Primrose Restaurant: A Culinary Experience in Destin, FL

I always do my homework before we select new restaurants for vacation. This place is highly rated however it missed the mark for us. Party of 4 for our group. Beautiful restaurant inside a very pretty hotel. No visible bar threw the vibe off a bit even though they offer a wide variety of cocktails. Bread appetizer was very good. Beef carpaccio was more like a dried meat dish and was not great. Table side Caesar were good but “hardly table side” and just bowls delivered to the table. 2 people from our group ordered the Bolognese which they liked very much. The pesto gnocchi with scallops was not edible. The gnocchi fell apart and was mushy and the scallops tasted like they were dipped in a chemical before they were seared. The pistachio crusted grouper was just ok and lacked flavor. The risotto was bland and the Brussel sprouts were wilted and not roasted as described. Our server did comp us for the gnocchi dish when we commented and she could see the dish was not prepared as expected. The chemical taste of the scallop was the most disturbing of all. Very pretty place which has potential but even with the entree removed from the bill, it was still $320 before tip and 2/4 of our group did not order alcohol.

We had breakfast and dinner at this restaurant. The hostess and server were friendly and attentive to our table. The kids waffle was very small. The breakfast otherwise was great. The dinner was good. The crispy cauliflower wasn’t crispy, but it was a big portion. The sushi was very good, just the rolls were not wrapped well and the rolls were cut a little too big. The kids pizza was a lot bigger than expected, but thankfully it was enough for both of our kids. The chicken noodle soup barely had any chicken in it. The Henderson single barrel bourbon was very good! It went down smooth and had a great taste. If you plan to eat here just be prepared to pay a high price.

I dined on the terrace last night and I cannot stress how perfect everything was. Jennifer, our server, was warm and professional, and had the voice of a soft rock radio DJ—calm and relaxing. I make note of this because we had a baby with us who toes the line between sweet cherub and enraged banshee depending on the atmosphere. We enjoyed the salmon crudo and carpaccio to start. I probably would not have ordered the crudo because I’m not a huge salmon fan but I tend to go with my server’s recommendations and I’m grateful I did; this dish exceeded all expectations. The salmon melts in your mouth, paired with a umami, acidic sauce, the essence of truffle, and some crunchy sweet potato hay on top. I would go back just to have 4 orders of these to stuff my face with. The carpaccio, equally as delicious and with a more remarkable presentation than the usual banal accompaniments of capers and, arugula and shaved Parmesan. For entrees we both enjoyed steaks, prime New York and prime ribeye. They were each cooked exactly as ordered and the seasoning was applied flawlessly. Accompaniments were also great. Most steakhouses serve their cuts a la carte so it was great that these were served with pomme puree and charred asparagus. After dessert was offered and I politely declined, somehow my husband talked me into ordering one. I will preface this with the fact that I have been on a low sugar diet for months now and have become pretty disciplined at turning down sweets. This dessert, however, was the pièce de résistance. The fig Mille feuille was something you would expect to see in the finals of The Great British Bakeoff. So elegant and beautiful and one of my favorite desserts I have had in a long while! Even if figs aren’t your bag, trust me, they will be when covered with chantilly cream, flakey, crunchy puff pastry and dipped in the tangy accompanied sauce. This was hands down worth me having to take another 3 days to get back into ketosis and I do not say that lightly. I implore you, go check out Primrose, ask for Jennifer, and DO NOT skip dessert.

Had breakfast here with a group of 5 ladies. We weren’t staying at the resort, but the resort staff was so warm and welcoming! Our server John was fantastic, courteous and kind! The grounds and building were super well kept and the breakfast was fantastic! The buffet offerings were fresh and delicious. I ordered the breakfast tacos, grits and a Bellini that were all great. Would recommend for sure if you’re in the area!

Nice, friendly service. Second time having breakfast here as we stayed at the Henderson Loft. The food was good. I had the breakfast burrito and I would consider it above average. I started with house pressed green juice and it was a hit. Nice healthy way to start the day. I also had the ice coffee which was average. My husband and son had the steak and eggs dish. They enjoyed it very much. The steak was tender and very flavourful. My youngest son had the waffle with chocolate chips and seasonal fruit and now he is trying the pancakes. Both were above average. I believe the biggest challenge was getting a table. I wanted to come early, like 8am but the only available reservation was 9:45 so I took that time. When I arrived I was seated within a few minutes. Also, they do offer what appears to be a pretty decent breakfast bar which we did not try but you can see it in the photos. So just make sure you make a reservation ahead of time. Otherwise, our overall experience here was good.

Fantastic dining experience!!! The most delicious grilled grouper on the coast! The food was exceptionally prepared, fresh and a great culinary experience! Chef Gary Palm’s delectable items we enjoyed were the hickory smoked pork belly, shrimp roll that was beautifully prepared like a piece of art, juicy tender steak with fresh vegetables and the special grilled grouper entree was scrumptious! Jennifer was an outstanding server and extremely knowledgeable about the menu. She was very friendly and took care of every need! Jennifer also provided a purse seat for my suede/lace evening clutch! We will be returning this week to celebrate a birthday with more local friends! Congratulations Chef Gary Palm, we are thrilled to have you in our beautiful area on the Emerald Coast!

The space was lovely and open, and if you’re staying at the hotel, it’s super convenient to come here for a meal. The food was good, nicely seasoned and flavorful. My only complaint is the timing. A table that sat down around the same time as us had already finished before our food even arrived. It was still early and the place didn’t seem that busy, so I was a bit surprised. We probably waited around 40 to 50 minutes for breakfast, which felt a little excessive. To their credit, the server was very nice and gave us 20% off for the delay, which I guess was their way of saying sorry.

I’m not usually one to leave a review, however this restaurant was a major disappointment due to all the hype and claiming of exceptional food. The “Gruyère & Gouda Mac and cheese” was essentially dry noodles with bread crumbs and barely any cheese. The Caesar salad was underdressed, with croutons that tasted store bought. The short rib bolognese lacked in flavor, and the butter cake tasted like dry pound cake. When we kindly expressed our dissatisfaction with the food, our server was cold and rude and unable to accept feedback. We will not go back here and I suggest you save your money and go to an Italian restaurant that honors the delicious flavors of Italian food that’s cooked with passion and intelligent culinary skill. I was very close to asking to speak to the chef and ask them if they truly care about serving quality food that matches the high prices.