48 Hours in Tallahassee, Florida
I’ve been visiting Florida’s State Capital for nearly 30 years. While it is more than fair to say a significant majority of my visits have come during football season, I have found myself interested in visiting more and more outside of September to December for one fairly simple reason. I think Tallahassee’s food scene is on the move. A small move, but a move none-the-less. There are some solid eats in Tallahassee, if you know where to look.
I spent a solid weekend popping around Tallahassee recently. I visited some staples I already knew I enjoyed, and I also made some first time visits to a few locales that move the needle with the locals. It was just over 48 hours in all. There were some hits and misses. Here they are, in the order in which they appeared in my windshield.
Bradley’s Country Store
It doesn’t take long at all once you get off of the interstate to feel like you’ve driven back in time. 20 minutes of rolling hills and tree covered ‘Canopy’ roads later, you find yourself at a crossroads that looks very little like the State of Florida. Unless you are familiar with the topography of the panhandle. The scene is breathtaking.
Bradley’s claim to fame is their country sausage. They’ve been smoking it right behind this country store for nearly 100 years. You know they still are simply by stepping out of the car. There’s a smoker nearby, alright and you can’t escape it. I’ve been enjoying said links for roughly 20 years. They are exceptional.
Their country store is one part grocery store, two parts time capsule. From the old fashioned soda pop bottles, to the vintage candies, cookbooks and other snacks, this is all a real treat. Especially if you spent any part of your childhood in the South. In the back is the meat counter. Link sausages for sale. Sandwiches as well if you want them cooked. The customer service and the hospitality are everything you would expect from a tiny place like this. I even made time to enjoy a pint of locally made ice cream from a rocking chair on the porch. Americana at its finest. https://bradleyscountrystore.com/
DEEP Brewing Company
Leave it to me to follow up a pint of Espresso Chocolate Chip ice cream with a couple of pints of beer, but that’s how I roll. I stopped in at DEEP Brewing Company next because it was a roughly 10 minute drive from Bradley’s on my way into Central Tallahassee. That was one reason. The other is that the beers at DEEP are my favorite in the county and I’ve had them all, multiple times. PROOF and Ology both deserve a shout out at the very least here because they are doing solid beers, but this tiny (soon to be massive) tap room on Tallahassee’s outskirts is where it’s at for me. Well worth finding it and paying a visit. https://deepbrewing.com/
Fair to say The Monroe is Tallahassee’s shiny new penny. Also fair to say it is a beautiful new-ish restaurant in the shadow of Florida’s State Capital Building. Once upon a time, the cobblestone streets of the heart of Downtown Tallahassee is where you were more likely to find a place like The Monroe, catering to Legislators and Lobbyists. This. however, is down the street a couple of beats which allows them more room to flex. And they do.
For starters the space is gorgeous. Indoor and outdoor seating and quite possibly Tallahassee’s most impressive bar scene. Not just the decor, but the clientele. Yes, this is where the pretty people are gathering these days. The ladies for an espresso martini, the men-folk perhaps for a classic Manhattan. Either way, it’s a vibe and Tallahassee has responded. I’ve visited a few times now and have been impressed with the scene.
The food is good. It would be unfair to label it anything else. Memorable? Not necessarily (except for the Etouffee Fritters…those were showstoppers). That said, I would return to The Monroe in a heartbeat. I love the scene, I love the number of televisions that dot the outdoor soft seating area. Pictured up top is the Steak Diane with Mushrooms and Mashed Potato. Very good. Cocktails and a few apps during a game? All day long. The Monroe is very much worth a look.
Black Dog Cafe
For my money, Black Dog is Tallahassee’s best coffee shop. I always squeeze in visits here when I am in town. Located along the incredibly picturesque Lake Ella in the heart of town, Black Dog does what Coffee Shops are supposed to do. Make great coffee. I’ve had espressos, I’ve had house drips. I’ve had snacks to munch on. All of it has been excellent. A few months back, Black Dog’s founder sold to her long time manager. They have not missed a beat. Proof that I am right is the decent sized line you find most weekend mornings at Black Dog. Tallahassee knows and now so do you. 229 Lake Ella Dr Tallahassee, FL. 32303
Habana Boardwalk Cafe
So tell me why the Cuban guy from Miami is looking for Cuban food in Tallahassee, Florida? Well, because the spot we had planned for lunch wasn’t open for lunch the week we were there. Caught flat-footed-as well as fairly hungry-I needed to find a decent lunch quick. A quick google-no joke- led me to quite possibly the greatest culinary find I’ve ever made in Leon County. The reviews for Habana Boardwalk Cafe were stellar. That was enough for me to take a look.
Located in a quiet corner of a strip mall about a 10-12 minute drive from the heart of town, Habana Boardwalk Cafe is an unassuming Cuban restaurant doing exceptional food. The reviews promised me ‘the best flavors in town’ and they were right. The Vaca Frita and Palomilla were as good as anything you will find in Miami. Perhaps better, depending on where you go. The moros? Exceptional. The vibe? Quiet and simple…all the way down to the older family that walked in, party of six, speaking Spanish like they had just rolled in from Calle Ocho. I couldn’t help but smile. It is fair to say that Habana isn’t this city’s most popular Cuban restaurant, but it is the best one. That I have had, anyway. If Cuban is your thing, they deserve your time.
The Edison is one of my favorite spaces in Tallahassee. It is on my short list of “You’ve not been to TLH unless you’ve been to these spots). Located on the Southern rim of scenic Cascades Park, this Circa 1921 Power Plant is a beautiful restaurant that takes full advantage of their view of the heart of the city. The bar area is top 2 or 3 in town for my money. If you set up shop on their very large deck area and enjoy some cocktails and nibbles at dusk, you’d be hard pressed to do better around here. The Daytona Dip (Buffalo Chicken Dip) was as tasty as it was cheesy. The selection of wines by the glass were enough to keep us there for a while and enjoy the view.
The Lunchbox
My go-to for Sunday morning breakfast in town is The Bada Bean Cafe. Turned out, this particular Sunday, they were closed. A quick pivot landed us at The Lunchbox, a Tallahassee institution for over a quarter century. The Lunchbox is breakfast and lunch only. They close at 2:30pm. It is also the epitome of the greasy spoon. The wait for a table late Sunday morning pushed 30-40 minutes. Meanwhile, the tiny-and I mean TINY-kitchen had 3 or 4 guys in there at any point turning out what they call “breakfast and diner classics” agreed. I had a breakfast burrito that was as good as any I’ve had. Canopy Road Cafe is probably Tallahassee’s most popular local breakfast, and for good reason, but the other two I’ve mentioned here should not be ignored.
Good eats across the board in the 850…like I said…if you know where to look. If you’d like to hear the podcast version of my visit in a little more detail….check it out here.
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