[Djean1981]

I'm not a foodie at all, but I know there is a Villages Gourmet Club.

The Villages Gourmet Club Restaurant Review Site

[Ecuadog]

The Villages Gourmet Club maintains a website listing about 900 restaurants within about 100 miles of The Villages. A lot have been reviewed by club members. It might be of some help.

Website... click here.

Search Page... click here.

[Keefelane66]

Originally Posted by Michael 61

I am moving to TV in a few months from Colorado, and can’t wait! I am the biggest cheerleader for TV here in Colorado, encouraging all my friends who are approaching retirement to book a lifestyle visit. There is one thing I’m going to miss when I move however. TV lacks the restaurant diversity I am used to. I eat out most meals (breakfast and dinner), and enjoy locally owned and ethnic restaurants. I completely stay away from fast food and any chain restaurants. I am an admitted “foodie” and also a pretty good cook myself. During my lifestyle visit, I checked out all the highest rated restaurants based on Yelp reviews. I thought Harvest/Blue Fin/Chop house were all “OK”, as well as Thai Ruby. The Mexican and Chinese places were awful. (We have excellent Mexican here in the West). For the TV being so large, where are the Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, Greek, Cuban, Cajun, German restaurants? Where are the French bistros and Spanish tapas places? I was surprised how “meat and potatoes” and chain-restaurant heavy TV is. I guess I will need to drive to Orlando weekly for some restaurant diversity, or I will be cooking more at home myself. Please don’t think I am bashing the TV in anyway -I can’t want to move in a few months, but I will miss my restaurants.

You should enjoy the MANY options of ethnic food in Orlando.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

There is very little in the way of actual diversity with regards to variety of ethnic food options in the Villages. You can have any of over a dozen kinds of burgers at more than that many restaurants. The Mexican restaurants are all American-Mexican joints such as you would see in "Mexican" chains nationwide, with very few exceptions (Ay Jalisco is one such exception). There is no falafel or Syrian joint within miles, and the only pita you'll find in any restaurant is the fluffy greek style pita.

Taki's idea of greek salad is SHREDDED lettuce, with SHREDDED dry feta, italian pepperoncini, and two kalamata olives with an overabundance of red wine vinegar that makes it almost inedible. They put peppers and grilled onions on their MEATBALL SUBS for crying out loud. There's nothing greek about that. And they use the same meat sauce for EVERYTHING that has red sauce on it.

There are a few pizzerias that a self-respecting New Yorker would consider edible, but none that truly inspire a pizza connoisseur.

Since we are far from any coast, all seafood comes in frozen. You won't find a poutine truck, and most Villagers idea of a cheese curd comes from a "Cottage Cheese" container.

The primary demographic of the Villages, as far as I can tell, wants steak, or tilapia, or other common American foods, want their Mexican food prepared in the traditional American style, think flatbread pizza is pizza, thinks pita bread is fluffy and soft and not suitable to stuff with anything, and so on. Their idea of "good food" is Version #499 of "chicken alfredo" at the more expensive National chain restaurant. It's what the Villagers want, that's what sells, and so that's what will pay the rent in the Villages.

If you want more ethnic foods, you need to go to areas where there are more ethnic people.

[Calisport]

Pretty bad choices even in the big cities here. Think Steak and Shakes and McDonalds

[manaboutown]

You will find the local restaurant food blah at best.

[EdFNJ]

Originally Posted by Michael 61

I am moving to TV in a few months from Colorado, and can’t wait! I am the biggest cheerleader for TV here in Colorado, encouraging all my friends who are approaching retirement to book a lifestyle visit. There is one thing I’m going to miss when I move however. TV lacks the restaurant diversity I am used to. I eat out most meals (breakfast and dinner), and enjoy locally owned and ethnic restaurants. I completely stay away from fast food and any chain restaurants. I am an admitted “foodie” and also a pretty good cook myself. During my lifestyle visit, I checked out all the highest rated restaurants based on Yelp reviews. I thought Harvest/Blue Fin/Chop house were all “OK”, as well as Thai Ruby. The Mexican and Chinese places were awful. (We have excellent Mexican here in the West). For the TV being so large, where are the Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, Greek, Cuban, Cajun, German restaurants? Where are the French bistros and Spanish tapas places? I was surprised how “meat and potatoes” and chain-restaurant heavy TV is. I guess I will need to drive to Orlando weekly for some restaurant diversity, or I will be cooking more at home myself. Please don’t think I am bashing the TV in anyway -I can’t want to move in a few months, but I will miss my restaurants.

I know you said "here in The Villages" but If you're up for about a 1 hour drive back to civilization every once in a while check out "Restaurant Row" sort of in Orlando, mostly in Doctor Phillips. Probably a mile long strip on both sides with everything you could imagine from fast food to highest end. Also close by includes 2 Trader Joes & Whole Foods and Universal Studios and 2 Costco's. We go up there almost monthly even during "high season" and even when the traffic is bad, it's really not that bad especially now that Rt4 construction in that area is mostly done.

Orlando's Restaurant Row | Find Dining, Bars & Entertainment and there is likely twice as much as listed at this link.

