Tag: Lakeland

If you heard there was a deli that served up freshly made bagels, cannoli, and pork roll sandwiches, where would you expect to find this place? In New York or New Jersey perhaps? Well I found this deli in Lakeland, Florida. Uncle Nick’s is owned by a family that is originally from New York. It is a great neighborhood place that sells everything from sausages and cold cuts to pastries. They bring in cookies from an Italian bakery in New Jersey. They even have cheesecake from Juniors in New York City. Since I have been to the actual Juniors location…

Lakeland is located in Central Florida in between Tampa and Orlando. It is home to many lakes, hence the name. Downtown you will find Lake Mirror, breweries, cigar bars, food trucks, craft shops, and so many other great things to see and do. The Terrace Hotel is one of those places that is a must visit in downtown Lakeland. It is a hotel from 1924 that has been restored to its former glory.     Located inside the hotel is the Terrace Grille. They serve a nice Sunday brunch.    Naturally I started off with a mimosa. If you have read…

Italian food is very comforting with all the cheeses and sauces that cover everything from pastas to meats. After a busy day, I was in the mood for some comfort food. I thought that Palace Italian Restaurant would satisfy that mood. I had never actually eaten inside the restaurant. In the past I have gotten take out. This time I wanted to eat there. They have amazing murals painted on the walls, many are of famous landmarks around Italy. Once I sat down my waitress brought over some homemade bread. This was a flat bread that was topped with butter,…

There is a great neighborhood bar in Lakeland, Florida called 716 Burgers & Brew. This bar is tucked away off the main road, in between neighborhoods and golf courses. This is the type of place where all the locals go to hang out. Everyone knows each other. If you are a Buffalo Bills fan (or any team from Buffalo) this is the perfect hangout for you. See the owners of the bar, Bo and Lisa, are from Buffalo. This is why it is called 716 – it is the area code for Buffalo. I think it is a clever name…

I did not expect to find a little piece of New Orleans in downtown Lakeland, Florida, but that I what I found with Harry’s. I was given a big “Crescent City” welcome when I walked through the door. I took a seat at the bar which was clearly the hot spot. I started off with one of Harry’s signature cocktails. They had several options that sounded good but I went for the “Big Easy”. It was a combination of spiced rum, whiskey, amaretto, banana liquor, Midori, and pineapple juice. It was sweet and the flavors of banana and pineapple are…

I have written about The Red Top Pit Stop before. The last time I visited I was there for breakfast. This second visit I was there for lunch. As soon as I got out of the car I could smell their BBQ smoker and it made me so hungry. Because of that smoker I knew I wanted to try some BBQ. I ventured out of my normal routine. Normally I would order pulled pork if it is on a menu, but this time I went for the chopped beef brisket. The brisket was chopped up extremely fine. It was piled…

Watching football on Sunday’s is a tradition across America. Having a fun place where you can watch the game and have great food is a must. I found that place in Lakeland, Florida called Mojo’s. They were founded in 2008 and are known for their ice cold beer. I was very excited to see that their wings have won tons of awards. Their menu is cute and creative. It’s a newspaper! I was thrilled to try their red raspberry sangria. It can be ordered by the glass or the pitcher. Naturally, since it was game day I ordered the pitcher. They use raspberry liquor,…

Some friends of mine knew how much I loved Italian food and told me that I needed to join them at Scarpa’s in Lakeland, Florida. They absolutely love this place so I knew I would love it too. As soon as I walked in I was greeted by a giant chalkboard filled with their daily specials. As soon as I saw arancinis on the board, I knew I would be getting these for sure. The restaurant is slightly small inside so it is necessary to make a reservation. They do have a beautiful wine cellar with several great options to…

This restaurant is a little off the beaten path in Lakeland, but their Cuban food is worth the drive. I love Cuban food and it is not something you can find regularly outside of Florida. So when I visit it is a must have on my list. To start lunch off, I got two appetizers for the table. The first being fried ripe sweet plantains. These are my absolute favorite dish. I can tell that the plantain was perfect because it will be soft and sweet. When it is hard and bland then the plantain is not ripe enough. The…

I have written about Frescos in Lakeland, Florida before. I went back recently for brunch again. I had such a great experience I thought I would write about them again. I started off with the deviled eggs. They are perfect for sharing. These had a beautiful sweetness to them. They also had crunchy bacon accents that added a very slight touch of saltiness. For my meal I ordered the spicy chicken and waffles with chorizo gravy. After I ordered it my waiter said this was his favorite dish. When I here this from someone who works at the restaurant I…