Smoked Fish Dip Is a Tradition on Florida's Forgotten Coast — Here's Where to Try It

Roadside seafood shacks, mom-and-pop markets, and even gas stations stock smoked fish dip along Florida’s Forgotten Coast, which entails Alligator Point, Apalachicola, Carrabelle, Eastpoint, and St. George Island in Franklin County on the Gulf Coast. Smoked fish dip is a requisite dish on restaurant menus and has been since people first started fishing these waters.

In the mid-20th century, mullet fisheries thrived in Florida. As blanketing summer heat gave way to cooler temperatures, bridges crowded and skiffs dotted the waterways as fishermen with bamboo poles and simple casting nets hauled in the torpedo-like mullet jumping from the water.

Along the Gulf Coast, most homes had homemade smokers in their backyards, and oily fish like mullet made delicious and economical smoked meat. The secret to the deep woody flavor though, lies in the brine. Fishermen butterflied their catch, brined it in salt water, and smoked it for six to eight hours over Florida hardwoods like red oak.

John Harley, owner of Serenoa Shellfish Company in Panacea, grew up eating smoked mullet and making smoked fish dip. “I brine with saltwater, cane syrup, and bay leaves, mix it with mayonnaise, serve it on a Ritz cracker, and add a few drops of Crystal hot sauce — the vinegar from the hot sauce, smoky bay, and fatty mullet, it makes the perfect lunch out on the water with manatees and dolphins all around me, looking out over my oyster farm,” he said.

As wild Florida disappears under the latest amusement park or golf course, the Forgotten Coast clings to traditions like smoked fish dip eaten at a roadside shack, looking out over the Gulf. Here are Harley’s and my favorites when visiting this slice of paradise. 

13 Mile Seafood Market (Apalachicola)

The weathered wood and humble sign belie the bounty of fresh seafood overflowing the cases at 13 Mile Seafood in Apalachicola. Four generations of Wards have caught and sold fresh oysters, shrimp, and fish in this area since 1957. Located on Water Street in downtown Apalachicola, the market offers one of Harley’s favorite versions of smoked fish dip. Sometimes it's mullet, sometimes it's mackerel, and it always has just the right amount of smoke.

Mineral Springs Seafood Market (Panacea)

As with so many old Florida fish huts, you could easily miss Mineral Springs Seafood Market if you aren’t looking. The only signal is a sign reading, “That place with the dip.” The block building shrouded with wisps of smoke and the scent of slow-burning wood, houses the best smoked fish dip anywhere, in my opinion. It isn’t the purist smoked mullet dip so rooted in this area, but it is in keeping with the tradition of using all the leftover fish to make something delicious. It might be amberjack, kingfish, mullet, or whatever they have leftover after processing fish. The fish is seasoned well before smoking and no dip ever tastes the same. You can opt for the mild version (the mess), and the hot mess is special — bring your cooler bags and load up.

Longbill's (Port St. Joe)

When Hurricane Michael devastated Mexico Beach with its powerful Category 5 force, beloved restaurant Toucan’s was leveled. Now locals and visitors nostalgic for Toucan’s relaxing beach vibe and fresh seafood can turn to Longbill’s, which has a mural paying homage to Toucan’s on the front of the renovated little blue house on Cape San Blas. The restaurant has the same great menu, including the smoked fish dip served with tortilla chips and slices of pickled jalapeños.

Blue Parrot Oceanfront Cafe (St. George Island)

What started as a beer and hot dog stand in the 1980s on undeveloped St. George Island, evolved into a popular spot to get the freshest seafood around. Blue Parrot managing partner and local resident, George Joanos can be seen most days breaking down the fresh fish he hand picks for the restaurant. The yellowfin tuna dip is slow-smoked over pecan and oak wood. Grab a beachside table, order a signature Sand Blaster cocktail, and dig into a serving of the locally loved smoked fish dip.

Lynn's Quality Oysters (Eastpoint)

Born and raised in Eastpoint, Lynn C. Martina learned to shuck oysters at her parents’ seafood house at 9 years old. She took over the business in 1997 when her parents retired. On the seafood market side, you’ll find all the fresh Gulf Coast oysters, crab, shrimp, and fish your heart desires. Lynn's Quality Oysters also sells Florida lobster and whole blue crabs for an impromptu seafood boil, but the raw bar and market is known for its smoked mullet. I never miss a stop for some perfectly brined and smoked mullet plus a tub of the smoked mahi dip when I’m passing through — you might even catch me in the parking lot scooping it straight out of the container onto buttery Ritz crackers, perfect foil for the spiced-up dip. 

The Fisherman's Wife (Carrabelle)

Carabelle is one of those fishing villages you happen upon and instantly fall in love with — it's home to the world’s smallest police station (a phone booth), the Crooked River Lighthouse (built in 1895 and on the National Register of Historic Places), and the Lost Treasure Gallery where you can find vintage maps of Florida and the Forgotten Coast. The Fisherman’s Wife started as a food truck where owner Pam Lycett, an actual fisherman’s wife, will cook whatever you catch. The smoked mullet dip, a hometown favorite, comes from Millender & Son’s Seafood Market just down the street. It’s the unadulterated original smoked mullet dip that Harley and I love.