Best-Restaurants-in-Gainesville

19 of the Best Restaurants in Gainesville to Die For

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Gainesville is best known for its universities (the University of Florida, and Santa Fe College) but the city also has some of the most acclaimed restaurants. There are many great restaurants in Gainesville, Florida that residents and visitors can enjoy.

There are plenty of choices, no matter if you want Mexican food or seafood.

It can be difficult to choose where to eat in this city.

We did the research and have compiled a list of 10 of the best restaurants in Gainesville. 

Take a look at our list and enjoy your next meal in Gainesville.

1. The Swamp Restaurant

The Swamp Restaurant. This restaurant is located in Gainesville, Florida, and offers delicious food and friendly service.

Best Restaurants in Gainesville Florida The Swamp Restaurant

The Swamp Restaurant is located right across from the University of Florida campus. Its name derives from its close proximity to Ben Hill Griffith Stadium, also known as “The Swamp” for Gator football fans.

The restaurant is loved by many people, including students, families, and alums.

The bright interior turns into a party atmosphere on game day, which gives energy to Gainesville for the few events held throughout the year. 

There are many choices for food, including classic college favorites like wings and nachos. You can also order sophisticated tempeh hamburgers and ahi tuna.

Gainesville’s Swamp must-see is the Swamp. You will find the best food and excellent service here.

2. Mark’s Prime Steakhouse & Seafood

Mark’s Prime Steakhouse & Seafood Restaurant are great places to eat.

You will enjoy great steaks, excellent seafood, and great service. This is a great place to go out on dates or for dinner with your family.

Reservations can be made online so you don’t have to wait around for it to get busy. The petite filet mignon with blue cheese crumbles is a great choice!

You can find delicious foods such as beef cuts from USDA cows and fresh fish from Mayport, Jacksonville, brought in by boat. The wood stove is used to cook the fish. 

This restaurant has been awarded a Wine Spectator Award every year since 2004. They also offer a variety of drinks such as wine, martinis, and cocktails.

It’s great because the food is delicious and you will want to return again and again.

Be aware that event weekends, like football games, can get very crowded. Make sure to call ahead. Get up!

3. Alpin Bistro

Alpin Bistro is one of Gainesville’s best restaurants. It serves French cuisine in a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Fresh food made from local ingredients will delight you.

This restaurant is the best!

Great food and great prices!

Tapas, quiche, and sandwiches are just a few of the many options on Alpin’s menu. 

Best Restaurants in Gainesville Florida Tapas Dining

You can also enjoy your favorite breakfast foods like breakfast burritos and burgers.

There are many seating options available: outside or inside, on our patio.

You can also order takeout if you need something to eat while on the streets.

You can relax and enjoy the best Gainesville food while you sip a cup of coffee.

4. Las Margaritas

The best Mexican food Gainesville has to offer is at this place. They have delicious taco salads and margaritas. There are many wines available.

Las Margaritas is a great place to eat. They have friendly staff and provide excellent service. The prices are also very affordable. 

You can enjoy delicious, quick, and inexpensive meals here. And you’ll be able to relax inside the peaceful atmosphere. 

Las Margaritas is a great place to eat. They have friendly staff and provide excellent service. The prices are also very competitive.

5. Amelia’s Italian restaurant

Amelia’s Italian restaurant is Gainesville’s best. This restaurant serves traditional Italian cuisine and home-style pasta.

Best Restaurants in Gainesville Florida Italian Dining

This restaurant serves delicious Italian cuisine, which combines tradition and creativity. It has been serving Gainesville for over 20 years.

Amelia’s Restaurant is the place for you if you are looking for a casual, elegant, and not too pretentious place where you can enjoy your meal.

6. Northwest Grille

What should we name Gainesville’s best restaurant?

Northwest Grille is a casual and comfortable restaurant that offers a maritime theme. You can wear anything you like, from shorts to long dresses, on the premises.

The best thing about this place was, I think, that it isn’t just a restaurant. It also has a bar with a great selection of drinks and a variety of lunch options.

To complement the “daily catch”, the restaurant uses local products, such as wild-caught alligator tail and Florida mahi-mahi. 

