6 great places to rock Florida lobster season

August is peak lobster season in Florida. If you’re in the market for seafood in the Sunshine State, try one of these towns known for their crustacean sensations.

The Hotel Zamora’s lobster fries are worth getting out of the pool for. Photo courtesy of Diamond Public Relations.

St. Pete Beach

With its Old Florida-style architecture and sunset views, this laid-back beach town is the ideal place to place to make the most of Florida lobster season by bibbing up and digging in after a day in the sun. Head to Hurricane Seafood Restaurant, an institution known for its unfussy food; sit upstairs for a prime view of the sun dipping into the Gulf of Mexico as you nosh on lobster ravioli or scampi. On the modern side, the area’s new Hotel Zamora puts a Spanish twist on seafood tapas. Do yourself a favor and order the lobster fries, accompanied by smokey-sweet brûléed orange and Florida citrus remoulade; enjoy them with a cocktail poolside or on the rooftop of the hotel’s Castile Restaurant.

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Jupiter

Palm Beach County has plenty of hoity-toity restaurants, but this under-the-radar seaside town has a mellow vibe. Case in point: the poolside Sandbar restaurant at Jupiter Beach Resort and Spa, with its refined-yet-casual menu. Try the New England lobster roll, and wash it down with an ice-cold Country Thyme Lemonade cocktail. Or go even more casual at Dune Dog Cafe, known for its unpretentious, satisfying fare. Whole lobsters are available Wednesday through Sunday, but the most popular night is Thursday, which brings the lobster special with two sides for $17.99.

Clearwater Beach

After a day in this bustling beach town, wind down during the nightly Sunsets at Pier 60 festival. Then change out of your flip-flops and head to a classy meal at Sandpearl Resort. The lavish hotel is always upping its game, and this summer its Caretta on the Gulf restaurant is featuring the surf and turf roll. The dish combines lobster, beef tenderloin, asparagus, enoki and truffle for a decadent spin on the sushi roll. For sheer variety, it’s hard to beat Lobster Pot Bistro. The aptly named seafood haunt serves lobster everything, from lobster nachos to lobster mac ‘n cheese and lobster and avocado salad. The restaurant features live jazz Wednesday through Sunday, so sit a spell.

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Miami Beach 

Enjoy swanky food in a swanky city. Red, the Steakhouse puts an upscale take on surf-‘n-turf, with a slab of dry-aged Tomahawk ribeye, accompanied by a whole lobster fresh from the Atlantic Ocean. And you can’t go wrong at A Fish Called Avalon. The restaurant inside Avalon Hotel on Ocean Drive puts an inventive spin on lobster in dishes like orzo seafood paella and cognac-infused lobster bisque. Both eateries are participating in Miami Spice, an annual event that brings mouth-watering restaurant deals across South Florida from Aug. 1 to Sept. 30.

Cocoa Beach Florida lobster season

Cocoa Beach

Casual dining is the name of the game in this Atlantic Coast town, home to a thriving pier and the original Ron Jon Surf Shop. At Jazzy’s Mainely Lobster and Seafood, the house special is a lobster roll with lightly fried chunks of lobster served on a hot dog bun. You can also walk or paddle up to Jack Baker’s Lobster Shanky on the Banana River Lagoon, which features live music on weekends and tasty seafood every night of the week. Try the steamed lobster dinner or broiled Brazilian lobster tails.

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Orlando

O-town is known for theme parks, but its restaurant scene proves to be more than just kid stuff. Big Fin Seafood Kitchen offers a big list of options, including the lobster mac ‘n cheese (with bacon!) appetizer; lobster cocktail, served steamed or cold; and tempura lobster tail with chili pepper-black bean relish. Then there’s FishBones, with locations in Orlando and nearby Lake Mary. The upscale, tropical-themed eatery adds a Florida touch to lobster dishes by serving them with orange blossom honey mustard. Try the crispy almond fried lobster tail appetizer or the 1-pound Australian rock lobster tail entree.

Tagged: Florida