From a Gulf Coast waterfront seafood spot to an intimate Cuban chef’s counter on the Atlantic, these romantic restaurants are worth the trip.
12 romantic Florida restaurants worth the trip
Discover 12 romantic Florida restaurants offering diverse culinary experiences from Gulf Coast seafood to intimate chef’s counters.
From top steakhouses to favorite hidden gems, our USA TODAY Network food experts across Florida love sharing their picks for the best local spots to dine and sip.
And now, with Valentine’s Day creeping up like a reservation you definitely should’ve made by now, we’re spotlighting some of the most romantic restaurants in the Sunshine State.
From a seafood restaurant hugging the Gulf Coast waterfront to an intimate Cuban chef’s counter on the Atlantic side, these are special places worth the trip and, yes, maybe even a sleepover with your favorite person.
Chosen by USA TODAY Network food journalists who know their local scenes best, this list highlights romantic destinations that offer more than great flavors. Expect heart, hospitality and settings that turn a meal into a memory.
14 Prime
Details: 7510 Gate Parkway; 904-688-1499; 14prime.com
One of Jacksonville’s newest steakhouses comes from the team behind the popular V Pizza chain. It’s in the Palms at Gate Parkway, adjacent to V Pizza + Sidecar. Award-winning Chef Chad Shaner, who previously worked at bb’s and Biscotti’s in Jacksonville, has crafted a menu that features USDA Prime and Booth Creek Wagyu steaks, cooked on a charcoal-fueled grill.
Steaks dominate one side of the menu. On the other side, diners can choose from seafood, lamb, pork, chicken or pasta.
It seats about 150 diners and features a chef’s table on Thursday and Friday nights, where up to 10 diners can sit at a table overlooking the kitchen and be served an eight-course tasting by the chefs themselves. — Tom Szaroleta, Florida Times-Union
Angelina’s Ristorante
Details: Angelina’s Ristorante, 24041 S. Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs; 239-390-3187; angelinasofbonitasprings.com
When a restaurant makes a best-in-the-country list, that’s pretty impressive. When it does it three years in a row, we’re loving it. That’s the case with this upscale Italian gem in Bonita Springs, which has just been named one of OpenTable’s Top 100 Romantic Restaurants of 2026. Averaging 4.8 out of 5 stars, it earned the same honor in 2024 and 2025. The fine-dining destination along South Tamiami Trail has been building a loyal fanbase ever since Angela and Don Smith opened it on April 16, 2008.
Angelina’s is known for high-quality ingredients, excellent service and attention to detail. It offers Wagyu steaks, hand-made pasta dishes and much more, plus an extensive wine list that has been awarded Wine Spectator Magazine’s 2-glass and Best of Award of Excellence. Although it’s fully booked for this Valentine’s Day, luckily, it’s open beginning at 4 p.m. most other days of the year. Reservations strongly suggested. ― Robyn George, The News-Press in Fort Myers
Black Radish
Details: 1304 N. Monroe St., Tallahassee; 850-825-1973; blackradishtlh.com
Black Radish, the fine dining, vegetable-focused restaurant located on Tallahassee’s North Monroe Street, makes every visit feel like the first time — perfect for a date night meant to feel like the first. This Valentine’s Day, the restaurant is offering four courses for you and your boo at $80 a person at three different time slots.
Start the night with your choice of a strawberry or sugar snap pea salad. The third course or entree choices includes “Gemeli Pasta with Pork Sausage Ragu Bianco” or “Green Goddess Pasta” made with mafaldine noodles, “Green Goddess Sauce,” garlic breadcrumbs, lemon zest and basil. If you want, you can even top it with whipped ricotta and Parmesan. Wrap up the night with two spoons and a shared indulgence: chocolate tart or cherry cheesecake. You pick. ― Kyla Sanford, Tallahassee Democrat
Bonelli’s
Details: 1217 N. Ninth Ave. Pensacola; 850-466-3002; .bonelliscafeitalia.com.
Bonelli’s has been a staple for old-school Italian fare since opening in 2010, and still to this day, it’s highly recommended that you make a reservation if you’re looking to get a table. You can find a wide variety of comfort food favorites, such as Salbo’s Meatballs (large homemade meatballs topped with Sal’s signature red sauce), their caprese salad with buffalo mozzarella and Roma tomatoes, or their baked eggplant parmesan served with a side of Bonelli’s house pasta.
The menu offers only a half-joking disclaimer that the freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano really does come on everything, and they enjoy their wine “like our grandparents did,” served in a mug.
