5 Best St. Pete Restaurants on the Water to Get to By Boat

Last Updated on May 2, 2023 by Boatsetter Team

The weather in Southwest Florida is beautiful most of the year, and many love to get out on the water for a day of fun in the sun. Renting a boat in St. Pete, Florida, for example, is a great way to explore the area, providing many opportunities to see manatees, birds, and other native wildlife just off shore.

Boating in St. Petersburg offers many options for docking and dining for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or grab an appetizer and a beverage. Then you can head back out onto the water to enjoy the fabulous sunsets that are a must-see when boating in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Here’s five of our top choices for waterfront restaurants in St. Petersburg, FL:

1. Doc Ford’s
2. Fresco’s Waterfront Restaurant
3. The Getaway
4. Teak
5. Circles Waterfront

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Doc Ford’s

Set at the base of the downtown St. Pete Pier, Doc Ford’s offers a selection of menu items just as stunning as the fabulous view of downtown St. Pete and Tampa Bay. So relax and enjoy the sea breeze while sipping on one of Doc Ford’s famous mojito and sampling the outstanding cuisine options. You will feel like you have stepped into paradise when dining at this restaurant and are surrounded by marvelous architecture, design, and intriguing company.

The menu at Doc Ford’s is full of unique items kissed by a touch of Caribbean flair. The menu includes an assortment of appetizers, soups, salads, shellfish, sandwiches, entrées, and desserts. Popular menu items include shrimp scampi flatbread, Captiva crab cakes, heat island chicken wings, and Doc’s beach bread. Other mouthwatering items include the Caribbean jerk tostadas and buffalo shrimp.

Fresco’s Waterfront Restaurant

Fresco’s Waterfront Bistro is the only waterfront restaurant offering patrons a view of the municipal marina. The restaurant is situated near the start of St. Pete Pier, where locals and visitors gather to enjoy cocktails and mouthwatering food. Plus, the view is fantastic. There is no better place to enjoy the waves while enjoying Gulf Coast cuisine in a friendly and uplifting environment.

Fresco’s Waterfront Restaurant offers brunch, lunch, and dinner menus, featuring starters, soups, salads, tacos, sandwiches, pasta, bowls, steaks, chicken, and seafood. Popular menu options include the jalapeño bacon-wrapped chicken, top choice sirloin, Maine lobster tail, mahi-mahi, and blackened scallops.

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The Getaway

The Getaway has been open since January 2014, offering a place for boaters in the St. Petersburg area to enjoy time with friends and family while enjoying a fresh, hearty meal. 

Inspired by the Florida Keys and surrounding coastal communities, this restaurant has an uplifting atmosphere providing patrons a unique waterfront dining experience with fabulous views of mangroves and native wildlife. The Getaway has a freshly crafted bar menu with Florida-themed beverages, and the dining menu offers many mouthwatering choices.

The menu includes an assortment of appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, and entrées. Popular menu items include mama’s chili, avocado bites, Bahamian conch fritters, crab cakes, and getaway wings. Other menu items include tuna poke, Yucca fries, volcano crab, and shrimp ceviche.

Teak

Dining at Teak will have you and your family immersed in an enticing restaurant with 360-degree views of the water. Teak offers an elevated casual dining experience set right on St. Pete Pier. At Teak, you can experience delicious food options, great company, and a fantastic night out on the water.

Teak’s menu includes appetizers, soups, salads, entrées, and desserts. Popular menu options include the New England Clam Chowder, Cinema Popcorn Coconut Shrimp, cast-iron baked mac & cheese, Peterburger, and tuna tartare. Additional menu items include cavatelli, winter rental sampler platter, and pan-seared salmon.

Circles Waterfront

Circles Waterfront Restaurant believes in providing guests with an exceptional dining experience with a beautiful marina setting, a creative menu, and the freshest ingredients. 

This restaurant is a great place to dock your boat and grab a bite to eat while taking a break from exploring the waters nearby. Menu items are creatively crafted using local seafood, imported fresh seafood (never frozen), soups made from scratch, made-to-order sauces, and desserts made from scratch based on the owner’s 72-year-old mother’s recipe book.

Circles Waterfront offers lunch, dinner, and an extensive beverage menu of crafted cocktails, wines, and beers. Menus include various appetizers, salads, soups, wraps, sandwiches, entrées, steaks, and seafood. Popular menu choices include:

• The Baja fish tacos.
• Grouper bites.
• Spin-artichoke dip.
• Crab and corn chowder.
• Crispy cod sandwiches.

Popular dessert items include creme brulee, Circles cheesecake, and death by chocolate cake.

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Explore more of what St. Pete has to offer:

St. Petersburg Water Activities

6 Convenient St. Petersburg, Florida Marinas

3 HOT Snorkeling Spots in St. Pete Beach, Fl

5 Best Beaches in St. Petersburg, FL to Explore By Boat 

Boatsetter Team

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