[Glowing Horizon]

Originally Posted by Topspinmo

I haven’t found anyplace in Florida to rave about, plus only couple worth going back to.

Be sure to try 4 Rivers BBQ as soon as they open! Love their restaurant in Winter Park (NE orlando). The food is exceptionally tasty & high quality at fair prices. Their Winter Park dining room is bench seat picnic tables which is not the most comfortable IMO but still wouldnt not go bc of it. We often take their food to go & eat at home or a park. Soooo good! 4Rivers sides are so good you dont even need to be a BBQ (meat) fan.

If you’re up for a drive, one of my favorite eclectic restaurants has several Central Florida locations.

Tibby’s New Orleans Kitchen.

I love their Winter Park restaurant best for both decor & food. Go there when you’re hungry. Their mixed drinks are awesome too & so are fresh hot messy beignets with piping hot Chickory Coffee. Yummm! Recommend Rita’s Chicken (Panko-crusted, topped with house lemon butter cream sauce. Served over dirty rice) hard not to get Jambalaya or Red Beans & Rice (of course!) Leftovers never go to waste!

Another great choice with several (all great!) locations is Columbia Restaurant which is Spanish-Cuban. My favorite (non-seafood) dish is Eggplant or Chicken Riojana. Table-created Sangria Tinto (red wine) Seafood? Dont miss Paella Espanola. Their “1905” salad is very unique & very good. spanish coffee for dessert will keep you awake for the drive home! An old-time Florida family restaurant group that shines!

[Glowing Horizon]

Originally Posted by MandoMan

I don’t need the meat, and I like canned beans, but I sure wish there were more local restaurants serving honest servings of vegetables. My girlfriend is a vegetarian, and that severely limits our dining options. (Having one vegetarian option on a menu doesn’t cut it.) We are stuck mostly eating vegetarian sushi, Thai, Vietnamese, or Indian. At many local restaurants, the description of a dish (with meat) mentions a variety of vegetables, but it turns out the vegetables are a few little slivers that add color but no flavor. All these restaurants should have at least a half dozen COOKED vegetable sides (not including fries or slaw). Carrots, green beans, Italian pole beans, beets, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, parsnips, kohlrabi, asparagus, spinach, Swiss chard, fully-cooked kale, okra, turnip greens, collards, corn, and more. They don’t have to be cooked in some sauce or stewed with meat as in BBQ places where the vegetables aren’t vegetarian. Just honest servings of perfectly cooked vegetables like my mom used to cook, night after night, in servings of a cup or more. Then we could order our meat, and my girlfriend could order her vegetables (and so would I, as I love them), and there would be more places where we could eat.

You & your girl should LOVE the new 4Rivers BBQ when it opens.4Rivers has many great & hearty veggie sides. 4Rivers grew up near UCF with its largest student population in the US so they know how to please both meat eaters & plant lovers.

[mntlblok]

Originally Posted by MandoMan

That’s in Dalton GEORGIA! Long drive for lunch!

Maybe Dade City? :-)

Google Maps

[Carla B]

Originally Posted by MandoMan

I don’t need the meat, and I like canned beans, but I sure wish there were more local restaurants serving honest servings of vegetables. My girlfriend is a vegetarian, and that severely limits our dining options. (Having one vegetarian option on a menu doesn’t cut it.) We are stuck mostly eating vegetarian sushi, Thai, Vietnamese, or Indian. At many local restaurants, the description of a dish (with meat) mentions a variety of vegetables, but it turns out the vegetables are a few little slivers that add color but no flavor. All these restaurants should have at least a half dozen COOKED vegetable sides (not including fries or slaw). Carrots, green beans, Italian pole beans, beets, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, parsnips, kohlrabi, asparagus, spinach, Swiss chard, fully-cooked kale, okra, turnip greens, collards, corn, and more. They don’t have to be cooked in some sauce or stewed with meat as in BBQ places where the vegetables aren’t vegetarian. Just honest servings of perfectly cooked vegetables like my mom used to cook, night after night, in servings of a cup or more. Then we could order our meat, and my girlfriend could order her vegetables (and so would I, as I love them), and there would be more places where we could eat.

I so lament the demise of the cafeteria-type restaurant; there you could select a variety of vegetables, meat, fish, at a reasonable price.

