The food in Tarpon Springs is the main reason to visit beyond the Sponge Docks — fresh seafood and Greek cooking at prices that have not yet caught up with the town's popularity.
Hellas Restaurant and Bakery on Dodecanese Boulevard is the most famous Greek restaurant in town and has been here for decades. The lamb dishes are reliable, the baklava is excellent, and the in-house bakery turns out fresh pastries all day. It is a tourist institution at this point, but the food is still genuinely good.
Mykonos is a smaller, less flashy alternative on Dodecanese with excellent grilled octopus and the freshest fish on the docks. The owners are Greek, the menu is simple, and the prices are fair.
Rusty Bellies on the Sponge Docks focuses on local seafood — grouper, snapper, and shrimp from the Gulf, simply prepared. The waterfront deck is one of the better spots in town for a sunset dinner.
Costa's Restaurant is a local favourite a block off the tourist strip — the lunch specials (stuffed grape leaves, spanakopita, lamb stew) are cheap and excellent. No waterfront view, but more of an honest local restaurant than a tourist experience.
For pastries and coffee, the bakeries along Dodecanese open early and serve excellent Greek coffee alongside honey-soaked pastries. Start the morning there before the crowds arrive.