New England Region
Fresh Salt—Old Saybrook, CT
The mouth of the Connecticut River is one of the best boat-spotting locations just off Long Island Sound. You can see pretty much every style of boat cruise by, from classic sailboats to power-packed center consoles to the occasional megayacht. More than a few of these boats are headed for Saybrook Point Resort & Marina, which is where the Fresh Salt restaurant is located. It serves up three meals a day with brunch on Sunday, all of it on the waterfront with a view of the local fleet. Menus are heavy on fresh seafood and ingredients from local farms. A kids’ menu makes this eatery a fan favorite among families.
Dolphin Marina & Restaurant—Harpswell, ME
Maine’s Casco Bay is all about rugged beauty. The rocky outcroppings and countless islands are in many ways an unspoiled paradise, with recreational boats and ferries winding their way around the buoys and landmasses from before sunrise until well into the evenings. Dolphin Marina & Restaurant is smack in the middle of it all, located at the tip of Basin Point with water views far into the distance. It’s a family-owned spot that specializes in Maine coastal fare, with seafood as the star. (Where else can you find haddock nuggets on a kids’ menu?) Cocktails and beer selections are diverse, with a solid wine list.
The Oar—New Shoreham, RI
Block Island has long been a favorite summer getaway for cruisers, and The Oar is on the waterfront in Great Salt Pond with a broad view of the marine scene. Indoor and outdoor seating make this a popular spot no matter the weather, and groups of powerboaters or sailors are welcome after a rally or rendezvous cruise. The restaurant takes no reservations, which sometimes means a bit of time watching the boats while waiting for a table, but it’s hard to imagine a better view. The menu includes a raw bar and sushi, which sets this waterfront spot apart from many others in the region.
Chart Room—Cataumet, MA
Just past the iconic Cleveland Ledge Lighthouse—the only Art Moderne light of its kind in New England—you can point the bow east, cruise past Scraggy Neck and Bassetts Island Landing, and make your way to the Chart Room. It’s convenient to Kingman Yacht Center, Buzzards Bay Yacht Sales and Parker’s Boat Yard, and has been keeping diners of all ages smiling since the 1960s. Grilled cheeses, burgers and hot dogs will make most kids happy, while adults can check out the stuffed quahog, crab cakes and lobster. The restaurant is open every day during the summer cruising season, and on weekends in the spring and fall.
22 Bowen’s—Newport, RI
As date spots on the waterfront go, it’s hard to find a more impressive option than 22 Bowen’s. This location—ideal for special occasions—is right in the heart of the historic Newport waterfront. Everywhere you turn, you are immersed in boats, boaters and the very history of boating in one of America’s yachting capitals. There’s an upscale feel to this place: Child strollers must be checked at the desk, and children are forbidden at the bar. Prime cuts include dry-aged porterhouse at $145 per serving, which is a bargain compared to the wagyu served with freshly shaved wasabi. As for the wine list, it’s 44 pages long.
NazBar & Grill at the Naswa Resort—Laconia, NH
Lake Winnipesaukee has long been one of the most popular destinations for boaters in New Hampshire. It’s also the place to find a little bit of the Caribbean in New England, thanks to the NazBar & Grill at the Naswa Resort. Just as the steel drums echo through the night air down in the islands, they also fill the atmosphere here during Reggae Fest Weekend—and, occasionally, as part of the live music shows on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Boaters will find Caribbean menu staples like coconut shrimp and calamari here, mixed in with regional fare like Maine lobster.
Family Restaurants
Fresh Salt, Old Saybrook, CT
Dolphin Marina & Restaurant, Harpswell, ME
The Oar, New Shoreham, RI
Chart Room, Cataumet, MA
Nazbar, Laconia, NH
Date Spots
Fresh Salt, Old Saybrook, CT
22 Bowen’s, Newport, RI
Dolphin Marina & Restaurant, Harpswell, ME
Chart Room, Cataumet, MA
Matunuck Oyster Bar, Wakefield, RI
Best Location
Fresh Salt, Old Saybrook, CT
The Oar, New Shoreham, RI
Chart Room, Cataumet, MA
Red 36, Mystic, CT
Dolphin Marina & Restaurant, Harpswell, ME
Mid-Atlantic Region
Machodoc Creek Café—King George, VA
Up the busy Potomac River from the bustling Chesapeake Bay—and just over the border of Maryland, in Virginia—is a lovely spot that seems tailor-made to help boaters relax and unwind. This 60-slip marina has a boat ramp that’s open 24/7 for exploring the picturesque Machodoc Creek, where kayaks and paddleboards are always in the mix. Cruising boaters can dine on-site or grab a takeout lunch midday from Wednesday through Sunday. The menu is basic but tasty, with salads and sandwiches, and it’s heavy on longtime favorites like shredded roast beef and baked turkey breast.
Boatyard Bar and Grill—Annapolis, MD
The Boatyard Bar and Grill is just across Spa Creek from the United States Naval Academy. As you’re dining, you’ll occasionally see one of America’s finest stroll through in uniform, blending right in with the local boaters and fishermen who make the Annapolis waterfront a marine mecca. This restaurant is as salty as it gets, with half-models mounted on the walls, fenders hanging from the ceiling, and the names of local boatyards carved right into the beams. The kitchen staff takes their crab quite seriously, no matter whether it’s served as a soup, a cake or a dip. At happy hour, oysters are a buck a shuck, and draft beer is $5.
