USA TODAY Network food writers have been hard at work.
If you’re looking for a new restaurant to try, or want a meal that’s especially memorable, they’ve just released the USA TODAY’s 2026 Restaurants of the Year list.
➤ What’s best restaurant near you? See full list of 2026 Restaurants of the Year
The list highlights standout dining destinations across the country, from humble roadside gems to chef-driven hotspots earning national buzz.
Even better is you won’t have to go far.
Two Florida restaurants on opposite sides of the state made the list.
Tide Tables in Bradenton, Florida, among best restaurants of 2026
If you appreciate impeccably fresh grouper in a flip-flops-friendly setting — perhaps paired with an ice-cold beer — chart your course for Tide Tables.
The waterfront favorite on Florida’s gorgeous Gulf Coast cuts its fish right on the dock along the Intracoastal Waterway, with views toward Anna Maria Island in the historic commercial fishing village of Cortez.
➤ Review: Waterfront restaurant near Sarasota named one of the best in U.S.
That just-caught seafood shines in dishes like a perfectly blackened grouper sandwich, rotating specials such as Thai chili grouper bites, and crowd-pleasing fish tacos topped with sesame ginger sauce.
Sea scallops are a sleeper hit, and the Key lime pie is worth saving room for — especially at sunset.
— Wade Tatangelo, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Details: 12507 Cortez Road West; 941-567-6206, tidetablescortez.com
Oceano in Lake Worth Beach, Florida, included in restaurants of year list
Eclectic new American Oceano is the kind of restaurant that quietly sets the tone.
Jeremy and Cindy Bearman, a husband-wife duo with pedigrees from New York City’s ABC Kitchen and db Bistro Moderne, have created a seasonal menu that is technique-forward and expressive.
Jeremy’s savory dishes are composed and confident; standouts have included a vibrant duck salad, delicate waloo crudo, mussels escabeche and expertly prepared American red snapper.
➤ Review: USA TODAY named its Restaurants of the Year. This Lake Worth gem made the list
Cindy’s desserts are vivid, layered and unapologetically indulgent.
Oceano’s influence is palpable: When chefs talk about where they actually eat, it’s always part of the conversation. The Bearmans don’t chase buzz, instead they define it, one plate at a time.
— Diana Biederman, Palm Beach Post
Details: 512 Lucerne Ave.; 561-400-7418, oceanolwb.com
Map shows locations of Florida on Restaurants of the Year list
How were USA Today’s Restaurants of the Year selected?
The restaurants listed were chosen by USA TODAY Network food journalists who know their local scenes best.
The list celebrates places that offer not just great flavors but also heart, hospitality and a strong sense of community.
“These are the spots our reporters return to, rave about and recommend to friends — and now, to you.”
Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: These 2 Florida spots among USA TODAYs 2026 Restaurants of the Year
Reporting by Cheryl McCloud, Wade Tatangelo and Diana Biederman, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
