Most of these are sprinkled very close by in our little beach town.
Restaurants:
Bleu Beach Resort: This old motel was just renovated and they added an open air oceanfront bar/restaurant of which there are scant few in this area, and it’s a very short stroll up the beach! 🙂
Parking is limited, so just walk a couple of hundred yards north, either through the park or on the beach, and you’ll see the activity once you get past the park. The entrees aren’t cheap, but the location can’t be beat and they have a 4-6pm happy hour.
*Cafe Surfinista: “Hip Central” with all sorts of heathy stuff and everything’s good. It’s up by the boardwalk. They have coffees and an outside take out window.
*Skewers: A couple of blocks away towards the river/bridge. Great Lebanese. Wonderful stuffed grape leaves, both sirloin and vegetarian. Gyros, falafel sandwich, good dinners. We’ve lived on their lamb gyro w/ greek salad lunch for decades. The simple family recipe for the rice nearly makes it a meal in itself. Take out or eat in.
Lily’s Mediterranean Fresh Grill: New and really good!, which is hard to admit because I’ve been a Skewer’s fan since the parents ran it. Up by the boardwalk.
Cazadores: The best Mexican restaurant in the area, bar none, with a 2 to 6pm happy hour and great margaritas!
*Thai Thai II: Great Thai dishes and wonderful sushi. About a mile north on A1A, in a little shopping center with Ichabods bar out in front. Eat in or order online or by phone.
*Nau Nau Asian Cuisine 1400 N A1A, Indialantic. New place with great Vietnamese cuisine and catering. And definitely get one of their incredible Vietnamese iced coffees!
*Around the World Cafe: Unique breakfasts, european pastries, lunches and great baked goods. A couple of blocks west on 5th Ave. (our Main Street)
*Nini’s Cuban Cuisine: Nina’s is new and getting great reviews which is certainly deserved. West on 5th Ave.
*Starbuck’s: A couple of blocks north on A1A
Scott’s on 5th: Scott’s has been a very long time favorite for that special, unique dinner in a very nice setting. Plus, it’s a stroll from the Bungalow, just a couple of blocks west on 5th Ave.. 🙂
Island Fish Grill: Another long time favorite only a couple of blocks away. Real nice setting and it’s consistently good. 1 block west on 5th Ave.
*Longdoggers: The best place for basic beach grub and in the same very close shopping plaza as the new Publix. A couple of blocks north on A1A.
Burgers (even veggie), wings, ribs, boiled shrimp, mahi sandwiches, etc.They have a drive up window, so you don’t even have to get out of your car. Or you can dine at the outisde and indoor tables.
*Oceanside Pizza: New kid on the block and serious competition for Bizarro’s with a full menu. It’s right next to the new Publix. 321-327-5150
*Moo’s Ice Cream: Drive thru old time soft ice cream cones dipped with sprinkles if you like, banana splits, hot fudge sundaes, etc. It’s just past Longdoggers. No website but it’s pretty easy to spot. It’s painted like a jersey cow.
El Ambia Cuban Cafe: Wonderful place. Wonderful people. Wonderful authentic Cuban cuisine. It across the bridge to the mainland and sits along side the manatee lagoon under the railroad tracks. Inside and outside dining.
*Frigate’s Waterfront Bar & Grill: Big covered decks and patios in a tropical waterfront setting on a tributary to the Indian River, this place is a great place for a relaxing lunch or dinner. Across the bridge and north on US #1 for just a couple of miles.
*Seaside Florida Grill: Only a year old, this large and comfortable restaurant has become well known for its setting and presentation of high grade seafood dishes that never disappoint.
*Asian Gourmet: Old family restaurant. Great selection of Asian/Vietnamese dishes from seafood to vegan. 459 N Harbor City Blvd, Melbourne, FL 32935. 321-255-6471
*Intracoastal Brewing Company: Great brews and ciders with food trucks and a nice outdoor setting under a big canopy. Dog friendly. 🙂 652 Wesdt Eau Gallie Blvd, (321) 872-7395
*Cafe Coconut Cove: If you like German cuisine, you’ll love the food and the hidden away riverfront setting. Time it for sunset and it’s spectacular, while the food is the best. The setting and meal make for a great night out.
*Tely’s Chinese Restaurant: Good Chinese food was tough to find at the beach until Tely’s arrived. It’s over on the mainland, which is daunting to beach locals, but it’s great. Directions and the menu are on their site.
