Dunedin Dining Destination
Published: Aug 3, 2007
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DUNEDIN A pint of Old Mean Stout at the Dunedin Brewery & Snug Pub sets the tone for our night downtown, where the only requisites are walking shoes and well-oiled taste buds.
The summer rain on sidewalks reflects the fading sun as people begin sifting into restaurants and wine bars lining picturesque Main Street. Galleries and antique shops begin closing about the time chefs fire up their kitchens, setting loose a wave of aromas that immerses the senses and lures the appetite.
It's dinner time in downtown Dunedin, and options are plenty. Few communities in the area capture such a neighborhood feel, or offer so many eateries within walking distance of one another.
“It's the old, funky Florida,” says Ron Morris, a frequent visitor who runs a Clearwater mortgage company. “I go to a lot of the restaurants there with my wife and kids, and we absolutely adore the area.”
You won't find strip malls and chain restaurants downtown. Residents and business owners like their pedestrian-friendly, small-town ambiance. They like the postcard atmosphere, the ease of getting from one haunt to another, and how restaurants don't compete so much as support each other.
“We all work together to make the town what it is,” says Travis Kruger, manager of the Dunedin Brewery, which pours its own seasonal ales. “And the residents of Dunedin make all the difference.”
At least a dozen restaurants and bars bustle within a few square blocks, from Bon Appetit at the marina to Kelly's in the center of town to Bellini further east on Main Street.
Culinary choices range from inexpensive Irish fare at Flanagan's to elegant Italian at The Black Pearl — recognized by the Zagat Survey as one of the Bay area's top restaurants. People drive in for dinner and park for free — downtown Dunedin has no parking meters.
“You have a great mix of restaurants and it's a great place for pedestrians,” Lynn Wargo, president of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, says of what makes the town so attractive to visitors.
Each restaurant has carved a niche, and no two overlap with the same atmosphere or cuisine, says Tina Avila, who owns Casa Tina Mexican Grill with her husband and chef, Javier. They plan to stay put: Their popular restaurant soon will expand from 65 to 150 seats.
A selection of dishes from Bellini restaurant.
“All the businesses here are owned and operated by individuals, not corporations,” Tina says. “You go into a shop and the owner is there, mingling among the guests. So Dunedin keeps that small-town feel while so many other places have become homogenized.”
The town's people also like something else — Dunedin's Scottish roots. The name Dunedin derives from Dun Eideann, the Gaelic word for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its name reflects the Scots who settled the area in the 1870s, and two Scotsmen set up the town's first post office inside their store. Dunedin became incorporated in 1899.
“There's a huge community pride here, and people are proud of the Scottish background and of what the city has become,” says Wargo. “So they love living here.”
Years ago, a railroad passed north to south and an active port kept busy with schooners and sloops. At one point in its history, Dunedin had the state's largest fleet of sailing vessels. With the commerce came more people, and they lived where they worked. The railroad is long gone, but the corridor where trains once passed now teems with cyclists, hikers and inline skaters on the Pinellas Trail, a 34-mile-long paved path that cuts through the heart of downtown.
“Dunedin capitalized best on the trail,” Wargo says. “Twenty years ago, our downtown was completely different than what you see today. The trail was a catalyst for that, and a lot of merchants decided to build on that.”
The infusion of people spices up weekends here, with locals and visitors taking in a summer breakfast, a casual lunch, or sticking around for dinner. Early birds flock to Bon Appetit on the waterfront, dining on lobster and enjoying drinks as the sun dips behind Caladesi Island State Park.
Crowds can be found munching on the tapas menu at La Maison Gourmet, sipping specialty martinis late at night at the Chic-a-Boom Room, or indulging in a pint of Lowland Wheat Ale over live music at the Dunedin Brewery.
“On Friday nights, the whole town goes out on a pub crawl,” Kruger says. “It's the most personal place I've ever worked.”
Main Attractions
List Of Restaurants And Pubs In Downtown Dunedin
Here's a select look at restaurants and pubs on or within walking distance of Main Street in downtown Dunedin:
1. Bon Appetit, 150 Marina Plaza, (727) 733-2151: A casual waterfront restaurant offering spectacular sunset views; menu highlights include lobster cocktail with cognac sauce and veal sweetbreads in brown butter.
2. Sea Sea Riders, 221 Main St., (727) 734-1445: Casual food in a restored 1903 house with veranda dining. The hardwood floors are original.
3. Sam's Fresh Seafood, 900 Broadway Ave., (727) 736-1179: No-frills dining but fresh seafood and budget prices.
4. The Black Pearl, 315 Main St., (727) 734-3463: New American Cuisine wrapped in a romantic atmosphere, with culinary creations that change seasonally; consider the cedar plank salmon and Long Island duckling.
5. Kelly's for Just About … Anything!, 319 Main St., (727) 736-5284: Offbeat favorite of locals serves creative fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner; large outdoor dining area in the back.
6. Chic-a-Boom Room, 319 Main St., (727) 736-0206: Martini bar and lounge with live music.
7. Café Alfresco, 344 Main St., (727) 736-4299: Casual dining right off the Pinellas Trail; popular for weekend brunch.
8. Jolli Mon's Grill, 941 Huntley Ave., (727) 735-0498: Casual seafood, burgers and beer in a tropical setting off the Pinellas Trail.
9. Casa Tina Mexican Grill, 369 Main St., (727) 734-9226: Healthful Mexican fare in a festive setting; try the carnitas and mango quesadillas.
10. Flanagan's Irish Pub, 465 Main St., (727) 736-4994: Traditional Irish fare, and $3 pints of Guinness on Sundays.
11. La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., (727) 736-3070: Tapas, sushi, innovative dinners and desserts, wine bar and cooking classes.
12. Bellini Restaurant, 487 Main St., (727) 733-5449: Upscale Southern Italian cuisine in an intimate setting; live music on weekends.
13. Dunedin Brewery & Snug Pub, 937 Douglas Ave., (727) 736-0606: Handcrafted brews and pub food; live music most nights.
Reporter Kurt Loft can be reached at (813) 259-7570 or kloft@tampatrib.com.
