Pictured: The Scampi Anna Maria at Beach House Waterfront Restaurant is part of a limited-edition, specialty menu that honors the flavors of the 1990s when the restaurant opened. Photo courtesy of Beach House Waterfront Restaurant.

Ah, the beach house, a place where friends and family gather and share their time together in nature. For many, the beach house is a place where different generations are reunited, where grandparents' memories of bygone days mingle with their grandchildren’s imaginings of the future. Last week, at the aptly named Beach House Waterfront Restaurant in Bradenton Beach, Owner Ed Chiles spoke about how he honors the establishment’s past 30 years and strives to leave a lasting legacy for the region.

Florida native Chiles, the founder and owner of Chiles Hospitality, purchased the old Harbor House property in 1993 with the hopes of creating a special place that would define the Bradenton Beach community. He credited Mayor Katie Pierola for her extensive support of his investment in the restaurant, Beach House, which became a boon to the developing community.

“We did a big renovation here. We were on the front line of what’s going on that keeps me up at night, and that’s the environmental issues on our coast,” said Chiles. “You’re sitting here today on the edge of the largest gulf in the world. This is the only place in the country that has three national estuaries on its water, Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay and Charlotte Harbor.” While growing up, he spent time with family at beach houses on the island, fostering an appreciation for the environment. “I have seen, since before I can remember, how the progression has been in these beautiful waters where I grew up. They are incredibly precious, and they’re under some pressure,” he added. “It became apparent to us that it was important that we look at how we do things in a different and more responsible way, and that’s the journey that we have been on.”

From sourcing sustainable seafood to using food waste to create compost for the restaurant’s farm, Chiles has prioritized environmental stewardship, which in turn yields delicious food for an unparalleled beachfront dining experience. To celebrate Beach House’s 30th anniversary, the restaurant is offering for a limited time a special menu of crowd favorites from the 1990s, when Beach House’s story began. Crunchy coconut shrimp appetizers with boom boom sauce kick off this culinary blast to the past and the tasty Scampi Anna Maria reinvigorates a well-known dish. Pan-seared crab cakes, with mango salsa, Creole mustard sauce and vegetables from Gamble Creek Farms in Parrish are a must-try and highlight Florida’s seasonal flavors, and dessert lovers can rejoice in the blueberry cobbler, made with berries from Jubilee Farms in Tallahassee.

Whether indulging in dessert or nibbling on an appetizer, it’s impossible to miss the integral role that the coast plays at this local hangout. Like children learning from their grandparents’ tales of the past at a beachside bonfire, guests are encouraged to consider the role that they, and what they choose to put on their plates, play in the greater picture. “Your business tells a story,” Chiles said, “and our story needs to be about sustainability and how precious this area is. It needs to be about local, about buying local and dealing with local businesses. As big as we are and with the scope that we have, if we can do these things others can do them too.”

Beach House Waterfront Restaurant, 200 Gulf Drive North, Bradenton Beach, 941-779-2222, beachhousedining.com.

Pictured: The Scampi Anna Maria at Beach House Waterfront Restaurant is part of a limited-edition, specialty menu that honors the flavors of the 1990s when the restaurant opened. Photo courtesy of Beach House Waterfront Restaurant.

Beach House Waterfront Restaurant