Coastal Steamer & Cafe

Coastal Steamer & Cafe, run by Reel ‘Em In Fresh Seafood, serves steamed seafood, crab cakes, and its well-known lobster roll from a counter in Seagrove Plaza on 30A. The cafe operates as a sister concept to Reel ‘Em In, the seafood market and kitchen that shares the same counter and phone line at 3723 East County Hwy 30A, and the two brands lean on each other: Reel ‘Em In supplies the fresh seafood, while Coastal Steamer & Cafe puts it on a plate for guests who want a seat rather than a bag of fish to cook back at the rental house. The business markets itself under the tagline “The Reel Deal,” a fitting line for a counter built entirely around fresh Gulf seafood rather than a frozen supply chain.

The lobster roll is the headline item for good reason. Built in the Maine style and described by the business itself as creamy, it became the top-selling item on the menu almost as soon as it launched, and it is the dish most visitors mention first when recommending the counter to friends staying elsewhere on 30A. The jumbo lump crab cakes are the other signature, and they carry real recognition to back them up: they have been named a “Best of Emerald Coast” award winner for four consecutive years, a streak that puts them among the more decorated dishes in the immediate Seagrove Beach area. Beyond those two standouts, the counter’s steamed seafood program covers the classic low country boil style of eating that pairs naturally with a picnic table and a roll of paper towels, and a dedicated kids menu keeps the counter approachable for families traveling with younger children.

Coastal Steamer & Cafe keeps seasonal hours, generally running from 11 a.m. until close, and the business is upfront that its schedule shifts with the time of year, advising guests to call ahead at 850-420-2240 to confirm it is open before making a special trip. That seasonal rhythm is common along 30A, where staffing and foot traffic swing hard between the summer high season and the quieter shoulder months, and a quick call before driving over saves a wasted stop. Takeout orders carry an automatic 20 percent gratuity, a detail worth knowing before ordering online or by phone, since the counter’s takeout-heavy model, geared toward beach house dinners, differs from a typical sit-down restaurant tab.

The Reel ‘Em In and Coastal Steamer & Cafe operation is not limited to Seagrove Plaza. The team also keeps a presence at Peddlers Pavilion in nearby Seacrest Beach, and they set up at the Peddlers Pavilion farmers market every Sunday morning from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., giving locals and visitors a second, market-style way to pick up the same fresh seafood outside the regular counter hours. For anyone touring 30A’s beach communities and craving steamed seafood without committing to a full sit-down dinner, the Seagrove Plaza counter offers a fast, fresh, award-winning option that locals already treat as a go-to, especially for that lobster roll, which has earned its reputation one order at a time along this stretch of Scenic Highway 30A.