If you like good ol' Southern cookin' without a lot of glitz and flash, it doesn't get any better than the Magnolia Grille on Alternate 19, a block or two from downtown Old Palm Harbor.
Like southern fried chicken? The fried chicken at Magnolia Grille is about the best I've ever tasted. And the fried chicken salad is out of this world, too.
In fact, just about everything is. The meat loaf is a great choice, too, and so is the catfish. Magnolia Grille also offers several entrees with a delicious pecan crust.
Lots of southern touches here, like black-eyed peas and even batter-fried corn-on-the-cob. We have some friends who seldom go to Magnolia Grille without ordering their favorite appetizer, fried green tomatoes.
Not convinced yet? Okay, try this -- all the desserts are homemade.
Magnolia Grille is a "townie" kind of place, tucked in a little strip mall (isn't everything in Florida?), and there is a nice deck outside if you prefer dining under the stars.
Prices are very reasonable, bordering on the downright cheap.
Don't miss it!
Sam Seltzer's Steak House Clearwater
If you are going out in search of a good steak, chances are you will end up in some sort of steakhouse chain restaurant. Chains aren't usually my favorite places to eat, but a good steak is a good steak, no matter where you get it, and Sam Selzter's Steak House puts out a very good steak indeed.
Sam Seltzer's is a small Tampa Bay-based restaurant chain with stores in Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Port Richey and Altamonte Springs. The one we usually go to is the Clearwater restaurant, located on the northbound side of US19 in the 18000 block. That's about a mile or so south of Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard.
You'll know you have found the place when you see the half-dozen or so life-sized plaster steers that "graze" on the grass outside the restaurant's front door. Usually there is a bunch of children climbing all over Sam's cows, something that the management doesn't seem to mind a bit.
Sam Seltzer's started in the 1920s, when Sam opened his first butcher shop. Since then, the business has included wholesale and retail meat businesses as well as restaurants. Today, the company is still in the hands of the family -- Sam's children and granchildren are still running the operation.
Like a lot of steakhouses, Sam Seltzer's seems to offer a fairly limited number of choices while concentrating on the quality and uniformity of the food. Sam has been putting out steak dinners for a very long time, and he knows what he's doing -- I've never had a bad meal there, and the beef is always of good quality, well-prepared and served promptly.
Details matter, especially in the food business, and Sam Seltzer's does a very good job with the details. The soups are homemade, and the rolls are always hot out of the oven and delicious. There are only a few desserts, but they are homemade and well done -- a Napoleon, a chocolate cake called Chocolate Explosion, a good Key Lime Pie (this IS a Florida restaurant, after all), and something called Mrs. Seltzer's Scrumptious Hot Apple Pie.
Want some beef to go instead of a fully-prepared meal? Sam Seltzer's remembers its butcher shop heritage and keeps a meat case at the front of the store in the event you'd rather cook your steaks at home.
If you come at peak times, be prepared to wait a bit for a table. There's often a crowd of people milling around outside. But Sam Seltzer's are big restaurants and you should be seated within 30 minutes or so, often faster than that.
Sea Sea Riders Dunedin
Sea Sea Riders has been a Dunedin institution for quite some time -- I don't know how long it has been serving good food, but I know it was open more than a decade ago when we first moved to this area from Maine. It is located just outside the gates of Downtown Dunedin, on Alternate 19, right where Alt. 19 southbound jogs right and then quickly left.
This is a good restaurant with a style all its own. There is a comfortable bar and a nice, cozy dining room, plus a nice wrap-around porch for sunny outside dining. The setting is an old cottage-style home, with the hardwood floors and the living room fireplace still intact.
I would say this is primarily a seafood restaurant, and the fish is fresh and creatively prepared. There is a blackboard in the foyer that usually contains a number of interesting concoctions. Whoever does the cooking here seems to enjoy trying new combinations, and the results are usually very pleasing.
