Fratellis Restaurant, St. Augustine

The Beachcomber Restaurant first appeared on a St. Augustine beach in the 1940s, its colorful walls and umbrellas blending harmoniously with a backdrop of sandy dunes, swaying palm trees, and calm ocean waves. Generations later, locals and tourists alike still flock to its wraparound wooden deck, where they can linger over cups of spicy clam chowder and baskets of fried seafood. Come evening, they chug beer and nibble on chicken wings and fresh local oysters; in the morning, their attention turns to hearty breakfasts of pancakes, omelets, and breakfast burritos. In the kitchen, the staff whips up "Catch of the Day" dinners, grilling fresh fish they caught right by the restaurant using nothing but a lacrosse stick and a dog whistle.