From snacks to the main course, Greater Gainesville’s growing food scene is getting steamy
The once thriving food industry all around the region got rocked during the pandemic last year. Restaurants were trying to hang on and were forced to get creative by offering to-go services and food delivery just to keep their doors open.
They stayed connected with their customers through social media and email newsletters while the community rallied together and poured their hearts into keeping their local neighborhood food stops afloat. From delivering food to frontline workers at the local hospitals to providing food to first responders, this community demonstrated that they care about our people, our businesses and……..food. Even though we may have lost a few during this uneasy time, we also saw some new ones open up, giving people hope that there was still a heartbeat in the industry. It was almost like spring had emerged from the long cold winter, and new blossoms were popping up here and there. Today, after things have gone back to slightly normal, a hybrid restaurant business model has surfaced where dining rooms are back open with the delivery and to-go scene still going strong. Somehow, someway, our community’s diverse food scene is now better and stronger than ever.
Downtown Arena
This region is very different than its neighboring metropolitan areas of Tampa Bay, Orlando or Jacksonville, but if you are attracted to a big city vibe with upscale food, there are a few places I think of downtown to satisfy my fix. Dragonfly is a sushi + sake restaurant that has so much more to offer than just the busy lounge vibe. They have a great seasonal omakase menu, a great variety of sake and creative sushi rolls that will have you finding room to order more. Crane Ramen is another restaurant that has an incredible vibe to accompany its hipster Japanese cuisine. Great cocktails, insane ramen broths and pillowy steamed buns are why they are on a wait almost every Friday and Saturday night. Covey Kitchen + Cocktails is located in the Hotel Eleo overlooking a beautiful lake with floor-to-ceiling windows on UF Health’s campus. They are creative with their food and cocktails, but what is consistent throughout the restaurant is a clean modern feel from the décor to their menu.
Sizzlin’ Barbecue
If you are looking for food cooked slow and low but do not have the patience or the time to use your pellet smoker, we have some smokin’ bbq places that require two or three wetnaps once you tap out and call it quits. Adams Ribs is a local bbq restaurant that has all your favorite fixings at inexpensive prices. They have two locations, but if you are looking to wash down your food with a refreshing libation, the north location is the one of the two restaurants that serves beer. They have recently expanded to northwest Gainesville with Adam’s Ribs 2 Go. Ordering an order of burnt ends at MOJO Hogtown Bar-B-Que downtown may have you reconsidering it as a shared plate. Smoked meats are not all that is offered on their menu. If you are a brown water lover, this place has an extensive bourbon inventory filling shelves as long as the restaurant and as high as the ceiling. I promise that they even have something new for the bourbon experts to try.
American Cuisine
Dim lights, a glass of wine and sizzling grilled steaks is the perfect setting for when you really want to impress that special someone. We have a few full-service American steakhouses in town. Prime & Pearl, located in Celebration Point, is where you can dine in sophisticated ambiance with modern décor and order from the largest selection of fresh oysters and premium angus beef hand selected and aged just right. They also have a fantastic bar where you can either order a drink and watch the game or meet up with friends and enjoy dinner with a lively atmosphere. Embers, located on S.W. 34th Street, has the most extensive wine list the city has to offer with impeccable service by their sommeliers to match. If steaks are not your jam, try the escargot, grilled Caesar salad and diver scallops. They are delicious and you will not regret trying something different. They have a sister restaurant next door called Spark that has a more intimate yet fun vibe with a limited gastro bar type menu. Marks Prime has two locations, however their one in Gainesville is located downtown and has a great bar scene as well. They have a full menu of wood-fired steaks served simply with salt, pepper and butter. They also have a nice selection of fresh seafood, appetizers like “Lobster Escargot” and a moderate list of premium wines.
Sample of Sushi
If you know how to use chopsticks and are looking for something light and fresh, there are a variety of sushi restaurants that will feast your fancy. Volcanic Sushi + Sake is your neighborhood sushi spot that never disappoints. The service is incredible, and they are not afraid to accommodate your request to customize a roll. They have two locations, one in Haile Plantation and the other at Hunters Crossing. If It Is Kitchen & Cafe has just as creative of a name as their sushi rolls on the menu. If you sit at the sushi bar, their friendly sushi chef will entertain you with his knife skills and bubbly personality. While this next restaurant may not serve sushi, they are wildly popular in this community for their dim sum. Yummy House is your local Chinese restaurant creating those classic dishes that everyone craves. If you like Thai food, Bangkok Square is your jam. Their soups are amazingly flavorful and great when feeling under the weather or on a cool winter evening. Butler Plaza is known to hosting some of the best recognized restaurant brands, including Cheesecake Factory, PF Chang’s, Longhorn Steakhouse, Olive Garden, Bonefish Grill, 4 Rivers BBQ, Grub Kitchen & Bar, Zoës Kitchen, Starbucks, Jersey Mike’s Yogurtology, Outback Steakhouse, Firehouse Subs, Chili’s Grill and Bar, TGIFridays, Bahama Breeze, Jimmy John’s, Bolay, Tijuana Flats, Keke’s Breakfast Café and much more. There are some other locally known franchises like McCalisters, Zaxby’s, Maple Street Biscuit Company and Gigi’s Cupcakes. While there are a few mom and pop joints located in this area, the food chain market dominates this region.
