10 Unusual Bucket-List Restaurants In Florida You Have To Visit At Least Once
Florida’s restaurant scene goes way beyond seafood shacks and beach bars. Hidden across the Sunshine State are dining spots so unique, they deserve a special trip just to experience them.
From underwater shark encounters to DIY pancakes on tabletop griddles, these spots turn meals into unforgettable adventures that’ll have you snapping photos before you even look at the menu.
1. Shark’s Underwater Grill – Orlando
Imagine munching on mahi-mahi while actual sharks swim inches from your table. This SeaWorld gem surrounds diners with massive aquarium walls where predators glide by as you eat.
The surreal blue glow creates an atmosphere that’s both peaceful and thrilling. I once watched a wide-eyed five-year-old nearly forget her chicken fingers when a sand tiger shark cruised right past her seat!
2. Old Sugar Mill Pancake House – De Leon Springs
Breakfast becomes an interactive adventure at this historic mill-turned-restaurant. Each table features a built-in griddle where you’ll pour and flip your own pancakes from pitchers of homemade batter.
The 100-year-old building sits inside De Leon Springs State Park alongside crystal-clear springs. Pour in blueberries, chocolate chips, or bananas, then watch your creation bubble to golden perfection while planning your post-meal swim.
3. Satchel’s Pizza – Gainesville
Pizza served inside a chopped-up vintage van? Only at Satchel’s. This Gainesville institution lets you dine inside an actual 1970s VW microbus while surrounded by thousands of bottles, trinkets, and handmade art installations.
The owner spent years creating this junkyard wonderland where everything from ceiling to floor tells a story. My college roommate and I once spent three hours here, discovering new oddities with every bite of their famous deep-dish pies.
4. 50’s Prime Time Café – Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Welcome to Mom’s kitchen circa 1955! This Disney gem recreates grandma’s house with vintage TVs playing black-and-white shows and servers who scold you for elbows on the table.
The waitstaff stays completely in character, making you set the table or take a timeout if you don’t finish your vegetables.
The pot roast and meatloaf taste exactly like mid-century comfort food, complete with sides served in Pyrex dishes.
5. Mai-Kai Restaurant – Fort Lauderdale
Step through the doors of this time capsule from 1956 and you’re transported to a Polynesian fantasy world. The recently restored Mai-Kai preserves every inch of its mid-century tiki splendor, from carved wooden idols to flaming torches.
The dinner show features authentic South Pacific dances, including the heart-stopping fire knife performances. Their rum-heavy cocktails come in ceramic mugs you’ll be tempted to smuggle home in your purse (don’t do it).
6. Twistee Treat – Multiple Florida Locations
Nothing says “roadtrip” like spotting a giant ice cream cone building on the horizon! These iconic cone-shaped shops stand about 20 feet tall and serve soft-serve swirls that taste like childhood summers.
Most locations maintain their retro 1950s vibe with walk-up windows and no indoor seating. The buildings themselves are engineering marvels – completely functional restaurants shaped exactly like the product they sell, right down to the swirly top.
7. Bicyclette Cookshop – Naples
Hidden in an unassuming strip mall lurks Naples’ most exciting culinary newcomer. Bicyclette blends French technique with Florida ingredients in ways that made USA Today take immediate notice.
The tiny open kitchen lets you watch chefs transform local seafood and produce into artistic small plates. I visited during their opening month and watched the chef-owner personally deliver each dish, explaining how his grandmother’s recipes inspired his modern creations.
8. The Bubble Room – Captiva Island
Christmas exploded inside this three-story wonderland that celebrates every holiday simultaneously. Thousands of vintage toys, trains, and Hollywood memorabilia cover every inch of wall and ceiling space at this 40-year-old island institution.
Servers called “Bubble Scouts” wear scout uniforms while delivering massive slices of their famous cakes.
The orange crunch cake has developed such a cult following that people drive hours just for a slice, navigating rooms where 1940s Christmas decorations meet Halloween props.
9. T-Rex Café – Disney Springs, Orlando
Prehistoric creatures loom above your table at this dinosaur-themed eatery where animatronic beasts roar, move, and occasionally participate in meteor shower simulations. Every 20 minutes, the entire restaurant darkens as comets streak across the ceiling.
Different dining rooms recreate various prehistoric environments – sit in the ice cave where everything glows blue, or beside bubbling geysers in the primeval forest. Kids go wild for the dig site where they can unearth fossils between bites.
10. O’Zone Pizza Pub – Pensacola
Would you eat pizza in a former tuberculosis hospital? Brave souls flock to this converted sanatorium where ghost stories are served alongside wood-fired pies. The 1920s building retains much of its clinical architecture, including long corridors and institutional windows.
Live music echoes through rooms where patients once recovered. Staff happily share tales of unexplained footsteps and moving objects they’ve witnessed after hours.
My server pointed out a corner table where they claim a ghostly nurse sometimes sits watching diners enjoy their meals.