[SeaCros]

Options here are like you know what!! The Villages is still considered a small town even for the size. You have folks from all of the US and some from other countries. With that being said, to have restaurants to appeal to everyone is quite difficult. TV has its staple food spots but for a “foodie” it will leave you disappointed. To venture outside of “The Bubble” is going to be your best bet to explore what might be better options. Good luck on your searches.

[Dlbonivich]

Cuban is Villa Piñar Cafeteria in Summerfield

[Caymus]

High population growth areas of the country tend to get corporate owned generic type restaurants. You need to find an ethnically diverse area to find more unique options. The Villages is about 99% White.

[tallmanf]

You will tire very quickly of the choices in TV.

[airstreamingypsy]

I sit here all summer kicking myself for not buy that house in Colorado...... Ocala has restaurants that will please you. Stirrups, at the World Equestrian Center, will knock your socks off...... bring $$$$ Don't expect diversity in the least diverse place,

[allsport]

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.

Many of the people who live here come from MI and OH and the part of the country that eats meat and potatoes and afraid to try anything foodie. There is a gourmet dining club that ventures off the grid and offers lots of good information about restaurants all over the area.

[Rwirish]

Regardless of where you live the best place to eat us at home. Dining out should be a treat.

Don’t encourage more people to come, way overcrowded already!

[cphubbell@aol.com]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Will disagree with Takis. People tell us only good place to get good Greek food is in Tarpon springs over an hour away.

Try Lakis in Ocala for Greek food . Small, in a strip mall but good Greek food.

[LG999]

I guess we all miss or will miss certain things.
We have all the various restaurants imaginable here in NYC, but it is the museums, schools & beaches I will miss

[Lindsyburnsy]

You have diversified dining in communities that are diversified. Have you actually looked around in TV?

[fishon]

We certainly are diversified.
We have all levels of well to do white people.
Sheesh!

[Barkriver]

I wonder if you tried Bamboo Bistro (Asian Fusian) in the Rolling Acres plaza; or Pho Saigon at the intersection of 466 and 301.

[RiderOnTheStorm]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Will disagree with Takis. People tell us only good place to get good Greek food is in Tarpon springs over an hour away.

If you like cajun/creole cooking, you can't beat "Harry's" in Ocala. About a 40 minutes drive. Great steak place a few hundred yards away.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

If someone thought that they would make money with one of those ethnic restaurants I'm sure they would exist in The Villages.

I'm guessing that you are in a small minority that would frequent these places.

I have a friend who says that he wouldn't live anywhere that doesn't have Ethiopian food nearby. I'm sure that an Ethiopian restaurant in TV would go out of business in a very short time.

There is a Greek restaurant just outside The Villages on 27/441 and is golf cart accessible.

There's an excellent Mexican restaurant on the historic side just off of 27/441.

I find most Chinese food here to be OK, but it's not like my home town. zNot bad, just different. The three Japanese restaurants are excellent. For Italian, a few in TV are OK but there are three just outside the borders that are great, Napolino's, Francesco's and Little Joey's.

The other thing about this is when people say that a particular type of food is terrible here, they are comparing it to what they had where they came from. I often find that the food is not terrible, it's simply different.

[Joe Folker]

I unfortunately have to totally agree with your comment.