Serving up seafood to pizza and everything in between, several new restaurants opened their doors in Destin in 2022.
If you haven’t had a chance to check them out yet, here’s what some of them have to offer.
Lone Wolf Pizza Co
Lone Wolf Pizza Co., a one-of-a-kind pizza place, is located in Destin at the site of the old Mellow Mushroom at 960 U.S. 98, across from Big Kahuna’s Water Park and Adventure Park.
Janice Snow, owner of Lone Wolf, was given the nickname Wolf from the previous owner of Mellow Mushroom, Brant Goodman, and decided to take the name and run with it.
All the pizzas at Lone Wolf are hand tossed and the dough is local and can be seen flying through the air on occasion as the chefs have a little fun while preparing the pies.
The majority of the vegetable toppings are grown locally as well.
As for the pies themselves, most of the specialty pizzas on the menu follow a wolf theme and were made up by staff.
More:Lone Wolf Pizza Co. is a lone wolf, a one-of-a-kind place in Destin
The Snow Moon pizza, which features chicken, provolone, mozzarella, goat cheese, onions, artichokes, olive oil and fresh garlic base, is a white pizza and the creation of Snow.
Other pizzas include a Hunters Moon, which is a pepperoni, sausage, beef, ham and bacon pizza, and a Full Moon pizza, which includes the meats plus onions, mushrooms, bell peppers and black olives.
The Lone Wolf features prosciutto, pineapple, goat cheese, jalapenos and mozzarella.
The restaurant, which opened in April, is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Party Fowl
Party Fowl, a popular Tennessee-based restaurant renowned for its signature Nashville hot chicken, opened in April at Destin Commons across from Bass Pro Shops.
The Party Fowl menu, created by Executive Chef Bart Pickens, features a Nashville hot half bird, tenders, tacos, sandwiches, salads and more, including crowd pleasers like Hot Chicken & Beignets (boneless chicken breast served on Texas toast with dill pickles and bourbon-glazed beignets and coleslaw). Guests can choose from five heat levels: Southern Fried, Mild, Medium, Nashville Hot and its spiciest, “Poultrygeist.” A special Nashville Hot Off the Hook menu has been added to give the Destin location some local flair.
More:Destin Commons welcomes new eatery and retail stores; events on tap the next few months
Party Fowl is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. Early bird specials are available from 10 a.m. until noon. Happy hour is from 2-5 p.m. and then from 9 p.m. until close.
Soleil
Soleil, opened at The Inn at Crystal Beach in May, by proprietors Bart and Micah Begley.
The restaurant was designed around stunning views from the beachfront patio, bar, and dining room that add to the warm, upscale atmosphere.
The new beachfront dining experience is led by celebrity chef and sommelier Michael Sichel.
More:Soleil restaurant in Destin offers beach views, kitchen led by celebrity chef Michael Sichel
As a New York native, Sichel grew up immersed in the ingredients, heritage, and family-style cooking of his Italian roots. A Culinary Institute of America grad, Sichel’s first job in the kitchen was at New York City’s legendary Gotham Bar and Grill, and he credits its pioneering Chef Alfred Portale as his most influential culinary inspiration.
Soleil serves lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner from 5 p.m. until closing Tuesday through Saturday, along with a Sunday Brunch from 11 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Soleil’s menu and more information can be found at soleildestin.com.
The Ruby Slipper
The Ruby Slipper, located at 34902 Emerald Coast Parkway near the Crystal Beach Plaza shopping center, opened in May.
Ruby Slipper, which is all about brunch, offers New Orleans-inspired twists on traditional Southern brunch favorites, including Eggs Benedict, beignets, Bananas Foster, pain perdu and white chocolate bread pudding pancakes, as well as eye-opening cocktails.
Ruby Slipper is part of the Ruby Slipper Restaurant Group’s larger expansion across the Southeast, which includes locations in Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.
More:New Orleans-based Ruby Slipper opening first Destin location offering eggs Benedict, beignets
The Edge Seafood Restaurant and SkyBar
The Edge Seafood Restaurant and SkyBar, located on Destin harbor, next to the Boathouse Oyster Bar, opened up in May.
