Scott Holstein
Locally Owned Restaurant
Paisley Café
With Paisley’s mantra of seven ingredients or fewer in every meal, flavors don’t get much purer than this. Lunch items like an Apple Brie Panini and a Chicken Salad Croissant will make you feel like royalty, so it’s easy to forget the humble beginnings of this new local favorite. Honorable mention: Kool Beanz Café
Mexican/Latin American Restaurant
El Jalisco
Craving a chimichanga and the best frozen margarita in town? Stop in at El Jalisco, home to authentic Mexican cuisine and an upbeat, welcoming atmosphere that feels good after a hard day at the office. Relax and enjoy their two-for-one margaritas, huge portions and great prices. Honorable mention: Morelia’s
Outdoor Dining
Food Glorious Food
Cars zip along nearby on Thomasville Road, but you’ll never hear a thing when you’re noshing at FGF under the big oak tree surrounded by the vine-clad brick walls of Betton Place. And if the surroundings aren’t enough to distract you from the traffic, the “Mackin” Cheese certainly will. Honorable mention: Andrew’s Capital Grill & Bar
Pizza Momo’s You’ll never have to settle for chain pizza again with Momo’s “slices as big as your head.” Recently, the Market District location introduced a brewery serving up ice-cold beer. This come-as-you-are pizza joint only uses fresh ingredients, so stop in for a pint and a pizza. Honorable mention: Decent Pizza
Seafood Market
Southern Seafood
Can’t always take the time to go catch your own fresh fish? Try a Southern sampling of the freshest fish, crab, shrimp and shellfish. Southern Seafood has the ability to move large quantities of seafood every other day, ensuring the freshest in snapper, grouper, tuna, scallops, salmon and more. It’s the next best thing to catching it yourself. Honorable mention: Mike’s Seafood
Seafood Restaurant
Bonefish Grill
Whether it’s the Bang Bang Shrimp or the Mussels Josephine, there’s always a reason to go to Bonefish. With fish baked, fried, grilled or sautéed, the options are endless and the tastes are to die for. Honorable mention: The Seinyard Seafood Restaurant
Sports Bar
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s
With walls full of television sets, sports are definitely on the menu at Beef’s. But you’ll certainly want to try out the highly praised wings and enjoy the family friendly atmosphere (check out the local school memorabilia on the walls) at one of the franchise’s three Tallahassee locations. Honorable mention: AJ Sports Bar & Grill
Steakhouse
Marie Livingston’s Steak house
Dining at Marie Livingston’s Steak House is always a special treat. It’s not just a steakhouse that serves up savory cuts of prime rib or marbled beef, it’s a Tallahassee tradition wrapped up in a low-key, dignified setting that is perfect for any occasion. Honorable mention: Shula’s 347 Grill
Sushi
Masa
Sushi lovers, rejoice; you’ll find more than the average California roll at this modern Japanese fusion restaurant. Choose from a selection of artfully crafted, authentic rolls, and you’ll see why this restaurant’s blend of Eastern and Western cultures have landed Masa honors as the No. 1 sushi restaurant year after year. Honorable mention: Osaka Japanese Hibachi Steakhouse and Sushi Bar
Wine List
The Wine Loft
This chic, comfortable lounge in Midtown specializes in an eclectic list of wines, liquor and beer and has won this category three years running. There is a downstairs lounge and an upstairs balcony bar — the only one in Tallahassee — where you can order more than 50 specialty wines by the glass or more than 120 wines by the bottle. Cheers! Honorable mention: Shula’s 347 Grill
Wings
WingStop
Wingstop can’t stop being Tallahassee’s top spot for wings. The chain has served more than two billion wings nationally and won best wings in Tallahassee six years in a row. Wingstop offers 10 unique flavors for their wings and a variety of homemade sides, including Fresh Cut Seasoned Fries made from Idaho potatoes. Honorable mention: Hobbit Hoagies
tallahasseeMagazine.com September–October 2012
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