[Maxman]

I know we have Bonefish Grill and Carrabba's, but do you think we can support better chain restaurants? I would prefer excellent privately owned restaurants, but I don't think they have a chance here. Love to see chains like Ruths Chris, Flemmings, Buca di Beppo; or even lower end choices like the Cheesecake Factory, P. F. Changs, and Houston's here instead of driving to Orlando. It seems to me that we really have no good options for an aged steak, quality Italian, or Asian here in TV.

We have lots of great bar food type establishments, and the battered fried food is great, although not to good for our longevity. Palmer and Lopez offer better dinning, but still not up to par with any of the better chains or high end family owned restaurants.

Coming from the heavily populated North East, I have been spoiled by excellent gourmet restaurants. I wonder if most people in TV really care or are satisfied with our meager offerings?

[marianne237]

Have to agree with you. Many chain restaurants and not too many independents. Seems like when we visit Tampa/Clearwater area we see a lot of decent places and wonder why they're not here.

[keithwand]

When we lived in Winter Park we enjoyed PF Changs, Cheesecake Factory and Mitchell's Seafood at WP Village.
1 hour away and lots to do.
As for here we would love them to come.

[buggyone]

Originally Posted by Maxman

I know we have Bonefish Grill and Carrabba's, but do you think we can support better chain restaurants? I would prefer excellent privately owned restaurants, but I don't think they have a chance here. Love to see chains like Ruths Chris, Flemmings, Buca di Beppo; or even lower end choices like the Cheesecake Factory, P. F. Changs, and Houston's here instead of driving to Orlando. It seems to me that we really have no good options for an aged steak, quality Italian, or Asian here in TV.

We have lots of great bar food type establishments, and the battered fried food is great, although not to good for our longevity. Palmer and Lopez offer better dinning, but still not up to par with any of the better chains or high end family owned restaurants.

Coming from the heavily populated North East, I have been spoiled by excellent gourmet restaurants. I wonder if most people in TV really care or are satisfied with our meager offerings?

It seems as though most of the posters on TOTV have issues about the cost of our country clubs. I do not think enough would pay the prices at Fleming's or Ruth Chris which will easily go $175 for two dinners and two cocktails or wine.

As for PF Chang or Cheesecake Factory, could they compete pricewise with what we already have and draw enough customers on a year round basis to survive?

For gourmet chains, drive to Orlando and experience life outside The Villages once in a while. It makes a special occasion more special.

[Cathy H]

for example TGI Friday could not survive here (closed last spring). So many diners seem to be in "groups" of 6,8 10 and then the cheapest member of the group usually decides where they should eat & price is always a factor. and they can keep their hat on in the place.

[CFrance]

I'm running out of things we need at Ikea to justify driving to Orlando just so we can have lunch at Brio!

[RErmer]

Originally Posted by Maxman

I know we have Bonefish Grill and Carrabba's, but do you think we can support better chain restaurants? I would prefer excellent privately owned restaurants, but I don't think they have a chance here. Love to see chains like Ruths Chris, Flemmings, Buca di Beppo; or even lower end choices like the Cheesecake Factory, P. F. Changs, and Houston's here instead of driving to Orlando. It seems to me that we really have no good options for an aged steak, quality Italian, or Asian here in TV.

We have lots of great bar food type establishments, and the battered fried food is great, although not to good for our longevity. Palmer and Lopez offer better dinning, but still not up to par with any of the better chains or high end family owned restaurants.

Coming from the heavily populated North East, I have been spoiled by excellent gourmet restaurants. I wonder if most people in TV really care or are satisfied with our meager offerings?

I absolutely agree with you on the need for some upscale restaurants. Every year on my Villages survey I write in Ruths Chris. My husband and I talk about the quality of restaurants here, and just don't think there are enough Villagers willing to pay the high prices that go with fine dining. Unfortunately, I doubt any upscale restaurants will spend the millions necessary to establish such a restaurant and find out!

[lpkshop]

I totally agree. I would love a Ruth's Chris. Heading back north this summer with a list of restaurants especially steak house and Chinese ( far from upscale but nothing down here)
Oh yeah Italian , Japanese . Have to run I'm getting hungry

[applesoffh]

My husband and I agree! Coming from NYC, where dining options in many price ranges abound, the selection of restaurants here in TV leaves much to be desired, IMHO. We're not food snobs by any means, but would love dining experience that doesn't involve a one-hour drive (health problems) in any direction.

