Inside, the air hums with conversation and the sound of knives hitting the cutting board in the back. This family-owned and run business has deep roots in Cajun country and an even deeper respect for Gulf seafood. “We really want to ensure we have the best product for our customers, by monitoring the product and making everything we can from scratch,” says manager Courtney Lumpkin.
At Where Y’at, freshness isn’t just a claim — it’s a daily ritual. The team works closely with suppliers who source from local fishermen whenever possible. They inspect every fish that comes through the door — checking the gills, eyes, and flesh for that tell-tale sparkle of freshness. “At the end of the day, if it doesn’t meet our standards, we don’t take it,” Lumpkin says. Their distributors may handle thousands of pounds a day, but the folks here choose quality over quantity. “The same vendors we use are the same ones pulling into the white-tablecloth places. We just hold our own standards high — even if we’re a hole-in-the-wall spot.”
And that’s the charm of Where Y’at Seafood: it’s as unpretentious as it is uncompromising. They cut fish every single day — whole snapper, triggerfish, grouper, and more — and bring in cold-water specialties like mussels and oysters from Prince Edward Island, Canada, and scallops from New Bedford, Massachusetts. “Any seafood coming out of cold water is going to be delicious,” Lumpkin adds with a grin.
The recipes, like the family that runs the place, have evolved with time. From humble beginnings in the crawfish business, then a seafood market, a food truck, and finally this thriving restaurant, each step brought lessons in flavor and scale. “You think doubling or tripling a recipe is simple — it’s not,” laughs owner Paul Ruiz. “It took years to tweak them just right.” Every boudin ball, every sauce, and every dessert is homemade. Even the beignets — light, fluffy, and just the right kind of sweet — have developed their own devoted following.
Their motto might as well be “cream, butter, bacon, and heart.” It’s comfort food with soul, grounded in tradition but refined for the demands of a bustling roadside business. And the folks here still do it the old-fashioned way: by hand, with pride, and with recipes that weren’t written down until they realized they had to be.
Where Y’at Seafood Market & Restaurant isn’t just a restaurant — it’s a full seafood market, selling retail to the public and wholesale to other restaurants. They offer a complete selection of fresh Gulf seafood, and a selection of frozen items like boudin, no chemicals or additives, just the good stuff. The market itself will soon expand into its own building on the property, making room for more dining inside. Between the steady locals and the travelers who find them by word of mouth, the demand keeps growing.
Still, they make time for community. This fall, they’ll host Emerald Coast Harley-Davidson’s Bike Festival — four days of food, beer, and good company that tie into the big celebration in Panama City. Live music fills the air on Friday nights, and catering is available for those who want a taste of Cajun heaven at home.
You can tell the people behind Where Y’at love what they do — and it shows in every plate. It’s not a corporate chain, not a tourist trap — just a hardworking family bringing a little bit of Louisiana to Florida’s Emerald Coast.
So next time you’re cruising down SR-87, hungry for something real, pull off and see what all the fuss is about. Order a plate of fresh-cut fish or a basket of those famous boudin balls, top it off with a basket of beignets or finish your meal off with their daily-made banana pudding, and you’ll understand why folks keep coming back.
Because around here, Where Y’at Seafood isn’t just a place — it’s a feeling.
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