Restaurant suggestions
 

Hello, next week is our 25th wedding anniversary and I am looking for suggestions on an upper-class restaurant that's eloquent to surprise my wife. We've only been here six months, and I am looking for something that's really special for obvious reasons. Thank you for your help!!

There's the Lakeside Inn/Beauclaire in Mt. Dora, if you're up for a drive.

In Spanish Springs Town Square right here is Coastal del Mar for fresh seafood/fish, and Bella Vita Italian Steakhouse.

Fancy places are above our paygrade so we can't offer an opinion of any other higher-end places in the area. I'm told Chophouse is great though.

In TV there are not any "5 star" restaurants but there are several good and upscale. Harvest, Blue Fin, Costa del Mar, Chop House, Bella Vita, and a few more.

Turners in Leesburg is great and very nice atmosphere

We don't do elegant but Turners in Leesburg and the Rose Plantation have gotten good reviews in the past.

Orlando and Tampa will have restaurants you are looking for. Gainesville has potential and is much closer. And, I'm sure there are hidden gems around.

The Villages Gourmet Club has a searchable database that you might find useful.

Paulies, on Rt 44.

Berns in Tampa is great but might be tough to get into.

Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort.

If you're looking for haute cuisine, you won't find it in The Villages. Chop House has pretensions in that direction but in my experience you'll pay $$$$ for $$ and $$$ quality. Good, but not what you'd expect given the cost. There are other eateries though that are not quite top-dollar but which should fit the bill well. Lopez Legacy for one: great food and service that, though not cheap, won't break the bank either. Bluefin in Brownwood is another one.

As a general rule, exception to Chop House, if you pick an FMK-run restaurant here in TV you won't be disappointed.

Look at Three Six Bistro in Ocala.
three six bistro | Fine dining food wine beverage breakfast dinner | 3751 Southeast 36th Avenue, Ocala, FL, USA
Congrats

We like Stirrups at the World Equestrian Center for both food and ambiance. Very elegant and delicious.

For our last three anniversaries I took my wife to Chop House, Lopez, and Costal Del Mar. She was happy with all three choices and all were very good. Our first year in the Villages, our Anniversary fell on a Saturday Night. I stupidly took her to Palmer without a reservation and we were turned away. We proceeded to go to Lake Sumter only to find every restaurant had a very long wait, so we ate at Johnny Rockets. Needless to say, that didn’t go over exceedingly well and I learned my lesson. But now we have a good laugh every time we pass by that place. Happy Anniversary : )

Marks Prime in Ocala

Turners exceptional
 

One of a kind.