Where to Eat in Central Florida to Avoid the Crowds

Theme park visits are fun. Unlike many other people, I don’t love them enough to have a season pass or anything, but occasionally, I do indulge. Central Florida has plenty of parks to choose from in Orlando, Lakeland, and Tampa. No matter where you are coming from, or how long you stay, you’re gonna need to eat. Where can you eat delicious food in Central Florida for a good price without waiting in a line? Try these two (very different) restaurants that the crowds haven’t found yet.  

Fish City Grill in Lakeland

(Please forgive the photos. We selected take-out, so the meal doesn’t look very gourmet).

I know I write about my love affair with junk food a lot. I enjoy food of any kind, really. Sometimes, though, I want to have something relatively healthy. There are times when Southern fried everything just doesn’t do it for me. During a brief sojourn in Lakeland, Florida this feeling returned. What I wanted was flavorful, but not fried or drowning in mystery sauce. I once had a friend tell me she almost always orders fish when she eats out because when cooked properly, it is good for her, and she doesn’t have to worry about it stinking up her house. I thought that was a brilliant compromise to adding healthy fish into one’s diet. In Lakeland, there is a beautiful, walkable, outdoor shopping mall called Lakeside Village. I do say that knowing that I wasn’t walking around in July with the sun burning hotter than Mars. In Spring and Fall Lakeside Village is a quaint place to stroll around. This shopping village is just 30 minutes west of the Legoland/Peppa Pig theme park in Winter Haven.

In the center of this little neighborhood, sits Fish City Grill. This small restaurant chain has just over 20 locations in four states. However, the Lakeland, Florida location is currently the only location in Florida. Typically, when traveling, I try not to eat at chain establishments unless certain other criteria are met. The chain needs to be relatively small (100 locations across the country is not small). I also look for something that my hometown doesn’t have. Fish City Grill met these criteria, so I decided to give it a try.

Certain people in my household weren’t on the healthy train with me on this particular night. That certain Southern boy ordered the “Pick 3 Combo” for $21.99. He chose beer battered cod, catfish and shrimp with grits. He declared all of it delicious, even giving it above average ratings! Mr. HomeFree knows his fried foods. You can trust him not to steer you wrong.

I selected the Garlic Caper Grilled Salmon, which came with mashed potatoes and broccolini. It was garnished with cherry tomatoes in white wine for $18.99. I felt like I was taking a risk trying a delicate grilled fish from a place I’d never heard of before, but it was worth it. I would go back to Fish City Grill in a heartbeat. They can cook! My fish was grilled properly. My main and side dishes were seasoned and flavorful without being doused in a mystery sauce or drowned in a pool of butter.  

I strongly encourage you to give them a try the next time you are in or passing through Lakeland. As a bonus, there is window shopping in the village after dinner.

Tropico Mofongo

Since the tourist industry is king in Orlando, it can feel like everyone and everything is geared towards that. Is anything there personal, unique, devoid of long lines? Yes! You just need to dig a little deeper with your research or let me do that for you and then take my advice.

I have been very lucky with small restaurants located in strip malls, so I decided to try another one while in Kissimmee. Near the Sheraton Vistana Villages, my favorite Orlando resort, is a tiny strip mall on Vineland Road. In said strip mall, is Tropico Mofongo. Several years ago, I wrote about my first foray into the world of mofongo in Puerto Rico. Now, while there will never, ever be anything that can compare to the all-mofongo restaurant called Good Times in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, this Orlando establishment does a darn good job. (Sadly, my Puerto Rico recommendation is closed forever. Where are you, Chef Mike?)

When ordering mofongo from Tropico Mofongo, be aware that the meat you select will be on the side but that you can (for an upcharge) request additional meat be mixed in. I tried it both ways and didn’t find the extra protein mixed in to be necessary. The portions are quite huge as it is and the mofongo and sauces (yes, there are several) are flavorful. In addition, each order comes with a small green salad.

We ordered a pork mofongo (with meat both inside and on the side) and a chicken mofongo (grilled chicken only on the side). We added an empanada and an alcapurria. Here is your tutorial on alcapurria. These are small fritters served mostly in Puerto Rico. The fried shell is made of ground green bananas, taro root, or cassava root (or some combination of these three). Stuffed with seasoned meat, they are typically much smaller than empanada and have a tubular shape.

This turned out to be way too much food for two people. We ate off these meals for a couple of days. Having said that, our entire bill was only $42.00. Two meals per person is four meals. That means we spent $10.50 per meal for real, homemade cuisine. Would I go back? Yes! This locally owned place also serves egg breakfasts and sandwiches, so there are plenty of experiments waiting to happen. If I am lucky enough to get back to Tropico Mofongo, I might try the El Jefe sandwich, which is comprised of skirt steak, Swiss cheese and onions.

FYI: Mofongo is best served hot and not reheated, so dine in, if you can, and be aware that it is very filling. Order less than you think you will need.

Next time you are in Central Florida, skip Chik-Fil-A (the appeal of which is a mystery to me) and support local business. Avoid lines by going native and local. Whether you want to eat a healthy meal or be a little naughty, Fish City Grill and Tropico Mofongo have got you covered. Happy sampling!