There is a nice seafood mixed grill that you should try. Also, the cole slaw is very good, and the peanuts are a nice touch.
Queen's Pizza Clearwater & Tarpon Springs
I'm from Maine, which isn't exactly the pizza capital of the world, so I'm probably not the best judge of great pizza. Still, I think I know a pretty good pizza when I taste one, and Queen's Pizza definitely does a good job. Some people say that Queen's Pizza is the best pizza in Tampa Bay. There are two Queen's Pizza shops in Pinellas County -- one is on US19 North in Tarpon Springs, just south of Tarpon Blvd., on the northbound side; and the other is at 1834 North Belcher Road., just south of Sunset (on the southbound side). Both of these locations are roomy, sit-down places rather than takeout joints, although both restaurants do a healthy takeout business.
The Loukataris family has been running Queen's Pizza since the late 70s, and they are fussy about how their pizzas are prepared. The dough and the sauces are done up fresh every day, and all the vegetables are bought fresh daily.
There is nothing fancy about Queen's Pizza and the menu is about what you would expect -- pizzas and calzones, hot and cold subs, and a pretty good selection of such hot Italian meals as lasagna, manicotta, ravioli and spaghetti. There's also pita sandwiches and salads, and there is a daily special, which is a slice of cheese pizza and a mini Greek salad.
Call ahead and come get it, or Queen's will be happy to deliver your pizza to your door. The all-important telephone number: 727-446-6016..
Cafe Alfresco Dunedin
If you are new to the North Pinellas area and you like to go out to eat, you should spend some time wandering around the downtown Dunedin area. There are a number of good (and very good) restaurants within a few hundred yards of one another, almost all of them worth your time and money.
One place we enjoy a great deal is Cafe Alfresco, which is located on Main Street on the corner of the Pinellas Trail, right across the street from the old Dunedin train station.
Cafe Alfresco is a sort of California bistro-meets-Floribbean-cuisine kind of place ? very casual, with the chefs (usually a couple of them) working away in plain sight behind a broad service counter.
There are two dining areas at Cafe Alfresco. One is inside, where you can sit in air conditioned comfort. The other is a sort of semi-enclosed patio area that runs alongside the Pinellas Trail. Large sliding glass partitions allow for air conditioning there as well.
Cafe Alfresco pays attention to the food it offers, and it´s a great place for an interesting and fresh salad or a nice bit of grilled fish or chicken. They also offer some very good pasta dishes as well as more exotic items such as duck with raspberry glaze and grilled chipolata sausage.
If you are a dessert fan, you can gaze over at a glass-fronted refrigerated case that holds a number of the evening´s sugary offerings.
This is a place that almost always offers outstanding service. The waitpeople go out of their way and take pride in what they do, and most of them will be there the next time you come, too.
If you enjoy weekend brunch, Cafe Alfresco puts on a respectable one on both Saturdays and Sundays, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
We eat out a lot and go to a lot of different places. But we probably eat at Cafe Alfresco more than any other single restaurant.
Lenny's Clearwater
It seems like every town in America worth its salt has a place like Lenny's. The towns that DON'T have a Lenny's wish they did.
Lenny's is funky. Lenny's is popular. Lenny's claims to have the best breakfast in Clearwater, and it probably does.
The slogan on the wall (and on the menus) reads thusly: "Where the elites meets for eats." I don't know about that, but if you know anything about Clearwater, you know that Lenny's serves a great breakfast. It's open for other meals, but breakfast is what shines in this by-the-highway establishment.
Lenny's is on US19 (what isn't around here?) on the southbound side between Drew and Gulf-To-Bay. It's one of the few places in North Pinellas County where you can get all your New York deli favorites -- cheese blintzes, potato pancakes -- as well as some novel southern examples, such as Redneck Benedict. One nice touch is that many breakfast specials come with a free basket of danish pastries.