The nautical theme of the restaurant, which is home-styled, features wooden tables and booths. 

The restaurant is casual and comfortable, drawing people from Gainesville, and the surrounding areas.

It also feels family-friendly enough that you can wear jeans or an evening dress, without feeling out of place.

The servers are friendly, efficient, and knowledgeable.

7. Yummy House

Yummy House is well-known for its Cantonese dishes and vegan specialties. It’s easy to order from their menu. The Gainesville location is a favorite among students and their families.

It’s a tranquil and peaceful environment. It offers delicious food at a reasonable price and in large quantities. 

Best Restaurants in Gainesville Florida Cantonese Dining

They strive to satisfy their customers at all costs.

Perfectly fried chicken pieces will be served in small portions.

They are coated with dark soy glaze and then mixed with asparagus and mushrooms. You can also eat lunch at this place.

8. Maple Street Biscuit Company

Maple Street Biscuit Company is one of my favorite Florida restaurants for breakfast.

These biscuits are now popular in North Florida, where they can be found everywhere.

Maple Street Biscuit Company is a favorite place to eat because they make amazing biscuits with great side dishes such as waffles, gardening bowls, and a kid’s menu.

Goat cheese and pepper jelly chicken biscuits are my favorites, even though they may sound strange.

Once you try it, you’ll never go back!

Maple Street also offers waffles and garden bowls.

9. Paramount Grill

The owner-chef is a native Florida chef who enjoys fresh Florida produce, meats and seafood.

These dishes are full of flavor!

For example, the chicken Caesar salad features a profusion of roasted garlic, juicy chicken, and hyper-ripe plum tomatoes.

Best Restaurants in Gainesville Florida Dining

Along with the usual greens and dressing, the salad also includes toasted pine nuts.

Paramount’s lunch menu is the most affordable, featuring creative salads and savory sandwiches made with focaccia bread or crusty bread. You can also choose from a range of soups.

Even though dinners can be more costly, the rich cheese and lamb couscous are well worth it. Swamp Natives love Sunday brunch!

The crab cakes hollandaise and the breakfast burrito with shredded duck are also available. Because it is small and quiet, this intimate space is ideal for jazzy food.

10. Mojo Hogtown Bar-B-Que

Gainesville is near the “South”, so there are plenty of barbecue options. 

None of them can live up to Gainesville’s expectations, Mojo Hogtown bar-b-que.

This joint offers all types of regional barbecue from St. Louis Spareribs to North Carolina Pulled Pork.

Best Restaurants in Gainesville Florida Dining barbeque

Combination platters with sides are a great way for everyone to enjoy the same thing.

You will find a wide selection of craft beer, bourbon, and every type of sauce.

11. Crane Ramen

Ramen is the perfect combination of fashion and food. You will enjoy a delicious broth with a variety of toppings, as well as richly texture noodles.

Crane gets its noodles from Sun Noodle, Brooklyn’s industry-standard Sun Noodle. 

I love ramen with a soft-boiled egg and its bright, yellow yolk.

This restaurant is the perfect mix of fine and casual dining. It’s easy to feel comfortable coming in casually, or more formally, but you won’t feel out of place.

Crane Ramen, a fine casual restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere, is suited to both casual and formal wear.

12. Satchel’s Pizza

Satchel’s Pizza should be on your list when visiting Gainesville. This place is much more than just a pizza shop, even though it sounds cliché.

Best Restaurants in Gainesville Florida Dining pizza

Satchel’s Pizza is open since 2003. 

It is well-known for its delicious food, friendly atmosphere, and interesting stories. It’s much more than just a restaurant.

Satchel’s offers an Italian-style pizza. This is my favorite. The crust is crispy on the outside and light on the inside.

It is crispy on the outside, but soft inside. You will need two hands to hold the slices. They can become floppy.

13. Reggae Shack Cafe

Gainesville is an excellent place to try Jamaican and Vegetarian food if you haven’t been there yet.

The town is truly a melting pot that offers so many different things.

ReggaeShack Cafe is a great example. 

The business is run by a tropical man who specializes in tender meats as well as sweet and savory seasonings. 

