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.
:(