[johnsre]

Good luck. We came here from NC 12 years ago and haven't found one yet. But Google Steph's Southern Soul Cafeteria in Dade City. Read about in on the Only in Florida site and it just might be what you are looking for. We haven't been there yet, and it is an hour away, but looks promising.

[HORNET]

There are many great restaurants here?

[shaw8700@outlook.com]

Originally Posted by La lamy

You're right that going outside of TV is probably the way to go. We went to OAKWOOD SMOKEHOUSE & GRILL, Lady Lake - 860 S US Highway 441 Not too far, very friendly, great bbq for reasonable prices.

You can’t call it BBQ. They have good burgers and the servers are really nice, but it ain’t BBQ. For that you’ve got to to Mission on 441.

[shaw8700@outlook.com]

Originally Posted by Glowing Horizon

Be sure to try 4 Rivers BBQ as soon as they open! Love their restaurant in Winter Park (NE orlando). The food is exceptionally tasty & high quality at fair prices. Their Winter Park dining room is bench seat picnic tables which is not the most comfortable IMO but still wouldnt not go bc of it. We often take their food to go & eat at home or a park. Soooo good! 4Rivers sides are so good you dont even need to be a BBQ (meat) fan.

If you’re up for a drive, one of my favorite eclectic restaurants has several Central Florida locations.

Tibby’s New Orleans Kitchen.

I love their Winter Park restaurant best for both decor & food. Go there when you’re hungry. Their mixed drinks are awesome too & so are fresh hot messy beignets with piping hot Chickory Coffee. Yummm! Recommend Rita’s Chicken (Panko-crusted, topped with house lemon butter cream sauce. Served over dirty rice) hard not to get Jambalaya or Red Beans & Rice (of course!) Leftovers never go to waste!

Another great choice with several (all great!) locations is Columbia Restaurant which is Spanish-Cuban. My favorite (non-seafood) dish is Eggplant or Chicken Riojana. Table-created Sangria Tinto (red wine) Seafood? Dont miss Paella Espanola. Their “1905” salad is very unique & very good. spanish coffee for dessert will keep you awake for the drive home! An old-time Florida family restaurant group that shines!

I went there and you’re right- it’s great!

[shaw8700@outlook.com]

Originally Posted by Bea&Mike

Miz Kathi’s Cotillion Southern Cafe

We’re going there next Sunday!

[shaw8700@outlook.com]

Originally Posted by MandoMan

That’s in Dalton GEORGIA! Long drive for lunch!

Dalton, Florida

South on 301, about an hour as best as I can remember.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by HORNET

There are many great restaurants here?

OK yes, great no

[GreggC69]

Originally Posted by shaw8700@outlook.com

You can’t call it BBQ. They have good burgers and the servers are really nice, but it ain’t BBQ. For that you’ve got to to Mission on 441.

Where I'm from, if you pull up to a "BBQ restaurant" and you don't see a big pile of firewood on the property somewhere, DRIVE AWAY!

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by GreggC69

Where I'm from, if you pull up to a "BBQ restaurant" and you don't see a big pile of firewood on the property somewhere, DRIVE AWAY!

Very true

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by MandoMan

I don’t need the meat, and I like canned beans, but I sure wish there were more local restaurants serving honest servings of vegetables. My girlfriend is a vegetarian, and that severely limits our dining options. (Having one vegetarian option on a menu doesn’t cut it.) We are stuck mostly eating vegetarian sushi, Thai, Vietnamese, or Indian. At many local restaurants, the description of a dish (with meat) mentions a variety of vegetables, but it turns out the vegetables are a few little slivers that add color but no flavor. All these restaurants should have at least a half dozen COOKED vegetable sides (not including fries or slaw). Carrots, green beans, Italian pole beans, beets, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, parsnips, kohlrabi, asparagus, spinach, Swiss chard, fully-cooked kale, okra, turnip greens, collards, corn, and more. They don’t have to be cooked in some sauce or stewed with meat as in BBQ places where the vegetables aren’t vegetarian. Just honest servings of perfectly cooked vegetables like my mom used to cook, night after night, in servings of a cup or more. Then we could order our meat, and my girlfriend could order her vegetables (and so would I, as I love them), and there would be more places where we could eat.

Can’t order sides? Maybe their reason why?

[MrChip72]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Whatever you do at O",shucks do not sit outside. Swarms of mosquitoes, servers sprayed us last time we did that

We've sat outside many times. No issues with mosquitoes.

I'm guessing you're trying to give "accurate" advice based on one visit?