Pictured above: Timoti’s Seafood Shak

What exactly is a poke bowl (pronounced “POH-keh”)? This yummy food trend made it’s way to the mainland from Hawaii around 2012 and folks haven’t been able to eat enough of them since. With slices or chunks of raw fish – typically tuna – tossed over rice and topped with vegetables and sauces, it’s basically a deconstructed sushi roll in a bowl. If you weren’t familiar before, now you are and here are the best places to find them on Amelia Island.

Make your tastebuds happy and try a different poke bowl each day. Enjoy!

Timotis

Serving up fresh seafood basketes in a casual setting, Timoti’s Seafood Shak is a hit with families, featuring a large pirate ship playground and picnic table seating. Don’t miss your chance to dine on their popular poke bowl made with raw ahi tuna, coconut rice, avocado, spinach, green onion, kelp seasoning and black sesame seeds. All topped with T’s delish poke sauce.

Akari Sushi

Akari Sushi is known for its modern interpretation of classic asian dishes using the highest quality and freshest ingredients. Sit inside or outside and dine on one of four fabulous poke bowls with your choice of tuna, yellowtail, crab or shrimp. The Hawaiian (pictured above) adds mango, cucumber, red onion, seaweed salad and avocado with yummy poke sauce on top.

Salt Life

Overlook the Atlantic ocean at Salt Life and enjoy a wide array of specialty menu items including two mouthwatering poke bowls each with their own flair. The Caliche’s bowl is sushi-grade ahi tuna served with soy sauce and steamed spinach over sticky rice and topped with avocados, green onions and sesame seeds while the Spicy bowl is marinated sesame seared tuna with cucumbers and avocados, served with steamed spinach over sticky rice and finished with spicy mayo.

The Surf Restaurant & Bar

If you’re looking for light fare or a full course meal all while catching the sea breeze off the ocean, The Surf Restaurant & Bar is the place for you. They’ve been providing good food and good times in a casual beach atmosphere since 1957! Their tuna is tossed in Unagi (a sweet and savory Japanese sauce) and served rare over white rice, avocado salsa, mango, carrots, red cabbage, cucumbers, and YumYum sauce.

Sandbar Amelia Island

Sandbar Amelia Island is Amelia Island’s only true restaurant that is located directly on the beach and has oceanfront dining where you can put your toes in the sand. Sit outside on the patio and sip on a frosty cold beverage during daily happy hour and try their marinated sushi grade ahi tuna, pickled ginger, sweet soy sauce, cucumber, avocado and seaweed salad served over sticky rice. So refreshing!

Wicked Bao

For wicked good Asian street food, head downtown to Wicked Bao, where you can dine on their signature Bao’s (steamed bun filled with your choice of shrimp, pork, chicken or tofu), noodle bowls, rice bowls or the Ahi tuna poke bowl. Using their famous rice tots as a base, the poke bowl is served with onion, cucumber, seaweed salad and a sriracha aioli. I would also suggest a glass of homemade Saki to make it perfect.

Coquina

Coquina, located at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, is an oceanfront outdoor restaurant with a menu inspired by our Spanish roots when Spain was one of the eight flags that flew over Amelia Island. Putting their own Spanish spin on it, this dynamic restaurant offers a tuna bowl made with mixed greens, pickled veggies, avocado, corn nuts and topped with a sofrito aioli. It’s refreshing, delicious and definitely worth a try.

Hana Sushi

Serving sushi and traditional Japanese fare in a small, simple cafe, Hana Sushi doesn’t disappoint with four delicious poke bowls to choose from. The Spicy poke (pictured above) offers your choice of spicy tuna, spicy salmon or spicy blue crab, mixed with tempura shrimp, cucumber, avocado, carrot, red cabbage, scallion, tobiko and tempura crunchy and topped with spicy mayo.

Amelia Island offers so many eclectic dining options to choose from. Learn more about them here.