Where to eat: 10 essential restaurants in Fort Pierce include 12A Buoy, Pineapple Joe's

When in Fort Pierce, eat as the locals do.

Bucket-list restaurants in Fort Pierce are legendary and beloved, whether it be for the food or for the views — or for both. They can be found on the beach by the Atlantic Ocean, on the water by the Indian River Lagoon or downtown.

When you think of Fort Pierce, you think of these restaurants.

The city has too many must-visit restaurants to include them all, so TCPalm plans to make more lists. If you have a restaurant that should be included in the next list for Fort Pierce or any Treasure Coast city, email [email protected].

Here are 10 essential restaurants in Fort Pierce.

12A Buoy

12A Buoy has been a staple of Fisherman's Wharf since owners Katie James and Owen Hartley opened the small seafood restaurant in 2009. It's described as a rustic dive with exceptional eats, highlighting lunch and dinner options from its small kitchen on paper menus. Popular appetizers include lobster mac and cheese and hanging extra thick-cut black pepper and maple glaze bacon. Menu favorites include fresh catch fish, raw bar options, fried shrimp, Florida Black Angus burgers and homemade desserts.

Archie's Seabreeze

Archie's Seabreeze started when a former guard shack from the World War II Navy base became a beer joint in 1947. Archie Hitchins was the first owner, but it was Archie Summerlin who added ice cream, sandwiches and the popular burgers in 1966 that still are a menu mainstay. Summerlin ran the business until his death in 1988 at age 59. Patty McGee bought Archie's from Summerlin's sister in 1994. Its slogan remains the same: "no shoes, no shirt, no problem."

Captain's Galley

The late Dennis Horvath and his sister opened the original Captain’s Galley Restaurant in 1984 across from the Fort Pierce City Marina and P.P. Cobb General Store. In 1987, Horvath moved and expanded the restaurant to the corner of Seaway and Indian River drives. He ran the eatery with his wife and three children until his death in 2014. Expect to wait for a table, especially for Sunday brunch. Get the Belgian waffle, but split it with someone to save room for more menu items. Order smaller portions of some plates, such as eggs Benedict and pigs in a blanket.

Chuck’s Seafood Restaurant

Chuck’s Seafood Restaurant opened in Fort Pierce on the Indian River Lagoon in 1961. Chuck and Elodie Tabor opened the restaurant using the “Old Florida” recipes they developed in the 1940s for its famous fried shrimp. Peter Angelos took over in 1984 and ran it with his daughters, Georgette and Nicola — until they became owners when he retired in 2021. The Angelos sisters added weekend brunch and started selling bags of “Chuck’s Famous Seafood Breading” and Mason jars of “Crazy Nick’s Calypso Sauce,” the restaurant’s house cocktail sauce and house tartar sauce. They also expanded the outdoor seating area and added live music.

Dale's Bar-B-Q

Dale's Bar-B-Q, known as Dale's BBQ South, was founded by Dale Ernsberger Jr. in 1962. Andrew Sparks took over ownership in 2020 from Daniel Kinser, according to state records. It's not affiliated with the former Dale's BBQ West on Okeechobee Road, which rebranded to become Moonswiners Bar-B-Q in 2014. Dale's BBQ South is known for its sweet tea, onion chips, coleslaw, barbecue sandwiches — beef or pork — and homemade sauces.

Hurricane Grill & Wings

A platter of different flavored wings from Hurricane Grill & Wings. The restaurant has special days when kids eat free when accompanied by a paying adult.

Hurricane Grill & Wings is a national chain that started on Fort Pierce's South Beach in 1995. The Seaway Drive original was called Chris’ Hurricane Bar and Grill after founder Chris Russo, who was only 22. Known for its chicken wings and cold beer, that spot is still one of eight Hurricane restaurants in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties. Since becoming a franchise, the restaurant has expanded to 40 locations in the U.S., including 29 in Florida. The restaurant is famous for its jumbo wings and 35 flavors. Signature sauces include Roasted Garlic Inferno for serious heat, Coco Loco with heat from habanero and cool from coconut, Gold Rush with spicy honey mustard, Cyclone with sweet and spicy chili sauce, and Kogi Secret Weapon with sweet garlic soy sauce.

Little Jim Bait & Tackle

Little Jim Bait & Tackle in Fort Pierce, known as Little Jim’s, was built in 1942 and originally served as a Navy guard shack and barrier island checkpoint during World War II. When the Navy left in 1944, it gave the city the land, the shack and the wooden bridge. What started out early as a bait shop grew into the popular live music hangout Little Jim's is today. Menu highlights include the pimento cheese spread and house-made classic onion dip with chips for an appetizer, as well as its tacos, pizzas, sandwiches and smash burger. It also serves breakfast from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Pineapple Joe's Grill & Raw Bar

Joseph Robert "Joe Bob" Clemenzi opened Pineapple Joe's Grill & Raw Bar and ran the restaurant for decades with his wife, Mabel, before his passing in 2021. The large dining area with walls lined by pecky cypress wood panels features a clawfoot tub near a pool table topped with a Budweiser chandelier. Its menu includes raw bar options and items from the grill: burgers, hot dogs, chicken breast sandwiches, shrimp, oysters and clam platters. Highlights include the conch fritters, served with its secret sweet and tangy calypso sauce, and the signature pineapple fritters, which are slightly sweet, doughnut hole-like balls. Save room to try the freshly made Key lime pie for dessert.

Pot Belli Deli

Lisa Spagnuolo, owner of the Pot Belli Deli, puts together a customer's lunch order on Monday, June 26, 2023, in downtown Fort Pierce. "I was thinking of doing a Trump special for lunch," Spagnuolo said.

The Pot Belli Deli has been a staple of downtown Fort Pierce since owner Lisa Spagnuolo opened the small diner inside the historic Arcade Building in 1989. It's open for breakfast and lunch with low menu prices. For breakfast, order two eggs, bacon or ham or sausage, grits or home fries, and a biscuit or toast for $10.50. It also has pancakes, Texas-style French toast and biscuits and gravy for less than $9. For lunch, order a jumbo hot dog with chili and cheese for less than $8 or the deli burger with lettuce and tomatoes for less than $9. All cold subs and hot subs are less than $10 each.

Sharky's

Sharky's is the only restaurant on North Hutchinson Island. Its plaza was built in 1979, and the owners opened a sandwich shop called Mike’s Giant Submarines, which became Sharky’s in 1985. It's been owned by Cindy Rohn and her son, Derek, since 2010. It has a laidback, casual atmosphere where customers walk up to the counter to place their orders before they grab a table. It started out with just subs but grew to have an extensive menu with pizza, wings, salads and hamburgers. The subs are named after different sharks: the Great White is an Italian, the White Tip is ham and turkey, the Mako is roast beef and turkey and the Hammerhead is chicken Caesar. Derek Rohn created the Buffalo Soldier with fried chicken, diced and tossed in wing sauce, then topped with bacon and cheddar cheese and toasted.

Laurie K. Blandford is TCPalm's entertainment reporter dedicated to finding the best things to do on the Treasure Coast. Email her at [email protected]. Sign up for her What To Do in 772 weekly newsletter at profile.tcpalm.com/newsletters/manage.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Where to eat: 10 essential restaurants in Fort Pierce include 12A Buoy, Pineapple Joe's