Bring your appetite on your next visit! Citrus County’s restaurants are a memorable part of any vacation to The Water Lover’s Florida.
In addition to the great restaurants located right here in the Villages of Citrus Hills, our community is also surrounded by plenty of other outstanding dining options.
Residents can choose from all kinds of options for great Italian, Greek, and Thai cuisine. And as you might expect here in Florida, there are more than a few great seafood restaurants.
Here are some of the most popular near the Villages of Citrus Hills.
Seafood Restaurants
Charlie’s Fish House
Part restaurant, part fish market, Charlie’s Fish House combines the casual atmosphere of a seafood market with the fantastic flavors of a great restaurant. If you are looking for stone crab claws near the Citrus Hills, this should be the first place at the top of your list.
The Freezer Tiki Bar
Located in Homosassa right next to all of your favorite Manatee attractions, The Freezer Tiki Bar makes some of the best steamed shrimp you will find anywhere.
The restaurant itself is not much more than a tiki hut on the water, but what more could you really ask for, right? The food is excellent, the atmosphere is relaxing, and it’s locally owned.
In addition to the steamed shrimp, you’ll also want to try out the clam chowder and the salmon dip.
Cracker’s Bar, Grill & Tiki
Another popular tiki bar location just west of the community is Cracker’s, which is located in Crystal River. This place is the ultimate tourist destination, so if you are looking for that relaxing vacation feeling you can definitely find it here.
The menu at Cracker’s contains a wide range of American options, including great burgers, and like most tiki bar themed restaurants located on the water in Florida, the specialty here is the seafood.
BeckyJack’s Food Shack
Casual seafood shacks are popular all over Florida, but no one does it quite like BeckyJack’s Food Shack in Weeki Wachee. Their signature item is the Crunchy Fish Sandwich which is deep-fried after being breaded in corn flakes. Burgers are also a popular menu item here.
Seafood Seller & Cafe
Don’t let their location in the Crystal River Mall food court fool you, Seafood Seller & Cafe is serious about their seafood and Cajun-based menu. This is the spot that locals frequent, but many tourists never find.
The menu includes a crazy deep selection of seafood options, most of which are locally sourced. If you time your visit just right, you might even catch the owner filleting the fish right in front of you.
Great Dinner Options
Vintage on 5th
Combining an old church that has been renovated into a modern restaurant with excellent service and fresh caught fish specialties is the secret behind the popularity of Vintage on 5th. And that’s not even getting into their wine list, which boasts more than 140 different bottles.
In addition to the constantly changing fresh fish menu, there are also plenty of steak, chicken, and lamb options for the meat lovers.
Vintage on 5th is appropriately located in Crystal River’s historic downtown area.
McLeod House Bistro
While many of the popular restaurants around Citrus Hills are located more towards the water, there are just as many great locations heading east of the community as well. One of those restaurants is McLeod House Bistro, which is located in historic Inverness.
The goal at McLeod is to remind you of what dining out used to feel like. Take your time here and enjoy multiple courses of fine dining. From outstanding appetizers to delicious entrees, everything is wonderful here and the prices are reasonable too.
The Deco Café
The Deco Cafe is located on the Historical Courthouse Square in Inverness, the County Seat of Citrus County. The Deco Cafe's casual evenings, with fine dining every Friday and Saturday from 5pm until closing, offers a varied menu of hors d'oeuvres, salads, light entrees, and complete dinners with seasonal specials. They also feature a broad selection of beers and over 20 fine wines.
They also offer gourmet coffee beans which are ground on premise, for the freshest Capuccino and Espresso favorites, and a full selection of teas.
Neon Leon’s Zydeco Steakhouse
Inspired by Lynyrd Skynard bass guitarist Leon Wilkeson, Neon Leon’s Zydeco Steakhouse is the most casual restaurant amongst our full dinner options. Don’t let the casual atmosphere fool you though, because this is one of the best places around to get a great hand-cut steak.
Thai Cuisine
Bangkok Thai
Citrus County is not necessarily known for having a great selection of Thai food, but with nearly every Yelp review boasting five stars and tons of praise, Bangkok Thai in Beverly Hills (that’s Florida ya’ll) is the best option around. From spring rolls to curry, everything is excellent at Bangkok Thai. They also have some great vegetarian options.
Sushi O
We also have a brand new restaurant that is just minutes from the Villages of Citrus Hills. Sushi O, in Lecanto, integrates fresh local ingredients with Asian flavors for a unique and delicious fusion of cultures. In addition to sushi and sashimi, they offer a variety of dishes from different Asian cultures, including traditional Japanese, Thai, and Chinese. The menu includes a variety of healthy choices, as well as many vegetarian friendly dishes.
Pizza & Italian Cuisine
Angelo’s Pizzeria
With locations in Citrus Hills and Inverness, Angelo’s Pizzeria is the go-to spot for great pizza and Italian food. Don’t let the name fool you though, because there is so much more to Angelo’s than great pizza. Their menu is packed with great Italian options.
Chefs of Napoli
Another great place for local Italian food is Chefs of Napoli, which has locations in Spring Hill, Inverness, and Wildwood. The pizza is excellent, but the pasta menu here will really blow you away.
Little Joey’s Pizzeria
When it comes to just focusing on pizza near the Villages of Citrus Hills, Little Joey’s is one of the best. There is nothing fancy going on here, just outstanding sauce, hand-tossed dough, and fresh toppings.
A Little Greek Flavor
Taverno Manos
Many Greek restaurants never amount to much more than glorified gyro stands. But at Taverno Manos, there is a whole lot more to Greek cuisine than just gyros. They have it all.
With Greek Paninos, Lamb Youvetsi, Pastisio and lots of other traditional Greek dishes, this is the best place around for authentic Greek food. And if you really are just looking for a great gyro, they have that too!
From seafood shacks to hand-cut steaks and from pizza and pasta to seasoned lamb, there is no shortage of outstanding dining options near the Villages of Citrus Hills. One thing our residents are never lacking in is fantastic places to eat!
This will be an ongoing blog as we find more great restaurants. Please share a memborable night at a restaurant with us and you might find it added in the update.