The Edge, owned by locals Heather and Chris Thomas, sits on top of the water and is open and spacious with great views of the harbor and beyond.
Upstairs is a firepit, which is surrounded by patio seating and sectionals for a more “laidback” feel, Heather said. There is also high-top tables and chairs, a bar, plus other tables and a dining area upstairs as well.
More:The Edge Seafood and SkyBar to open soon on Destin harbor
The downstairs restaurant seats about 128 people and upstairs another 128 or more.
As for the food, it’s Floridan-style alfresco dining over the water.
The menu is small but offers fresh local seafood and produce. Some of the specialty items on the menu include ceviche, conch fritters, whole snapper and grouper in parchment paper. The menu also includes jerk chicken, filet, and a shrimp or oyster po’boy along with salads and sandwiches.
One thing that is unique to The Edge are their tables, bars and countertops. They are all made out of bowling alley lanes from Georgia.
Big Red Café
Big Red Café, located in the old silver Destin Diner at the corner of U.S. 98 and Airport Road, opened up this past summer.
The Big Red Café, owned by Casey and Jami Jones, is a spinoff of their Big Red Truck. The Jones’ started the Big Red Truck in 2014 and set up at various places around town serving up fish, shrimp and chicken tacos as well as grilled lettuce wedges and burgers.
More:From Big Red Truck to Big Red Café: The Jones are back in Destin and “feeding family”
At the café, which is open 7 a.m. until 2 p.m., they serve up breakfast all day. On the breakfast menu are such items as omelets, avocado toast, patty melts, shrimp and grits, a breakfast bowl, a waffle burger, and a short stack of pancakes. From 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. folks can order off the lunch menu which includes burgers, Philly cheese steak sandwich, grilled lettuce wedge, tacos, soups and salads, and a Red Plate special.
Lady Ray’s Culinary Delights
Lady Ray’s Culinary Delights, is located just west of Target at 833 Harbor Boulevard in Destin.
Lady Ray’s offers “sweets and savory” including everything from cakes to croissants.
Lady Ray’s, which opened Memorial weekend, is a joint venture between Rachel and her older brother, Tim Vondell.
The café front is open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. However, they do custom orders throughout the week from cakes to sandwich platters.
More:Lady Ray’s Culinary Delights in Destin is “more than a cake shop”
From croissants, cupcakes to avocado toast, it can all be found on the all-day menu.
Lady Ray is known for her Croque Monsier, which is a grilled ham and cheese on sourdough with melted Swiss cheese on top.
They also have five varieties of cupcakes and three different croissants and coffee.
Lady Ray’s delivers from the Destin bridge to the Clyde B. Wells 331 Bridge in Walton County.
“We will deliver … from kids’ birthday to wedding cakes and everything in between. We’re set up to do it all,” Tim said.
Fish On
Fish On opened in September in the old Callahan’s Restaurant and Deli site located at 791 Harbor Blvd. In Destin.
The restaurant is a venture of Billy Dee, chef Giovanni Filippone and Jerry Zick.
More:Destin’s latest catch: Fish On prepares to open ‘beach casual’ restaurant
“Our goal is not fine dining, it’s fresh seafood affordable, so you’re not spending and arm and a leg,” Filippone said, noting he has a family as well.
The restaurant is beach casual with “friendly service and fresh seafood made to order,” Dee said.
Fish On has a rustic, sort of an old Florida feel to the décor.
They offer fresh catch plates, sandwiches, salads and more.
The restaurant serves up great food, fast, according to Dee.
Fish On is closed on Sunday, but open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m., with the same menu all day.
Panda Express
Panda Express, opened in October, at 34898 Emerald Coast Parkway.
Panda Express offers a fresh flavorful combination of Chinese regional cuisine and technique with bold American tastes.
The chain restaurant is open Sunday through Thursday, from 10:30 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, from 10:30 until 10 p.m.