Where Locals Eat in Steinhatchee, FL

The Working Water

The village grew where the Steinhatchee River meets the Gulf. Indians, explorers, Civil War soldiers, sponge divers and commercial fishermen all gathered here in turn, drawn by the river, Deadman's Bay and the Gulf beyond. The name comes from the Native American 'esteen-hatchee', meaning river of man. Commercial fishing built the village and still sustains it: many locals continue to ply the Gulf for their livelihood.

The numbers tell the rest. Population sits at 770 people. Median age is 63 years. Of 1,637 total housing units, 1,043 are held for seasonal or recreational use. Vacant units run to 1,220. Unemployment is 0 percent. Median household income is $48,208. Median home value is $255,600. A quarter of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

This is not a resort town. It is a scalloping town. The season runs across high summer — in 2019 it ran from 15 June to 10 September — when the shallow flats fill with families working the grass beds by hand. Deadman's Bay, the shallow Gulf embayment at the river's mouth, gives the village its scallop grounds and its fishing. The river itself has the open Gulf just 2.5 miles downstream.

Where Locals Eat

The seafood spots sit close to the water, because that is where the catch lands.

Roy's Restaurant holds the corner at 100 1st Ave SE with a 4.2 rating from 1,943 reviews. It is the busiest room in town, and the crowd reflects it. Kathi's Krab Shack at 202 15th St E pulls a 4.5 from 1,539 reviews — a better score on fewer opinions. Fiddler's Restaurant and Resort at 1306 Riverside Dr runs a 3.9 from 1,111 reviews, the lowest of the big three but still a working kitchen. Steinhatchee Fish Company at 1503 Rives Ave carries a 4.8 from 56 reviews, the kind of number that says regulars, not tourists. Willy Bob's Bait & Tackle at 1502 1st Ave SE Suite A doubles as a seafood stop with a 4.8 from 17 reviews.

The Rest of the Plate

Not everyone wants seafood every night. The town covers that too.

McDavid's Cafe at 213 10th St E SE posts a 4.7 from 332 reviews, the best-rated full restaurant in town. old Mexico Steinhatchee fl at 5437 SW Hwy 358 matches that 4.7 from 109 reviews. Skullyz BBQ at 106 12th St E runs a 4.8 from 98 reviews. Heming’s Way 1st & 8th Coffee & Tacos at 715 1st Ave SE tops the list with a 4.9 from 60 reviews. Dockside Grill at Steinhatchee River Inn and Marina at 1110 Riverside Dr also carries a 4.9, from 22 reviews.

Pizza is covered from three angles. Hungry Howie's Pizza & Subs at 806 Riverside Dr holds a 4.1 from 420 reviews. Stoney's Pizza & Wings at 1408 Riverside Dr pulls a 4.5 from 196 reviews. Vargo's Buffalo Style Pizza at the same 806 Riverside Dr address runs a 4.6 from 143 reviews. Casey's Cove at 4722-4742 Co Rd 358 sits further out with a 4.1 from 46 reviews. SKULLY’Z at 1110 1st Ave SE carries a 4.5 from 21 reviews. For the sweet side, Steinhatchee Scoops at 1502 1st Ave SE Ste B holds a 4.1 from 124 reviews.

When to Come

The town swells in June when the scallop season opens. The 2019 season ran from 15 June to 10 September, and the pattern holds most years. The flats fill with waders, the parking fills with trucks, and the restaurants fill with people who spent the morning in the water.

If you want the town without the crowds, come in February. The Fiddler Crab Festival runs three days and includes a parade, fireworks on both Friday and Saturday nights, a car show, a fishing tournament, river tours and a cooking competition. The 2027 edition is the 19th. It is the one time of year the town puts on a show.

The Practical Part

Steinhatchee is not close to much. Perry is 32 miles away, Cedar Key is 44, St. George Island is 104, New Port Richey is 109, Apalachicola is 112, Dade City is 123. You come here for the river and the bay, not for the drive.

The town does not need to be discovered. It has been here since before the name was written down. The river of man still runs, the bay still holds scallops, and the kitchens still cook what comes off the boats. That is the whole story.