By Phil Heppding- 30a Food and Wine

For those of us that live and vacation here in South Walton, operating on beach time is a way of life. If an island destination is what you crave, Tommy Bahama Restaurant at Grand Boulevard can meet your need for tropical breezes without ever leaving the shores of South Walton.

As one of the original restaurants at the iconic Grand Boulevard, Tommy Bahama has grown a loyal local following while also catering to tourists and vacationers alike that visit the area. If you have visited Tommy Bahama recently, you may have noticed they just recently completed a refresh of their interior space. We caught up with the new General Manager, Pratt Shirley to get the run down on what’s new, both with the building and the menu. “We haven’t changed the building itself or the bones as you would say, but we updated the colors and made things much lighter.” said Shirley.

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“We’re very happy that we were able to keep the characteristics of the restaurant so that when our guests return, they see the same space they have come to love, but with a brighter, more open feeling to it.” Shirley continued.

In addition to cosmetic updates, the menu has also seen some changes, upgrades and

additions that will only serve to raise the level of cuisine in South Walton.

Frequent visitors might be well acquainted with the coconut shrimp that has become a fan favorite, but a few other dishes are quickly rising to the top of diners with list.

“The flatbread pizza is by far the most popular appetizer other than the shrimp.” said Shirley. The filet mignon flatbread features bacon, honey roasted onions, lemon arugula, gruyere and roasted mushrooms.

The restaurant also highlights daily chef features each day, depending on what local

fisherman and purveyors are offering. Dinner guests might find the evening special to be a snapper, grouper, amberjack or sea bass based on seasonal availability with a hint to the island theme.

For those that are used to happy hour, more live music options make Tommy a fantastic

option for starting your night off in South Walton. Added Shirley”We have what we call island time from 4-6. We now have live music 6 nights a week with a different artists each night.” Executive Chef Andre Dobbs takes pride in wowing the guests that visit the restaurant. “We want our guests to feel at home and I try and spend a lot of time visiting the dining room to make sure everyone is having a great experience.” said Dobbs.

“From our crab cakes to our macadamia nut shortbread key lime pie, we take the island

theme pretty seriously here.”

Guests will notice new presentations on some old favorites, But not to fear, if you are craving island time, Tommy Bahama looks forward to hosting you soon. Tommy Bahama Restaurant is located at Grand Boulevard at Sandestin at 525 Grand Blvd,

Suite P-101, Miramar Beach, FL 32550. Open Daily at 11AM with Island Time happy hour from 4-6PM Daily. Live music Monday-Saturday from 5-9PM. For more information visit https://www.tommybahama.com/restaurants/sandestin or call 850-654-1743.

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