Florida grouper sandwich is fresh Gulf or Atlantic grouper, blackened or fried golden, on a buttered brioche bun with lettuce, tomato, tartar sauce and a pickle spear.
Where to eat it: 7 restaurants across 2 cities.
Grouper is Florida's signature white fish, pulled from the Gulf and Atlantic by commercial fleets out of Madeira Beach, Tarpon Springs and the Florida Keys since the late 1800s. The grouper sandwich rose to fame in the 1970s as Florida tourism opened coastal seafood shacks; it became the canonical lunch order across the state by the 1990s. Florida-leaning Orlando rooms run the sandwich heavy in the summer and switch to imported grouper offseason: The Boathouse at Disney Springs, Canvas at Lake Nona and many Mills 50 lunch counters carry the canonical version.
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Common allergens: Gluten, Fish, Dairy, Eggs
Tip from the editors. Fried grouper is the alternative: dredge in seasoned flour, dip in egg wash, then panko breadcrumbs and deep-fry at 175C for 5 minutes.
The Boathouse at Disney Springs is the dockside American seafood restaurant with raw bar, lobster rolls and Amphicar lake tours of the Disney Springs lake.
SignatureLobster roll, Amphicar tour
Canvas Restaurant and Market on Sachs Avenue in Lake Nona is the lakefront American room with a covered patio, a wood-fired hearth and Sunday lake brunch.
SignatureFlorida grouper sandwich, Tomato pie
SoCo on East Central Boulevard in Thornton Park runs a modern Southern menu with shrimp and grits, fried chicken and a covered weekend brunch patio.
SignatureShrimp and grits, Fried chicken
Ulele on the Tampa Riverwalk in a restored 1903 water works building cooks native-inspired Floridian fish, alligator and pompano over a 10-foot barbacoa.
Book1 week ahead
Half Moon Seafood at Sparkman Wharf fries award-winning Nashville Hot Fish sandwiches, with made-to-order seafood from the shipping container row.
TryNashville Hot Fish sandwich
Rusty Pelican on Rocky Point runs Florida seafood with sweeping Bay views, fresh fish and a classic special-occasion dining room. Walk-ins welcome at the bar.
OrderGrilled grouper with mango salsa and a sunset cocktail on the deck.
TipBook a sunset reservation for the western view; the dock fills for special occasions.
Wright's Gourmet House on South Dale Mabry has built Tampa's classic Cuban and roast-beef sandwiches plus the famous rum cake since 1963. A Tampa table.
OrderCuban sandwich pressed and a slice of the rum cake to take home.
TipPete and Marjorie Wright started the shop on April 20, 1963; the Casper family bought it in 2024 to keep it Tampa-owned.
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