One of the most talked-about restaurant openings in recent years took place in Clermont with Salt Shack on the shores of Lake Minneola. More than a year after opening its doors at the former site of Lily’s on the Lake, the buzz hasn’t slowed down.

(Since opening last year Salt Shack has been a popular destination for a meal. With beautiful views, good vibes, drinks and food to go along.)

The tropical-inspired eatery is the second location for founders Bob and Bill Curtis, who first introduced the concept in Tampa in 2019. The original Salt Shack on the Bay quickly became a local staple, celebrated for its “gulf-to-table” seafood, laid-back beach bar vibe, and postcard-worthy sunsets over Old Tampa Bay. The Tampa flagship was recently named a 2024 Best Restaurants winner by Tampa Magazine.

(Salt Shack offers a fun place to hang out with locals pulling boats right up to the beach.)

Bringing that winning formula to Clermont, the brothers and their team transformed the Lake Minneola property into an oasis that feels worlds away from its predecessor. Palm trees, tiki torches, benches, and sandy walkways give diners a resort-like escape without leaving the city. When they first created the first Salt Shack, they realized they had built a place where people could relax, bring their families, and check out of life for a while. That atmosphere has been very well received by locals who frequent the establishment.

(From the drinks to the tacos, Salt Shack has awesome flavors and it’s a fun place to hang out with friends and family.)

The menu is a showcase of fresh seafood and Florida flavor. Appetizers like calamari, shack wings, fried oysters, and gator bites are crowd favorites. Signature mains range from jumbo lump Coastal Crab Cakes with roasted red pepper sauce, to freshly blackened fish tacos drizzled with chili horseradish. Options include mahi, grouper, or wild-caught shrimp. Land lovers can dig into bacon burgers, jerk-style Island Chicken Tacos, or coconut shrimp baskets with fries and guava cocktail sauce.

(It’s not just the food but the adult beverages that are a star of the show. If you close your eyes drinking one of these you would swear you are in the Caribbean.)

Salt Shack’s roots are as colorful as its cocktails. The Tampa location sits on a peninsula once called Rattlesnake, Florida, where entrepreneur George End famously sold rattlesnake meat and “SnakeSnaks” from a gas station-turned-canning plant in the 1930s. While End’s story ended with an ironic snakebite in 1944, the site eventually became the unlikely birthplace of one of the region’s most celebrated restaurants.

(Salt Shack offers some amazing views especially during sunsets. It’s paradise right at home.)

In Clermont, the waterfront patio might not have Gulf breezes, but Lake Minneola provides its own kind of magic. Sunset views, signature drinks, and live music give diners more than enough reason to linger long after the plates are cleared. It’s also got a beach area where locals often pull their boats up to the shore and you can also see the occasional sea planes that fly in from around Florida.

(Salt Shack is a nice gathering spot for celebrations or just having a good time. Be sure to check them out if you haven’t.)

Salt Shack at Lake Minneola is located at 846 W. Osceola St. in Clermont. For more information, call 352-562-7840 or visit www.salt-shack.com.

Photo Credit – Salt Shack