Featured Image: Destination Panama City
Panama City locals and visitors alike are serious about their oysters. The Gulf waters nearby help them taste just like a vacation themselves: they’re notoriously briny, clean, and seriously salty.
There’s so much love for them around town that Destination Panama City has created an official adventure, The Panama City Oyster Trail, which connects more than a dozen restaurants and oyster houses across Millville, Historic Downtown, and St. Andrews. The trail spans everything from raw oysters shucked to order to creative preparations involving butter, bacon, cheese, heat, you name it.
There’s even a documentary about Panama City’s oyster culture called “The Oyster Shucker” that follows Honor Allen, a local chasing the title of “youngest world champion oyster shucker.”
If you’re planning a trip to Panama City or you’re looking for a food-forward destination worth the drive, we’re highlighting a few stops on the Panama City Oyster Trail here. But note: there are plenty more worth your time.
Hunt’s Oyster Bar
Hunt’s Oyster Bar has served fresh seafood for more than 55 years from a charming yellow bungalow by the bay, which today has expanded to multiple floors offering spectacular sunset views. Before you walk in, you’ll hear crushed oyster shells crunch under your feet in the parking lot. Collins Abrams now owns Hunt’s, carrying the torch of generations before him. It’s been named one of the best places to eat oysters in Florida multiple times, and during August, Hunt’s celebrates National Oyster Day by giving first-timers a “Golden Oyster” trophy.
Gene’s Oyster Bar
Gene’s Oyster Bar is one of the oldest original oyster bars in Bay County. The building–which looks like an old corner store–dates back to 1910. It was originally Hiram Conrad’s Oyster Bar before becoming Gene’s in 1969. The layout started as just one small room with a 10-stool wooden bar and has expanded to include a full dining room. Oysters are shucked fresh in front of you, served with saltines, lemon, horseradish, and hot sauce. Note: Gene’s is cash only.
Captain’s Table Fish House
Rena Dell Windham bought this place for $75–a wedding gift–in 1930. It changed generational hands over the years until it burned in 1993. But Capt. Mitch Holman, a descendant of Windham’s, eventually revived it, and today, Captain’s Table Fish House has a seafood-packed menu with po’ boys, crab legs, and, of course, oysters.
Alice’s on Bayview
Alice’s on Bayview sits on the corner of the St. Andrews Marina with waterfront views and a menu of coastal favorites: Panama City oysters, smoked tuna dip, Crab Cake Eggs Benedict. The place overlooks St. Andrews Bay and the marina, with cozy indoor seating and a few patio tables for sitting in the sunshine.
Bayou Joe’s
Bayou Joe’s sits on a dock above Massalina Bayou with views of the Tarpon Dock Bridge, the only working drawbridge in Northwest Florida. The restaurant is perched mere feet above the bayou. Owners Kevin and Jennifer Shea have carried on a longstanding tradition with the space: once historic Etheridge Marina, boats would pull up to the dock for fuel. Today, those boats can still dock and fuel in a different way… with Bayou Joe’s oysters and other beloved menu items like the Trash Burger. I’d list the ingredients, but no two are the same; it’s fully chef’s choice.
Uncle Ernie’s Bayfront Grill and Brew House
Uncle Ernie’s sits in Historic St. Andrews in a house built in the late 1800s; it was the home of Ernest (Uncle Ernie) and Jessie Morris. Uncle Ernie was born May 19, 1898, married Aunt Jessie on May 7, 1925, and had four children. Today, the restaurant is lined with photographs of the family. The two-story setup means there’s ample outdoor seating for anyone wanting a waterfront view while they slurp down their Gulf oysters.
Find the complete Panama City Oyster Trail at destinationpanamacity.com.
Hungry for more? Click here.
| This article is presented in partnership with Destination Panama City, a Modern South Founding Partner.
