Anna Maria Restaurant Beachfront Family Favorites

Many first time visitors to the Island are actually quite surprised to learn just how good Anna Maria Island restaurants really are.  It’s true—in Anna Maria, Holmes Beach, and Bradenton Beach, there no chain restaurants and none of the traditional drive-through fast food joints that you normally expect to find everywhere—but there are dozens of authentic restaurants that practically anyone would be proud to call their favorite restaurant ever!

So what are the best Anna Maria Island restaurants?  We’ll have to save that for another day—after all, there are just so many and it’s a complex topic that’s always open for continued discussion.

But today, we’re going to take a look at 3 family-friendly Anna Maria beach front restaurant standouts.  These family-favorite dining establishments all come highly recommended by Anna Maria Island locals and visitors alike (and are listed here in no particular order at all).  Here goes…

The Sandbar

100 Spring Avenue, Anna Maria, Florida

The Highlights:

• Incredible beachfront outdoor dining atmosphere
• Menus include everything from sandwiches to delicious entrees
• Amazing place to relax and watch the sunset
• Features regular live entertainment

Opens for lunch and becomes a great beach hangout during the afternoon before the dinner crowd arrives.  Stop in with the entire family and grab appetizers for a snack or one of their excellent fried grouper sandwiches (topped with cheddar cheese, of course).  The Sandbar does get a little busy at times—if you’re flexible time-wise, try going in the late afternoon before the dinner crowd picks up.  Oh, and just one more thing…come at the right time and you’ll probably even catch a beach wedding ceremony in progress—The Sandbar is a very popular Florida wedding destination!

Café On The Beach

4000 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, Florida

The Highlights:

• All you can eat pancake & sausage breakfast
• Located right on Manatee Public Beach
• Very casual—great place to grab a bite while spending the day at the beach

Casual as casual gets on Anna Maria Island, Café On The Beach is the perfect place to begin a family day on the beach with their famous all you can eat pancake and sausage breakfast.  Located right on the beachfront at the Manatee Public Beach, it makes for a perfect morning beach walk destination with the family.  While it’s nothing incredibly fancy, it is certainly always popular!  There’s a walk-up window outside to place your order and a one-of-a-kind outdoor “kitchen shack” where you’ll be able to restock your plate to your heart’s content.  Especially ideal for those hungry teenagers in the family!

The BeachHouse

200 Gulf Drive, Bradenton Beach, Florida

The Highlights:

• This is the place to watch the sunset—before, during, or after dinner!
• Great outdoor beachfront dining location
• Regular outdoor live entertainment

The BeachHouse is another family-friendly Anna Maria Island restaurant that will easily become a vacation favorite.  The relaxed, casual atmosphere (both indoors & outdoors), along with a mouth-watering menu filled with fresh seafood and plenty of kid-friendly choices makes it easy!  Families might especially enjoy visiting for dinner early in the evening and then planning to hang out beachside for the incredible sunset.  It’s a festive atmosphere for sure—many folks even refer to the beach here during sunset as Anna Maria Island’s very own version of Key West’s Mallory Square.

For your convenience, here’s a quick map featuring these locations:
View Anna Maria Island Restaurant Family Friendly Beach Front Favorites in a larger map

While parking can always be challenging during peak evening dining times on Anna Maria Island, both The Sandbar and The BeachHouse frequently offer complimentary valet parking to make it a bit easier.  Also, the free trolley does provide service within a block or two of each of these locations.

Again, favorites among locals and vacationers alike, these popular beachside Anna Maria Island family-friendly restaurants surely won’t disappoint.  And remember…you’re dining on the beach in paradise!