it feels a little like europe or maybe charleston or perhaps the french west indies
but this isn't any of those places
this is rosemary beach florida
rosemary beach straddles the gulf of mexico serving as a prestigious punctuation mark at the
far east end of scenic highway 30a the town's name comes from a native plant called conradina which
flourishes here also known as false rosemary this flower budding bush apparently looks close enough
to pass as the real thing kinda like rosemary beach itself passing for nice or martinique
as you arrive in this quaint beachfront village you're cradled by rows of twisting scrub oaks
flanking stately homes built along wood plank paths and cobblestone streets
not too long ago this was a nude beach a place mostly devoid of people homes and swimming trunks
that all changed in 1995 when rosemary beach was officially established pants are no longer
optional but there's still a coastal chic vibe here that welcomes flip flops and crop tops
rosemary beach's urban layout was based on something designers call
the radburn plan the town center is connected by a network of pedestrian
pathways so homeowners and guests don't have to drive
outdoor art exhibits are displayed all around town including the iconic
blue dog sculpture that's now permanently displayed in the narrow green lawn along 30a
deep shaded porches are a staple on most homes here with many concealing dreamy courtyards behind
lush tropical vegetation in many cases if you're in a car you're not actually seeing the front
of the house that visual architectural feast is reserved for pedestrians who navigate the village
via shaded boardwalks all which eventually lead to the beach
rosemary beach's u-shaped town plaza is populated with small boutiques
a salon a bookstore restaurants a bike shop and a coffee shop which also sells official 30a gear
to the south side of scenic 30a you'll find more quaint shops and clothiers
a post office a town hall that hosts lectures concerts and community meetings a tiny market
and stunning green gulf front parks
fanning out from the town center are architecturally inspired estates
many with an adjoining carriage house there are also pocket parks with bubbling fountains
community pools hidden playgrounds a state-of-the-art fitness facility and tennis
courts perhaps rosemary beach's most striking signature structure is the pearl a 55-room
boutique hotel with a world-class restaurant and a hemingway worthy craft cocktail bar
one of the most popular places to see and be seen is pescado a restaurant and bar that's
perfectly poised for sunset light across rosemary beach's rooftops joe freer is piscato's owner and
he's been here since before the beginning with his first restaurant shades starting in nearby seaside
before it became the go-to sports pub at the far east end of this beach yeah we used to call it uh
shades of the loop so we had that that's right yeah we had that loop i remember that the local
feel we here in inlet beach we definitely have our awesome local crowd and then we you know we
obviously have the tourists and homeowners and so we got a great combination of folks from all over
we wanted to do something in rosemary and and mike rose came to came to us and
we basically brought a lull over here and greg and i got on it and came up to this height
and we said all right we'll take it everybody was so hyped for for a rooftop true rooftop restaurant
and it started out great and then it just you know the word just got out there and the views
and you know obviously social media helps with you know the sunsets and stuff so everyone's like oh
let's go check it out and then they get great food and a good drink and and it's been wow we've been
blessed i mean i can remember back in the day you know it was dunes and and we would go you know i'd
drive my truck onto the beach and inlet beach and just hang out there there was there was no code
you know it wasn't there was nothing enforced way back when we used to all have our trucks and stuff
on on the beach and just hang out do bonfires i didn't never had a permit you know it was just
we were just living life it was awesome and then it just started happening just see a house go up
and then another house go up and then town center everything kept coming together and it's like wow
this people are are noticing this end of the beach because it was always you know west and you know
destin i mean what makes rosemary different is i mean obviously the architecture is beautiful
the family-friendly feel of rosemary has always been something that i like um and i think it
definitely is a draw to families from from all over i mean you get the best of everything here
no this is not europe it isn't the french west indies this is no false rosemary it may have drawn
its original inspirations from such charming and exotic old world locales
but like the conradina rosemary beach has now become its own thing inspiring residents and
visitors alike to appreciate all the best things that life has to offer especially the sunsets
you