Space Coast Florida is the perfect place to go if you are looking for an adventure right on the water. You may be coming to the area for a few days before or after a cruise or just for a week-long vacation.
No matter why you’re here, you will find that there are all sorts of things to do. You can enjoy activities like surfing, fishing or air-boat tours. The Florida Space Coast certainly won’t disappoint!
While you are in Space Coast Florida, you must visit as many of the restaurants as possible. Some of the most delicious food in all of Florida can be found here. Many of the restaurants are LGBTQ friendly, so you will be able to enjoy a friendly atmosphere as well. Not sure where to eat at while in Central East Coast Florida?
Don’t worry because we’ve got you covered! Check out our comprehensive guide to some of the best places to eat in below.
Breakfast/Brunch
You really should start your day out with a delicious breakfast or brunch. You’ll be delighted to find that this area has a whole host of different options to choose from. You can enjoy everything from just a cup of coffee to delicious donuts.
Bakery Vibes
If you are looking for a very LGBTQ friendly breakfast spot, then head over to OSSORIO Bakery & Cafe in historic downtown Cocoa Village. Here you can enjoy hand-rolled croissants and fruit pastries. You really can’t go wrong with any of their made from scratch bakery items.
Lighter Fare
You may not be in the mood for anything very heavy in the morning. That’s okay because there’s a restaurant in historic downtown Melbourne that offers some lighter fare. Sun Shoppe Cafe‘ has a variety of coffee drinks like lattes and cappuccinos. They also serve breakfast items including bagels and scones.
Something Different
Are you in the mood for something different for breakfast? Forget the bacon and eggs, and head over to Ormond Beach to Donnie’s Donuts. You can enjoy a variety of donuts here while taking in the modern charm. Mulberry Lane Cafe, in Melbourne, is another restaurant that won’t disappoint. They serve many breakfast classics with a slight twist. Guests can create their own omelets with things like artichoke hearts, chili, and goat cheese. There are also other dishes like baked oatmeal and caramel pecan pancakes.
Heartier Options
Some say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Because of this, you may be looking for something heartier. Berry Fresh Cafe is a great option in Port St. Lucie. They feature homemade hashes, eggs benedict, waffles, and french toast. If you’re really hungry, try their ‘Big Breakfast’. It includes eggs, toast, potatoes, sausage, or bacon.
Lunch
There is no shortage of places to eat lunch in Central East Coast Florida. What are you in the mood for? Whatever it is, you will find it here!
Seafood
There’s certainly some great seafood in this area. If you are looking for a casual place to eat, head over to Millie’s Restaurant in Daytona Beach Shores. It is highly rated and has some of the freshest seafood in all of Florida. Make sure you tried the fish sandwich or the filet and shrimp fondue.
Popular With The Locals
If a restaurant is popular with the locals, then you know it has to be good. Aunt Catfish, in Port Orange, features “Down South” food. Favorites include the gator burgers and sandwiches. Try to save room for dessert as you must try the cinnamon rolls while you are here.
Comfort Food
Nothing beats good old comfort food for lunch. The Salty Fox in Melbourne won’t disappoint. This LGBTQ friendly restaurant features a variety of different dishes like barbecue chicken and smoked pork belly. They also serve beer and craft cocktails to perfectly complement your lunch.
Casual Atmosphere
You may just want to sit down in a casual atmosphere to get a bite to eat. While in Melbourne, Time Square Diner offers large portions in a diner-like setting. They are also a Dining Out For Life® participant. They serve a variety of items like salads, sandwiches, burgers and homemade soups.
Unique Eats
Are you looking for somewhere interesting to eat at? Head over to Cocoa Beach to The Tiny Turtle restaurant. This Caribbean fusion restaurant serves some interesting dishes including burrito bowls, peanut butter, and jelly pork sliders, and four cheese bacon melts.
Happy Hour
Why not enjoy a drink or two while visiting the area? There are several places that you can go for happy hour. Each one of them has delicious drinks and amazing food.
Small Plates
You may still be feeling stuffed from lunch and just in the mood for something small to tide you over until dinner. Whether you are in downtown Deland or Oviedo, De La Vega Wine, Tapas & Sangria is the perfect place to go. They feature small plates with a Latin twist. They also have plenty of wine and sangria on hand.
Fun Vibe
Happy hour is just better if it’s served up with a fun vibe. Mai Tai Bar Daytona Beach has one of the best happy hours in all of Florida. You can also enjoy live music while you are sipping on your drinks.
Drinks With A View
Are you looking for somewhere to go with a view? Head over to Rikki Tikki Tavern. It’s located right on the pier in Cocoa Beach. They have a pretty comprehensive drink menu as well as sandwiches, burgers, and salads.
