12 mouthwatering spots outside Orlando that deserve a weekend road trip

By Orlando Weekly Staff on Fri, May 29, 2015 at 4:23 pm

Last week, we published a savory lil' story about a few of our favorite restaurants outside of Orlando that are more than worthy of a good weekend road trip. However, we felt like there were a lot more eateries that should be mentioned. So, here's our favorite destinations spots outside of The City Beautiful.

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Mount Dora
Goblin Market
330 Dora Drawdy Way, Mt. Dora, FL 32757
(352)-735-0059
thegoblinmarketrestaurant.com

If you’re looking for a change of scenery and an appetizing meal next time you dine out, Mount Dora’s Goblin Market is a safe bet. Eat in one of three small dining rooms, where bookshelves and large windows line the walls, or the cozy, enclosed outdoor patio. Served with a crown of caramelized onions in a Jameson’s Irish Whiskey broth, the onion soup will put a good taste in your mouth to start. Meat and seafood lovers alike will feel at home with choices like the "Filet Portabella,” a tenderloin topped with a portobello cap and melted brie, or "Snapper St. Martin,” the filet pan-fried with an orange sauce, kiwi and banana.

Photo via Goblin Market

Oviedo
Black Hammock
2316 Black Hammock Fish Camp Rd, Oviedo, FL 32765
407-365-2201
theblackhammock.com

They say there’s nothing like fresh caught fish (or gator) and we agree after sampling this down-to-earth, backwoods Florida eatery. The humble wooden structure sits on the shores of Lake Jessup where we suggest you make a day out of it with an airboat ride — a sure-fire guarantee you’ll see countless alligators in Florida’s pure environment. When in Rome, do as the Romans, right? Well, to quench your appetite, we say, “When at Black Hammock, eat gator tacos.” If you can’t stomach the gator, go for the buffalo shrimp, which has a perfect wing-type spice that will go right to your toes.

Photo via Black Hammock

New Smyrna Beach
The Spanish River Grill
737 East 3rd Avenue, New Smyrna Beach Florida 32169
386-424-6991
thespanishrivergrill.com

Tucked next to a nail salon in the corner of the Indian River Shopping Village, we consider this two-time James Beard Award semifinalist a hidden gem. The restaurant prides itself on using fresh, local ingredients to create the modern Latino-style menu where you can find dishes like the Havana Snapper, which is fried — and served — whole with a side of saffron rice and cucumber jalapeno relish. As you head home after a weekend at the beach, try the eatery’s not-so-typical Sunday brunch with dishes like the Krispy Kreme and bacon bread pudding with poached eggs, bacon and maple syrup.

Photo via Spanish River Grill

DeLand
The Old Spanish Sugar Mill Grill and Griddle House
601 Ponce Deleon Blvd, De Leon Springs, FL 32130
386-985-5644
oldspanishsugarmill.com

Move over, IHOP. And enter the established, 19th century Old Spanish Sugar Mill Grill and Griddle House, where you pour your own pancakes. At the center of each table in the open, down-to-earth building that probably hasn’t changed much since it opened, is a built-in electric griddle where you pour your batter choice of either unbleached white flour or a mixture of five fresh stone ground flours. The menu has other breakfast and lunch items, but the pancakes, which you can get creative with by adding things like blueberries, pecans or chocolate chips, are the main draw.

Photo via Spanish Sugar Mill Facebook

Windermere
Yellow Dog Eats
1236 Hempel Ave, Windermere, FL 34786
407-296-0609
yellowdogeats.com

You’d never guess it from the name, but this charming, family-owned restaurant serves complex, gourmet sandwiches, a far cry from dog biscuits and bones. See your classic club sandwich get a makeover with the Yellow Dog club, served on fresh pioneer bread glazed with orange-Cointreau mayonnaise and stacked with layers of honey-mesquite turkey, smoked Gouda, crispy bacon and red-leaf lettuce. Save room for the strawberry-kiwi tart or the peanut butter-chocolate pie, two sweet treats we can vouch for. The original location is in Gotha near Windermere, but also find Yellow Dog Eats Kitchen and Bar in New Smyrna.

Photo via Yellow Dog Eats Facebook

Orlando
Little New Orleans Kitchen Oyster Bar
9741 S Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL 32837
407-438-6990
facebook.com/littleneworleans

A piece of New Orleans is transported to Kissimmee at this local Cajun eatery. Don’t judge a book by its cover, or in this case, a restaurant by its location because while it's housed in a humble, unimpressive shopping center, the food inside can be classified as authentic, fresh and memorable. We recommend you try the creamy Creole jambalaya, a house special, but if you want to stick to the classics, that’s ok, too, because the shellfish combos – crab, shrimp and crawfish – are fresh and generous, steamed with spices and sided with corn and potatoes.

Photo via Little New Orleans Facebook

St. Augustine
Ice Plant Bar and Restaurant
110 Riberia Street, Saint Augustine, FL 32084
904-829-6553
iceplantbar.com

Ice Plant Bar and Restaurant pays homage to St. Augustine’s long-standing history as the oldest town in America through serving locally grown ingredients in their delectable pressed juices, cocktails and entrees. Open for lunch and dinner and offering only grass-fed beef, burgers and local seafood, Ice Plant sets itself apart from most beachside restaurants. The building itself dates back to 1927 when it was originally utilized as an ice plant factory. This “Roaring Twenties” feel is complete with bridge cranes above the bar and three different options of ice cubes, a salute to the building’s history.

Photo via Ice Plant Bar

NEW SMYRNA BEACH
Third Wave
204 Flagler Ave., New Smyrna Beach, 32169
386-402-7864
thirdwavensb.com

Flagler Avenue's offerings are growing by leaps and bounds, but this spot stands out. Though a hot pour-over might not sound like ideal après-beach fare, maybe a scoop of ice-cold gelato or a craft brew from the tap would do the trick? Stick around for dinner under the bistro lights on the patio and order kielbasa-spiced hanger steak with sweet mustard, fresh-crunchy kale salad or a charcuterie board to share. Maybe after dinner, with the drive home ahead of you, ordering that coffee will seem like the thing to do.

Photo via Aldrin Capulong

Deland
Cress Restaurant
103 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand, 32720
386-734-3740
cressrestaurant.com

Even if it weren't hailed as one of the country's best restaurants or if chef-owner Hari Pulapaka hadn't been nominated for a James Beard Award multiple times, Cress would still be worth visiting because, well, the food is just damned good. Current standouts on Cress' eclectic carte de menu include roasted butternut-and-cashew Wellington, grilled heritage pork chop with barbecued onions, and lemongrass-coconut Rendang curry, but selections change daily. If the smoked Florida fish tacos (one of our Best of Orlando winners in 2014) are on the menu, don't pass them up.

Photo via Cress Restaurant Facebook

Clermont
The Crooked Spoon Gastropub
200 Citrus Tower Blvd., Clermont, 34711
352-404-7808
thecrookedspn.com

Formerly a food truck famous for the "420 Burger" and helmed by the well-loved chef Steve Saelg, who passed away last year, devotees of that gut-buster now have to travel to the outer edges of Clermont to get one at this gastropub in the Citrus Tower's shadow. Sample innovative dishes like duck consommé ramen, coconut-crusted chicken over cardamom-spiced waffles with garam masala maple syrup, and probably the best homemade potato chips we've ever had. The customer service is as friendly and unctuous as the lobster grilled-cheese sandwich.

Photo via Robert Bartlett