What are the best restaurants for French fries? Our favorites from across Florida

Following our USA TODAY Network Florida Dining & Entertainment Team's story about the best burger restaurants in the Sunshine State, we're now focusing on everyone's favorite burger side dish: French fries.

Whether you prefer them straight or curly, dipped in ketchup or doused with vinegar, everyone loves a good fry, and we have plenty of reasons to celebrate these delectable deep-fried potatoes.

The biggest reason? National French Fry Day is today, July 12.

Additionally, the 2024 Summer Olympics will take place in Paris from July 26 to August 11 — France, of course, being the original home of the French fry, unless you ask the Belgians. But for this story, we'll stick with the French claim.

Presented in alphabetical order by restaurant name, here are our favorite spots for French fries in Florida. Craving more fries? Check out this list from our sister publication, USA TODAY, which includes two of our Sunshine State picks.

BrickTop's, Naples

5555 Tamiami Trail N., Naples; 239-596-9112;  bricktops.com

BrickTop’s is an upscale chain with two Florida locations. In Naples, the restaurant is at the swanky Waterside Shops; it is also in Palm Beach. According to its website, planned openings are slated for Miramar Beach this summer and Delray Beach in 2025.

When polling subscribers on their favorite French fries, NDN reader Carl Kepford echoed my endorsement, saying they’re “Thin and crispy with no artificial flavors or additives.” Sure, the fries are great with burgers, but there are delicious alternatives to the accompanying ramekin of ketchup. Kepford's great ideas when dining with a pal: “Both order the French Dip sandwich with broth and horseradish sauce. One person picks the fries as a side. The other orders crispy Brussels sprouts as a substitute for the fries.” His other variation: “Dip both fries and beef into broth, horseradish dip ? or both.  Beats dipping fries into catsup by a mile.”

I countered Kepford by suggesting steak frites, a dish where the beef and potatoes are plated separately, and dipping the fries into the sumptuous sauce. — Diana Biederman, Naples Daily News

Fresh, not frozen: Here's who took the title for best French fries in Naples

Central Cafe, Bradenton

906 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton, Fla.; 941-757-0050, centralcafe941.comA charming restaurant located on the Gulf Coast of Florida, Central Cafe occupies a first-floor space in a handsome brick building that formerly housed a historic hotel near the popular Bradenton Riverwalk. While I'm a big fan of the restaurant's burgers, pizza, and blue cheese-laced tomato soup, Central Cafe’s essential dish is the French fries. The thin, hand-cut fries are adorned with chunks of coarse salt and offered to guests as a heaping pile of decadent deliciousness.

Lightly fried, smartly salted, and served warm with a soft center and just the right amount of crispiness, each fry is somehow more fabulously addictive than the last. Central Cafe's fries are perfect on their own, but I do enjoy them covered in the Heinz malt vinegar the restaurant provides while dipping the occasional fry into ketchup. Another great option is to dunk the fries into a bowl of the cafe's brilliant tomato soup. It’s a bit messy, but totally worth it! — Wade Tatangelo, Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Best restaurant for French fries Here’s the vote winner for Sarasota and Bradenton

Cruisers Grill, Jacksonville Beach

319 23rd Ave. S, Jacksonville Beach, Fla.; (904) 270-0356, cruisersgrill.com 

You can order regular French fries (they come as a side with burgers and sandwiches) at Cruisers or step it up and get the Aged Cheddar Fries, which come smothered in cheese, green onions and jalapeno peppers. Step it up again for the Barbecue Cheddar Fries, which add a healthy portion of chicken and barbecue sauce to the mix, and you've got something special. They come served in a foil-lined pie tin, and the small serving was more than enough for lunch. The large, presumably, is for sharing or feeding a small army.

They are so heavily laden with toppings that diners may have to pick up a fork, violating one of the cardinal rules of French fry eating. It takes a solid fry to hold up to that many toppings, and Cruisers' are up to the task. Dig to the bottom of the plate and pull out a fry that's been smothered in cheese and chicken and barbecue sauce, and it still holds its shape well enough to stand upright in the accompanying ranch dressing. — Tom Szaroleta/Florida Times-Union 

Here's the winner: For the best French fries in the Jacksonville area

Gordo's Cuban Cuisine, Tallahassee

1907 W Pensacola St.,1460 Market St., Tallahassee; gordoscubanfood.com

Coming in first place as one of Tallahassee's favorite French fry destinations is Gordo's Cuban Cuisine. The winning shoestring golden fries, best served hot, are coated in a harmonious blend of eight different seasonings perfected to complement the restaurant's popular pressed Cuban sandwiches and fruity cocktail drinks, including the prized Gordo Smash (a mix of light and spiced rum with orange and pineapple juice).

The mayonnaise-based "Gordo's Sauce," which if you ask any patron is a treasure for dipping, will hardly be needed as the fries are so tasty. The front patio area, decorated in soft pastels and vibrant beach themed colors makes the restaurant feel like a destination spot with an ambiance that reminds one of the tropics. — Kyla Sanford, Tallahassee Democrat

Fry Day: Who has the best French fries in Tallahassee? Survey says...