Lenny's is one of those places with a lot of pictures, sayings and strange artifacts on the walls. Even some of the ceiling tiles have odd and funny sayings. A number of the breakfast specials on the menu are named after waitresses, and a lot of the photos on display show Philadelphia Phillies baseball players -- Lenny's is located fairly close to the Phillies' spring training facility.
If you're one of those people who insists on eating breakfast at a counter while sitting on an old-fashioned diner stool, Lenny's can accommodate you.
Lenny's is a don't-miss-it Clearwater landmark. But if you come on a weekend, make sure you get there before 9 a.m. Otherwise, the line is out the door.
Mystic Fish Palm Harbor
Had enough pizza? Sick to death of sirloins hot from the grill? Tired of burgers and barbeque? Ready for some real food, prepared by a real chef and served by real, attentive waitpeople?
Mystic Fish Seafood Grill and Bar awaits.
Mystic Fish isn't hugely expensive and it isn't formal by any means, but you are going to pay $50 or more for dinner for two (WITHOUT wine or a cocktail) and you will probably feel more comfortable in something other than jeans.
But that's okay -- this wasn't going to be a pizza night, remember?
And the food is very, very worth it. Chef Doug Bebell is a stickler for freshness and he knows how to draw out wonderful flavors without overpowering with spices.
I love a good bouillabaisse, and Mystic Fish's example is absolutely outstanding, with real Maine lobster, scallops, shrimp and mussels simmered together in a light but tasty vegetable broth.
The seafood selection is wonderful, with worthwhile nightly specials. And while Mystic Fish is obviously a seafood restaurant, you won't be disappointed by the beef, chicken and other offerings -- try the filet mignon with roasted onion Bernaise, or the rack of lamb with Dijon-Guinness demi glace. There is a very nice wine list, and the desserts include tiramisu and Caramel Chocolate Truffels.
Mystic Fish does it right -- you won't be disappointed. It's at 3253 Tampa Road in Palm Harbor, a half-mile east of US 19 -- in the same strip mall that hosts the Surf 'n Turf market mentioned elsewhere on this web site.
Marathon Grille Palm Harbor
Marathon Grille is a very good neighborhood restaurant that is a little off the beaten path -- it's located on Nebraska Avenue, just EAST of US19N in a strip mall (what else?) on the right-hand side of the street.
Marathon Grille offers basic fare and Greek specialties, with a couple of chicken dishes that I especially like. You won't go home raving about the food -- it's just always very good, consistent and well-prepared. The service is always very good, and the owner himself is always nearby, keeping an eye on things.
During a recent visit, someone at a nearby table was unhappy with her dinner. The owner appeared at the table immediately, making suggestions for a replacement and encouraging the diner to make another selection. The owner always welcomes you, thanks you for coming, and then says goodbye as you leave. You get the feeling that he means it.
Marathon Grille is a good value, the food is very good (especially if you enjoy Greek food) and the prices are reasonable. The atmosphere is friendly, relaxed and casual. If you go, I'll bet you go back.
Johnny's Italian Restaurant Clearwater
There are some good restaurants in North Pinellas County, but sometimes you have to hunt a little bit to find them.
Here's the problem -- not too many years ago, most of North Pinellas County was little more than orange groves. It wasn't a great place to set up and run a good restaurant because there just weren't too many potential patrons. Most of the restaurants that were established in the northern part of the county were in the downtown areas of Clearwater, Dunedin or Tarpon Springs.
Somehow, Johnny's Italian Restaurant successfully bucked the tide. It's not a real old resturant -- it was established around 1980, which is pretty old for around here. And it probably was really out in the sticks at that time -- it is located on Route 590 between US19 and McMullen Booth. If you are coming north on US19 from Gulf-To-Bay Boulevard, you first cross Drew; the next set of lights is Rte. 590. Turn right, and Johnny's is about a mile down on the right.