Dinner
Dinner in Central East Coast Florida will be an unforgettable experience. Many of these restaurants are LGBTQ and high rated among past diners. You’ll find everything from delicious steakhouses to oyster bars.
Fine Dining
Sometimes it’s just nice to get all dressed up for dinner. Azure at The Shores Resort & Spa in Daytona Beach Shores features delicious food in a classy atmosphere. This upscale restaurant serves a variety of dishes like shrimp cocktail, steak, and filet mignon.
Organic Ingredients
If you want to eat somewhere that utilizes local and organic ingredients, you must visit The Fat Snook in Cocoa Beach. They serve quite a few different seafood dishes, but they also have other offerings as well. These include duck, Mexican street corn, and bulgogi. There are also some delicious boutique wines to enjoy with your meal.
Something For All
You might not really know what you want, or you may be eating with a few different people that all have different palettes. That’s okay because there is a highly ranked place to eat at in Cocoa Beach. Florida Fresh Grill has a lot of different options to choose from. They include steaks, seafood, soups, and salads. House favorites include the gator and grits or ahi tuna.
Intimate Venue
Are you looking for a more intimate venue to enjoy with your honey in beautiful historic downtown Melbourne? Ember & Oak will provide just that. This restaurant is tapas style, and dishes are meant to share. The chicken fried steak and the pork belly are both house specialties.
Local Favorite
You have to check out the local Indialantic favorite Scott’s on Fifth while you are in Central East Coast Florida. Celebrity chef Scott Earick is the creator of all of their delicious meals. Scott’s on Fifth was actually voted the best restaurant in Brevard. If you eat here, you’ll see why! Make sure you try the lobster Pomodoro or the rack of lamb. You won’t be disappointed!
Comfort Food
You may simply be in the mood to indulge in some comfort food by the time dinner rolls around. Don’t worry though because we have the perfect restaurant for you while in Cape Canaveral. Euro Kafe Etcetera is a Dining Out For Life® participant and features some of grandma’s favorites. The chicken soup is something that you must try.
Seafood
There’s no shortage of seafood restaurants in this area. However, none of them can really beat Riverwalk Cafe & Oyster Bar in historic downtown Stuart. It consistently gets high ratings and has a very diverse menu. The oysters are a featured item, and you can get them on the half shell or dirty.
Mexican Fare
You don’t have to go all the way to Mexico in order to get some delicious Mexican fare. Fiesta Azteca of Suntree in Melbourne was voted the best Mexican food in Brevard County. They have a variety of items to choose from that include everything from chalupas to burritos. The portions are rather big, so come hungry!
Italian Delights
Would you rather have Italian food for dinner? La Piazza Café in Palm Coast has a rather large menu, and you can order basically any Italian food that you are in the mood for. If you will have the kiddos with you, there is also a menu just for them as well. It features dishes like spaghetti, chicken fingers, and fruit.
Dessert
You can’t end your night without having some dessert first. There are plenty of places to indulge in this area. You can enjoy everything from an ice cream soda to a key lime pie. Don’t worry because calories don’t count while you’re on vacation!
Ice Cream
Florida can be hot no matter what time of year you visit. You can cool off by heading over to Robinson’s Creamery and Fountain. This LGBTQ friendly ice cream parlor in Daytona Beach features many different flavors of ice cream that you can enjoy in their 1950’s inspired atmosphere. They have traditional flavors like chocolate or vanilla as well as some unusual ones like carrot mango.
Funky Vibes
Are you ready for some fun to go along with your dessert? If so, then you must visit The Fat Donkey in Cocoa Beach. This ice cream and dessert shop always ranks very highly, and you can’t beat their tasty treats. Favorites include the ‘Baja Chocolate Marshmallow’ and the ‘Butterscotch Bomb’.
A Blast From The Blast
If you are ready to be transported back to what old school service used to look like, visit Del’s Freez in Melbourne. It has been a favorite with the locals for around 20 years. They feature window service with outside picnic table seating. They have everything from soft serve to hot dogs.
A Variety Of Options
There are so many different types of desserts to choose from that you may be having difficulty trying to figure out what you want. You don’t have to narrow down your choices if you visit Florida Key Lime Pie Company in Cocoa Beach. Don’t let the name fool you as they have quite a bit of different desserts to choose from. These include pies and cheesecake as well as some craft beer or wine to wash it all down.
The Space Coast Has You Covered for Eats
As you can see, you really do have a lot of different options when it comes to restaurants in Central East Coast Florida. With so many unique places to try, you might just spend most of your time here eating! The Florida Space Coast is truly a beautiful area filled with plenty of things to see, do, and eat during your entire trip. You really will never get bored.
So what are you waiting for? Now is the perfect time to take a trip to this fascinating Florida destination.
Check out more eating guides for all the regions in Florida in our Visit section here!