Cantler’s—Annapolis, MD
Casual is the keyword at Cantler’s Riverside Inn, which overlooks Mill Creek right near the Annapolis Seaplane Base. Families come by land and by sea to this eatery, where the local watermen pull right up to the dock to unload freshly caught crab. It can be ordered steamed by the dozen, half dozen or individually, and is served on brown butcher paper at whatever daily price is handwritten on the chalkboards. (You can’t go wrong with messy or sun-soaked kids). Fun options like blackened rockfish bites and a pretzel loaded with crab dip are also on the menu, along with full platters and combo plates of various kinds.
Bahrs Landing Famous Seafood Restaurant—Highlands, NJ
Bahrs Landing is such a well-known landmark for New Jersey boaters, it may as well be a lighthouse. This waterfront classic overlooks the Sandy Hook Gateway National Recreation Area, and has been around for so many decades that its staff will proudly tell you the place has served lobsters to celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Joe DiMaggio and Ernest Borgnine. Transient cruisers can grab a table at the restaurant or order online for takeout or delivery to the boat. The menu is heavy on seafood, but there are also meats and pasta. Fried baskets are crowd-pleasers with options including clam strips, oysters and cod, all served with fries.
Family Restaurants
Machodoc Creek Café, King George, VA
Boat Yard Bar and Grill, Annapolis, MD
Cantlers, Annapolis, MD
Louie’s, Manhasset, NY
Bahrs Landing, Highlands, NJ
Date Spots
Machodoc Creek Café, King George, VA
Boat Yard Bar and Grill, Annapolis, MD
Bahrs Landing, Highlands, NJ
Blue Heron Oyster House and Inn, Rock Hall, MD
Carrol’s Creek Café, Annapolis, MD
Best Location
Machodoc Creek Café, King George, VA
Boat Yard Bar and Grill, Annapolis, MD
Bahrs Landing, Highlands, NJ
Claudio’s Waterfront, Greenport, NY
Gosman’s Restaurant, Montauk, NY
Southeast Region
Captain Hiram’s Resort—Sebastian, FL
The Indian River north of Vero Beach is home to this bustling resort, which bills itself as an adventure center and marina chockablock with fishing charters, a sightseeing boat and watersports rentals. The marina keeps 90 percent of its wet slips open for first-come-first-serve access, and offers food delivery via DoorDash online. Ashore, there’s live music, three bars with different specialties, and the restaurant Blackfins Riverfront Grill. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week with a signature dish called Dirty Oysters (fresh-shucked oysters with caviar, sour cream, onions and hot sauce). Fishermen tend to stop in early for the biscuits and gravy to keep their bellies full all day long.
Fishy Fishy Café—Southport, NC
Boaters love the Fishy Fishy Café because it’s right on the edge of the Intracoastal Waterway, and it’s near a slew of marinas, meaning it’s easy to access from the water and offers great boat-watching for the whole family all day long. The place is colorful inside and out with a kind of Bahamian flair, and the views are picturesque across the water. The restaurant serves lunch until 4 p.m. and then switches over to dinner, with a Southern influence in dishes like fried green tomatoes, Cajun mahi bites and blackened shrimp Lowcountry salad. The local shrimp pot is packed with a pound of shrimp, potatoes and corn cooked in Old Bay seasoning, with optional andouille sausage.
Provision Co.—Southport, NC
You could walk from the Fishy Fishy Café to Provision Co., which is one block closer to the Intracoastal Waterway. It’s built on the site of an old wholesale fish house that became a boat and motor repair shop before it was a provisioning spot for fishing charters and then, finally, the popular “seafood shack” it is today. It’s proudly on a list of America’s best seafood dives, with peel-and-eat shrimp, conch fritters, deep-fried crabcakes and the like. Wings, chicken tenders and hot dogs will keep the kids happy, and there’s pie on the menu for dessert—if you don’t want to walk across the street to Flava’s Ice Cream for a sundae.
15th Street Fisheries—Fort Lauderdale, FL
You may as well be at a boat show if you visit 15th Street Fisheries, which is located inside Lauderdale Marina. That means seeing not just the kinds of boats that are common on Florida’s waterways, but also some of the most head-turning superyachts that cruise into the Broward County city. There are two dining options here: all day downstairs at Fisheries Dockside, or later at what’s known simply as Dinner Upstairs. The downstairs vibe is casual with live music on the weekends, dishes like fried shrimp tacos, and a water taxi making regular stops. Upstairs is more refined, with grilled fish, filet mignon and baked seafood pasta.
Family Restaurants
Captain Hiram’s Resort, Sebastian, FL
Fishy Fishy Café, Southport, NC
Provision Co., Southport, NC
Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille St. Pete Pier, St. Petersburg, FL
Clawson’s 1905 Restaurant & Pub, Beaufort, NC
Date Spots
Captain Hiram’s Resort, Sebastian, FL
15th Street Fisheries, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Front Street Grill, Beaufort, NC
Beaufort Grocery Co., Beaufort, NC
Dry Dock Waterfront Grill, Longboat Key, FL
Best Location
Captain Hiram’s Resort, Sebastian, FL
Provision Co., Southport, NC
15th Street Fisheries, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Fishy Fishy Café, Southport, NC
Alabama Jacks, Key Largo, FL
This article was originally published in the August 2024 issue.
