Amelia Island is Florida’s northernmost barrier island on the Atlantic coast. The picturesque unspoilt isle, at 13 miles long and 2 miles broad, isn’t as well-known as other Florida coastal getaways. Yet it’s one of the things that makes this immaculate slice of heaven so wonderful. It’s simple to get there, yet difficult to forget. Although we will be focusing on Amelia Island restaurants, there is so much more to see and do on the island.
This nearly ageless, off-the-beaten-path place is just 30 miles from Jacksonville yet seems like a world away. Amelia Island is an idyllic combination of golden-hued beaches, plentiful wildlife, interesting history, and Southern gentility. The island’s wooded canopy is formed by enormous oak trees coated with Spanish moss.
Fernandina Beach, a historic bayside village, dating from the post-Civil War era. This charming hamlet has a 50-square-block stretch of stunning Victorian, Queen Anne, and Italianate residences, several of which are on the National Register of Historic Properties.
Also, the cuisine is fantastic. Amelia Island restaurants offers some of the greatest cuisines the Southeast has to offer, from Southern barbecue to fresh seafood, grilled meats, and farm-to-table wonders.
Not in the mood to dine out tonight? Click here to have Grubhub deliver right to your door from the greatest restaurants in town.
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Amelia Island’s Top 9 Restaurants
Burlingame
904-432-767120 South Fifth Street
Burlingame is one of Amelia Island’s newest eateries to enter the gastronomic scene.
Fresh, seasonally inspired, and cooked from scratch, this popular eatery’s traditional meals are presented with a playful American-modern twist. Its relaxed yet classy atmosphere and excellent service make for a memorable dining experience.
Crispy Skin Fish was melt-in-your-mouth delicious, served with corn and mascarpone risotto, roasted red bell pepper, celery root, Piquillo pure, and crispy leeks.
Another great combo was duck confit with Bok choy kimchi, Miso butter rice, poached egg, scallions, and pickled mushrooms with benne seeds.
This Amelia Island restaurant is unbeatable for a casual environment with a great dining cuisine.
Leddy’s Front Porch
Phone: 904-491-332222 South 3rd St.
Brunch at Leddys Porch is the epitome of Southern-style, island-inspired comfort cuisine. This beautiful location, located in the historic Florida House Hotel (from 1857), serves both inn guests and walk-ins.
The biscuit and cornbread basket is out of this world. The Hoss is a breakfast fan favorite, with two fried eggs, two fluffy buttermilk biscuits, Southern fried chicken breasts, cheddar cheese, sausage gravy, and scallions. A side of cheddar grits is an absolute necessity.
I chose the Strawberry-Goat Cheese Salad with barrier-island fresh-caught shrimp, candied walnuts, and a roasted shallot vinaigrette, which was really delicious.
This historic eatery is one of the greatest places to dine on Amelia Island for basic, clean Southern cooking.
Lagniappe
Phone: 904-844-26344810 First Coast Highway
Lagniappe (pronounced Lan-Yap) is a French Creole phrase that means a little bit extra. The restaurant and cuisine are inspired by the culture and tastes of New Orleans, Charleston, and Savannah, and provide a delightful combination of classic French Creole and Southern island influences using the finest local products.
Crab Cakes make an excellent appetizer.
The Fresh Catch of the Day, a flawlessly cooked seafood-topped Swordfish served over a bed of creamy risotto and delicate broccolini, was too good to pass up.
Blackened Redfish, Oysters Bienville, Shrimp & Grits, and Blue Corn Catfish served with Hoppin John Carolina black-eyed peas and rice are also popular.
Lagniappe is open for lunch and evening and serves a variety of fresh seafood dishes, as well as beef, chicken, and hog meals for the carnivores in your party. This is an outstanding seafood restaurant on Amelia Island, but don’t neglect the meats!
Amelia Island’s Addison
Ash Street 904-277-1604614
Amelia Island’s beautiful and gracious Addison is a 14-room antebellum boutique inn nestled in the center of historic downtown. Despite not really a restaurant in its own right, a stay at this bed and breakfast is rewarding because of its nutritious and delicious breakfasts.
