This decades-old resort offers breakfast, lunch and dinner with a view from its restaurant. But you don’t have to be a guest at the resort to try the food, which includes seafood like red snapper and oysters or twists on brunch favorites such as migas and malted pancakes. 

Josephine’s Kitchen, which is only open from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., is a brunch favorite to fuel up before a day at the beach. Check out its award-winning shrimp and grits or weekend specials that can include a roast pork hash or brioche French toast stuffed with strawberries and cream cheese. 

South Padre Island’s stop for brewed-on-site beer also has a vast menu, though those expecting a traditional pub menu will instead find fresh snapper filets and beer-battered shrimp, as well as entrees like Texas quail and pizza topped with smoked meat. Padre Island Brewing Co. offers various dietary substitutions, like a cauliflower pizza crust, Beyond Burger and vegan mozzarella, all provided without an extra charge. 

The Meatball Cafe is a South Padre Island favorite for pizza and pasta to feed a family. Its gorgeous patio surrounded by greenery is also a great date night spot to dine on lobster ravioli or fresh-made linguini and clams. 

Load up on fresh seafood at Daddy’s Seafood & Cajun Kitchen, which serves everything from Cajun-style seafood boils loaded with crawfish, snow crab, shrimp, and platters of oysters on ice. The restaurant also has a fish market so that you can bring some Gulf Coast goodness home. 

For a fast raw fish option, Ceviche Ceviche offers fast casual ceviche that can be loaded with a choice of fresh vegetables, avocado, fruit, citrus, sauces and more. Come early — it opens at 10:30 a.m. and tends to sell out before closing. 

This cheery breakfast and lunch spot specializes in thick, fluffy pancakes and a barbacoa plate served only on Sundays. Its lattes are a show-stopper, loaded with Irish cream syrup, Mexican chocolate, dulce de leche, Nutella, and other flavors and topped with brightly colored, highly Instagramable latte art. 

Gabriella’s is a classic sit-down spot for pasta, subs, brick oven pizza and Italian entrees, from chicken marsala to artichoke chicken. The mussels Italiano are a favorite among the wide variety of appetizers, which, yes, also include seafood. Just looking for a brick oven pizza to take back to the hotel? Try pizza delivery from its sister restaurant, Pizzeria Express by Gabriella’s. 

Mahi Nic serves a straightforward menu with pulled pork-loaded nachos, thick-cut fries, burgers, and tacos. Check out its frozen margaritas and frozen lemonade, too, to keep away the Texas heat. As a bonus, it is on a South Padre Island dock, only steps away from the water. 

Dirty Al’s opened in 1986 by Alfonso Salazar, whose family now owns several notable South Padre Island restaurants, including Daddy’s Seafood & Cajun Kitchen and Josephine’s Kitchen. But the original still serves Gulf Coast staples, like peel-and-eat shrimp, seafood tacos, po’ boys and, of course, baskets filled with heaps of fried shrimp, fish, oysters, and chicken.