The Old Salty Dog, a waterfront restaurant that serves hearty food, Sarasota
The Old Salty Dog, a waterfront restaurant that serves hearty food, Sarasota
Fresh tropical fruit at the Lincoln Road Farmers’ Market, South Beach
Florida dining offers something to please every palate. Bountiful waters and a benign climate produce superb seafood and tropical fruits. A wide variety of cuisines is available, including simple food for those who prefer it. Because families make up such a large share of the state’s visitors, there are plenty of kid-friendly informal restaurants. The price categories in this guide allow for a two-course lunch with a family of four, excluding wine but including soft drinks.
Formal restaurants usually open from 7 to 10am for breakfast, from 11:30am to 2pm for lunch, and from 5:30 to 10pm for dinner, but many places serve food all day. “Earlybird specials,” for dinner served before 6pm, are economical for families with kids.
A reservation is usually not needed for lunch or at budget restaurants, but dinner at a popular spot usually requires one, especially during the busy seasons. Most restaurants can accommodate strollers and will offer booster seats, but ask in advance at upscale places. A smoking ban is enforced in all restaurants, cafés, and even bars. Tipping is considered mandatory at any non self-service eatery. The minimum acceptable tip is 15 percent, and the standard tip for good service is 20 percent.
Firm and tender fish such as grouper, mahi mahi, amberjack, pompano, snapper, tuna, and wahoo are staples on the menu, both as entrées and in tasty sandwiches. Large, sweet Gulf shrimp are legendary, and may be served cold with cocktail sauce or used as an ingredient in many dishes. Stone-crab claws are another Florida delicacy, especially prized as they are only available from mid-October to mid-May. Head to Miami’s Joe’s Stone Crab, where these sweet, meaty claws are served chilled, with a melted butter and mustard sauce.
Florida is blessed with a bounty of tropical fruits such as oranges, mangoes, melons, and papayas. Weekly farmers’ markets are good places for sampling them. Stands offering fresh orange-strawberry juice should not be missed.
Northern Florida shows its Southern heritage at stops such as Fish House in Pensacola, which serves a delicious Southern specialty made with grits, a savory porridge made of fine-ground corn, similar to polenta. Shrimp and grits has become a staple around the state. Farther south, the Latin American influence can be seen on menus featuring ceviche (a first course of raw seafood usually with a citrus sauce), beans and rice, and plantains.
Tampa and Miami, with their large Cuban populations, have restaurants serving Spanish dishes such as roast pork, arroz con pollo (chicken with spiced rice), and paella. Cuban sandwiches of ham, roast pork, cheese, and pickles served on crunchy bread are a mainstay. Versailles Restaurant is the best-known Little Havana stop on Miami’s Calle Ocho, and Tampa’s Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City, founded in 1905 and the oldest restaurant in the state, is a must for its flamenco dancers, traditional decor, and great food. It has branches in Sarasota, Orlando, Clearwater, and St. Augustine.
Elegantly decorated Patio Dining Room of the Columbia Restaurant, Ybor City
Well-behaved kids will be welcome anywhere, but Florida’s many informal outdoor dining choices, especially those on the water, are good for families with young children. Watching the boats at The Old Salty Dog in Sarasota will help to keep youngsters happily occupied. The Five Guys Burgers and Fries and Johnny Rockets chains found in many cities offer burgers that are sure to please. For more formal restaurants, dining early is a good idea with kids. To be certain whether better restaurants encourage families, ask if they offer a kids’ menu. If children want more than the usual burgers, chicken fingers, or hot dogs, consider having them split an adult portion.
Diners enjoying a meal at Johnny Rockets, Fort Lauderdale
The most typical dessert found on menus is Key lime pie, truly authentic only when the tangy filling is made with the small, round, yellow-green limes grown in southern Florida. Flan, a typical Spanish custard, will appeal to youngsters. Many towns have locally owned ice cream parlors that offer specialties such as home-made cones or real Italian-style ices. Miami’s Dolce Vita Gelato Cafe is famous for its gelato, while St. Augustine’s Hyppo serves gourmet popsicles in unusual flavors.
Wheat, milk, and shellfish are mainstays of Florida cooking, so tell your waiter about any special food needs. Most restaurants are good about substitutions, including vegetarian dishes and gluten-free foods. Be sure to mention any nut allergies and carry emergency medications for the whole family.
1 Florida is known for its Key limes, which ripen from green to yellow and have greenish-yellow flesh. What is the famous dessert made from them?
2 Florida grows over a dozen kinds of tropical fruit. Oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and limes are the most common. How many others can you name?
3 Cuban sandwiches are popular in Florida. They are made with ham, pork, cheese, and a suprise ingredient. Do you know what it is?
The first orange trees in Florida were planted in the mid-1500s by the early Spanish explorers near St. Augustine. There are now millions of orange trees in the state.
Stone crabs are found all along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts but are commercially harvested almost exclusively in Florida. The only part of the crab served is the big, meaty claw. Fishermen are allowed to take only one claw, at least 2 ¾ inches (7 cm) long, and are required to return the crab safely to the water. Claws detach easily and the stone crab can grow them three to four times.
Answers:
1 Key lime pie.
2 Mango, papaya, kiwi fruit, star fruit or carambola, passion fruit, avocado, lychee, guava, jackfruit, banana, and tangerine, among others.
3 Pickles.