The Gulf Coast, which encompasses part of Southern Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, is known first and foremost for its white sand beaches, palm trees, and resort communities. During the winter and spring months, visitors from up North make the trek down south for the chance to sip margaritas beside the Gulf of Mexico, explore the historic Spanish-influenced architecture, or try their hand at water sports: waterskiing, tubing, or even snorkeling.
These oceanfront cities are also known for their vibrant culinary scenes, among which you’ll find quite a few similarities — restaurants along the Gulf shoreline typically serve a combination of Cajun, Creole, and Southern-inspired comfort foods. That means you’re bound to eat your fair share of gumbo, jambalaya, and po’boys. Food is colorful, flavorful, and filling. It’s also fresh, given the abundance of seafood in the Gulf of Mexico.
With the help of review sites like Tripadvisor, Yelp, and Google, as well as local blogs and magazines, we’ve curated a list of the 10 tastiest restaurants in the region, prioritizing finds closest to the water so you can enjoy the scenery while you eat.
Taranto’s Crawfish in Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi, one of the Gulf Coast’s most popular destinations and the so-called “Vegas of the South,” is also home to a wide range of eateries, which serve everything from classic Southern barbecue to steaming bowls of pho. The Sun Herald polled its readership to find the most highly-recommended restaurant in the city, and Taranto’s on John Lee Road came out on top. It began as a fish market, but started offering dine-in service in the early 2000s. The casual restaurant, which is decorated with classic ship wheels and old, hand-painted dock signs, is perhaps best known for its crawfish platters, served with steamed corn and potatoes. But you’ll also find colorful seafood gumbo, catfish baskets, fried pickles, bread pudding, and much more…