Bailey Rae, while Mic Cripe prefers Bud Light while listening to Nomadzz. The restaurant’s American-based menu is inspired by California’s seasonal harvest.
Photo via Central Cafe/FacebookCouncil’s Burgers, Beer, Billiards
536 12th St. W, Bradenton
2020 will be this popular burger joint’s 94th year of operation. Council’s is open from 10:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. almost every day of the week. The restaurant stays open until 9 p.m. on Wednesdays and is closed on Sundays. The bar and restaurant’s Facebook also advertises free pool every Tuesday.
Photo via Councils’ Burgers, Beer, & Billiards/FacebookFav’s Italian Cucina
419 12th St. W, Bradenton
Fav’s is co-owned by brother and sister Michael and Maria Favasuli. They’re open from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Saturday. Their pizza lunch special, which includes two slices and a soft drink for $5.50, is available from 11:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Fav’s also serves salads, pasta, stromboli, garlic herb wraps and subs.
Photo via Fav’s Italian Cucina/FacebookChâteau 13
535 13th Street West, Bradenton
Château 13, which offers European-based bites and a large selection of wine and beer, is celebrating their 1-year anniversary in February. Their “bites” range from $2.50 to $4, appetizers range from $6 to $18 and entrées cost anywhere from $19 to $35. There are also five variations of mussels that cost $15 for a half pound and $27 for a full pound. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. Other than Valentine’s day, seating is arranged by walk-ins only.
Photo via Chateau 13 Restaurant & Wine Bar/FacebookIL Conte Ristorante & Pizzeria
8209 Natures Way, Suite 103, San Marco Plaza, Lakewood Ranch
Executive chef and owner Alfredo Dapi blends local ingredients with imports from Puglia, Italy, where he once lived. There are several different pizzas on the lunch and dinner menus, but the restaurant also offers a selection of soups, salads, pastas and appetizers. The happy hour menu is served at the bar Tuesday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The restaurant is open from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. then 4 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. then 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays. IL Conte is closed on Mondays.
Photo via Il Conte Ristorante & Pizzeria/FacebookMichael John’s Restaurant
1040 Carlton Arms Blvd., Bradenton
The beef at this French-American brasserie-style steakhouse is aged 12-14 days in house and comes from family owned Iowa ranches. Alternatively, they also offer seafood and vegetarian dishes, as well as soups, salads and appetizers. If you’re interested, the restaurant is open from 5 to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 5 to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. It is closed on Sunday.
Photo via Michael John’s Restaurant/FacebookOrtygia
1418 13th St. W, Bradenton
Chef Gaetano Cannata grew up surrounded by Sicilian cuisine in a Sicilian neighborhood in New Jersey. In 2007, he opened Ortygia in a cottage in Bradenton’s Village of the Arts and began serving Sicilian-French style food called “Monzu.” Ortygia serves hot and cold appetizers, tarts for $9.50, soups for $8.50 and pasta or entrées from $15.50 to $18.50. If you plan on going, Ortygia is open Thursday through Saturday from 12 p.m. until 2 p.m. for lunch, then 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. for dinner
Photo via Ortygia/Google MapsRestaurant Edelweiss
611 Manatee Ave. E, Bradenton
This German restaurant has Bavarian nights, with live music and Bavarian dinner specials, on the second and fourth fridays of every month. Restaurant Edelweiss offers a variety of schnitzels, sausages and other popular German classics like Schweinshaxe. The restaurant is open daily from 12 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. and has live music on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
Photo via The Edelweiss/FacebookRiverhouse Waterfront Restaurant
995 Riverside Drive, Palmetto
Right on the Manatee River in Palmetto’s historic district, Riverhouse has three dining options between the Reef & Grill, which includes a full bar with indoor and outdoor seating, the Snook Deck, which has waterfront seating, or the Second Floor, which offers a fine dining and piano lounge setting. Their menu is American-based and includes lunch specials offered until 4 p.m.
Photo via Riverhouse Waterfront Restaurant/FacebookRobin’s Downtown Cafe
428 12th St. W, Bradenton
Robin’s Downtown Cafe serves classic diner food. Whether you’re in the mood for an omelette, a sandwich or a salad, everything on the menu is under $10. Robin’s is open from 7 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Photo via Robin’s Downtown Cafe/FacebookSage Biscuit
1401 Manatee Ave. W, Bradenton
This family owned business focuses on healthy, and mostly vegetarian, options. Sage biscuits, which the restaurant is named after, are offered with most of the breakfast meals. Sandwiches, soups, salads and “Fresh and Tasty” meals are offered in the restaurants lunch menu. Sage Biscuit is open daily from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. and has an additional Cortez location at 6656 Cortez Road W.
Photo via Sage Biscuit/FacebookTheresa’s Restaurant
608 Tamiami Trail, Bradenton
Theresa’s returned to the Food Network on Jan. 9 when Chef Robert Irvine returned to check in on the restaurant for his show “Restaurant Impossible.” Open daily from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m., visitors can order breakfast, brunch or lunch for under $15. The restaurant is dog friendly, too, and has patio seating.
Photo via Theresa’s Family Restaurant/FacebookWicked Cantina
101 7th St. N, Bradenton Beach
Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Wicked Cantina serves up Austin style Tex-Mex. There are 11 different tacos on the menu, and the restaurant has tacos and cocktails of the month, and offers a selection of local craft beers.
Photo via Wicked Cantina Bradenton Beach/FacebookBlue Marlin Seafood
121 Historic Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach
Blue Marlin opened in a blue 1920’s cottage back in Nov. 2011. The restaurant’s menu is primarily centered around grouper, snapper, cobia and hogfish dishes that are brought in by the local A. P. Bell Fish Company. Blue Marlin is open Monday through Saturday from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. and on Sunday from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. The restaurant usually hosts live music on Fridays and Saturdays.
Photo via Blue Marlin/FacebookArte Caffé Italian Bakery and Market
930 12th St. W, Bradenton
Located in Bradentonton’s Village of the Arts, Arte Caffé offers a variety of Italian dishes. Remo Mambelli spent years learning how to cook in Italy, then came to the United States in 1990. Pizzas range from $11.50 for Margarita pizza to $15.90 for carbonara pizza. They also offere a variety of pasta, salad and Focaccia sandwiches. If you plan on going, Arte Caffé is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. then 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Photo via Google Maps Credit: Heidi KurpielaWhiskey Joe’s
5315 19th St. E, Ellenton
The tropical, Florida-centric menu that’s already offered in Tampa, Miami and Port Richey will soon have a location on the Manatee River. Although they haven’t announced an opening day yet, the restaurant chain has already begun hiring.
Photo via Whiskey Joe’s Bar & Grill Manatee River/Facebook