The Honor Bar

340 Royal Poinciana Way, Palm Beach. (561) 209-2799; honorbar.com

Best known for its dim-lit ambiance, bar-forward atmosphere, and short list of high-end shareable snacks and sandwiches, there's no denying the allure of Honor Bar in Palm Beach. And while the fries seem like an afterthought, listed last under "snacks and sides," they could be the highlight of your visit, making for a perfect midday lunch or happy hour bar snack when paired with a cocktail or glass of wine.

Why? Because these aren't just any fries, but rather Chipperbec chipping potatoes, a high-starch variety made for deep-frying without burning or absorbing too much oil. A lengthy prep process lets you know Honor Bar takes these fries seriously. Cut fresh each evening, they're julienned into matchstick-thin slivers, then placed in an ice bath overnight. Before service begins, the cut potatoes are gently par cooked and fried to-order. And they fry up beautifully, arranged in a mountainous, tangled pile upon serving. Each sliver delivers a delicate and naturally sweet flavor and a crispy, satisfying crunch. They're served lightly seasoned, with the option to add more with a shaker reserved for just such an occasion.

A medley of flavors, it's easy to spot the onion, garlic, and rosemary although the blend — also used to season the Palm Beach Grill and Honor burgers — includes more than 15 ingredients. It makes a perfect pairing for the fries, which are served alongside a large ramekin of house-made spicy aioli and ketchup. I suggest trying all three together, beginning with a generous shake of the seasoning salt followed by a quick dunk in each sauce. Once you start, you can’t stop — sort of like Pringles, but oh so much better. — Nicole Danna, Palm Beach Post

These are the best French fries Palm Beach County has to offer

Matt's Red Hots, Fort Myers

18911 S. Tamiami Trail, No. 24, Fort Myers, Florida; 239-791-8036, mattsredhots.com 

Matt Syroczynski has been making the French fries at his no-frills family-friendly hot dog and burger joint the same way since opening in December 2017. And that’s a very good thing. Matt’s fries were voted the best in Lee County in a recent readers’ poll. Just what makes these hand-cut, made fresh daily fries so special? Those potatoes go through a three-step process — cut, washed and soaked in water; then pre-fried and cooled; then cooked-to-order at 350 degrees Fahrenheit — before becoming the crispy, golden, glorious fries customers crave.

“It makes them stay crispy for a bit longer,” said Syroczynski, a former professional hockey player who hails from Buffalo, New York. Before being served on a plastic tray in a classic diner-style, red-and-white cardboard box, the fries are quickly tossed in Morton’s coarse kosher salt. Whether you order them plain, with cheese, chili cheese or served with onion rings, you’ll be getting the best fries around. — Robyn George, The News-Press

No-frills hot dog and burger joint's fries voted best in Fort Myers, Cape Coral area

Paco Submarine, New Smyrna Beach

515 N. Dixie Freeway, New Smyrna Beach; 386-402-7281, pacosubmarine.com

It’s no secret that Paco Submarine made waves in the sandwich community following the shop’s opening in New Smyrna Beach last year, but if you haven’t given its fries a try, you don’t know what you’re missing. The quirky roadside joint offers hand-cut fries, available standard — sprinkled in sea salt; or Ocean City, Maryland, style — generously coated with Old Bay seasoning and served with a side of creamy malt sauce for dipping.

They’re warm, crisp and on the thicker — but not too potato-y — side, making for the perfect addition to any of the eatery’s scratch-made handhelds that Brian Cieslak, owner, chef and former competitor on Food Network’s "Chopped," has down to a science, including The Belafonte — a personal favorite that stacks house-smoked bacon with fresh tomatoes, shredded lettuce, avocado and an addicting herbed mayo. — Helena Perray, The Daytona Beach News-Journal

Winner announced: New Smyrna Beach restaurant is readers' pick for best local french fries

The Salted Fry, Mount Dora

112 W 3rd Ave, Mount Dora, thesaltedfry.com

A cozy spot tucked away in an alley in Mount Dora's picturesque downtown historic district, the Salted Fry offers everyone's favorite side-piece — who will smack for you saying that because she happens to be the grand matriarch of this house.

Say oui to Salted Fry's decadent poutine — fresh cut fries topped with natural cheddar cheese curds, smothered in beef gravy and topped with real bacon bits. Also recommended: truffle fries, made with fresh-cut fries topped with a mist of white truffle oil, fresh grated parmesan cheese and crushed black pepper; comes with Salted Fry's homemade Kerfuffle Truffle dipping aioli.

If you want even more variety, the Salted Fry is also renowned for their gluten-free sandwiches. The roast beef comes "piled high" with London broil, lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese and a choice of our horseradish sauce or their Gnome's Garden sauce (basil and garlic). Which brings us to their other cool feature: amazing homemade dipping sauces. — Julie Garisto, Leesburg Daily Commercial

Photos: The Salted Fry in downtown Mount Dora

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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Craving French fries? These Florida restaurants serve our favorites