Fud's to bring alligators and famous menu to Santa Rosa Beach

When you think of South Walton dining you don’t think of Fudpuckers, but co-owner Tim Edwards is hoping to change that.

"I think that our plan is to make it a different Fudpuckers," Edwards said. "It is not going to look like the one in Destin. It's going to have a different look and feel and it will fit in South Walton."

The proposed two-story, 12,397-square-foot restaurant is classified as a "major development" according to the county planning department. The new Fuds will be located on Sugar Drive in Santa Rosa Beach and sport more of a "Caribbean feel."

Edwards said the location is great and shouldn't “offend” too many people since it will not be visible from the highway.

“We felt that the presence of the old Café Provence and Bayou Bills nearby would give us good synergy,” Edwards said.

While the new location might not look like either of its relatives, customers and tourists can be assured that some things are not going to change.

“We are still going to have an alligator element and the same menu,” said Edwards, “although the restaurant is going to be smaller — about half the size of the Destin location.”

Edwards said they have owned this property since 2004 and had initially flirted with the idea of putting in a residential complex, but after the economy took a hit they canned the idea.

While they are nowhere close to sticking a shovel in the ground yet, Edwards is optimistic about Fud’s future.

"The great thing about this project is that we are not in a hurry to get it done," he said. "We have plenty to do with the other restaurants."

And Fudpuckers is no stranger to South Walton.

"We spent three years in South Walton from 1983 to 1985," Edwards said. "We were located where Pompano Joe's is now, and then we had one in Seagrove Beach for about a year."

Fuds submitted its application for development and it went in front of the Technical Review Committee recently. Gerry Demers, director of planning and development, said it's still early in the process and it may be changed significantly before it goes to the Board of County Commissioners for approval.

"I would guess that the soonest it may come to fruition would be 2011 or 2012," Edwards said, "Like I said, we are not in a hurry. We can wait until 2020 if we have to."