Panama City: Florida’s Gulf Coast Oyster Capital & Culinary Journey

Panama City, Florida, is a premier destination for oyster enthusiasts, boasting a rich seafood heritage, the Panama City Oyster Route, and diverse dining experiences. From raw oysters at historic bars like Gene's to National Oyster Day celebrations and fresh catches at Tarpon Dock, it offers an unparalleled connection to Gulf seafood.

And no area commemorates this meaningful, briny bivalve better than Panama City, along the coastline of Northwest Florida. The city’s storied angling society and its prime Gulf area make it the ideal destination for enthusiasts of the finest and best seafood readily available.

Fresh Gulf seafood is constantly on the food selection in Panama City, and recent news has actually made things also much better for regional oyster enthusiasts. You’re bound to discover something delicious for every craving wherever you stroll along the Panama City Oyster Route.

Panama City’s Oyster Route & Celebrations

They take their seafood seriously right here, serving the bivalves in meals from simple to improved. Every summer, Panama City commemorates National Oyster Day with special events at Search’s Oyster Bar, consisting of an oyster consuming competitors on August 5 and a possibility to earn a Golden Oyster memento for trying your first oyster.

And there is no scarcity of possibilities to get in touch with that rich heritage at any time of year. You can begin anywhere along the Panama City Oyster Path, a collection of local companies that offer oysters in every imaginable preparation.

Fresh Gulf seafood is constantly on the food selection in Panama City, and current information has made points also much better for local oyster enthusiasts.

Tarpon Dock: Fresh Gulf Seafood Market

If these motivating oyster restaurants have you prepared to cook up your very own seafood banquet, you can find every little thing you need steps away from the water at the Tarpon Dock Fish And Shellfish Market, where the fish literally can not be any type of better. The marketplace likewise serves a great lunch menu, with po’ boys and baskets of deep-fried oysters, in addition to raw ones. A loads oysters and a cold beer, offered on the really dock where angling vessels unload: It’s tough to obtain far better than that.

Diverse Oyster Preparations & Eateries

Bayou Joe’s, ignoring Massalina Bayou with 180-degree sights of the water and stunning sights of the sunset, leans right into Cajun food preparation, with blackened flavoring, a Cajun shrimp hamburger, and a New Orleans-style po’ boy sandwich that comes packed with deep-fried oysters or shrimp.

Yet like at Gene’s, the most popular choice is freshly shucked raw oysters. “We’re not a dining establishment that simply serves oysters on a platter of ice,” Abrams claims. “We’re an oyster bar, where the focus point is the bar, and the shucker is right before you.”

Another waterfront location, Harrison’s Kitchen area and Bar, uses a polished atmosphere and a regional twist in addition to its raw oysters, a spin on the timeless French mignonette sauce made with regional Florida citrus.

Absolutely nothing preferences more definitively of the sea than oysters. Whether they’re offered raw, steamed, baked, smoked, stewed, baked, sautéd, or deep-fried, oysters supply restaurants a pure connection to the ocean. And every variety is distinct, with flavors and structure that speaks to the specific location and conditions where they expand.

Whether they’re served raw, steamed, baked, grilled, stewed, roasted, sautéd, or deep-fried, oysters use restaurants a pure link to the sea. “We’re not a dining establishment that simply serves oysters on a plate of ice,” Abrams states. The market additionally offers a great lunch food selection, with po’ kids and baskets of deep-fried oysters, in addition to raw ones. A dozen oysters and a cold beer, offered on the extremely dock where angling vessels dump: It’s hard to obtain a lot far better than that.

Historic Oyster Bars & Signature Dishes

Genetics’s Oyster Bar, the earliest of the bunch, has actually remained in the oyster business because 1932, according to a longtime employee. It’s been called Genetics’s because 1969, and the place is soaked in background, a classic example of the oyster bar, with shuckers who’ll prepare your food right before you.

For restaurants that want their oysters in addition to superb sunset views along the beachfront, Uncle Ernie’s Bayfront Bar and Grill, with its very own signature preparation, fresh oysters sautéd in butter and garlic and topped with romano cheese.

You can obtain a timeless basket of deep-fried oysters or put into a dish of Granny’s Oyster Stew. They also offer oysters baked by the loads or half-dozen, with a variety of offered garnishes: butter, Cajun spices, parmesan, bacon, or cheddar cheese.

Search’s Oyster Bar & Eating Competitions

It’s a distinct experience, contributing to the lively atmosphere. The upstairs at Search’s ignores the close-by St. Andrews Marina, while the downstairs is a mix of dining establishment and honky-tonk, with a jukebox providing a customer-chosen soundtrack. The shuckers sometimes like to sing along.

And one of Panama City’s own won the 12 Days, 12 Ways party ending oyster eating competition in 2025. Four rivals sat down at Search’s to consume as many as possible in 5 mins. The victor was Angel Colonel, that took down 111, far exceeding the runner-up, who drank up 79.