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The ocean, St. Johns River, and numerous lakes and smaller rivers teem with fish, and so, naturally, seafood dominates local menus. Northeast Florida also has fine-dining restaurants, and its ethnic eateries include some excellent Middle Eastern places. And then there are the barbecue joints—more of them than you can shake a hickory chip at.
This colorful, quirky, beer hall–inspired, family-owned eatery is part of a local chain and has an ambitious menu of sandwiches, salads, and soups. There's also an overflowing gourmet-food section; a mind-boggling beer list; cookies big enough to knock someone unconscious; and a range of other generous desserts. Thirsty locals belly up to the impressive, hand-carved bar for monthly beer tastings and daily happy hour (2–7 pm). More mature crowds prefer to sip their Zinfandel in the bustling dining room.
Wicker baskets and lofty shelves brimming with European confections and groceries fill practically every inch of space not occupied by tables at this café (one of three branches), which is known by locals as "E Street." The menu is similarly overloaded, with nearly 100 deli sandwiches and salads, including raspberry-almond chicken salad and the Blue Max, with pastrami, corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, hot mustard, and blue-cheese dressing. Like its other locations—1704 San Marco Boulevard and 992 Beach Boulevard—the café also offers live music and trivia several nights a week.
Despite its strip-mall location, Florida's Fresh Grill is a welcome change from the more casual places that dominate the local dining scene. No swimwear or sandy flip-flops here; instead, count on an upscale experience, with a tasteful ambience, prompt service, and perfectly prepared seafood and steaks. Fresh seafood is the star. The colorful avocado crab tower appetizer is so lovely you feel a little guilty (only a little) toppling it. The sea-to-table fish comes with a choice of sauces, such as jalapeño bacon cream, which is lighter than it sounds and goes perfectly with the line-caught swordfish. The steaks, made from special reserve certified angus beef, are a hit as well. Favorite desserts include the carrot cake and Key lime pie, which many claim is the best they've ever had.
A local date-night destination for decades, this restaurant has a menu featuring German favorites—from sauerbraten served with potato dumplings and red cabbage to beef Stroganoff and spaetzle. All the soups and desserts are homemade. Be sure to try the Viennese-style apple strudel and the rum-zapped almond-cream tortes. A pianist serenades patrons at dinner, and the adjacent jazz club features live music Wednesday through Sunday.
This chophouse provides an upscale alternative to Daytona's more prevalent shorts-and-flip-flop joints. Steaks, especially the cuts named after race-car drivers, and mouthwatering sides (don't miss the potatoes Gruyère gratin) are the main attractions. The 22-ounce bone-in rib eye named after Tony Stewart is, appropriately, among the thickest, showing that these guys know their NASCAR. The popular Steak Earnhardt is a filet mignon over bordelaise crowned with lobster, Béarnaise (yes, it has two sauces), asparagus, and sliced mushroom. The lively dining room—done in dark wood with soft lighting and splashes of colorful artwork—is complemented by dramatic ocean views. An expansive wine list includes over 40 options by the glass. And don't let this restaurant chain's Ohio roots fool you—the Key lime pie is absolutely Florida-worthy.
Better known simply as J.B.'s, this local landmark is on the eastern shore of the Indian River (i.e., the middle of nowhere). Crowds gather around the picnic-style tables (inside and out) or belly up to the bar to dine on mounds of spicy seafood, Cajun alligator, J.B.'s famous crab cakes, and rock shrimp by the dozen. It's a great place to catch the sunset, and there's live music on weekend afternoons. Five bucks says at least one person at your table says their hush puppies are the best they've ever eaten.
The word rustic doesn't even begin to describe this down-home, no-nonsense fish camp restaurant (translation: you eat off paper plates with plastic forks) housed in a weathered, old, clapboard shack along with a bait shop and airboat-tour company. Set your calorie counter on stun as you peruse the plates of fried fish, frogs' legs, and alligator (as well as burgers and hot dogs). Dine inside or out on the deck overlooking the St. Johns River with live music every Sunday. Who knows, you might even see your dinner swimming by.
Steaks and coastal Spanish–inspired cuisine are the specialty here, highlighted by dishes such as goat cheese terrine layered with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and pesto. Large plates include braised short ribs and the chef's daily fresh catch preparation. The rustic, dimly lit dining room can get loud on busy weekend nights, as patrons—often celebrating special occasions—linger over their tapas and Spanish wines. There's a charming, more sedate courtyard for outdoor dining.
This unassuming eatery across from the beach had a loyal following long before Food Network's Guy Fieri declared its signature appetizer, BBQ-smoked alligator ribs, "probably the best way I've ever had gator." Ocean-to-table seafood is the star here, and popular appetizers include local fish collars and seasonal fish cakes, though you'll want to save room for mains such as the filet-and-shrimp fondue. For dessert, Berries Biscuits-N-Bourbon combine seasonal berries with a bourbon glaze and homemade sweet-biscuit crumble.
