• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Chef Dennis
  • Recipe Index
  • On the Road
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » On the Road

    Visit Gulfport and The Peninsula Inn – A local’s guide to Florida

    Published: Dec 26, 2016 · Modified: Nov 15, 2021 by Chef Dennis Littley

    3.1K shares
    • Facebook3.1K
    • Yummly

    You may never have heard of Gulfport, Florida or if you had heard of it, you may have no idea where it is. And to some degree, that’s the way the locals like it. Thanks to my friends at Superior Small Lodging for connecting me with the Historic Peninsula Inn and arranging my stay. Although this is a review, all of the opinions are 100% honest and completely my own.

    Gulfport is a sleepy little town around the bend of the bay, just a few miles away from St. Petersburg and St. Pete’s Beach. That means you have the #3 ranked beach in the country just a few miles away, as well as Downtown St. Pete and the Dali Museum. Gulfport is the perfect location to get away from it all and still have it all.

    Gulfport Downtown, Historic Peninsula Inn, Gulfport, Florida

    Downtown is a few blocks long and has a variety of fun little shops, restaurants and a welcome center.

    Gulfport Beach, Historic Peninsula Inn, Gulfport, Florida

    It’s even got its own beach, in case you don’t feel like leaving town. The weekend we were there, a major volleyball tournament took over a portion of the sand and it was fun to watch them play.

    O'Maddys, Gulfport, Florida

    If you get hungry while you’re relaxing on the beach, just walk across the street to one of the many restaurants overlooking the bay.

    Hangover Burger at O'Maddy's in Gulfport, Florida

    I had lunch at O’Maddys and had to try “Dr. Randy Shuck’s Hangover Burger”. This flame grilled burger is topped with a fried egg, applewood smoked bacon, double cheddar, hash browns, crisp lettuce, tomato, and onion on a brioche bun. It was AWESOME!

    Gulfport, Florida

    I enjoyed watching the pelicans from the Gulfport pier after lunch. You’ll find fisherman enjoying the pier and there are plenty of spots to sit and simply enjoy the day.

    Isabelle's Restaurant, Historic Peninsula Inn, Gulfport, Florida

    But the star of Gulfport is definitely the Historic Peninsula Inn and Isabelle’s Restaurant.  I had my meals on the beautiful front porch of the Inn.

    Grouper served Etoufee style at Isabelle's Restaurant in Gulfport, Florida

    And since we’re on the subject of food, let’s talk a bit about Isabelle’s Southern Cuisine. I was completely blown away by the deliciousness on the menu, I tried as many of their dishes as I could but will need to schedule a return visit just to eat my way through more of their menu. The images don’t d0 the dishes justice. This was local Black Grouper served Etouffee style with their legendary mac and cheese.

    Shrimp and Grits at Isabelle's Restaurant , Gulfport, Florida

    Isabelle’s unique take on Shrimp and Grits was another of my favorites!  Shrimp, sausage, tomatoes, shallots and garlic sautéed in a light sherry cream sauce, served over smoked gouda grit cakes. Every item on the menu that I sampled was ah-mazing and I had a chance to speak with their very talented Chef. After a few minutes talking shop with Chef Phil it was easy to see why the food was good, he loves what he does and the patrons of the restaurant benefit from his passion.

    Historic Peninsula Inn, Gulfport, Florida

    After dinner, we were treated to a live show by a Sinatra style singer on the outside patio adjacent to the Inn. You can also have dinner on the patio (weather permitting).

    Historic Peninsula Inn, Gulfport, Florida

    They’re also a fire pit on the back deck, where the locals mingle along with the Inn’s guests. There’s a great family atmosphere in this small town and they’re welcoming to visitors.

    Gulfport Artwalk

    On the first Friday and third Saturday of the month the Gulfport’s Merchant’s Association sponsor an Art Walk from 6-10 pm (year round). You can observe and purchase from talented independent artists, as well as the works of local authors and entertainers stretched over a half-mile up and down scenic Beach Boulevard.

    Historic Peninsula Inn, Gulfport, Florida

    The Historic Peninsula Inn features 12 rooms, which include six larger suites. Each of their rooms has it’s own special flair, making them distinctive in both their names and features. Of course, you won’t want to spend much time in your rooms since there is so much to do in the area (this includes sitting on the porch relaxing).

    Historic Peninsula Inn, Gulfport, Florida

    The hotel staff is professional and very friendly and is there to make sure you enjoy your stay. It’s the flavor of old Florida, minutes from everything and anything you could want, the perfect location for your next adventure.

    More On the Road

    • girl with a map looking back at you
      Revealed: The Best Cities in the US for Healthy Foodies
    • fountain of neptune in piazza duomo, Trento Italy
      Visit Trento – Italy’s Best Kept Secret
    • sunrise over the ocean looking through palm trees at the King and Prince Resort
      Visit St. Simons Island – Georgia’s Best Kept Secret
    • rear view of the UnCruise Safari Endeavour
      Sea of Cortez with UnCruise

    About Chef Dennis

    Picture of Chef Dennis

    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar


    My name is Dennis Littley or "Chef Dennis" as I'm known both at work and across the blogosphere. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

    More about me →

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Fan Favorites

    • loaf of homemade artisan bread on a wooden cutting board
      Almost No-Knead Artisan Bread Recipe
    • 2 Maryland crab cakes on a white plate
      Baked Maryland Crab Cakes Recipe
    • chicken parm with pasta on a white plate
      Chicken Parmesan Recipe
    • seasoned crispy chicken legs on a foil wrapped tray
      Best Baked Chicken Legs {Drumsticks}
    • side view of slice of bee sting cake being taken out of full cake
      German Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich) Recipe
    • Tiramisu with a fork on a white plate
      Best Tiramisu Recipe {step by step}
    • overhead view of barbecued half racks of baby back ribs on a white platter
      Easy Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs
    • overhead view of veal parm and linguine on a white plate
      Restaurant Style Veal Parm Recipe

    Featured In

    logos of all the places chef dennis has been featured

    Popular Posts

    • crispy seasoned chicken leg quarters on a white platter
      Best Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
    • cropped-Gunniess-Beef-Stew-13.jpg
      Authentic Guinness Beef Stew Recipe
    • overhead shot of baked crab imperial on a white plate with sauteed greens and roasted potatoes
      Maryland Style Jumbo Lump Crab Imperial
    • close up of half a chicken salad sandwich on a white plate
      Best Chicken Salad – Deli Style
    • oysters rockefeller with a slice of lemon on a bed of rock salt on a white platter
      How to Make Restaurant Style Oysters Rockefeller
    • sliced dry rub roasted brisket with cilantro and tomatoes on on a white platter
      Easy Oven Baked Beef Brisket Recipe
    • rack of pork with end cut off
      Oven Roasted Rack of Pork {Pork Rib Roast}
    • sliced meatloaf with the rest of meatloaf on a white platter
      Best Meatloaf Recipe

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    INFO

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    SUBSCRIBE

    Sign Up Today and start getting my easy-to-make restaurant-style recipes!

    CONTACT

    • About
    • Contact
    © 2009-2023 · Ask Chef Dennis ·

    Proud Member of:
    Mediavine Publisher Network
    3.1K shares
    • 3.1K