Florida
Florida is one of the best places to go
for seafood, because of its diversity
along the coastlines. Having the ad-
vantage of both the Gulf Coast and
the Atlantic Ocean, Florida receives an
abundant amount and a wide variety
of seafood, including: shrimp, stone
crab, mullet, snapper, grouper, amber-
jack, blue crab, scallops, clams, and
more. Nearly every restaurant along
the coast, and even those further in-
land, are offering up more than one
seafood dish, prepared in more than
one way. Whether you're looking for
award-winning pasta from the local
Shell's of Tampa Bay, a massive
golden-fried grouper sandwich from
88 | Summer 2017 | Food Traveler
the El Cap Restaurant in St. Peters-
burg, or some of the best conch fritters
you'll ever eat from Alabama Jack's in
Key Largo, you'll find something deli-
cious almost anywhere in the state.
Shell’s, located in the Tampa Bay area,
has been a casual locals’ favorite for
years. Their Shrimp Pasta is what they
claim “made them famous,” and just
walking in the place and catching a
whiff of the butter and garlic frying in
the kitchen will have you drooling. The
Shrimp Pasta is a heaping portion of
linguine that is tossed with fresh garlic,
olive oil, and a California white wine
and cream sauce. Add insane
amounts of marinated shrimp to the
pasta and you’ll be forced to ask for a
to-go box eventually. Shell’s is also
serving up fresh shrimp and crab by
the pound. Grab the Crab ‘n Shrimp
Trio, which consists of ½ lb. of Snow
Crab, ½ lb. of Dungeness Crab, and ½
lb. of peel & eat shrimp. Holy seafood!
El Cap's is super casual and has been a
local favorite for decades. They’ve
made their name known across the Bay
Area, and for good reason. The Grouper
Sandwich is out of this world, super-fried
with leaf lettuce, a toasted, buttery bun,
and house-made tartar sauce. El Cap’s
is also a great place to go if you’re trav-
eling with someone who doesn’t like
seafood, because the burgers here are
award-winning and as big and juicy as
they come.