FLAVORS
The places we actually go for a bite or drink… and the places we send our friends.
A NOTE ABOUT OUR “MENU”
K&G are mostly pescatarians, with an occasional chicken dish or really good bison burger thrown in. So yes, our favorites lean suspiciously toward seafood—and apparently waterfront tiki bars! Central Florida has plenty of excellent steakhouses and meat-lover destinations; they just aren’t the places we know well enough to personally recommend. This is our list, not the list.
On The Water
I'll Have the Atmosphere, Please
Breakfast, Dessert & Special Occasions
Our favorite spots for dinner, drinks and a Florida sunset.
Off the water but worth leaving the lake for.
Morning favorites, sweet stops & places worthy of a celebration
THE SALT SHACK · CLERMONT
A big waterfront tiki bar on the east shore of Lake Minneola with stellar sunsets. Our favorites are the grouper tacos with yucca fries. Gary: margarita. Kelly: Pain Killer. In summer, take our advice and eat inside—the Florida sun can be brutal! GF
SKI BEACH BAR & GRILL · LEESBURG
Worth the drive just to see the amazing collection of water skis! This tiki bar (are you sensing a pattern?) sits on a tucked-away cove of Lake Harris—historically one of the best places to ski on this huge lake. The menu is Florisana - Florida-meets-Louisiana. We love the grilled redfish with Cajun crawfish sauce. Margaritas for both of us. GF
HARRY & THE NATIVES · OKAHUMPKA
Another lakefront tiki bar worth the drive. The address may say The Villages area, but you’re really in Okahumpka. We’ve enjoyed the fresh market fish here. Casual, local and very Florida. GF
MINNEOLA TIKI BAR & INN · MINNEOLA
A true Clermont local favorite on Lake Minneola—with amazing oak trees & sunsets. We come for the jalapeño burgers, fries and Mango Mike’s Hard Lemonade.
LAKE HARRIS HIDEAWAY · TAVARES AREA
Yep, another tiki bar. It’s been completely remodeled since we last ate here. We recently tried to return for dinner, but the place was packed and the live music sounded fabulous. That tells us it’s time for another try!
HURRICANES BAR & GRILL · TAVARES
A casual waterfront tiki bar on the Harris Chain. Hurricanes is a small local chain; we mean the Tavares location, where the water is part of the experience. GF
J.B. BOONDOCKS · LITTLE LAKE HARRIS
Burgers, sweet potato fries and live music on weekends in a casual waterfront setting. GF
LAKESIDE INN · MOUNT DORA
The Inn is regularly wonderful - which is why we place it separate from our other Mt. Dora eats section. Make an evening of it. Several dining options, beautiful grounds and a lovely Lake Dora setting. Have a drink by the pool, stroll the spectacular gardens, then settle in for dinner. Reservations are smart on weekends and around holidays. GF
THE VIEW · CLERMONT
Less than two miles away on Hancock Road, with sweeping hilltop views over lakes and the golf course—and toward Orlando on a clear day. Great burgers plus trivia, salsa, line dancing and other nightly events. GF
CROOKED CAN · MINNEOLA
Great for lunch. Kelly loves the sandwiches from Three Birds Cafe, but the food hall offers plenty of choices for everyone, along with Crooked Can beer. Outdoor concerts are coming, too. GF
PEPE'S CANTINA · CLERMONT
Great Mexican just a block up from Lake Minneola. Margaritas for sure! And when K&G say we like our Mexican food spicy, we mean it. GF 🌶️
CLERMONT BREWING COMPANY · CLERMONT
CBC has a big food selection, craft beer and great atmosphere. An easy choice when everyone wants something different. GF
SUSHI STORM · CLERMONT
Our neighborhood sushi spot in the Hwy 455 Publix shopping center. We usually do takeout, and the red curry is a favorite. We LOVE heat—but we’ve finally admitted Thai Hot no longer loves us back the next day. Choose your spice level wisely! GF · 🌶️🌶 ️🌶️
AMORE · CLERMONT
A family-run, scratch-kitchen Italian restaurant with excellent service. One of those places where you can tell somebody actually cares about what leaves the kitchen. GF
CLERMONT OYSTER BAR · CLERMONT
A true local favorite with great prices. Come for the seafood, especially the oysters. GF
YELLOW DOG EATS · GOTHA
One of our all-time favorite lunch spots and a must-experience hippie-favorite café. A little red house with a BIG attitude, wonderfully unusual sandwiches and cold beer. Worth the drive.
WINTER GARDEN FAVORITES
There are too many great choices to list them all, but K&G particularly like The Hangry Bison, Thai Blossom and The Whole Enchilada. At Whole Enchilada, head upstairs to the rooftop, order something cold and play a game of Jenga. GF · 🌶️
YALAHA BAKERY · YALAHA
Hands down one of our favorites. Handmade European breads, pastries, cakes and more—including gluten-free bread. The German bakery and Biergarten make the trip part of the experience. GF
FIRST WATCH · CLERMONT
A dependable breakfast and brunch choice with lots of fresh options and plenty for gluten-free diners. GF
KEKE’S BREAKFAST CAFE · CLERMONT
Pancakes, eggs and breakfast classics when you want a traditional sit-down breakfast. GF
OMG JUICE · CLERMONT
Kelly normally refuses to pay someone else to make juice—she makes her own. But OMG is appropriately named. Smoothies and juices actually worth buying. It’s next to CF Fitness, which somehow makes perfect sense. GF
HARLOW GROVE · WINTER GARDEN
For a more elevated night out with beautifully crafted cocktails. Reservations REQUIRED. Plan this one ahead. GF
THE RAVENOUS PIG · WINTER PARK
Worth venturing into Winter Park for an elevated Central Florida dining experience and a special evening. GF
MOONFISH · ORLANDO
A longtime K&G choice when seafood is calling and dinner is the event. GF
OCEAN PRIME · INTERNATIONAL DRIVE
Polished seafood and steakhouse dining when the occasion calls for something special. GF
ENZO’S ON THE LAKE · LONGWOOD
Italian dining in a beautiful lakefront setting. It’s a drive, but the setting makes dinner feel like an occasion. GF
ORLANDO MAGICAL DINING · AUG–SEPT
One of our favorite excuses to venture into Orlando. Participating restaurants offer multi-course prix-fixe menus, making late summer a terrific time to try some of the area’s most celebrated restaurants without peak tourist-season crowds. Look for the annual participating-restaurant list. GF options vary.
MOUNT DORA
We love Mount Dora and have eaten all over town. The setting and variety are terrific, although lately we’ve found food and service a little less consistent than they once were. Explore! We may simply have been unlucky. For lake views, we’ve enjoyed a salad at Pisces Rising and Italian at The Olive Branch—although Olive Branch was out of gluten-free pasta on our last visit.
Special of the Day
THE LANAI AT LAKEFRONT BUOY BUNGALOW
Table for two, lake view please.
Drum roll, please. Our screened lanai may be our favorite waterfront table of all. Pick up some Florida seafood, pour something cold, turn on some music and cook dinner at home.
For seafood, try All Aboard Shrimp Shack Seafood Market on Hwy 27 in Groveland—the wonderfully unpretentious roadside spot where you may find fruit and boiled peanuts along with seafood.
Publix and Costco are also dependable stops for good seafood.
No reservation. No waiting for the check. And the best lake view is already yours. 🌶🌶🌶