Guests may enjoy seasonal gourmet breakfasts that vary everyday. On Addisons wonderful outside veranda, you may have a Spinach, Feta, and Tomato Frittata with Turkey Sausage Links and Toasted English Bread.
Fresh Berry Parfait, Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes with Warm Berry Compote and Candied Pepper Bacon, and Roasted Tomato with Goat Cheese and Poached Egg were among the other morning treats. Each one is creatively made and complimented by excellent service delivered with a grin.
We strongly suggest this beloved Amelia Island eatery if you intend on staying on the island.
Restaurant on the Verandah
Beach Lagoon Road 904-261-616139 Beach Lagoon Road
Verandah offers superb dining in a charming informal island setting, located on the grounds of the gorgeous Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort. Its wine list is broad and superb while being fairly priced.
Seafood reigns supreme here, but chicken and steak are also offered.
My crab cake appetizer with Cajun remoulade and apple slaw was one of the greatest I’ve tasted outside of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland.
The Grouper entree included a blue crab crust, roasted mushrooms, lemon butter, and was served over Congaree and Penn Jupiter rice risotto. It was melt-in-your-mouth delicious, tender, flaky, and cooked to perfection.
But, leave room for dessert, since the Key Lime Mousse and Salted Chocolate & Hazelnut Tart are also delicious!
Please make time to visit Verandah, one of Amelia Island’s best restaurants.
Brett’s Waterway Cafe
Phone: 904-261-26601 South Front Street
Bretts Waterway Café is the only restaurant in town where you can eat while watching boats pass by on the Amelia River and watch the sunset over the marshes. Casual Lowcountry eating in a very feel-good, pleasant setting.
Brett’s pound burger is legendary on the island. All I can say is that I didn’t need a to-go box. Very amazing! The burger was served with Brett’s house-made chips.
This Amelia Island beachfront restaurant serves a variety of inventive land and marine dishes.
Woodfire Pizza & Grill Arte
109 North 3rd Street, 904-277-1515
You have a craving for pizza every now and again. When that occurs, it should come from an establishment that specializes in Neapolitan woodfired pizza. Artisan Pizza is that establishment on Amelia Island.
In this renowned café in the heart of Fernandina Beach’s historic neighborhood, pizzas, spaghetti, salads, and more are all sustainably sourced and lovingly created. The pizza selection is extensive, making it difficult to pick just one. That is when it is appropriate to share!
If you’re searching for the tastiest pizza on Amelia Island, Artes is the place to go.
heinous Bao
North 2nd Street 904-775-5577232 North 2nd Street
Wicked Bao, named after a whole dinner packed in a white, soft, steamed bun (bao), is the spot to go in downtown Fernandina Beach for extremely delectable Asian Street Cuisine.
Everything you can think of, it can be put into a bao here. Everything works, from fried shrimp to braised pig belly to bulgogi meat and crispy tofu. The Bao Trio, which includes braised pig, beef, and buttermilk fried chicken, tempts customers with samples of each.
Some notable meals include pork and vegetable potstickers, spicy Chongqing chicken wings, charred octopus, chicken satay, and noodle and rice dishes.
But, leave space for a Mochi dessert (rice cakes with green tea, red bean, or mango). It doesn’t matter if there isn’t typical table service here. There are often big lines to devour these amazing Asian treats.
This is one of the top Amelia Island restaurants to dine at if you want a flavor of Asia.
Restaurant Baxter’s
904-277-45034919 First Coast Hwy.
When it comes to a superb steak, Baxters is one of the top Amelia Island restaurants, and locals agree! This family-owned and run eating restaurant has been voted Best Steak in Town eight years in a row.
Their barn-like setting in green and white is renowned. And their Certified Angus Beef dishes are out of this world. My Entrecote Bretel, a 12-ounce New York Strip Sirloin finished with a brandy herb butter, was tender, delicious, sizzling, and cooked to perfection. A salad, potato, and veggie may be added for a slight additional fee.
Paul Prudhomme, a well-known New Orleans chef, has said that delicious meal does not need a silver fork. His knowledge is a perfect match for this beautifully gorgeous, laid-back Florida island. So take your fork, silver or otherwise, and go over to one of Amelia Island’s greatest restaurants for an out-of-this-world supper.