Tag: Ice Cream

Amazing Food Options on Anna Maria Island

Written by Staff on June 15, 2023. Posted in Anna Maria Island, Blog, Info.

While Anna Maria Island is known for the wonderful quaint beachside views and small community feel, the food might just be the best part of your stay. No major food chains are part of the cuisine here on the island; instead, there are many small niche restaurants to choose from. Some of the freshest seafood, comfort foods, and drink options exist on Anna Maria Island, making it amazing for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Bortell's Fisheries — *Photo Courtesy of Bortells Fisheries*

AMI General Store – The Anna Maria General Store is an Anna Maria Island staple that has been the local place to go for food, drinks, and supplies since the 50’s when it was located at 307 Pine Avenue.
Bortell’s Fisheries – this is a sixth-generation, family-owned and operated fish market offering take-out only and fresh fish, smoked and fried fish to go.
Bridge Tender Inn – Established 30 years ago, Bridge Tender Inn (BTI) is Bradenton’s favorite sports bar and grille to eat, drink, and socialize while watching a televised sports event. You can chug beers, eat lip-smacking food, enjoy live music, and make great memories in a comfy, laid-back setting.
Dips Ice Cream – Don’t be fooled; this ice cream shop is more than just a place to go for a sugar rush. Dips is also a candy & sports shop. Adults will enjoy the many throwback candies, including bottle caps, wax lips, and jawbreakers. Kids will like the dotted ice cream pellets and the general abundance of delicious refined sugar.
Donut Experience – The Donut Experiment is Anna Maria’s very own gourmet donut shop! They bring a unique experience to the area and offer a large menu of donut options for everyone with a sweet tooth to enjoy. At the donut shop, you can create your own donut by choosing custom icings, toppings, drizzles, and more, and our friendly staff will create it for you.
Ginny and Jane E’s – this cafe is located in the Historic City of Anna Maria, a quaint “Old Florida” area on the north end of Anna Maria Island. The store is a unique collection of local art and unique finds. The cafe offers preservative, steroid, and hormone-free food. The bakery is made fresh every morning.
Harry’s Grill – the family and pet-friendly restaurant for good wine, beer, and live music. Anna Maria Island Sun Reader’s Choice Award winner for multiple years.
Kiwi Style Fish & Chips – featuring delicious choice local fish coated in their signature crispy batter and even custom-made meat patties. They aim to always serve customers the very best produce.
Los Chilidos – the restaurant incorporates traditional Mexican flavors with a fresh, healthier Southern California twist. The food is always prepared fresh onsite for dining in or take out.
Minnie’s Beach Café – breakfast and lunch restaurant with amazing fresh specials daily.
North Shore Cafe serves handcrafted espresso drinks, teas, coffee, and smoothies.
Pizza Social – this place is a small pizza shop striving to bring the best pizza possible to Anna Maria Island and the surrounding area. The Pizza Social specialties include handcrafted pizza and fresh salads.
Sandbar Seafood & Spirits – dine with your toes in the sand and a drink in your hand on the beach deck here. Enjoy fresh local seafood options with amazing drink menu features.
Slicker’s Eatery – attempts to be intentional with their ingredients, our choices, our relationships, and our impact. Everything from investing in their team, partnering with local charities, steering away from frozen or fried foods, and opting for fresh and locally sourced ingredients as much as possible.
Scott’s Deli – great food, great value, friendly service, and a happy atmosphere. All of their ingredients are locally sourced when possible and always fresh, along with new treats will be featured weekly.
Skinny’s Place – They offer great burgers and frosted mugs at Skinny’s Place in Holmes Beach.
The Porch – features many incredible offerings, from signature dishes, seasonal entrées, specialty spritzers, top-quality steak, fresh fish, and a vast selection of beer and wine to choose from.
Tide Tables – offers fresh off the boat seafood, and is just a short drive over the Cortez Bridge too!
Waffle Press – t the core of the menu is the Leige waffle, a sweeter, smaller cousin to the well-known Belgian waffle.
Wicked Cantina – all the food is hand-made in-house daily. They specialize in delicious, Austin-style Tex-Mex as well as tasty American classics. Fresh food, a fresh modern family-friendly vibe, a full liquor bar, and ample parking await you.

anna maria island food — *Photo Courtesy of Wicked Cantina*

Did we make your mouth water with that list? Whether looking for a quick lunch, a healthy breakfast or the freshest seafood meal possible – Anna Maria has something for everyone. You might visit the beaches, but the food here is sure to add to the memories of your time in our community. The best part of these amazing places is rubbing elbows with the locals and the ambiance that just adds a little extra you can’t get from big food chains.

Feature Photo Courtesy of Deposit Photos

Anna Maria Island Summer Bucket List Ideas

Written by Paradise Realty Staff on May 31, 2022. Posted in Anna Maria Island, Blog, Info, Uncategorized.