Johnny's is a neighborhood kind of place with very good Italian specialties. If you like to go out for a pizza and a beer but want to do it in a real sit-down restaurant, Johnny's is a very good bet. The service is nearly always good, and you get the feeling that many of the waitresses have been working here since the place first opened.
One nice feature we like is that Johnny's offers a pretty extensive low-carb menu -- a nice touch for an Italian restaurant that features a lot of pastas and breads. We can go to Johnny's and enjoy a good Italian meal even when we are deeply in the throes of the Atkins Diet, which seems to be most of the time.
We've never met the owner, but we always feel he must be close by -- the food is uniformly well-prepared, the place is always clean, and the staff is always hopping.
Another nice touch -- Johnny's has a website, and included there is a button you can click which allows you to send an e-mail directly to the owner, at his home. See for yourself -- www.johnnys-italian.com.
We've never had a bad meal at Johnny's, and we bet you won't, either.
Peggy O'Neill's Palm Harbor
I'm not a huge fan of the Irish pub/pub food concept, but there are times when nothing but a good burger or some fish and chips will do. And when that moment strikes, Peggy O'Neill's in old downtown Palm Harbor really fits the bill.
There's a few important items to mention about Peggy O'Neill's:
First, Peggy O'Neill was supposedly a young Irish woman who immigrated from Ireland to America in 1912, expecting to reunite with her fiance and get married. Unfortunately, the ship she chose for her trip was the Titanic. More than 1,000 survived the sinking of the Titanic, but Peggy wasn't one of them.
Another item of interest: Peggy O'Neill's is located in the old Sutherland building at 1026 Florida Ave. in old Palm Harbor, close to Alt. 19. That old building is pretty interesting from an architectural viewpoint, and the old post office trappings have been left alone in what is now the dining room.
The corned beef and cabbage is worth trying; so is the fish & chips. I had a reuben sandwich on a recent trip, and that was excellent, as well. One of our companions tried the Shepard's Pie, and said it was great.
Like most Irish pubs, Peggy O'Neill's is casual and fun. The waitpeople are friendly and helpful, and kids seem to be welcome.There's live entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays, and Wednesday night is open jam night.
If you like good ol' Southern cookin' without a lot of glitz and flash, it doesn't get any better than the Magnolia Grille on Alternate 19, a block or two from downtown Old Palm Harbor.
Sea Sea Riders has been a Dunedin institution for quite some time -- I don't know how long it has been serving good food, but I know it was open more than a decade ago when we first moved to this area from Maine. It is located just outside the gates of Downtown Dunedin, on Alternate 19, right where Alt. 19 southbound jogs right and then quickly left.
There are two Queen's Pizza shops in Pinellas County -- one is on US19 North in Tarpon Springs, just south of Tarpon Blvd., on the northbound side; and the other is at 1834 North Belcher Road., just south of Sunset (on the southbound side). Both of these locations are roomy, sit-down places rather than takeout joints, although both restaurants do a healthy takeout business.
If you are new to the North Pinellas area and you like to go out to eat, you should spend some time wandering around the downtown Dunedin area. There are a number of good (and very good) restaurants within a few hundred yards of one another, almost all of them worth your time and money.
It seems like every town in America worth its salt has a place like Lenny's. The towns that DON'T have a Lenny's wish they did.
Had enough pizza? Sick to death of sirloins hot from the grill? Tired of burgers and barbeque? Ready for some real food, prepared by a real chef and served by real, attentive waitpeople? 
Marathon Grille is a very good neighborhood restaurant that is a little off the beaten path -- it's located on Nebraska Avenue, just EAST of US19N in a strip mall (what else?) on the right-hand side of the street.
Here's the problem -- not too many years ago, most of North Pinellas County was little more than orange groves. It wasn't a great place to set up and run a good restaurant because there just weren't too many potential patrons. Most of the restaurants that were established in the northern part of the county were in the downtown areas of Clearwater, Dunedin or Tarpon Springs.
There's a few important items to mention about Peggy O'Neill's: