recommendations
 

my husband and I just completed a week lifestyle preview and we are sold on the community, but definitely not the restaurants we ate at while here. Granted we didn't eat out that much, but didn't have one really good meal out: We ate at toojays for breakfast i ordered poached eggs on english muffin. the eggs came like boiled out of the shell (hard and cold). Requested a redo and received them perfect. Lighthouse, had the shrimp over grits...won't order that again there...more sauce than either of the other two items. Margaritas in Spanish Springs: Fajitas. The tortillas where delivered to the table about 10 mins before receiving the chicken and the little bit of grilled peppers and onions and consequently were quite cool...the wine was good. Then had portobello sirloin at Longhorn Steakhouse...it was so sinuous, took it home for my dog, but the baked sweet potato was really good, baked just right...carmelized, not steamed in foil. The last place was the Country Club at MalloryHill (?) I had steamed mussels and another baked sweet potato (it was steamed in foil), but the mussels were good. This was our best dining experience. We are hopeful we just picked the bottom establishments and the best are yet to be experienced. We are not fans of fried, greasy, or cheese covered foods. Love beautifully prepared food of all (most) nationalities. Suggestions with why you like it would be most appreciated. Thanks.

The Villages isn't known for gourmet dining spots.
You experienced a cross section of available restaurants. Most of us find them adequate.
For more options, you may want to visit Orlando.

People from areas like New York and Chicago may be disappointed in the food here.

I know of one person who moved back to Seattle because of her need for gourmet cuisine.

I am a decent cook so I prepare a lot of our meals at home, and enjoy dining out with friends and I have my favorites. I love the catfish at The Lighthouse with the slaw with pineapple and oranges.

I love the brisket sandwich with possibly the best cabbage beef soup on the planet on Wednesday at Toojays.

I adore the ribs any night at Oakwood Barbecue, just off campus.

I really enjoy the portobello swiss pizza at Mallory.

I love the sumptuous burger at Arnold Palmers, And the mushroom brie soup at Nancy Lopez.

But we are not an epicurean mecca. So please do NOT be swayed by me.

If excellent food is what you are looking for, I think you will be disappointed.

I could not be anywhere else because the most artistic people I have ever met seem to all retire here. Both in music and in visual art.

And some of the life stories people have shared shows you that many people who can choose to live anywhere, choose here.

I am hardly a foodie. In fact, when I first moved to Minneapolis, I ate out mostly at chain restaurants. But, over the years that followed, I began to discover some great restaurants and have been eager to try out some creative fusion food and Midwestern delights. Now that I've decided to move to The Villages, I'm resolved to go off the reservation in order to find interesting places to eat. I just hope that we 110,000 are the pioneers who will attract the chefs who create great dining experiences. Maybe I live in a dream world. I won't let the lack of great restaurants stop me from living in what is otherwise a paradise.

If gourmet restaurants are a priority for you, then this is not the place for you. Move here for the life style and the weather (although not this winter), but do not move here for the restaurants.

I have to agree with the others. I would not call any restaurant excellent in TV. I haven't found a Mexican restaurant that I even like, nor an Oriental one either. There are a couple of restaurants that are supposed to be pretty good, but they have a long wait time. If food or shopping is a huge priority for you, you really should consider somewhere else. Also, for almost 6 months of the year, be prepared to wait up to 1 hour for the "just ok food". My advice is that if these things are important , you really need to visit between October and March (especially between Jan and March) to see how crowded everything gets and how long the waits are for the various restaurants. Some people on here apparently never have to wait on anything, and never experience heavy traffic, but again, come spend several months here in the winter, and see for yourself. You may love it or hate it, but at least you will know for yourself.

Chefs of Napoli is very very good. There are several dishes at the Lighthouse we really like such as the butterfish and scallop salad. Arnold Palmer is excellent, especially their rack of lamb. Most of the other country clubs are adequate, not great. My lady pals & I really enjoy Tapas.

But the adequate to very adequate comes with VERY reasonable prices. VERY reasonable prices. Most of us here don't want to outlive our last dollar.

Yes, prices are reasonable and I enjoy the ambiance at the CC's, especially looking out over the golf courses and/or watching the people practicing putting & chipping. It is lovely. Also I keep hearing good things about Havana CC, but haven't tried it yet.

Golf here is more than any golfer could imagine. I have learned to cook so I have more time for golf!

Koyame for good fresh Asian.
Giovanni's and Chef's of Napoli for Italian.
Sakura for Japaneese and Sushi.
For steak we buy meat at Fresh Market and grill our own. If we want a dining experience we go to Bern's Steak House in Tampa.
We like Son Rising and Little bits for breakfast also will go off campus to The Dam Diner.
We like Bonefish and Carrabba's as far as chains go.
The Country Clubs are adequate but not special in our opinion.
We go off campus or cook our own seafood.
We go to The Lighthouse off season, I like their fish and chips.
If you look you will find the little places that match your taste, some may be off campus.
Almost forgot Mystic for great adult ice cream.

You might want to look at the Villages Gourmet Club website to get an idea of the quality of the restaurant you're planning to go to. We've found their ratings to be pretty accurate.

The Villages Gourmet Club Restaurant Review Site

thanks,

Chuck

We love it here and the restaurants you had bad food at are a few of our favorites.
If you had issues with all of those restaurants, this is probably not the community for you.
You would probably be happier somewhere else that has high end restaurants that you seem to want.
Good luck. :)

I pretty much love anything if I don't have to cook it or wash up after it. I do find that the meals I get at the various country club restaurants are typically the best I get when I go out. I particularly like Evans Prairie, Belle Glade, Havana, and Bonifay.

adequate isn't always good enough
 

I am surprised that there wouldn't be a mix of mediocre to high dining in a community of residents as large as TV. Disappointing that I have to get in my car and drive to Orlando for a good meal. Perhaps finding these adequate keeps a restaurateur from striving to be better.
:(

Thanks! ...I'll definitely give these a try and all others.

If you had issues with all of those restaurants, this is probably not the community for you.
You would probably be happier somewhere else that has high end restaurants that you seem to want.
Good luck. :)[/QUOTE]

Brrr...I feel the chill and it's not from the weather.

thank you, Opus for this thorough and thoughtful and friendly response. There is more to a community than food, there is also neighborliness and you definitely demonstrated that. thank you!

and there is definitely more to a community than food and our decision would not be made on that alone. I have not lived in chicago or NY, visited both rarely, but definitely have experienced good food, not fried and not fancy, in dallas, NJ, Pa, and most currently the eastern shore of Maryland...just well prepared. I am sure there must be restaurants within TV with that standard...and even the ones I visited once may have that standard as a norm, just wasn't my good fortune to experience it on this visit. Thank you for your thoughtful response, GracieGirl.

that is what I feel as well...that I wouldn't choose to come or go based on restaurant quality alone. But I definitely know that good, well-prepared food, not talking fancy or gourmet as some have attributed to me, is doable in TV if it is doable in the small town I currently reside. I am not talking pretentious presentations, I am strictly speaking of care of preparation. Thank you for taking the time to respond to my post with thought.

Thank you, Chuck. I appreciate the guidance.

I haven't eaten at a Bonefish, my hubby has and he has stated that he likes it and our best experience was at a club. Also, I would like to clarify what I mean by "beautifully prepared food": not greasy, not floating in sauce, not cold when it is meant to be eaten hot, not overcooked, not undercooked. I am definitely not talking about haute cuisine. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to restate and for your response.

I agree completely.
Which is easier for a DIY golfer? Learning how to cook great meals or finding 35+ free executive courses to play for free.

thank you for these recommendations...that is what I was requesting! Will definitely give Arnold Palmer and Tapas a try or two or three. 'cause it appears that the Lighthouse is one of the favorite eateries, so it appears my disappointing choice just might not have been representative of the restaurant's best fare. Will definitely give it another go. Thanks again.

Yes, I too agree that restaurants is not the main criteria for considering TV. But a few really good restaurant, note that I did not say fancy, gourmet or haute cuisine, with well prepared fare would be a super bonus. And I am not saying that there are not such restaurants in TV...I've only tried 4 and of the 4 one was entirely acceptable. And the other 3 will be given another opportunity if we move here...will choose different menu items in case my first choices weren't their best productions.

Brrr...I feel the chill and it's not from the weather.[/QUOTE]
I apologize if that's how it sounded. I certainly didn't mean it to.

You stated in the OP that you don't eat out that much. Don't know what that means.........but I would not decide to move, or not move, to a community that didn't provide the ultimate in dining.......not that much.
BTW over a 100,000 are surviving on the restaurants located here. And these restaurants seem to be doing quite well.

It is a learning curve to find the "good" restaurants, or okay restaurants that have one or two good items on their menu. I love fine dining but am more than happy with a clean restaurant with good food and friendly service. My personal experience with restaurants on campus is as follows:

McAlister's Deli or Crispers for a good, fresh fast lunch
Glenview CC for a good, leisurely lunch (and a fantastic view)
Cane Garden CC for their tuna fish salad, but service can be inconsistent
Ricciardi's for a date night. They also have fun group events
Nancy Lopez and Arnold Palmer CC for a little more upscale evening dining

I was not impressed with Too-Jay's, Bonifay CC or Mallory CC. That is just my personal opinion.

The best seafood restaurants are in the Fl Keys. The Fishouse in Key Largo, mm - 102401. Fresh from the ocean. The Green Turtle Inn in Islamorada - mm 81. And on Cudjoe Key - mm 22.5 -The Square Grouper. Very reasonable. All excellent. But closer by...in Tarpon Springs we like Rusty Bellies. I realize all are kind of far but to get "fresh". Seafood you have to go to where the action is.

I agree with Wandatime that its probably a learning curve of who prepares your personal choices the best and consistently.

I also like Lil Bits for breakfast, have been eating there a lot for the past year and never had a bad breakfast. Service is excellent, restaurant very clean. I have had some of their sandwiches and they are excellent and freshly cooked as well.

I like ToJays but pick the times when it isn't crowded and you will probably get better service and a better presentation of your order (warmer, etc).

I eat out just about every night at Country Clubs (mainly because I follow the music and where I can dance) and Bonifay has some good meals, you'll learn what you like to order. Salads are excellent and some entrees are very good. I haven't really had a bad meal yet.

Lunch at Mallorys is very nice (again, pick your time it can get crowded) and I love their pizzas and burgers and salads.

Cane Garden is my choice for a special occasion. I've had their nightly special many times and they were excellent. I also had very good Filet Mignon there and it was superb.

Havana (or Hemingway) since the turnover of management has improved 125% - excellent food, service and its now a clean place. I recommend it highly.

Off campus, is Eaton's Beach in Weirsdale. Great view of the lake, very good food and great service. But can get very very crowded, so pick your times again.

BTW, I'm not a foodie but I would never drive very far to have a meal. I would rather find a place within the villages that I personally enjoyed and found them to be consistent in quality of food and service.

That's my opinion. I hope you come back and try everything like I did and hope to see you dancing around town. Say hi to the old broad with red hair and glasses if you see me.

Regards, KathieI

With the advent of airfreight and fridge trucks it is now possible to have fresh in Kansas. But assuming not to TV, how that frozen fillet is prepared, with or without care, heavy or light hand with the oil and/or sauce is within the capability of any restaurant. Don't you agree? And it doesn't add to cost. It is only about what the consumer is willing to accept. Just because we are growing old should mean we have to settle for lack of care. BUT PLEASE, understand that I have only eaten in four establishments and may not have picked their best items, causing me to not see them in their best light. That is why I asked for recommendations. A few of the responders seem to feel that my experience and request was an overall slap on TV. Restaurants are only a very minor part of TV experience...right? But eating out should be an enjoyable experience which would include the care in which the food was prepared and presented...AGAIN I am not talking about haute cuisine.

