For more than 45 years, local restaurants have been my unofficial mile markers along the Emerald Coast. Long before they became inspiration for books, lesson plans, or story arcs, they were simply places where salt hung in the air, plates landed heavy on wooden tables, and the Gulf set the pace of the evening.
That story eventually became a family one.
My son Robert took his first professional step into that world through a Culinary Institute of America internship at Criolla’s on Highway 30A, where refined technique met Gulf Coast soul. Watching him work in a kitchen shaped by local ingredients and global influence felt like seeing decades of meals, conversations, and coastal lessons come full circle. The discipline, respect for product, and quiet intensity of those kitchens echo through the Panhandle Trail books, especially in how Pete teaches craft alongside curiosity.
My son Nolty, on the other hand, learned the rhythm of hospitality the old-fashioned way — bussing tables at the long-gone Flamingo Cafe, now operated by the same Phillips family as Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House, clearing plates, refilling water, moving through a dining room at full tide teaches lessons no cookbook can. Timing, teamwork, humility. Those early experiences surface in the books not as recipes, but as respect for everyone who makes a meal possible, from prep cook to server to dishwasher.
Places like Dewey Destin’s Harborside, The Back Porch, Harbor Docks, and Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House represent more than great food; they form a living timeline. Some restaurants have endured. Others have come and gone. But each left fingerprints on how we eat, cook, and gather.
When Pescado Pete’s Traveling Culinary School rolls through the Panhandle on the page, it carries all of that history with it — my years at the table, my sons’ early shifts behind the scenes, and the quiet understanding that food is never just what’s on the plate. It’s mentorship. It’s memory. It’s continuity.
The signature dishes featured in the Panhandle Trail books aren’t nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. They’re acknowledgments. Of places that fed us. Of lessons passed down without ceremony. And of a coastline that continues to teach, generation after generation, one meal at a time.
DESTIN & MIRAMAR BEACH STOPS
1. Brotula’s Seafood House & Steamer
Kid Lesson Theme: Steam Team Science
Signature Dish Adaptations
- Seafood Boil Bowl (Kid Edition)
Shrimp, corn, potatoes served in build-your-own bowls - Gentle Blackened Fish Tacos
Mild seasoning blend, soft tortillas, colorful toppings - “Crunch Crew” Brussels Sprouts
Roasted with light crunch and kid-approved dips
Team Roles
- Steam Captain
- Veggie Prep Pro
- Bowl Builder
Educational Hook
How steaming works, why Gulf seafood is seasonal, and how heat travels safely through food.
2. Pompano Joe’s
Kid Lesson Theme: Sweet Meets Savory
Signature Dish Adaptations
- Coconut Shrimp Bites
Oven-baked or air-fried for safer prep - Tropical Fruit Salsa
Mango, pineapple, citrus, and color theory
Team Roles
- Coating Crew
- Taco Architects
- Salsa Mix Masters
Educational Hook
Balancing flavors and learning how tropical ingredients brighten seafood.
3. The Surf Hut
Kid Lesson Theme: Ocean-to-Table Detectives
Signature Dish Adaptations
- Grilled Grouper Sandwich
Adult-assisted grill demo with kid assembly - Tuna & Crab Dip Cups
Served with crackers or veggie sticks - BBQ Shrimp Skewers
Team Roles
- Freshness Scouts
- Skewer Stackers
- Sauce Tasters
Educational Hook
How to identify fresh fish and why sourcing matters.
4. The Back Porch
Kid Lesson Theme: Bright Bites by the Beach
Signature Dish Adaptations
- Build-Your-Own Tuna Dip Nacho Board
- Beachside Fish & Chips (Oven-Baked)
- Citrus Slaw Crunch Bowl
Team Roles
- Board Designers
- Crunch Engineers
- Citrus Squeezers
Educational Hook
Why citrus wakes up seafood and how acidity changes flavor.
5. Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House
Kid Lesson Theme: Balanced Plate Builders
Signature Dish Adaptations
- Mini Oyster Po’ Boy Bites
Mild dressing, small rolls - Pan-Roasted Red Snapper Plate
- Summer Berry Salad
Team Roles
- Protein Planners
- Sauce Spreaders
- Color Coordinators
Educational Hook
Understanding flavor profiles and how to build a balanced plate.
🍴 30A & SANTA ROSA BEACH
6. Great Southern Cafehttps:/
https://www.thegreatsoutherncafe.com/
Kid Lesson Theme: Southern Roots & Sauté Skills
Signature Dish Adaptations
- Grits à Ya Ya (Kid Style)
Creamy, mild, comforting - Blackened Shrimp Skillet
- Seasonal Veggie Medley
Team Roles
- Grits Guardians
- Skillet Supervisors
- Veggie Choppers
Educational Hook
Where grits come from and how sautéing builds flavor.
7. Bud & Alley’s
Kid Lesson Theme: Cooking with a View
Signature Dish Adaptations
- Waterfront Fish & Veggie Plate
- Sunset Citrus Slaw
- Mini Gulf Salad Bowls
Team Roles
- Plating Artists
- Produce Rinsers
- Garnish Finishers
Educational Hook
Using local produce and learning presentation as storytelling.
👨👩👧 FAMILY-FRIENDLY CLASSIC
8. Dewey Destin’s Harborside
Kid Lesson Theme: Teamwork on a Big Plate
Signature Dish Adaptations
- Destin Platter (Mini Version)
Grouper bite, shrimp, hush puppy - Crispy Shrimp Stack
- Kid-Approved Slaw with Citrus Drizzle
Team Roles
- Fry Watchers
- Stack Builders
- Sauce Drizzlers
Educational Hook
How kitchens divide roles to deliver many items at once.