These Are FL's Best Restaurants, New Ranking Says

FLORIDA — Calling all Sunshine State foodies!

Four Florida restaurants have landed on USA Today's Best Restaurants of the Year 2024 list.

USA Today chose to shine light on 47 eateries in its national "search of the next best bite." The media outlet said it scanned restaurants that not only offered fine dining but were also "tried and true" with "stories to tell."

From Instagram-able photo op spots to small town classics, here are the honorees:

Brother Fox (415 N. Alcaniz St., Pensacola)

A Spanish-style restaurant, Brother Fox revived the Old Mount Olive Baptist Church that was constructed in 1928. It is home to Food Network "Chopped" champion and executive chef Darian Hernandez.

"Dishes like the Low Country shrimp boil 'a la España' — with Florida Gulf shrimp, Spanish chorizo, charred corn and potatoes — are the menu’s heart. But you can’t miss the dishes made on the fire, from cabbage baked in embers to sous vide coal-fired chicken with anticucho. Once finished, meander inside speakeasy Sister Hen − abbreviated 'S.H.,' pronounced 'shh' − for a nightcap under candlelight," USA Today said.

The Daley Trade (330 S. Washington Ave., Titusville)

The Daley Trade's Chef Terrence Daley was cooking up bread and pasta for home delivery before the tapas restaurant was opened.

"Now located in a historic downtown building, The Daley Trade has transitioned into a marketplace and restaurant. Look for an ever-changing menu inspired by the Daleys’ world travels and featuring seasonal, locally grown ingredients, often served with house-made pasta and sourdough bread," USA Today said.

A "full back bar" and dining room are served around midcentury decor and glass walls.

Star Fish Company (12306 46th Ave. W., Cortez)

Customers can experience dockside cuisine at Star Fish Company, a seafood restaurant owned by a third-generation Cortez native who sought to maintain her family's commercial fishing history. A fish market and a "fish house" connected to Star Fish.

"While dining at her dockside restaurant boasting a century of history, you'll be captivated by the fishermen working alongside seabirds and the occasional dolphin. Star Fish serves expertly prepared Florida favorites like grouper, shrimp and oysters. However, the restaurant is particularly renowned for its mullet, a fish best enjoyed fried or blackened with a side of cheese grits," USA Today said.

Stage Kitchen & Bar (2000 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens)

Chef/co-owner Pushkar Marathe's Stage sets the scene in Palm Beach County with a roomy dining area and an outdoor patio. Marathe's menu is inspired by modern Indian cuisines.

"Those bites include a bruleed chicken liver pate spiced with cardamom, green ginger and fenugreek, local fish served in Bengali-style sauce, tandoori churrasco, plus an eclectic array of small plates. Marathe’s innovative cooking earned Stage national acclaim, including a 2023 James Beard Award semifinalist nod. He and Stage partner Andy Dugard defied the odds, having opened just days before the 2020 pandemic shutdown and rebounding into destination status," USA Today said.