Old Salt Tavern opened in 2025 in the Walmart shopping center on Perdido Beach Boulevard, taking over the space that was Stephi’s and, before that, Franco’s Italian. Yes, the Walmart shopping center. We’d remind you that some of the best food on this coast has always hidden behind unglamorous storefronts, and a scratch kitchen doesn’t get any less scratch for sharing a parking lot with a supercenter.
What to order
The made-from-scratch line isn’t marketing filler here — shrimp & grits and po-boys are the calling cards, the kind of Gulf Coast standards that separate real kitchens from freezer-to-fryer operations the moment they hit the table.
The vibe
They pitch themselves as a social gathering spot — cold drinks, sports on the screens, good service — and that’s about right. It’s a tavern in the useful sense: somewhere locals can eat well and watch a game without paying beach-view markup.
Good to know
That suite has cycled through a few concepts over the years, so the new crew has something to prove. Early word is they know it. New ownership, new menu, same easy parking — which, in July, is worth more than you’d think.
