Clayton Green

By Michelle Farnham
June 6, 2023

GRAYTON BEACH – You could say the popular brunch spot Crackings. has been in the egg business for close to two decades. What started as an independently owned Another Broken Egg location in Destin expanded into a second South Walton spot for 13 years, before the Green family – Marcia, Tommy, Clayton and Kristy – decided to set out on their own, rebranding their eatery as Crackings. in March of 2018.

They closed up shop after a busy Sunday, changed the name, changed the menu, and re-opened two days later as Crackings.

So why the period in their name?

“A sentence ends with a period, right? It’s a statement!” Kristy said. Marcia was actually the one to dream up the new name, ending weeks of family brainstorming, and that dream included the resounding punctuation mark! The Greens also liked the idea of including the word “King” in the moniker, a nod to their strong sense of faith.

“Many people think our name is ‘CrackLings,’ Kristy admitted, “So we politely correct them by saying it’s like ‘cracking an egg.’”

While husband-and-wife Tommy and Marcia oversee the Destin location, next generation couple Clayton and Kristy run operations in Grayton Beach. The younger Greens actually met in the restaurant industry while students at Florida State, and the rest is history!

The last few years have truly been a time of transition for Crackings., not only the rebrand, but evolving to withstand the pandemic. When the going got rough, the Greens took it outside: outside seating, that is! Parking lot space became a temporary dining room shared with neighboring dinnertime restaurant Grayton Beach Seafood Co., and a band house arose, bringing live music to the table.

“Noticing the beauty of outdoor dining, we took the opportunity during the off-season of February 2021 and began remodeling our now beloved side-patio,” Kristy said. “Our pet-friendly outdoor dining and daily live music is here to stay.”

Eats and sweets

Turning attention to the menu, Kristy pointed to Summertime French Toast and the Fresh Gulf Snapper & Grits as two customer favorites.

“The French toast has beautifully unique flavor combinations that someone does not normally experience while eating French toast,” she said. “Aside from being topped with luscious fresh fruit, the two handmade sauces drizzled on top make it quite the experience that our guests rave about.”

While admitting that people may not think of fresh fish for breakfast, it’s worth a look on the Crackings. menu, served four ways: atop Gouda grits, Benedict-style, as part of the avocado toast called the Flocking Flat, and on the “wildly favored” Snapper Sandwich.

“We partnered with a local purveyor to provide us the freshest red snapper straight from the Gulf,” Kristy said. “We serve it fresh until we sell out, never frozen.”

You’ll also find Croisseignets (a cross between a croissant and a beignet), chicken and waffles, and a Sriracha breakfast sandwich on the menu, as well as clearly-marked vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Of course no brunch place would be complete without a little something to sip on, and Crackings.’ Cheers menu includes beer, wine, bloody Marys and their famous Mason jar mimosas.

Clayton has dubbed Kristy the “Crackings. mad scientist” when it comes to developing new mimosa combos – all made with fresh juices and fruits. Look for new flavors to be announced this season, in addition to best-sellers like blood orange, blueberry passion fruit, and pineapple coconut.

Although seating is first-come, first-served, diners are able to join the list before arriving via Yelp Waitlist, which is especially handy during those peak weekend brunch hours.

“This helps when we reach long wait times and guests can join our wait list from their phone while still at their house,” Kristy explained. “They can watch their place in line and head to the restaurant when they see they are reaching the top of the list.”

Crackings. is located at 51 Uptown Grayton Circle in the Grayton Beach area of Santa Rosa Beach. They’re open Tuesday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., closed Mondays. Visit them at crackingsfl.com or call 850-231-7835.