Best Seafood Restaurants in St. Armands Circle
You are on the Gulf Coast — the seafood should be the easy decision. St. Armands Circle has one dedicated seafood house and several others where seafood leads the menu. These are the picks that make sense for a seafood-focused meal, based on current menus and visitor information, last verified August 2026.
Last verified: August 14, 2026
Crab & Fin — the Circle's seafood specialist
Serving since 1978, Crab & Fin (420 St. Armands Circle) is the restaurant on the Circle that treats seafood as its whole identity. Fish is flown in whole and filleted on site, and the menu leans on the Gulf: snapper, grouper, pompano, and crab, plus exotics like Alaskan king crab. The bar happy hour (daily 4-6 p.m., 50% off drinks) and early-dining menu (nightly 4:45-5:45 p.m., 20% off entrees plus soup or salad) make it one of the best-value seafood dinners in Sarasota. Book on Resy.
Columbia Restaurant — Spanish seafood with century-old recipes
Columbia Restaurant (411 St. Armands Circle) has served Spanish and Cuban food since 1905, and seafood runs through the menu: seafood paella, tapas, shrimp, and crab dishes prepared with the family's original recipes. It is the most atmospheric seafood-adjacent dining room on the Circle, and the patio is perfect for a long lunch. Reservations recommended.
Tommy Bahama Restaurant — island-style seafood on the Circle
The freshly reopened Tommy Bahama Restaurant (500 John Ringling Blvd) brings an island-Caribbean take on seafood — think fresh catches, coastal preparations, and patio dining on one of the Circle's best corners. Good for a lunch or early dinner after shopping.
Lido Island Grill — casual seafood on the beach
For seafood with sand on your toes, Lido Island Grill at the Lido Beach Pavilion (400 Ben Franklin Drive) is the casual counter option, famous for its lobster rolls, grouper sandwiches, and fish tacos. It is a 5-10 minute walk from the Circle — ideal after a swim. Hours are flexible (typically 11 a.m.-7 p.m. depending on beach activity). See the Lido Beach guide for details.
Quick choice guide
- Serious seafood dinner with service: Crab & Fin (book on Resy).
- Seafood with history and atmosphere: Columbia Restaurant.
- Island-style seafood on a patio: Tommy Bahama Restaurant.
- Casual fish at the beach: Lido Island Grill at the Pavilion.
- Value: Crab & Fin early dining, nightly 4:45-5:45 p.m.