Savory Seafood
With our toes in the water and butt in the sand, Floridians know a thing or two about good seafood. You can pick up something fresh at Northwest Seafood to cook at home, or you could head out to a few of our local favorites. Ballyhoo Grill serves fresh seafood, oysters and sushi. Some of their fan favorites include their homemade sangria and their she-crab soup. The bananas foster prepared table side is a sweet treat you do not want to miss. Blue Gill Quality Food is another fan favorite for those looking for a Southern twist on classic contemporary food. It’s fresh, it’s local and they have delicious crafted cocktails to match.
Calling all Carb Lovers
The smell of garlic can excite just about anyone’s taste buds, and after eating at one of our local Italian joints, you might want to hurry home, and use some mouthwash…. make that twice. Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza, Blue Highway Pizzeria, Pomodoro Café, Leonardo’s Pizza of Millhopper and O Sole Mio Cucina Italiana offer a delicious array of pastas, pizzas and all kinds of other Italian goodness on their menu. We can promise that eating at any one of these establishments will put you in a carb-induced food coma, wishing you had not reached for that last cannoli.
For the Latino Lovers
From Mexican to Cuban, the Latin food scene here is perfect for those looking for authentic and inexpensive eats. Flacos Cuban Bakery is most popular for their late-night crowds that wrap around the building after all the bars shut down. Mi Apá Latin Café has three locations, one in Gainesville, Alachua and Jonesville. They have killer coffee and delicious Latin pastries that will fill your belly and keep you up for hours. If you are looking for classic homemade Cuban dishes, you must visit Abuelas. They give you big portions and at great prices! Las Margaritas, Boca Fiesta and Sublime all provide the delicious tacos, burritos and quesadillas options. However, if you are looking for high quality fresh ingredients, head to Cilantro Tacos in Town of Tioga Center. If you have not taken part in the new birria taco trend, you must do it now! This quesadilla and taco hybrid food is typically dipped in an au jus sauce, leaving your fingers perfectly prepped to lick each one with no shame. You can try them at the new Midtown Eatery food park from the Mexi Cocina food truck, where they serve a limited Mexican menu that will not disappoint.
In the Mood for Mediterranean?
Dreaming of the Mediterranean sea and the fabulous smells that come out of these international restaurants? Tucked away in the Sun Center East in downtown Gainesville, Sababa offers homemade authentic Israeli cuisine. The owners take pride in their fresh ingredients, and you can feel the love they put into it with every bite. Serving all of Gainesville since 1984 and located in Butler Plaza, Falafel King offers classic Lebanese food. This one stop shop offers authentic falafels, gyros and baklava. If you look in the back, there is a small little market where you can buy international grocery items.
Breakfast Bites
Rise and Shine! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so do not skip on some of these gems that will fill your bellies first thing in the morning. Flying Biscuit, 43rd Street Deli, Metro Diner and Peach Valley Café have something for everyone with their variety of egg dishes or sweet stacks. East End Eatery and Afternoon are located downtown off the beaten path but so worth the trip.
Vegan Variety
Vegan options can be difficult to find in some places but not in this town! The Top, Daily Green and Karma Cream all offer many options to indulge in. Typically, you find restaurants that have a vegan option or two, but not a lot of places focus on this style of cooking. Check out these restaurants with extensive selections of vegan food including delicious homemade desserts.
While Gainesville hosts many fantastic food options, all nine municipalities have something great to offer. Some of this region’s fan favorites include Headwaters and The Great Outdoors in High Springs; El Toro and Main Street Pie in Alachua; Woodyard Grill and Villaggio Pizzeriain Newberry; Blue Water Bay in Melrose; The Yearling in Cross Creek; Pj’s Café in Hawthorne. Whatever you are in the mood for, Greater Gainesville has many options to choose from.