4 Tasty Places to Eat in Northwest Florida

Northwest Florida is becoming a popular vacation destination. With their crystal-clear springs, affordable prices, and variety of activities, this part of the state is seeing more travelers each season. With that, comes more dining options.

These four restaurants are great places I discovered to eat while on a trip to explore Northwest Florida. Spend more of your time enjoying the destination and less time figuring out where to eat with these suggestions for Marianna, Chipley, Bonifay, and Defuniak Springs, Florida.

#1 Mashawy Grill, Marianna

Visitors will be surprised to find this cosmopolitan Mediterranean restaurant in the heart of small-town Marianna. The decor is delightful and the food will wow you. Mashawy Grill serves typical Mediterranean food (Hummus, Falafel, and Kabobs), but also includes fine dining options like Lamb Chops and Angus Beef Ribeyes.

During my lunch visit, I selected the Mixed Grill with four kabobs (beef and chicken), basmati rice, fattoush (salad), and hummus with pita bread. It was more than enough for one person. The taste was remarkable, both flavorful and zesty. Mashawy’s chickpea Hummus might be the best I have ever had; it is light and creamy with a smooth finish. The friends that I dined with raved about the Baked eggplant and Gyros, too!

#2 Katie’s Kafe, Chipley 

This adorable sandwich shop was a great place to score our favorite casual food items, including hamburgers, club sandwiches, and salads. I chose the Philly cheesesteak sandwich at Katie’s Kafe; seasoned beef with gooey Provolone cheese served on a huge billowy bun. My hand-cut fries alone were enough to make me happy. There were so many yummy sounding items that it was hard narrowing down my selection.

Katie’s Kafe makes a mean French Dip Sandwich with au jus. Pair this with onion rings and sweet tea, and voila, lunch is served! Specials of the Day when I was there were a Shrimp Basket and Fish Sandwich, both popular choices.

#3 Skins & Bubbas BBQ, Chipley

You know a place is good when a group of food and travel writers eats there for both breakfast and dinner. Comfort foods at an affordable price and service with a smile make Skins & Bubbas BBQ a great dining option. The breakfast menu is small, but the taste is big and bold. Pair their mouth-watering biscuits with the creamy gravy for a perfect combination.

During my dinner visit, we started with the crispy Onion Ring Basket. Everyone was pleased! I ordered the Pulled Pork Platter, which I paired with a trip to the favorite salad bar and Skins & Bubbas yummy macaroni & cheese. The vast portion of pork was moist and had lots of flavors while the mac & cheese was deliciousness.

The Loaded Baked Potato at Skins & Bubbas BBQ is so good that it deserves its own paragraph. What felt like a ten-pound potato took up the entire plate. The potato comes loaded with butter, bacon bits, cheese, and sour cream, but you can also choose to top your potato with pork, turkey, chicken, or beef.

#4 Nick’s Seafood, Freeport

When you enter this classic 1963 seafood establishment on the Choctawhatchee Bay, you have to pause and admire the scenery. A well-known appetizer in Florida is Fish Dip accompanied by bread or vegetables. Nick’s Seafood breaks the mold by serving their Fish Dip with Captains Wafers, a great call.

For lunch, we chose the Fried Shrimp Sandwich, Fried Shrimp Platter, and Peel & Eat Shrimp bucket (available in half and pound sizes) with cheese grits and cole slaw. Entrees also come with hush puppies. The shrimp at Nick’s Seafood was uber fresh, and we gobbled it up. Other scrumptious seafood options include crab claws, oysters, and gator tail.

Have a slice of Key lime pie for dessert; a somewhat frozen version of the Florida favorite.

Craving Northwest Florida Yet?

As you can see, there is a lot of good food in Northwest Florida. While Florida is full of vacation destinations, consider this part of the state. See what to see and do in Washington County here. Meanwhile, eat in Northwest Florida!

A special thanks to Riverway South, Laurie Rowe Communications, and area restaurants for the meals and hosting me. As with all posts on this site, all opinions and conclusions are 100% my own and unbiased.

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See our other posts about fun and food in Florida:

4 Places to Eat in Gainesville

Lion Country Safari

Hinson House Bed & Breakfast 

What to do in Daytona (Volusia County)