The Art of Cuisine

Looking for fine food, artfully presented? These restaurants offer art on the plate or on the walls.

Hey, Big Spender

Consider the Black Pearl in Dunedin. Enjoy the sophisticated Art Deco décor of this 38-seat restaurant, and feast on entrées such as twice-cooked Long Island duckling or shrimp and roasted red pepper scampi.

If you want to be surrounded by live art in motion try the Maritana Grille, the signature restaurant of the beautiful Loews Don CeSar hotel. You'll be surrounded by 1,500 gallons of salt water aquariums filled with colorful, native Florida fish that create an ever changing canvas. It has been ranked one of the "Top Ten Seafood Restaurants in America" by Gayot.

Oh-So-Moderate

Of course, no up-and-coming artist could afford either of these places. The Craftsman House Gallery Cafe Pottery Studio is a premier gallery destination with craftwork from over 300 local and national artists. It also offers a chance to sample a selection of moderately priced and delicious handmade nibbles, sweets and treats that change daily. Relax on the front porch or explore the courtyard and adjacent pottery studio. The charmingly casual cafe is the renovated kitchen of this original 1918 bungalow.

Visit the Museum of Fine Arts and its collection of over 14,000 objects extending from antiquity to the present day and featuring stellar French Impressionist paintings. Galleries of Steuben glass, decorative arts, and pre-Columbian objects are especially dramatic. Take a break for a gourmet lunch or delectable dessert at the MFA Café in Museum of Fine Arts. Eat in the glass Conservatory or on the terrace with a spectacular view of the downtown waterfront and enjoy one of the most delicious Mediterranean lunches in the city. You can lunch in the café without paying museum admission.

In addition to being home to the world's most comprehensive collection of works by the late Spanish surrealist, the nearby Dali Museum also offers visitors a chance to experience a taste of Spanish food and history. Named in honor of Salvador Dali's wife Gala, the casual eatery embraces the heritage of Salvador Dali by presenting a menu of light fare with a Spanish theme. Tapas and small plates of appetizers are a specialty, along with traditional pastries, soups (gazpacho and caldo gallego), salads and sandwiches.