Nine New Restaurants Opened in the Pensacola Area in March

From a coastal Mexican spot on the beach to the first Florida location of a Southern chain, last month brought a sustained wave of new dining.

March brought nine new restaurants to the Pensacola area, a number that speaks to where the local dining market is right now.

The most prominent new opening was Baja Coastal Kitchen on Pensacola Beach, bringing coastal Mexican-inspired cuisine to the island. Jack's Family Restaurants opened its first Florida location with Southern-style comfort food. Coastal Cajun Cuisine added Cajun and Creole options.

Other openings included Cinalli's, a pop-up concept serving homemade Italian dishes; Boom Chick, a fried chicken spot; and Grizzly Axes, which expanded from entertainment into a dedicated restaurant space. Cordova Mall added Corndog by Mr. Cow, a Korean corn dog kiosk.

The only closure was Atlas Oyster House on April 1, absorbed into the expanded Fish House next door rather than shut down.

The pace reflects a Pensacola market benefiting from growing tourism, buoyed by Pensacola Beach's recent designation as the top beach in the United States.