The Tides Market (305 Main St, Safety Harbor) has quietly earned a reputation as one of the best seafood spots in Pinellas County. Its signature dish, Blackened Yellow Snapper, is a hot seller—prepared with a southern flair and served with lemon beurre blanc sauce and “pecan dirty rice,” a Key West twist on a traditional Creole dish deeply rooted in New Orleans cuisine. Much of the menu here is a love letter to New Orleans, a passion that co-owners Jon and Mary Kate Walker bring to every plate.
“New Orleans leaves an indelible mark,” Mary Kate says. And indelible it is—Chef Jon Walker sports a tattoo of the “Holy Trinity”: onions, celery, and green peppers, the three main ingredients in Creole cooking. After high school, Jon moved to New Orleans and studied for two years at Loyola University until the institution politely asked him to reconsider his priorities. “I was a bigger fan of eating oyster po’ boys and drinking tall boys than going to class,” he recalls.
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Ditching classrooms for kitchens, Jon immersed himself in Creole cuisine. It’s a fair trade, considering The Tides Market is now a multi-million dollar business—even though they only have six burners in the kitchen. As the saying goes about good things coming in small packages, Jon has no regrets, and neither do the customers once they try the market’s Simple Fish (one of eight fresh catches served with your choice of Tzatziki, herb oil, brown butter or lemon beurre blanc), the famous Grouper Sandwich, and Po’ Boys prepared using techniques he honed back in New Orleans. Check out the menu here.
The pursuit of the highest quality
The Tides Market opened its doors just three years ago with a vision inspired by a farmers market open seven days a week. “When we first opened this place, we wanted essentially a farmers market that was open 7 days a week,” says Mary Kate. Strong relationships with local farmers and fishermen—who practice regenerative and organic methods—are the backbone of their operation. “We’re chasing quality and when you chase quality you run into people who have similar mindsets,” Jon explains. “Those are the kinds of products we want to champion.”
Whether it’s the rainbow carrots or fresh red snapper, the pursuit of the highest quality appears in every detail. Approximately 95% of the food at The Tides Market is made from scratch, with the exception of bread and pasta. Jon would make that in-house, too, but Mary Kate frequently reminds him that with only six burners, minimal oven space, and early morning start times, outsourcing is the practical choice—while still aligning with their high standards.
That commitment to excellence and community has resulted in exquisite dishes like Kvaroy Arctic Salmon with Four Cheese Gnocchi and Clams and Linguini. As Mary Kate puts it, “Cooking and baking emphasize the importance of relationships.” And here, the most important relationship is the one between the diner and their plate—encouraging you to eat like no one’s watching, napkins be damned.
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