[buggyone]

Originally Posted by applesoffh

My husband and I agree! Coming from NYC, where dining options in many price ranges abound, the selection of restaurants here in TV leaves much to be desired, IMHO. We're not food snobs by any means, but would love dining experience that doesn't involve a one-hour drive (health problems) in any direction.

You have well over 100 restaurants in The Villages to choose from!
Ocala is a 40 minute drive and has some upscale restaurants.
You may well frequent a high end restaurant such as Ruth Chris but do you honestly feel as though enough Villagers would pay $175+ on a regular basis for Ruth Chris to open a restaurant here?

[joanramu]

Another one that agrees for the need for better restaurants and not having to drive to Orlando for that gastronomic experience. We just visited TV last week to look at homes to purchase and were seriously disappointed with what is offered in the community. Same applies to shopping for women's clothing, but good restaurants (not necessarily upscale $$$ ones) is important to us. Brownwood Center is now developing and offers an opportunity to lure and bring in a few different restaurants from what is now available and that are not the fastfood-fried-food type ones.

[EnglishJW]

We agree with the OP in general and about Ruth Chris in particular. I am sorry to hear that TGIF failed in TV but I tend to see restaurant chains like it aiming for a younger crowd. Having said that, my wife and I just got back from our all too short visit to TV (4 days). We want to thank everyone for their recommendations concerning the best places to eat. We want to give a very special thank you to the Gourmet Club. We were able to have breakfast at: First Watch (“If pancakes for lunch are wrong, we don’t want to be right.”); SonRise; Lil Bits Café; and Panera Bread (a chain we enjoy) on Market Square. Our lunches were at Too Jay’s; Cody’s Roadhouse; and Five Guys at Paddock Square (just to spend a bit more time in the newest square). We started off with dinner and a show at Katie Belle’s followed by evening meals at City Fire Market Square, Cane Garden CC, and Ay! Jalisco. Thank you again since we enjoyed all of those meals. We’ll be thinking about all of you for the next few weeks as we try to get rid of the new found weight!

[applesoffh]

Originally Posted by buggyone

You have well over 100 restaurants in The Villages to choose from!
Ocala is a 40 minute drive and has some upscale restaurants.
You may well frequent a high end restaurant such as Ruth Chris but do you honestly feel as though enough Villagers would pay $175+ on a regular basis for Ruth Chris to open a restaurant here?

No, I don't believe many would pay $175+ often enough to make an upscale restauant want to come here. The 100+ restaurants in TV are, for the most part, pretty mediocre, but it is possible to get a wonderful breakfast or lunch at some of the mom & pop places both in and outside TV. It's really a matter of what someone likes to eat, and with people here from all over the country, its just too subjective. I end up cooking almost every evening. Not arguing, and not claiming to have a sophisticated palate, but I know what I like and rarely find it at a restaurant here.

[TV Admirer]

We are not yet villagers and certainly didn't have time to visit all the offerings on our 7 day Lifestyle Preview. I agree with those posters that are looking for more upscale dining, however. While I agree that a Ruths' Chris type restaurant may have a difficult time attracting a consistent clientele it would be nice to have other offerings. Even something like Cheesecake Factory which has such a huge menu would be welcome. While some have indicated most are looking for "cheap eats" it appears with the prices quickly rising on new homes that more affluent residents will be arriving!

So much depends on perspective. Those villagers who have lived most of their lives in small towns and villages most likely find the shopping and dining offerings in the villages plentiful. Those of us who have lived in larger cities may bemoan the loss of the opportunities we left behind.

I do, however, have a suggestion for those of you looking for a good steak. Have you tried the filet at Carrabba's? When they first opened here in Louisville, we were eager to try a new Italian restaurant. (Being from the northeast where there are TONS of great Italian eateries, we were disappointed with the local offerings!) Our first few visits were the Italian entrees which we enjoyed. However, on one visit our server recommended the filet marsala and we were hooked! It was actually a better steak that we have had at some of the "upscale" restaurants mentioned by other posters! It's offered with 3 other toppings besides the marsala - bryan is one and I can't remember the others. Give it a try and let us all know what you think!

[784caroline]

A place like Ruth Chris would be great.....but the only way you will see Ruth Chris in Central Florida is if there is a "Casino" nearby in the the future!!