Sweet Summertime is here and our team at A Paradise wants to help you have the best summer ever. Of course, we can set you up in your dream beach vacation rental or help you relocate here to paradise anytime. If you’re just looking for some fun ways for your family to celebrate Summer creatively here, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re a local to the Bradenton area or just spending some family vacation time on Anna Maria Island, we’ve got some AMI-specific additions for your Summer Bucket List.

Jump in the water and play!

We know a beach trip is a given for your Summertime on AMI but how often do you let yourself dunk in and get your hair wet? When was the last time you went parasailing? What about kicking up your feet and floating? Let’s make this an all-in kind of Summer.

Get involved in a local cause

Think about what speaks to your heart. There are so many amazing local organizations, causes, and opportunities to make a difference. Maybe you want to learn how to help protect our sea turtles, or volunteer with the youth at The Center, or find ways to help local animal shelters. Even something as simple as picking up trash on your next beach walk will help make a difference in our local community and bring some extra sunlight to the sunny Summer days.

Find a shark’s tooth

Whether you’re an avid sheller, have an eye peeled for them anytime you’re on the shore, or have never even ventured to think about looking for shark’s teeth on the Anna Maria beaches. Try to spot a small, shiny, black shark’s tooth this Summer. It can really add some fun to your next shoreside stroll.

Ice Cream + Sunset

We know a true AMI Summer is never complete without some of our beautiful sunsets. Make it even sweeter by grabbing an ice cream cone and treating yourself to a delicious dessert and a breathtaking view!

Send a postcard

It’s so easy to stay in touch these days with cell phones, texting, and social media. Take a few extra moments of thoughtfulness to send a postcard to a loved one! Yes, even if you’re local. It’s such an inexpensive and easy act that can really brighten someone’s day and their next mail-delivery day!

Catch some live music

There are so many fun and talented local musicians and bands! Plenty of local restaurants have live music nights posted daily/weekly on social media so ask around or check out your favorites. If you’re looking for some larger acts too there are some big venues not far away in Tampa and St.Pete!

Travel from one end of the island to the other

Hop on your bike or the trusted trolley just for the sake of the journey! Put on some of your go-to Summer tunes and take in all of the beautiful sights all the way from the North End of AMI near Bean Point to Coquina, or even all the way to Longboat if you’re on two wheels. There is so much goodness all over Anna Maria Island.

Visit somewhere new or new-to-you

No matter how many times you’ve been to AMI or if you’ve lived here your whole life, there is always something new to discover in the area this summer. Visit a newer local restaurant, something off-the-beaten-path, or one you’ve been meaning to try for a long time. Order something outside your ordinary and we’re sure you’ll be delighted!

There’s our 8 suggestions for additions to your Summer plans list here in the Anna Maria area. We’re always so happy to chat to anyone about island suggestions so stop on in and see us or give us a call anytime if you’re looking for some more ideas. What else do you think is a must-do this Summer on the Gulf Coast? We’d love to be a part of your Best Summer Ever!

Photos from Pexels.com

Best Dessert Spots near Anna Maria Island

Written by Paradise Realty Staff on October 14, 2021. Posted in Anna Maria Island, Blog, Info.

You’re spending time on Anna Maria Island so you’ve already got a pretty sweet day planned… so why not make it even sweeter with a delectable dessert? There are so many options for great, local eateries to grab a treat. You really can’t go wrong no matter what your sugar-vice is, so we’ve listed some of the best dessert spots on AMI, in Cortez, and on Longboat Key.

Ice Cream

There is nothing better than a nice walk on the beach with a delicious ice cream cone. With our year-round tropical temperatures, it’s always a good idea to grab a cold sweet treat. Luckily for us on Anna Maria Island, we have a variety of excellent local ice cream shops in the area to satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth and we’ve rounded up all our favorites for you here!

Cheesecake Cutie

3324 East Bay Dr, Holmes Beach, FL 34217

More than just cheesecakes but… really good cheesecakes, too! You can buy little cuties sizes or order a full size cheesecake option. This little shop is more than just sweet desserts they also offer delectable salads and charcuterie board boxes made for beach picnics

Hometown Desserts

507 Pine Ave, Anna Maria, FL 34216

Hometown Desserts is the perfect spot to order your specialty custom birthday or wedding cakes. Offerings at each location include an extensive variety of cakes, pies, cheesecakes and brownies. The star of the bakery, however, is the Key Lime Coconut cake. Give it a try!

Breezy Bakery

11904 Cortez Road West, Cortez, FL

A new addition to our community – Breezy Bakery is worth the trip into Cortez! It’s right next to Tyler’s so you can even get ice cream AND a fresh baked good in one stop! Win/win. Breezy Bakery works with local suppliers to source the freshest and most authentic ingredients, and use old-fashioned techniques to ensure the highest quality. Their goal is to make your tastebuds happy and breezy: Mission accomplished.

