Before the theme parks and high-rise condos, Florida ate its meals at fish camps. These were simple spots by a river or lake where fishermen docked, swapped stories, and filled up on fried catfish, hush puppies, and whatever came out of the water that day.
A handful of them are still serving that same kind of food, and some newer places have picked up the tradition with real care. This list covers seven fish camps across the state where frog legs, gator bites, smoked mullet, swamp cabbage, and all-you-can-eat catfish are still regular menu items.
Some sit right on the St. Johns River, one has been smoking fish over red oak for more than 70 years, and another lets you add an airboat ride to lunch. If you like casual food with a side of history, save this one for your next road trip.
1. Lone Cabbage Fish Camp, Cocoa, FL
Lunch and an airboat ride on the same ticket is not a combo you find every day. At this riverside stop on the St. Johns River west of Cocoa, it is pretty much the whole point.
The menu leans straight into swamp country. Frog legs, catfish, and gator bites come together on one combo plate with fries and coleslaw, and there are also clam strips, fish tacos, gator nuggets, and hush puppies.
Food arrives in paper bowls with plastic utensils, which fits the no-fuss setting. The riverfront deck is where most folks want to sit, and live country music adds to the laid-back pace.
Prices mostly land in the $10 to $20 range per person. Kids have their own menu, dogs are welcome, and there is usually plenty of parking.
Reservations are not taken, so Sunday afternoon is the busiest stretch. Weekday mornings are a calmer time to grab a table, with doors opening at 10 AM daily.
2. Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish, St. Petersburg, FL
Red oak wood and several hours of patience. That is the simple formula behind smoked fish that St. Pete has been eating here for more than 70 years.
Fish is smoked and cooked for about four to six hours over Florida red oak. Mullet is the classic order, and amberjack also shows up on the menu.
The dinner plates are big and come with sides like coleslaw and potato salad. If you only try one thing, I would make it the smoked fish spread with saltines, which also comes as a sandwich.
Manhattan clam chowder, a jumbo cheeseburger, and a slice of key lime pie round out the choices. The setting is humble and casual, with outdoor seating and a fireplace.
Plan ahead on a few points. It is cash only, closed Monday and Tuesday, and open 11:30 AM to 7:30 PM Wednesday through Sunday, with weekend afternoons drawing the biggest crowds.
3. Fish Camp Lake Eustis, Tavares, FL
Swamp soup is a fine reason to drive to Tavares. This bowl comes with a smoky flavor and plenty of beans and sausage, and it fits right in on a menu built around backwoods Florida cooking.
The restaurant overlooks Lake Eustis, and the decor pulls straight from old-time Florida fish camps. It feels a little more polished than a bare-bones shack, but the spirit stays the same.
Smoked fish spread and coconut shrimp are popular starters. Fried green tomatoes, shrimp and grits, fish camp tacos, and the Seafood Trio Tavares carry the rest of the menu.
Friday brings a fish fry, and that is also when the dining room fills up fastest. Live music, outdoor seating, and a kids’ menu make it an easy pick for groups.
Unlike several spots on this list, Fish Camp Lake Eustis accepts reservations. Dogs are allowed outside, too.
4. Marsh Landing Restaurant, Fellsmere, FL
Fellsmere is a small farming and ranching town in Indian River County, and Marsh Landing tells its story from inside a building that dates to the 1920s. History is part of the menu here.
The kitchen leans into Cracker cooking. The combo platter brings frog legs, gator, and catfish together, while swamp cabbage dishes keep a true pioneer ingredient on the table.
Comfort food fills in the rest. Corn fritters, cornbread, country fried steak, ribs, pulled pork, and shrimp and grits all appear, with key lime and chocolate peanut butter pie for dessert.
I like this stop for a weekend breakfast. It opens at 8 AM on Saturday and Sunday, and 11 AM Tuesday through Friday, with Mondays off.
Reservations are accepted and prices mostly run $10 to $20 per person. The town is quiet, so it makes a nice detour off I-95.
5. Mullet’s Fish Camp, St. Petersburg, FL
Smoked wings at a fish camp might sound off course. At Mullet’s, the wood-smoked wings with dry rub are a signature, and they sit right beside a seafood lineup that keeps Gulf Coast traditions going.
Grouper gets plenty of attention. You can order it in tacos, on a sandwich, or fried Cajun style, and smoked fish dip is a natural starter.
Peel and eat shrimp, a catfish sandwich, blackened scallops, and creamy Cajun pasta give the menu range. Kids can go for the mac and cheese.
The vibe is neighborhood casual with live music and a patio. Dogs are welcome inside and out, which is a nice perk.
Doors open at noon Tuesday through Sunday, and it is closed Mondays. Friday and Saturday evenings get busy, so a reservation helps.
6. JB’s Fish Camp, New Smyrna Beach, FL
Pack a paddle along with your appetite. JB’s rents kayaks and paddle boards on the same property where it serves fish baskets, so a morning on the water can roll right into lunch.
The setting is the draw, with water views and sunsets that make dinner a slow affair. It keeps the traditional fish camp look while staying lively.
Baskets are the backbone of the menu. Shrimp, scallop, clam strip, and fish baskets come with hushpuppies and coleslaw, and the Captain’s Platter is the move for bigger appetites.
Coconut shrimp, steamed crab, and Cajun onion strings round things out. Live music often plays, and dogs can join you outside.
No reservations here, and weekend afternoons into evening fill up quickly. Arriving around the 11 AM opening is a smart plan.
7. Whitey’s Fish Camp, Fleming Island, FL
Boaters on the St. Johns River can pull right up to the dock at Whitey’s, and plenty of them do. Arriving by car works just as well, though.
All-you-can-eat catfish is the headline here. A salad bar, a fried shrimp platter, shrimp and grits, and seafood queso keep the classics coming.
Portions run large. Fried pickles, fried green tomatoes, buffalo shrimp, and a half-pound burger cover the rest of the cravings.
Outdoor seating with water views and a tiki-style setup makes it a relaxed hangout. Live music and late hours, until midnight on Friday and Saturday, set it apart from the others on this list.
I would save this one for out-of-town guests who have never been to a fish camp. Note that Monday hours start at 3 PM, and reservations are not taken.
Enjoyed this story?
Add Fast Food Club as a preferred source to see more of our reporting on Google.