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Get a taste of the ocean at Maritime, the next restaurant in Bowen Yard

As Winter Haven’s first food hall gets ready to open its doors, we stopped by one of its restaurants to get a taste of what’s to come.

A painting on a wall is shown. It says "You're a pearl!" with an oyster and pearl painted underneath.

The real pearl of Maritime in Winter Haven is more than just its menu — it’s the quality.

Photo by LALtoday

Something’s fishy — and it’s that Bowen Yard will be finished before we know it. We recently dined at Maritime, the next restaurant to open in the long-awaited food hall, to get a sneak peek of what to expect.

Maritime’s menu is inspired by classic coastal cuisine + is crafted by Chef Jason Boniface, who also leads the kitchen for Cob & Pen. While the restaurant specializes in cold-water oysters + fresh seafood, even non-seafood eaters can enjoy the eatery’s other entree options, like the Bowen Yard Burger or falafel gyro.

A table laden with food, including steak frites, raw oysters, crab cakes, salad, and cocktails.

Seafood connoisseur or not, there’s something on the menu for you at Maritime.

Photo by LALtoday

Connor tried the raw oysters and New Orleans-style crab cakes, while Amelia tried the steak frites. After our first few bites, it became clear to us that the real pearl of Maritime is the quality of the food — from hand-cut fries to homemade hot sauce, you could tell that every dish was created with pride.

Two cocktails are shown on a table, one pink and one yellow.

Spicy or sweet, this eatery’s got a drink for every palette.

Photo by LALtoday

That same level of pride and craftsmanship carried over into the drinks, too. Amelia chose the Oh Honey, Dew!, one of the restaurant’s original cocktails that featured vodka, passionfruit, melon, and pineapple. Connor opted for the Siren’s Song cocktail, with tequila, prickly pear puree, and a dash of jalapeno. Can you say cocktails of the summer?

Feeling reeled in? Head to the restaurant’s website for lunch, brunch, dinner + happy hours as they continue to be updated weekly. Both walk-ins and reservations are available.

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