3 FL Eateries Named ‘Restaurants Of The Year’

FLORIDA — Three Florida restaurants were tabbed by food and dining writers from across the USA Today network as some of the best in the country to try out in 2025.

To create USA Today’s 2025 Restaurants of the Year, food writers were tasked with choosing establishments that stood out as surprising and delightful, and ones they’d return to and recommend to out-of-town visitors. It's the second year for the list; USA Today debuted the list in 2024.

The publication said the final selections aren’t just an inventory of local hot spots with months-long waits in major metropolitan areas but rather “a celebration of local flavors and stories, curated by reporters from across the country who know that a meal of Italian cuisine in Mamaroneck (New York) can be just as rewarding as one in Manhattan.”

The 45 restaurants on the list are found in 27 states. Those in Florida — and why food critics liked them — are Bicyclette Cookshop in Naples, Pearl & Horn in Pensacola and Swordfish Grill in Cortez.

On Bicyclette Cookshop, USA Today writes: “What happens when a wunderkind chef teams up with a retired McDonald’s president on a new restaurant? The ultra-fun Bicyclette Cookshop, where deliciously playful food in a contemporary, casual setting boasts clever surprises without feeling twee.”

Next, USA Today claims that your culinary adventure at Pearl & Horn in Pensacola starts with where you sit.

“The restaurant’s theme celebrates the best of land and sea, and the two sections of the divided restaurant reflect that,” the publication wrote. “The Pearl portion boasts a chic marble bar with views of freshly shucked oysters and handcrafted cocktails, while the Horn portion features woodland tones and rich brown leather booths.”

Finally, USA Today lauded Swordfish Grill for its location in the historic commercial fishing village of Cortez.

“The experience is a delightful slice of Old Florida paradise. Owned by local fisherman John Banyas, Swordfish Grill offers a waterfront patio and tiki bar with live music, as well as an indoor bar and dining room adjacent to the open kitchen,” according to USA Today.

If you’re planning to travel, here’s the full list (read more about each on USA Today):

Alabama

• Lannie’s Bar-B-Q Spot, Selma

Arizona

• Ta’Carbon, Glendale
• Course, Scottsdale

California

• Rooster and the Pig, Palm Springs

Colorado

• The Taco Stop, Fort Collins

Delaware

• Bardea Food & Drink, Wilmington

Florida

• Bicyclette Cookshop, Naples
• Pearl & Horn, Pensacola
• Swordfish Grill, Cortez

Georgia

• Wexford, Savannah

Iowa

• Oak Park, Des Moines

Indiana

• Bodhi, Indianapolis
• Roots Eatery and Pub, Wolcott

Kentucky

• Decade, Louisville

Louisiana

• Quebedeaux's Cajun Cafe, Pineville

Massachusetts

• The Rooftop at Pelham House Resort, Dennis Port
• Wusong Tiki Bar, Cambridge
• Bocado Tapas Wine Bar, Worcester

Michigan

• Mabel Gray, Hazel Park
• Tomato Brothers Howell

Nevada

• Middlegate Station, Fallon

New Jersey

• Aarzu Modern Indian Bistro, Freehold Borough
• Steve’s Burgers, Garfield
• Canal House Station, Milford

New York

• Augustine’s Salumeria, Mamaroneck
• Rocky’s Restaurant, Rochester

North Carolina

• Olivera, Wilmington
• Restaurants of Western North Carolina

Oklahoma

• The Crown, Oklahoma City

Ohio

• The Aperture, Cincinnati
• Agni, Columbus
• Social at the Stone House, Massillon

Oregon

• Hayward, McMinnville
• Akadi, Portland

Pennsylvania

• Poison Heart, Philadelphia
• Dharma Bums, Point Pleasant

Rhode Island

• Matunuck Oyster Bar, South Kingstown

South Carolina

• Comal 864, Greenville

South Dakota

• Sanaa’s Gourmet Mediterranean, Sioux Falls

Tennessee

• A Dopo, Knoxville
• Bad Idea, Nashville

Texas

• Dai Due, Austin
• Jimenez y Friends Barbecue y Taqueria, Lubbock

Wisconsin

• Three Brothers, Milwaukee
• BroKogi Korean Fusion Restaurant, Stevens Point