The food is crafted with intention, and when you order, you’re treated like part of the family as you break open a bottle of wine and wait for your meal to be made fresh for you. You’ll be sure to impress your date with Bonelli’s old-school Italian charm in an intimate dining environment where you enjoy the evening without any rush. — Brittany Misencik, Pensacola News Journal.
The Castillo Craft Bar + Kitchen
Look around the Castillo Craft Bar + Kitchen in St. Augustine
The Castillo Craft Bar + Kitchen is in the Renaissance St. Augustine Downtown Hotel.
Details: 6 West Castillo Drive, (904) 481-8215; https://castillokitchen.com/.
The Castillo Craft Bar + Kitchen stands among St. Augustine’s most eclectically romantic restaurants. Located within The Renaissance St. Augustine Downtown Hotel, the eatery offers scratch-made American cuisine and handcrafted cocktails and mocktails plus an extensive beer and wine list.
Breakfast, lunch, dinners and drinks are touted as a feast for the senses from a menu that offers adventurous eaters a chance to experiment with flavors that “surprise and delight,” while satisfying “selective guests” with the deliciously familiar.
The menu is packed with tasty offerings such as fried pickles, flash-fried Brussels sprouts, Castillo ceviche, crab cakes, Swiss fondue, beef tartar, Minorcan clam chowder, Spanish onion soup and a variety of salads. Meal entrees include citrus slow-braised short rib, market fish, pan-seared salmon, steak and fries, truffle chicken, dry-aged duck breast, bison burgers, ricotta cavatelli and even a vegan cauliflower steak. Desserts include an after-dinner cheeseboard, chocolate mousse, key lime cheesecake and a Manhattan bread pudding.
“Every dish is crafted with passion, ensuring a memorable and craveable experience,” touts the website. “Every moment promises to be a feast of the senses.” — Lucia Viti, The St. Augustine Record.
Chef T’s Garden Grill
Details: 1525 E. Gary Road, Lakeland; 863-687-4386; www.cheftsgardengrill.com
Tucked away in a remodeled house off Lakeland’s East Gary Road, Chef T’s Garden Grill offers a high-end Italian cuisine from experienced chefs in a small, cozy atmosphere. Chef Terry Doner, its original creator, has returned to the kitchen with friend Chef Italia Casini, who has run the kitchens of Palm Court, La Palma, Arabellas and most recently The Lakeland Country Club. It serves up authentic Italian starters at $17 including classics of flash-fried calamari, breaded calamari or choose the escargot. Entrees start at $34 and feature a chicken San Petrino, or cod Francese, featuring egg-battered Alaskan cod that’s pan seared to golden brown perfection. Diners can bring their own bottle of wine, with a $35 corkage fee. Reservations are highly recommended for this intimate experience, with a business casual dress code. — Sara-Megan Walsh, The Ledger
Dry Dock Waterfront Grill
Details: 412 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key; 941-383-0102; drydockwaterfrontgrill.com
For a special-occasion meal with a built-in Florida postcard view, it’s tough to top Dry Dock on Longboat Key. The longtime waterfront favorite pairs some of the region’s best seafood with sweeping Sarasota Bay scenery — and yes, dolphin sightings do happen — whether you snag a coveted window seat or one of the outdoor tables right along the water.
Even without a front-row perch, the restaurant, open since 1989, delivers a romantic, Old Florida ambiance and views that match the kitchen’s deftly prepared dishes. Standouts include Bacon-Wrapped Scallops, Citrus Grouper and fresh local red snapper when available. Basically, the kind of place that reminds you why pairing fresh seafood with waterfront views is always special, whether you live nearby, are visiting from up north or road-tripping across the state. — Wade Tatangelo, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Emelina
Details: 424 Park Place, West Palm Beach; emelinawpb.com
Emelina offers one of Palm Beach County’s truly intimate settings for a romantic night out. Most seats wrap the chef’s counter, where the proximity to the kitchen gives dinner an immersive, almost behind‑the‑scenes dinner party feel. Two small tables for two provide a more private perch. Soft lighting and exquisite, understated design set a calm tone. Husband‑and‑wife chefs Osmel González and Camila Salazar previously earned a Michelin Star for their Miami pop‑up, EntreNos, and their 10‑course tasting menu here reflects the same precision and intention.
