Article Title
Anna Maria Island, Florida USA
Cuisine Style: Global Seafood, New American
Average Price: $$
Overall Rating: 3/5
Dined in: April 2018
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Executive Chef:
Jason Hibberts
The Waterfront Restaurant is located on the northern end of Anna Maria Island near the City Pier with views in the distance of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and St Petersburg. With over seventy restaurants and bars, they are rated as one of the three best seafood restaurants on this small seven-mile strip island of 8,500 residents located between the Gulf of Mexico and peninsular inlets that connect to the city of Bradenton.
They specialize in new American cuisine with an emphasis on sustainable products from local and independent vendors. Almost everything they prepare is made from scratch from the butchering, baking of bread, smoking of the salmon, and the house-made soups + sauces.
Menu:
- Appetizers / Small Plates
- Salads
- Main Courses
- Desserts
100 bottle list of old and new world selections. On the first visit, my wife had a glass of Charles & Charles Rosé, a Washington State blend of Syrah (60%), Grenache (17%), Mourvedre (10%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%), Cinsault (2%), and Counoise (1%) grapes. According to the winemakers notes the color is a pale salmon, copper pink with flashes of fuschia. The aromatics lead with notes of wild raspberry and cherry, giving in to bright citrus, Herbs de Provence, and lavender. There’s a strong note of rose petal as well. All this carries through on a light and dynamic palate with a tangy bright finish. On the second visit, she had a glass of Paper Planes Rosé from the Russian River that had aromas of white peach and wet stone that jump from the glass, along with the subtle hints of flower blossoms and grapefruit that lead to a refreshing finish according to the winemaker.
On the first visit, we had the truffled gouda mac and cheese, and the baked brie to name a few items and they were all outstanding. For this visit as it was hot outside, we opted to sit at the inside bar instead of the patio. My wife enjoyed a house cocktail jalapeno margarita special with El Jimador Blanco Tequila, fresh lime, fresh basil, cilantro, and jalapeno served on the rocks. Other options on the cocktail menu include a smoked margarita with Reposado Tequila, and a rinse of Mezcal, The Old Cuban cocktail, American Mule and several others. I settled on a local beer from the Cigar City Brewing Company, and my favorite Florida beer, the Jai Alai (hi lie). When I drink alcohol while dining out, 40% of the time it is beer, and I will settle 9 out of 10 times with a local Florida brew. Jai Alai is usually at the top of that list.
On this trip, we again settled for some lite bites while we enjoyed our drinks and the conversation. My wife had the harvest beet salad severed with tender sliced red beets over creamy goat cheese, candied walnuts, shaved pear, and arugula. The salad was drizzled with a maple-balsamic glaze to finish.
I had the Ahi Tuna Sashimi starter which had a wasabi crust and was seared rare, then thinly sliced and drizzled with sweet soy.
Dessert:
We did not have any dessert on this visit.
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other Noteworthy New American Articles and Restaurants:
Alinea Highly creative new American molecular gastronomy tasting menus in Chicago, Illinois
Bridge Street Bistro Third-floor terrace seafood-centric New American dining, Bradenton Beach, Florida
Harvest Moon Café Farm-to-Fork daily changing new American fare menu in Sonoma, California
Lobby at Twelve Boutique hotel bistro, new American, and Southern favorites at Atlantic Station, Atlanta
Moshulu New American dining on a restored ship in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Sandbar Restaurant A Chef driven seafood restaurant in the City of Anna Maria Island, Florida
The Mad Hatter Waterfront upscale new American cuisine on Sanibel Island, Florida
Z Grille Colorfully inspired twists on American classics in St. Petersburg, Florida
Other Anna Maria / Bradenton & Homes Beach restaurants + articles on Wine Dine and Play:
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Third-floor terrace seafood-centric New American dining
Bradenton Beach, Florida, USA
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Exploring the restaurant scene on this 7-mile long Gulf barrier island
Anna Maria Island Florida, USA
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Florida style waterfront dining with Gulf-to-Table concepts
Bradenton Beach, Florida, USA
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A Few Florida Favorites:
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Modern café for southern Grub
St Augustine, Florida USA
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Buzzy seafood spot & 360-degree views
St. Pete Beach, Florida, USA
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Sleek chain with Hawaiian menu + sushi
Tampa, Florida, USA
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Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience, and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Waterfront a 3 out of 5 stars, meaning that they not only exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants, but they surpassed outstanding and were extraordinary. The first review score was 3 of 5 stars, so they have improved from my last visit.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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10
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9
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1
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Food quality
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10
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6
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4
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Plate presentation
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8.5
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6.5
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1
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Customer service
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9.5
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7
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2.5
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Alcohol and other beverages
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9
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8
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1
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Total regular points awarded
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47
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36.5
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9.5
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Total percentage Before Bonus
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0.776595744680851
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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2
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0425531914893617
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Total percentage with a bonus for the final star rating
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0.819148936170213
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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3
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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3 of 5 Stars:
82% Rating with a 2 point “wow” bonus
Exceeded My Expectations in a Dining Experience
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Wine List:
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Wine rating:
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6 of 10
Old World selections:
France, Germany, Italy, Spain
New World selections:
Argentina, Australia, California, New Zealand, Oregon, Washington State
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Corkage fees:
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This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge
$25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Casual dining
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Cuisine Style:
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American, Seafood
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Gluten-Free, Local, Low Carb, Pescatarian, Sustainable, Vegetarian, and Vegan Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required, but Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Casual attire
It’s Florida, everybody wears flip-flops!
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Contemporary, Lounge, Business parties, Romantic, Hotspot, Great bar, Great outdoor dining, Scenic views, Tourist grabber, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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a Public lot, Street meter parking
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Medium
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant, and nonsmoking patio
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Patio or terrace:
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Yes
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
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Price
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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£
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€
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Alcohol prices:
$ USD
Waterfront Restaurant:
111 Bay Blvd North
Anna Maria, Florida
34216
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 941-778-1515
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Online reservations
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Email Contact:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Lunch: Mon-Sun
11:30 am - 4:00 pm
Dinner: Mon-Sun
4:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Fri-Sat
4:30 pm - 10:00 pm
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Social Media
&
Accolades:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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Southwestern-inspired New American fare
San Antonio, Texas, USA
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French & Canadian cuisine
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada
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Classic Mediterranean Cuisine
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
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“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