*The Crab Stop: Ok, it’s a bit down the beach and on the mainland side in Sebastian, but it’s got really good food and a great setting on the river. They don’t always have the Shrimp & Grits, but when they do, WOW! Eveerything else is good and quite often they have live music on the deck looking out on the fishing boats and the Intercoastal Waterway. Nice place for a great lunch on the deck.
Markets:
*Publix, the predominant grocer in Florida, is a few blocks north on A1A.
*ABC Liquors: North about 3 block on A1A, before Starbucks and Publix
*Village Market. It’s brand new and a couple of blocks west on 5th Ave towards the bridge. Wide variety of gourmet choices. Pricey on some items, but everything is good and they have a 3rd story bar deck with an ocean view!
*Melbourne Beach Market: Good ethnic market with 5 types of hummus, tabouleh, big wine selection, good meats. It’s south on A1A on Ocean Ave in Mel Beach.
*Downtown Produce: The local produce wholesaler’s gourmet market with everything from meats and seafood to wines, produce, and deli. 13-15/lb frozen shrimp for $10/lb
Direct Seafood: Long time wholesale seafood place that sells retail with the freshest fish in town. Nothing on display, but a huge selection of fresh fish, clams, shrimp, etc. 1643 Cypress Ave, Melbourne, FL 32935. 321-242-2243
Indialantic Seafood Company: Good fresh fish, in the shopping center next to Publix
MIssion Road natural breads: Newly opened naturally leavened instead of using yeast. Natural leavening breaks down the wheat so that even folks with gluton issues can eat it healthfully. We certainly need to support Mike and his efforts to bring us bread that’s good for us.
Anything else, just ask. 🙂
Indian River Lagoon Wildlife Tours: Captain Clark is a long time friend of the Bungalow and a great waterman and wildlife expert. He gives great tours of the Indian River which is one of the most diverse waterways in the world. You’ll see porpoises, sea turtles, tarpon in the mangroves, huge manatees, otters, Great Blue Herons, eagles, and big flocks of migratory birds. Clark will take you to pristine islands and hidden waterways, and he’ll even drop you off at a waterfront restaurant for lunch if you like. Plus you get to meet up with him at Honest John’s Fish Camp which is an authentic slice of old Florida. Make a reservation with Captain Clark early in your stay because you’ll probably want to go again before you leave. 321-501-1804 or cgiangarra@earthlink.net.
Honest John’s Fish Camp. Honest John’s has been around since 1889 and it gives you the feeling that not a whole lot has changed. It’s one of the very few remaining parts of old Florida where you can rental boats, kayaks, and canoes and enjoy a day on the waters of the Indian River Lagoon.
Karen’s Kayaks: If you’d like to have some up close and personal encounters with manatees and porpoises while seeing some of the very cool backwaters of our area of Florida, our guests have really enjoyed going out on kayak tours with Karen’s Kayaks. She’s very professional and will even deliver kayaks to your villa for kayaking in the ocean if you like. Give her a call or email and have fun!
Forever Florida Ranch: This place is the real thing! We’ve got the second largest cattle ranch in the whole county in our county and our cattle ranching history that goes all the way back to the ranches that supplied cattle for the Confederate troops. They used to drive cattle from here all the way to Atlanta and any of you who have gone out with Rick, our airboat guy, know just how impossible it seems to drive cattle through all that gator infested swampland. The story goes that cowboys are called cowhunters in our area because it takes a man to manage herds in that wilderness. So if you want a little of the old Florida ranch experience or just a real nice horseback ride in some beautiful country with some great people, forever Florida is just the spot. Get in touch and tell then the Beach bungalow sent ya!
Aquaglider Kite Surfing: If you’re ready to try a REALLY outrageous sport that is full of thrills (and spills!), then get in touch with these guys and go kitesurfing. You’ll see them quite often racing around the river or in the ocean right out in front of the Bungalow. Talk about catching some air!
Sea Turtle Preservation Society: Every summer our beach plays host to thousands of sea turtles as they crawl up on our beach at night to lay their eggs in the sand dunes. It’s an incredible sight, and if you’re an early riser you might also see the baby turtles hatching at dawn to scramble towards the rising sun and the Atlantic Ocean. The STPS is just down the beach from us and has lots of info. You can also sign up for guided walks. The walks are VERY popular, so sign up by email.
Beach Bicycle Bike Rental: The shop is one block away, and Tony will gladly have a couple of cool beach cruisers waiting in your garage when you arrive. 321-725-2500
