Bayside Gourmet
Review
Name: Margie Scacci
Occupation: Make-Up Artist
Lives In: Tavernier
Restaurant Pick: Bayside Gourmet
Reviewed: Bayside Gourmet
I recommend Bayside Gourmet highly, very happy and cheerful! Turning into the parking lot was easy and close to the restaurant. We were seated immediately by Lindsay Mae, and she served us the rest of the night. Five star service and Lindsay Mae even wrote the name and date on our to-go boxes and signed them so we knew what was what. Our Fish Cakes were dynamite! Five star along with the Bruschetta, which was accompanied with a fabulous house balsamic dressing. All of our entrees were a great portion and excellent quality. My Chicken Alla Gourmet was panko herb crusted with sundried tomatoes, spinach and provolone cheese. Excellent! And a balsamic reduction over rice pilaf and focaccia points. Lindsay Mae recommended the six layer carrot cake with coconut flakes, pecans and cream cheese frosting. A comfortable local dining experience with sophisticated cuisine offerings of an unexpected quality!
Name: Frank Derfler
Occupation: Writer
Lives In: Islamorada
Restaurant Pick: Kaiyo Grill & Sushi
Reviewed: Bayside Gourmet
Understand that Bayside Gourmet is more than just a restaurant; it is a community resource. The present location is an expansion of the restaurant and bakery that was across the street for a decade or more. Starting at 6am the entrance is crowded with fishermen on their way out and looking for their coffee, a hot turnover, and their on-the-water sandwiches. I doubt that the Islamorada sport fishing industry would be so happy or successful without the Bayside Gourmet. Starting a little after 11am the tables and counter seats fill with realtors, attorneys, and business people. A lot of deals get done here. Dinner is less frantic and the cuisine is more elegant.
How do you run a restaurant open 16 hours a day with three very different menus? Apparently, very well! Despite the very casual atmosphere, (shorts and t-shirts) we were astonished at the quality of the food from the dinner menu. Our entrées blended pasta with spinach, mushrooms, bacon, and a variety of excellent sauces. The presentation was beautiful (orchids on the meatballs... food beautifully presented on the plate) and the taste was elegant.
The evening menu tends toward high quality Italian. Note that you can order from the lunch menu in the evening if you wish! The kid's menu is "tell us what you would like." The restaurant does a lot of baking and offers everything from homemade brownies to homemade Key Lime Pie.
Everything is quite affordable. A glass of wine was $8 and dinner entrees average $19. Lunch is half that. No reservations are taken and there are only 29 seats. In the evening they offer delivery service and they do a good takeout service. You probably wouldn't drive down to the Keys just to go to the Bayside Gourmet, but if you are around mile marker 82 in Islamorada you should remember they are there for you early morning, noon, and late evening!
Name: Paola Moseley
Occupation: Wireless Consultant
Lives In: Miami
Restaurant Pick: Black Point Ocean Grill
Reviewed: Bayside Gourmet
We parked right up front and entered the restaurant and were quickly greeted by the staff. We were seated, and offered some suggestions on drinks. The food came out fresh with clean flavors. The pasta salad that accompanied both sandwiches was not our favorite and we would have loved to have an alternative, but the food was good overall and we enjoyed the atmosphere and the people. At one point there was a patron that entered with a little girl and neither were wearing shoes…it’s the Keys, so it’s not a problem…until she walked up to the coffee ‘fix bar’ and raised on her toes to get to the top of something, that’s when we both saw the bottom of her feet were completely black…again it’s the Keys, but we had just taken a bite of our lunch so that was a bit of a throw off. But the server/staff made it easy to focus on the food. I would recommend the restaurant for a funky vibe and good food.
Restaurant Information
Location: 82758 Overseas Highway, MM 82.7 Bayside, Islamorada, FL
Parking: Yes
Phone: 305-735-4471
Website: baysidegourmet.com
Restaurant Owners: Bayside Gourmet LLC
Executive Chef: Jose Salazar
Pastry Chef: David Gillon
Type of Cuisine: Contemporary
Signature Dishes: Fish Taco
Vegetarian Options: Yes
Alcohol Served: Beer and Wine
Corkage Fee: Yes
Bottle Limit: No
Restaurant Hours:
Monday –6 AM – 9:30 PM
Tuesday – 6 AM – 9:30 PM
Wednesday –6 AM – 9:30 PM
Thursday – 6 AM – 9:30 PM
Friday – 6 AM – 10 PM
Saturday – 6 AM – 10 PM
Sunday – 6 AM – 2 PM
Meals Served: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Prix Fix Menu: No
Take-Out: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Average Dinner Price Range (per person, full meal, tax, 18% gratuity, w/o alcohol): $25
Average Lunch Price Range (per person, full meal, tax, 18% gratuity, w/o alcohol): $12
Payment Options: do you accept credit cards and if so, which ones? Master Card, Visa, Discovery
Accept Reservations: Yes
Need Reservations: No
How far in advance do you require reservations be made: N/A
Accommodations for Children: Yes
Dining Style: Contemporary
Disabled Access: Yes
Restaurant Size: 40 seats
Accommodate Groups: Small
Private Dining Room: No
Tables with Scenic Views: Yes
Outdoor Dining: Yes
Entertainment: Sometimes