THANK you, Kathie. What a wonderful response to my request...just what I was looking for. And I totally agree about preferring to finding enjoyable restaurants within TV rather than getting in my car and driving elsewhere...that would not be one of the reasons I would choose to move to TV. I hope I do see you on the square, I definitely will boogie on up and give you a big "HEY!" Thanks again.
PS I've made a copy of all your suggestions and am going to try every one of them.

Thank you, Wanda, you among several others have provided me with exactly what I asked for in my opening request. I am adding these to my growning list and am looking forward to trying. I don't know much about what is meant by "fine dining," unless it means what I mean by "fine": attentive but not hovering service, no excessive grease or sauces, not just fried menu items, nicely steamed/ sauteed/or grilled veggies...definitely veggies other than iceburg lettuce, on the menu, hot food served hot, moist not dried out from overcooking or laying for excessive time under a heat lamp. That is definitely my definition...all things that don't add a cent to restaurant's overhead, but adds huge value to the diner's experience. Thanks again, most appreciated.

I agree. You can read over 1500 reviews on their site plus get an average rating with their Star System (3-15 Stars) for each listing. They cover 750 restaurants within 100 miles. The reviews are written by Village residents, not anonymous writers (like restaurant owners themselves) and they take no advertisements. I refer to it a lot. Sure, you can get a bad meal anywhere, even Legacy, Palmer or Hemingway. But numerous reviews average out the raves and complaints. Great website and well respected club.

Skip

No what I stated was that we DIDN'T eat out that much while we were enjoying our Lifestyle Preview. Then I listed the four restaurants where we ate and what our experience had been. I agree that our decision would not be mostly based on the restaurants but pleasurable dining out experiences add to the reasons for picking a community. And just because 100,000 sheep are grazing in a particular pasture doesn't mean they are enjoying all the greens found there...just means that is what is available. HOWEVER, I do not believe this is the case in TV, and that is why I asked for recommendations. Again I will state my understanding of a fine dining experience and if you have some suggestions, I would love to add them to my growing list: We enjoy attentive but not hovering service; foods not served with excessive oil/grease; not floating in sauce (cheese or other); tender crisp steamed/sauteed/grilled veggies; VEGGIES other than iceberg lettuce; not steamed in foil baked potatoes (white or sweet); clean. None of which would increase the overhead of the restaurant, but would add enormously to the perceived value by the customer. Again if you have suggestions, I would love to receive them. Thank you.

definitely will utilize, Skip, thanks for adding to Chucks recommendation.

I checked out the website and while I personally disagree on just a couple of their ratings for restaurants I have tried, this is a great resource and will provide me with numerous new restaurants to check out. Thanks for sharing. :eclipsee_gold_cup:

Food here & there
 

We like to eat out as much (or more) as the next person, and we value diversity a bunch.
that said, these are a few of my favorites

We go to Orlando for
Dim Sum
Vietnamese
Indian buffet

Sanford
The Willow Tree (best German place nearby, and the evening entertainment "Schunkel Abend" is lots of fun)

Villages:
Katie Belle's breakfast buffet is my guilty pleasure
Lil Bits has good breakfast, TooJays not bad
Osso Buco dinner at Evans Prairie
Pizza at Flippers
Las Tapas (be adventurous, try the Arroz Negro)
BangBang Wednesday at Bonefish

Wierd dale
Eaton's Beach is Very good, and they provide shuttle service for large groups

Leesburg
Ichiban Chinese/Sushi buffet

Kleeh - We love The Villages... it was the right move for us. But I understand what you are saying. We've been here for 8 months and our experience has been that people value good food at reasonable prices. The long lines at many restaurants prove that. You can get a good/very good meal here, but our limited experience has been that you're not going to find a restaurant that offers creative/innovative/exceptional cuisine. You mention that with 110,000 people there would be demand, but my impression has been that cost weighs heavily on dining decisions here. We've found restaurants that we enjoy very much... but we have not yet found that restaurant that offers the creative cuisine that you're looking for.