Driving along the coast in St. Augustine, Florida is beautiful. The tranquil sound of the waves is extremely relaxing. After spending some time on the beach, you can easily work up an appetite. Just across A1A (the main road that follows the coastline) is Sunset Grille. The place was extremely busy so I figured the food had to be pretty good. As always I started off with a tropical drink – The Captain’s Coconut. They blended Captain Morgan Rum, Malibu Rum, pineapple juice, and blue curacao. They accented the glass with a fresh orange. This truly was a…
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St. Augustine, Florida is the oldest city in the United States. It is extremely fascinating to think about the generations of people that have walked the shores and streets. It was cool to see a stone fort along the inlet that has protected Florida since before it was a state. Traveling this beautiful country is amazing. St. Augustine is a magical city filled with the old and the new. Part of that new is the St. Augustine Distillery. There they make vodka, bourbon, gin, and rum. If you get there early enough you can take a tour of the distillery.…
Leave a CommentThere is a quaint local bar on the main street in Winter Haven, Florida called Central Tavern. While visiting them one evening I got to talking with the manager and he mentioned that the first Sunday of every month they do a special brunch. They offer a Bloody Mary and Mimosa bar along with some homemade food. It sounded like a fun time so I made sure to put it on my calendar for the next month. So Sunday rolled around and I made sure to get to Central Tavern when they opened up. There was already…
Leave a CommentWhen people think of Florida usually what comes to mind is South Beach, Disney World, and Daytona Beach for a NASCAR race. But there is more to Florida than these places. Florida is loaded with lakes, state parks, nature preserves, and wild animals that you would not expect. Located in Lakeland, Florida is the Colt Creek State Park that sits inside the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve. Here you can enjoy miles of walking and bike trails and hopefully spot a bald eagle or white tail deer. Just on the outskirts of the park you will find a little restaurant called…
Leave a CommentThere are seafood places all over Florida. Sometime the decision can be really hard. When I decided to check out Fish City Grill it was because I saw they had char-grilled oysters on the menu. I was sold. As soon as I sat down I ordered my oysters so they could start preparing them. They usually take a little while to cook properly. Once I got my order in it was time to order a cocktail. I was curious to try the Grilled Peach Old Fashion. They used rye whiskey, St. Germain, thyme, bitters, a splash of…
Leave a CommentI love BBQ. From the smell of the smokers filling the air, to the sweet and spicy homemade sauces. I have written about so many restaurants from Tennessee, Texas, Alabama, North Carolina, and even as far north as Chicago. I was completely surprised to learn that there is a 70 year old BBQ joint in the tiny Florida town of Auburndale. This family run restaurant is a very unassuming on the outside. You could easily pass them and not realize it. You need to make sure to look for the sign for Peebles Bar-B-Q. When I pulled up, their parking…
Leave a CommentOne of my favorite shows on the Food Network is Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. I was excited to find out when I was visiting Orlando that there was a restaurant nearby that was featured on the show – The Meatball Stoppe. I got such a warm welcoming when I walked through the door. The entire staff said hello. I saw right away the signed poster of Guy hanging on the wall. I also found the colorful stencil that the show puts on the wall of every restaurant they visit. This restaurant lives up to their name. In…
Leave a CommentI have eaten at several restaurants around Lakeland, Florida. There was one placed located downtown that I had been wanting to try for a long time called Frescos. They are known for their weekend brunches and I was excited to get to experience it for myself. One of the best things about brunch at Frescos is their bottomless mimosas. These are not just your standard orange juice and champagne mimosas. They offer a variety of different flavors and you can try them all. There were champagne glasses being served all around the restaurant. The first mimosa I ordered was the…
Leave a CommentIf you have ever driven on Interstate 4 between Tampa and Orlando you have certainly seen a giant industrial building with a big sign that says Brew Hub. I finally decided to check them out and see what they were all about. When I walked in I was overwhelmed with the size if the tasting room. There were tables all around and a nice huge bar. I pulled up a seat and started talking with the bartender. What makes Brew Hub different is they offer brewing machinery, space, and bottling to local craft breweries. This allows these local businesses to…
Leave a CommentA brand new restaurant recently opened up in downtown Lakeland called Mojo Federal Swine & Spirits. It is actually located in an old post office building. It was really cool how they incorporated the old look of the post office into an updated chic hangout. What patrons may not realize when they walk into this restaurant is it’s actually a BBQ joint. They smoke all of their own meats in the back. When they run out of a meat, then that is it for the day. While I decided what food to try I glanced over their drink menu.…
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