Each dish presents high‑end Cuban cooking through a lens of possibility shaped by heritage, imagination and global training at top kitchens around the world. At $235 per person before beverages, it’s a splurge, but a meaningful and unique one for couples seeking an unhurried night together. Reserve via Tock. — Diana Biederman, The Palm Beach Post
HT’s Sand Bar & Bistro
Details: 4950 S. Peninsula Drive, Ponce Inlet; 386-767-7676, hiddentreasurerestaurants.com
In its early hours, HT’s Sand Bar & Bistro feels effortlessly Floridian — sunlit patio seating, brunch bites and the easy rhythm of the inlet — though as dusk settles in each weekend, the experience moves far beyond flip-flops and casual fare.
The pastels of sunset and flicker of fire pits slows the pace at thoughtfully dressed tables — an alfresco setting that invites the slow drift of passing boats and occasional ripple of wildlife below. Cocktails are consistently fresh without sacrificing strength, while the menu is deliberately concise with each dish offering a reason to return and explore further.
Start with the wrapped and roasted asparagus spears ($16), complete with soft, smoked gouda, savory prosciutto, and the sweet tang of an aged balsamic reduction. Seafood ranges from cedar plank salmon to Cajun-spiced Royal red shrimp and sea scallop piccata, though the surf and turf is worth the splurge. For a polished take on classic comfort food, try the bone-in airline chicken breast — golden-seared, preserving its juiciness, topped with soft goat cheese crumbles and served in a shallot, white wine, Dijon reduction over creamy mashed potatoes. — Helena Perray, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
Sails Restaurant
Details: 301 Fifth Ave. S., Naples; 239-360-2000; sailsrestaurants.com
Sails is a Naples staple. The elegant Fifth Avenue spot is known for its fresh European flavors and champagne brunch events. The popular dining spot opened in 2018 at the site of a former bank branch in downtown Naples.
This year, the restaurant was featured in popular reservation platform OpenTable’s Top 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in the country list. Sails has earned a 4.8 star rating on OpenTable with nearly 4,400 reviews as of Feb. 2, 2026. The local spot has exploded in popularity in the last year, with 3,600 reviews since April 2025.
“This was such an amazing experience for me and my fiancé. The services was impeccable and extremely friendly every step of the way from when we arrived to taking our picture at the end in front of the entrance,” an anonymous OpenTable user wrote about Sails on March 15, 2025. “The food was top notch especially the dessert. I would highly recommend Sails for a romantic dinner.”
Sails ensures every aspect of your dining experience is upscale and thoughtful, from friendly service to fresh menu items to beachy interior design. ― Kendall Little, Naples Daily News
The Veranda
Details: 2122 Second St., Fort Myers; 239-332-2065; verandarestaurant.com
Romantic and haunted? Sign us up. The structure housing this downtown gem dates back more than a century. Originally two residential homes, Paul Peden bought the property in 1978 and turned it into The Veranda we know and love. From low lighting and dreamy, high-backed chairs to white linen tablecloths and tuxedoed servers, romance can be found in every nook and cranny.
Settle into one of two main dining rooms, at the piano bar, or in the gorgeous garden courtyard, and you’ll be enveloped in Southern charm. It’s a lovely oasis where time stands still. Even the Southern-flavored menu — where rack of lamb and Chilean sea bass vie with the chef’s specials for best-seller of the day — doesn’t change. And as for the haunted part? Customers report feeling a friendly presence, especially in the back of the house. As we said earlier, sign us up. — Robyn George, The News-Press
Yellow Dog Cafe
Details: 905 U.S. 1, Malabar; 321‑956‑3334; www.yellowdogcafe.com
Nestled alongside the Indian River, Yellow Dog Cafe has spent more than a quarter‑century earning its reputation as one of the Space Coast’s most romantic dining destinations. The moment you step onto the waterfront deck or settle into one of the cozy dining rooms with a view, the mood is set for an evening that feels both intimate and timeless.
The menu leans into elevated comfort food, starting with baked brie and cranberry-cherry sauce and crab bisque. Entrée signatures include the onion‑crusted chicken, rich and perfectly seasoned, or the tender rack of lamb that has become a staple for celebratory dinners.
Attentive service and sweeping river views heighten the sense of occasion, making it a favorite for date nights, anniversaries and all those in‑between moments. And no visit is complete without sharing the restaurant’s beloved finale — the indulgent fudge brownie, a decadent dessert that has become part of Yellow Dog lore. — Amber Olesen, FLORIDA TODAY
Wade Tatangelo is Audience Director for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and Florida Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor for the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached by email at wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
Dining and Cooking