[Indydealmaker]

One of the best restaurants in the area is Turner's Grill in Leesburg. Seating no more than 4 guests at a table, it is quiet and service is great. The menu is creative, fresh and scrumptious!

[Regorp]

Originally Posted by keithwand

Do you leave the bubble and dine outside TV?
What are some of your favorites or dislikes?
I like a range from fish camps and dives to upscale.
Trying a steakhouse in Apopka in a few weeks. Heard it was good.

Prefer to eat in TV, only venture to Leesburg to see movies at AMC, since TV has only one theater. Many fine restaurants right here. Peace!!

[msilagy]

Sorry, but 2 things that are said are like fingernails on a chalkboard.......the "BUBBLE" & "JUST SAYIN'. Other than those words enjoy wherever you dine!!!!!

[Chi-Town]

Originally Posted by virtualcynthia

Columbia in Ybor city Tampa. It’s the oldest Spanish restaurant in the world. It serves Spanish and Cuban cuisine.

Really like Columbia but not the oldest Spanish Restaurant in the world. I've eaten at Casa Botin in Madrid which opened in 1725.

[Chi-Town]

Ocala: Mark's Prime and La Cuisine
Mt. Dora: Goblin Market
Leesburg: Great Chicago Fire Brewery
The Villages: Lopez Legacy

[gatorbill1]

Belleview Pizza
Stumpknockers in Inverness
Napolino's
Mallory Hill CC

[lindaelane]

Two favorites in Ocala: La Cuisine (French) and Ipanema Brazilian Steakhouse.

Two of my unusual finds:

(1) Swampy's in Dunellon. Sit on the patio by the river and watch the Kayakers go by. They have both cajun and calmer foods.

(2) Best meal I have eaten in Florida: El Criollo in Pedro (very small town- very near the north Villages). I had the "Macho Seafood". (yes, I'm female). It was amazing! (note: it was not hot/spicy. It was utterly delicious.) Helps to order in Spanish but I am pretty sure you can order in English. Do not be afraid to try places where a lot of people speak Spanish - the food can be soooo good.

I also like the buffet at the Mission Inn Resort in Howie in the Hills for Sunday brunch.

I rarely eat out since prices went up and I am paying tuition for a young fellow, plus I want to spend money on travel, but I have happy memories of these places.

[JSR22]

Leesburg Prime 3, Turners
Ocala Stirrups, Yellow Pony, Mesa de Notte
The Villages Blue Fin, Chop House, Coastal del Mar, Harvest, Lopez, Palmer and Prima

[pauld315]

We love Mark's Prime, Katya and Stirrup's in Ocala.

[phojo]

Couple favorites: Wolfy’s family restaurant in Leesbirg. Not fancy, but always good food. Stavroh’s Italian on 441 in Fruitland Park, excellent!

[bimmertl]

Originally Posted by GaryKoca

I think the restaurants are generally better and less crowded outside the bubble. I like Fisherman's Restaurant on SR44 in Inverness and Stumpknockers in downtown Inverness. For breakfast or lunch, we like Old Time Diner in Leesburg. When 441 and 27 split in Leesburg, stay on 441 and Old Time Diner is about two blocks up and on the left. O'Shucks is good but have not been there since the pandemic.

Sadly, Fisherman's has closed and property is for sale.

[Skip]

Originally Posted by epratt

If you want a list of area restaurants go to thevillagesgourmetclub.com. There are 957 restaurants there with reviews. You can search alphabetically or by distance or by city. New restaurants are added all the time.

We use the club's website too. You can search for a specific type of food and destination at the same time. Like "Seafood" in "Mount Dora" if you're going there for the day. And the reviews are not anonymous, they are written by members. Wonderful resource.
The Villages Gourmet Club Restaurant Search Engine

Skip

[Floridajimmie]

[QUOTE=Two Bills;2191884]I once had a good steak meal at Marks Prime Steakhouse in Ocala as a guest of a friend who drove us there.
However, I like a bottle or two of red when dining out, and usually get totally wasted.
Driving home outside the Bubble there are law officers looking to fill a daily quota.
Here in TV I tend to blend in with all the other drunks driving home, and the police presence is minimal.
Safer to eat in TV in my opinion! [/QUOTE

[coloniegal]

Many times, we drive up to Cheddars in Ocala for the cornmeal coated fish..delish! Many wonderful places outside of the Villages.

[Al2014]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

We have enjoyed Fisherman's Cove on 44 west of the Villages and Big Bass Grill on Lake Panasofkee, the Anchor on Sunset Harbor, and Flying Boat Taphouse.

With a longer drive there is The Freezer Tiki Bar in Homosassa and a lot of places to try in Crystal River.

Big Bass Grill is definitely a place to try. We like the Shrimp Boil. Worth our drive every 2-3 months. Also The Cove near Inverness is good in my opinion. Neither would be on a Fine Dining list.