They also offer island-inspired dishes that are plant-based.

This place is the best for curry tempeh or seitan. For dessert, they offer vegan carrot cake.

14. Dragonfly Sushi Sake Company

Dragonfly is both a Japanese Sushi- and Izakaya restaurant. Izakaya means Japanese Tapas. There are many options, and you’ll discover new options.

Best Restaurants in Gainesville Florida Dining sushi

Both meat- and vegan options are available.  

A separate menu is available at the restaurant, which consists of 3 vegan rolls, a combination of vegan sushi and vegan ramen as well as many small plates and appetizers suitable for vegans.

Dragonfly reminded me of a Vegas restaurant with its bright energy and eye-catching food.

If you are in Gainesville, this is the place to go.

15. Downtown Gainesville, Loosey

Loosey’s is a bar that focuses on American craft beer and live entertainment. They also offer great food and a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Each item on the menu is made fresh every time.

Loosey’s is located within walking distance of many bars, clubs, and restaurants in downtown Gainesville.

The bar is smoke-free and offers darts, pool tables, and patio seating for smokers.

What to Expect?

They offer a wide range of American-made (often under-appreciated) products. products. Craft beer, available in bottles or on tap

Live music is available at the downtown pub on Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Thursdays are open mic nights.

While most shows are 21+, there are some exceptions.  

16. Daily Green

Amazing juices and delicious food

Every meal I’ve had there was exceptional.

Daily Green welcomes vegetarians and vegans. 

Best Restaurants in Gainesville Florida Dining vegan

Six outdoor tables allow dogs and their owners the opportunity to share a delicious meal outdoors on a beautiful day.

Daily Green uses only organic, sustainable, fresh, local, and locally grown ingredients in its food. This makes it safe for you and the environment. 

You can find savory waffle cones and delicious waffles along with smoothies, sandwiches, and daily specials. There are also soups, salads, and beverages.

On Thursday evenings, live jazz music is available at the restaurant from 4-7 p.m.

17. La Tienda Latina

La Tienda Latina, is a Mexican restaurant on the bayfront that serves authentic Mexican cuisine in a casual atmosphere.

You can also choose healthier options by choosing from separate vegetarian (mostly Vegan) menus. menu. It includes three vegan rolls and small plates. These are great for vegetarians as well as meat-eaters.

Beer and other beverages are also available.

Burritos, tacos, and other Mexican dishes are exceptional.

You can save your cheat day for another day to enjoy healthy, low-fat meals at La Tienda Latina.

You can have a glass of wine or another beverage here. This restaurant has a booster seat if you need it. This restaurant is suitable for all ages.

18. Bangkok Square

The Best Thai Option for Gainesville

Best Restaurants in Gainesville Florida Dining thai

The family-owned restaurant serves delicious chicken pad Thai, red curry, and coconut soup. Coconut ice cream will be served perfectly.

If you’re visiting Bangkok Square, make sure to try Thai tea and ice-cold tea.

You will find everything you need to enjoy a relaxing holiday with your family in a cozy location with beautiful interiors. Here, the staff is competent. Guests leave glowing reviews about the service and fair prices will be charged for your meals.

Excellent food, and a hidden gem in this area. We had Thai basil chicken and Pad Thai.

Both were delicious and fresh.

It is peaceful, serene, and reflective of the culture.

They are all very friendly and knowledgeable about veganism.

19. Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grille

Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grille – Located just off I75, this restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating.

They offer a variety of dishes, including blackened grouper and shrimp & scallop.

You can also order gumbo and red beans from the New Orleans-style menu.

Harry’s Seafood Bar and Grille serves great food at affordable prices and offers a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Harry’s is a restaurant that offers both indoor and outdoor seating. It’s located on the bayfront of St. Augustine, Florida. The patio dining area offers live music every day and an atmosphere that is festive all year.

Harry’s menu has evolved a lot since its humble beginnings.

Wrapping Up

Gainesville has a vibrant dining scene. We’re certain you’ll find a great place to dine.  These are the best restaurants in Gainesville that you should definitely check out!

From fine dining to more casual options, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

So what are you waiting for?

Go out and explore all that Gainesville has to offer!

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