Slicker’s Eatery

12012 Cortez Rd W, Cortez, FL

If you’re looking for a little nightcap – we highly recommend grabbing a craft cocktail and homemade dessert from Slicker’s Eatery in Cortez. Each ingredient is made from scratch and they’re open until Midnight daily for your convenience. With unique offerings like Chai Latte Creme Brûlée, Chocolate Fondue Tower, and Key Lime Pudding Cake, it is sure to excite your palate.

Euphemia Haye

5540 Gulf of Mexico Dr, Longboat Key, FL 34228

This is worth short drive over the bridge into Longboat Key. While they both have great meal offerings as well, we can’t refrain from desserts from both Harry’s Continental Kitchen and Euphemia Haye. Specifically, Euphemia Haye has its own Dessert Room. Enough said.

The Waffle Press

425 Pine Ave, Anna Maria, FL 34217

Try these unique “Walkable waffles”. At the core of their menu is the Leige waffle, a sweeter, smaller cousin to the Belgian waffle. There are so many options topped with creative combinations of both savory and sweet delights for whatever you’re craving.

Whether you stop at one of these or the many other great dessert spots in the Anna Maria Island area, you can’t go wrong with sweetening up your day in paradise! Need help getting there? Give us a call and we’ll get your perfect vacation started… and we’ll be sure to set you up somewhere your sweet tooth will be happy! (800) 237-2252

Photos from pexels.com and Nick Donatelli for Slicker’s Eatery

Anna Maria Island’s Best Ice Cream Shops

Written by Paradise Realty Staff on September 14, 2020. Posted in Anna Maria Island, Blog, Info.

There is nothing better this time of year – okay, any time of year – than a nice walk on the beach with a delicious ice cream cone. You can never go wrong with a couple of scoops of ice cream to end or start your day! With our year-round tropical temperatures, it’s always a good idea to grab a sweet treat. Luckily for us on Anna Maria Island, we have a variety of excellent local ice cream shops in the area to satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth! We’ve rounded up some of our favorite places to grab some ice cream or dessert of your choice.

Small Town Creamery – 5404 Marina Dr, Holmes Beach, FL 34217

With ever-changing 50 ice cream flavors, homemade fudge, candy, and lots more. Their ice cream even won the Grand Master Award for exceptional flavor, consistency, and taste. So when you’re searching for wholesome, tasty goodness, step out of the Anna Maria sun and into Small Town Creamery. They also include vegan options. It is especially fun for kids as they have a fun selection of popular trinkets and toys for sale.

Tyler’s Ice Cream – 1904 Cortez Rd W, Cortez, FL 34215

Located just over the bridge in Historical Cortez Village, Tyler’s Homemade Ice Cream has been one of the best ice cream shops for the last 3 decades. In fact, over three hundred flavors have been created since Tyler’s opened in 1984. Each batch is hand made in small five-gallon quantities to ensure distinct taste and freshness with each and every flavor. Stop in and try some of Tyler’s old fashioned gourmet ice cream. You won’t be disappointed!

Dips Ice Cream – 503 Pine Ave, Anna Maria, FL 34216

Dips Ice Cream on Gulf Drive in the City of Anna Maria is an AMI classic and the perfect spot for ice cream and candy. Dips serves 32 flavors of ice cream, as well as 2 flavors of soft serve, Italian ice, and an amazing selection of candy. This family ice cream shop has been voted #1 ice cream by the Anna Maria Island Sun 8 times already!

Holy Cow Ice Cream – 3234 E Bay Dr, Holmes Beach, FL 34217

This shop serves up a variety of ice cream flavors & frozen desserts in an offbeat interior. Holy Cow Ice Cream features 36 delicious flavors to choose from, including Sugar Free, Dairy Free and Frozen Yogurt offerings. Enjoy your favorite flavor in your choice of cone, cup or as a hand-spun milkshake! The tiki lounge and kids area is a great place to enjoy a cool treat with the family. Holy cow!

Two Scoops Ice Cream – 101 N Bay Blvd, Anna Maria, FL 34216

Two Scoops has much more to offer than ice cream. Located just across the street from the Anna Maria City Pier, Two Scoops Ice Cream is a convenient place to grab an ice cream cone or snack. Grab a cool treat and take a stroll along the boardwalk by the bay. This shop is known for its 32 flavors of homemade ice cream but their menu includes a variety of casual dining choices at value prices.

Island Scoops – 103B Gulf Dr N, Bradenton Beach, FL 34217

Along with Ice Cream, Island Scoops offers an evolving, extraordinary selection of luscious gourmet cupcakes, desserts, gourmet pies, cakes, cookies, cheesecakes and more. Their ice creams and sorbets are made from quality all-natural ingredients, locally sourcing products whenever possible, and many of our ice cream inclusions are made from scratch in our facility.

Photos courtesy of Pexels.com