[Heytubes]

Around the Square in Ocala is pretty good. Mark’s Prime for steak, Ivy House down the street, etc. Flemmings’s or Eddie V’s in Orlando are great too.

[Worldseries27]

Originally Posted by michael 61

i am moving to tv in a few months from colorado, and can’t wait! I am the biggest cheerleader for tv here in colorado, encouraging all my friends who are approaching retirement to book a lifestyle visit. There is one thing i’m going to miss when i move however. Tv lacks the restaurant diversity i am used to. I eat out most meals (breakfast and dinner), and enjoy locally owned and ethnic restaurants. I completely stay away from fast food and any chain restaurants. I am an admitted “foodie” and also a pretty good cook myself. During my lifestyle visit, i checked out all the highest rated restaurants based on yelp reviews. I thought harvest/blue fin/chop house were all “ok”, as well as thai ruby. The mexican and chinese places were awful. (we have excellent mexican here in the west). For the tv being so large, where are the indian, vietnamese, korean, greek, cuban, cajun, german restaurants? Where are the french bistros and spanish tapas places? I was surprised how “meat and potatoes” and chain-restaurant heavy tv is. I guess i will need to drive to orlando weekly for some restaurant diversity, or i will be cooking more at home myself. Please don’t think i am bashing the tv in anyway -i can’t want to move in a few months, but i will miss my restaurants.

impanema brazilian steak house. Upscale restaurant in ocala

[Babubhat]

Orlando. Dr. Phillips area. Restaurant Row is a bit of a culinary melting pot

Orlando's Restaurant Row | Find Dining, Bars & Entertainment

[crash]

Originally Posted by Michael 61

I am moving to TV in a few months from Colorado, and can’t wait! I am the biggest cheerleader for TV here in Colorado, encouraging all my friends who are approaching retirement to book a lifestyle visit. There is one thing I’m going to miss when I move however. TV lacks the restaurant diversity I am used to. I eat out most meals (breakfast and dinner), and enjoy locally owned and ethnic restaurants. I completely stay away from fast food and any chain restaurants. I am an admitted “foodie” and also a pretty good cook myself. During my lifestyle visit, I checked out all the highest rated restaurants based on Yelp reviews. I thought Harvest/Blue Fin/Chop house were all “OK”, as well as Thai Ruby. The Mexican and Chinese places were awful. (We have excellent Mexican here in the West). For the TV being so large, where are the Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, Greek, Cuban, Cajun, German restaurants? Where are the French bistros and Spanish tapas places? I was surprised how “meat and potatoes” and chain-restaurant heavy TV is. I guess I will need to drive to Orlando weekly for some restaurant diversity, or I will be cooking more at home myself. Please don’t think I am bashing the TV in anyway -I can’t want to move in a few months, but I will miss my restaurants.

I moved here from California and that is one of the only things I miss. Not sure you can even find the true ethnic food places in Orlando. Central Florida and especially the Villages is an ethnic deserts especially Asian.

[CCristella]

Originally Posted by Michael 61

I am moving to tTV in a few months from Colorado, and can’t wait! I am the biggescheerleader for TV here in Colorado, encouraging all my friends who are approaching retirement to book a lifestyle visit. There is one thing I’m going to miss when I move however. TV lacks the restaurant diversity I am used to. I eat out most meals (breakfast and dinner), and enjoy locally owned and ethnic restaurants. I completely stay away from fast food and any chain restaurants. I am an admitted “foodie” and also a pretty good cook myself. During my lifestyle visit, I checked out all the highest rated restaurants based on Yelp reviews. I thought Harvest/Blue Fin/Chop house were all “OK”, as well as Thai Ruby. The Mexican and Chinese places were awful. (We have excellent Mexican here in the West). For the TV being so large, where are the Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, Greek, Cuban, Cajun, German restaurants? Where are the French bistros and Spanish tapas places? I was surprised how “meat and potatoes” and chain-restaurant heavy TV is. I guess I will need to drive to Orlando weekly for some restaurant diversity, or I will be cooking more at home myself. Please don’t think I am bashing the TV in anyway -I can’t want to move in a few months, but I will miss my restaurants.

The restaurants you are
looking for are in Palm Beach County
Fine inning is non existent in TV

[terenceanne]

Also, no Portuguese or Spanish place for garlic shrimp, Paella etc.......and forget about finding a decent bagel. The lack of food options is one of the very few things I hear people complain about here in paradise.

[NotGolfer]

Remember you're moving to a new state and with it is a new culture (southern). So many folks will share on social media about what they miss here in T.V. that they once had. You'll not find "here" will be like "there". You might have to discard some expectations and habits from before. As we age "change" is harder to accept but it's a factor we all go through---liking it or not. You're exchanging where you live for a new "Life-Style" and that's what sells The Villages. Hopefully you'll find contentment and happiness wherever you live.

[NoMo50]

It is what it is. You obviously chose The Villages for a reason, and there are a good many reasons to make the choice. However, I can't recall any Villages promotions where grand diversity in dining was touted, and certainly not via golf car. Like the rest of us, you will quickly learn what is available, and what is not. What works, and what does not. Whether, for you, the plusses outweigh the minuses.

But please: You moved here from there. Here is not like there. Don't try to make here like there.