[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

There's no point in buying pastrami at all if you can't bring it home and grill the slices with swiss cheese on toasted rye, some raw red onion and for people who require condiments - Gulden's mustard.

One simply does not consume cold pastrami. It is sacrilegious, and borders on heresy.

Speaking of heresy, pastrami with swiss cheese? Yuck!

Sorry but no Jewish person that we know would even think that is a good idea.

Pastrami goes with mustard and a sour pickle, perhaps with a knish or fries.

[LuvNH]

In my opinion, we are ALL making a mistake on this thread. We are saying FOOD in Florida, whereas we should be saying FOOD in The Villages. There are many great places to eat really good food in Florida, but not in The Villages.

Start going down the Gulf .... Tarpon Springs, Clearwater, Reddington Shores, Naples Miami and the best food for us ... Key West. There is great food in Florida, just not in TV.

But, TV is affordable, safe, lifestyle, doctors, golf carts, etc. etc. And, the tropical fruit, veg, deli meats, Publix bread and Amazon delivery is all good.

[maistocars]

Pizza - only choice and I mean ONLY as I've tried them all is Piesano's thin crust - almost reminds me of NY.

[maistocars]

After Piesano's for pizza, forgot to mention we have our Italian sausage mail ordered from NY - excellent and very reasonable shipping. Also, mail order our bagels and chocolate sprinkles. DM me if you want info on sausage place.

[Dotneko]

Originally Posted by maistocars

Pizza - only choice and I mean ONLY as I've tried them all is Piesano's thin crust - almost reminds me of NY.

Ugh. Just no. I gave them 3! tries. Just soggy, lousy dough.

[msilagy]

Sorry to tell you this but you will be very disappointed in the food in the Villages. Run of the mill stuff, nothing close to being original or special. Pizza that sways in the wind most of the time, wings sprayed with whatever flavor you order, no charbroiled 1/2# burgers, average fish when you realize that they think Bonefish is the end all, Chinese is average a couple of good spots. Italian well there some ok places. Coming from the Chicago area it's a disappointment overall. Hope you prove me wrong!

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Dotneko

Ugh. Just no. I gave them 3! tries. Just soggy, lousy dough.

I like Piesano's thin crust pizza because it doesn't have too much cheese. Also, their recipe is very consistent. Many of the places I go for pizza puts way too much cheese on their pizza, and sometimes, you can barely find any sauce at all. Also, they apparently do not have a recipe, so the pizza you get depends on the person who makes it. Some people who make the pizza think that everyone likes extra cheese on their pizza. In my opinion, a pizza should be made the same way every time, and it should have a good mix of both sauce and cheese. Where would you suggest for a decent, consistent pizza?

[Regorp]

Originally Posted by jrogers4649

Figure this is a good place to find all sorts of info. Be moving there soon.

Anyhow, as anyone from Boston/North Shore can attest, we are snobs on pizza, roast beef sandwiches and even Chinese food. Heck when I moved closer to Worcester I couldn't even find good Chinese nor roast beef.

So what I'm looking for is roast beef like Kelly's. Warm beef slices on a sesame or onion roll, American cheese, and bbq sauce.

Pizza, needs to be Italian style, not Greek. God I'd kill for a Santarpios pizza. But heck even Papa Ginos is acceptable.

Chinese, well if you are from the North Shore, you know Kowloon style. That's what I'd be looking for.

Please no haters. If you want to tell me to stay in Massachusetts, just move along. This is for fun and to hear what there is for fast casual stuff around the Villages.

We love Paisanos Pizza on 44.

[MJY10101]

GOOD LUCK! We’re from Connecticut and been here for 6 years. We’ve not found any good Pizza, Roast Beef (like Kelly’s) or anything resembling good Chinese Food. Additionally, the bagels are awful although you can get a six pack at BJ’s that are made in Boston.

[kingofbeer]

With all due respect, never heard of Mass style pizza. Nor I have seen it advertised in Florida or anywhere else in the world. "We serve Massachussets Style Pizza". New Haven pizza is the best IMHO.

[BostonRich]

When I got a white slimy sauce on my Shrimps with Lobster sauce down here, I knew I was in trouble. Oh, for Kowloon's Shrimp with Lobster Sauce . . .

Forget about good Chinese food. It doesn't exist. In fact the last time we got Chinese food from #1, which was one of the best we have found, I said to my wife, "next time we are going to Panda Express". That is sacrilegious up north but at least it is consistently okay down here.