True barbecue aficionados know that the country's divided into four territories: North Carolina, Memphis, Kansas City, and Texas, each renowned for its own barbecue style. Mojo's, as the locals call it, honors all four traditions—and throws in some Deep South sides, like garlic cheddar grits and black-eyed peas, as well as sweet tea and banana pudding. The whiskey menu is as impressive as the food. There's also good recorded blues playing at all times, and on occasion, some great live blues, too.
Locals and visitors congregate at this popular, Southwest-inspired Riverside eatery, where dinner entrées range from fish tacos and crab-cake salad to green-chili soup and ancho honey-glazed salmon. The dimly lit upstairs lounge has a coffeehouse vibe—with a handful of cozy booths and leather couches—and a tequila bar.
Fresh local fish and shrimp are the specialties at this bustling New Smyrna Beach landmark, open since 1946. Built as a gas station, the building later served as a general store and piggy-bank factory, but the remodeled interior belies this backstory; the place is replete with wood, from the chairs and booths to the walls and rafters. Order steak, pasta, or innovative seafood dishes such as blackened swordfish topped with yuzu kosho aioli and served over a Yukon Gold potato cake (yeah, it's as good as it sounds). Prices are reasonable, and more than 3,000 bottles of wine are on hand. Don't be fooled by the fancy wine list and linen tablecloths; you can still wear shorts (business casual, however, is the norm). A more casual, way-cool tree-house bar (yes, it's in a tree) serves tasty cocktails and a limited food menu.
Across the Bridge of Lions from downtown, this hole-in-the-wall restaurant is recognizable for the line of customers who wait patiently for fried shrimp (the specialty), seafood, and fried chicken. Needless to say, it's been a popular local eatery for generations. On the menu are oysters, scallops, hush puppies, broiled seafood, coleslaw, biscuits and cornbread with gravy, and banana cream pie. Bring cash; credit cards are not accepted.
In the circa-1791 General Worth house across from the marina, this bustling little spot has a homey feel with a balanced clientele of locals, students, and visitors. Favorites include coconut shrimp, blue-crab cakes, and fresh local grouper. Beef lovers may want to try the filet mignon or the New York strip. From upstairs, you have a great marina view; in the courtyard, you might enjoy the perfume of blooming jasmine. Call ahead for "preferred seating."
Robonaut Red Ale and Pleasure Chest IPA are just two of the beers created inside this sprawling, renovated former lumberyard. The beers are complemented by not-so-diet-friendly pub fare including corned-beef poutine, flatbreads, and what some have labeled the best burgers in town. Sunday brunch features mimosa flights and a breakfast flatbread, and dogs are welcome in the outdoor beer garden. The brewery has a smaller location serving the same delicious beer and a less expansive food menu in a former hardware store in downtown Titusville.
Award-winning chef Tom Gray's menu of contemporary Italian dishes changes with the seasons at this local foodie hot spot. Share a Roman-style pizza at the chef's table or at the outdoor seating area beside the lake, or head upstairs to the bar for artisanal cocktails.
A New Orleans theme prevails at this lively venue, a longtime favorite with locals and visitors alike. The crowd ranges in age from twentysomething to midlife-crisis, and everyone comes to sample the craft beer and eat the seafood-based fare, including Ragtime shrimp po'boy sandwiches, grilled fish, and shrimp and grits.
Located in a high rise, this hot spot has a vibrant ground-floor dining room that specializes in local seafood and fresh steaks and a rooftop lounge with magnificent views of the Downtown skyline, live music on weekends, and a separate menu of favorites like sushi and chicken wings. Reservations are advised for the restaurant; the lounge is first come, first served.
Across from the St. Augustine Pier, this lively, family-friendly lunch and dinner spot attracts surfers and other local or vacationing beachgoers. Seated on the patio or the rooftop bar, enjoy ocean views while choosing from seafood options that include sushi, poke bowls, and fish tacos (the fried grouper version is noteworthy).
In a city hailed the Athens of Florida, it's no surprise that the most popular restaurant serves Greek cuisine so good that Orlando area foodies have been known to trek here and wait patiently for a table. The menu includes the traditional Greek staples such as pastichio (Greek lasagna), spanakopita (spinach pita triangles), and a melt-in-your mouth lamb shank. All meals start with an olive oil and Greek herb dipping sauce and some of the best pita you've ever had, served warm; the fork-tender charbroiled octopus starter is a must, perhaps followed by the very popular Athenian chicken—a perfectly cooked chicken breast stuffed with spinach and feta cheese and baked in a garlic wine sauce. Wash it down with a Greek Mythos beer.
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