Pizza . . . Belleview Pizza. Best we have found and their other Italian food is very good. Cash only and opens at 3 PM. BOGO pasta meals 3 PM - 5 PM (I think that's the times). Get the large and bring home half for tomorrow. Super thick Sicilian from NYPD is good if you go that way. And for a quick surprisingly tasty option, Hungry Howies (next to Winn Dixie in LA Plaza Grande South) with garlic crust may help with any needs.

Seafood - Dan's Clam Stand, Crystal River + Lena's Seafood, Silver Springs + Essex Seafood House, Pierson . . . . all owned by real New Englanders and as close to clam shacks back home as you can get. All worth the trip. A much closer option, and a real dive, is Oh Shucks in Wildwood. After a few $1 drafts everything will taste good, but they have good fried and raw oysters if you like that and also good haddock and sea scallops. Sam St. John's Seafood in Summerfield isn't all that great but on Fridays they have fresh fried clams from the Ipswich. It is a secret menu item and you have to ask for them.

So you are going to be disappointed with the food, but remember we have happy hours and the multiple drinks will really help you adjust.

Now for something completely different, adjust your taste buds and think BBQ and head over to County Line Smokehouse in Weirsdale on route 25 and indulge in the best BBQ around. It's also a bit on the divy side but the food is made from scratch and fantastic.

[BostonRich]

Originally Posted by maistocars

After Piesano's for pizza, forgot to mention we have our Italian sausage mail ordered from NY - excellent and very reasonable shipping. Also, mail order our bagels and chocolate sprinkles. DM me if you want info on sausage place.

Spinkles? Really? You mean Jimmies don't you?

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by BostonRich

When I got a white slimy sauce on my Shrimps with Lobster sauce down here, I knew I was in trouble. Oh, for Kowloon's Shrimp with Lobster Sauce . . .

Forget about good Chinese food. It doesn't exist. In fact the last time we got Chinese food from #1, which was one of the best we have found, I said to my wife, "next time we are going to Panda Express". That is sacrilegious up north but at least it is consistently okay down here.

Pizza . . . Belleview Pizza. Best we have found and their other Italian food is very good. Cash only and opens at 3 PM. BOGO pasta meals 3 PM - 5 PM (I think that's the times). Get the large and bring home half for tomorrow. Super thick Sicilian from NYPD is good if you go that way. And for a quick surprisingly tasty option, Hungry Howies (next to Winn Dixie in LA Plaza Grande South) with garlic crust may help with any needs.

Seafood - Dan's Clam Stand, Crystal River + Lena's Seafood, Silver Springs + Essex Seafood House, Pierson . . . . all owned by real New Englanders and as close to clam shacks back home as you can get. All worth the trip. A much closer option, and a real dive, is Oh Shucks in Wildwood. After a few $1 drafts everything will taste good, but they have good fried and raw oysters if you like that and also good haddock and sea scallops. Sam St. John's Seafood in Summerfield isn't all that great but on Fridays they have fresh fried clams from the Ipswich. It is a secret menu item and you have to ask for them.

So you are going to be disappointed with the food, but remember we have happy hours and the multiple drinks will really help you adjust.

Now for something completely different, adjust your taste buds and think BBQ and head over to County Line Smokehouse in Weirsdale on route 25 and indulge in the best BBQ around. It's also a bit on the divy side but the food is made from scratch and fantastic.

Note that Sam St. John's is no longer in business.

[cphubbell@aol.com]

Welcome in advance. We are here three years from Westborough. We have not found the ethnic foods to be the same here as has been said.
We have found that the Chop House is exactly the same as the one in Worcester , that Jersey Mikes subs are very good, that Bravo Pizza is the closest with Flippers a close second, that Dans Clam Stand in the town of Crystal River is worth the short drive. We have not found Chinese yet, in MA the staff was bused in from Boston to our local places but even with several in town we would enjoy one and not the other. We like Greek food in Ocala at Lakis but going to Tarpon Springs for the pastry is outstanding. The Crepevine in Altamonte Springs is storefront but a different menu spot.
Go outside of the Villages and be a tourist and enjoy. The Villages has a Baystaters Club you should look into .

[frayedends]

Originally Posted by kingofbeer

With all due respect, never heard of Mass style pizza. Nor I have seen it advertised in Florida or anywhere else in the world. "We serve Massachussets Style Pizza". New Haven pizza is the best IMHO.

What perhaps I would refer to as North End pizza. But I don't think I said Mass style. I said Italian style. Just differentiating the crust mostly. Thin Italian crust.

Trying to add pics but not sure how on here. Unless I'm too new for that. But if this works, here's good pizza...