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It baffles me when I hear people say there are no good restaurants on the Space Coast.
We have everything from quirky quick-service locations to elegant waterfront dining. I’ve never been at a loss when looking for a place to spend a quiet night or impress my guests.
When food writers across the USA TODAY Network decided to pool their knowledge and create a list of their favorite restaurants in the country, multiple Brevard restaurants came to mind when I was asked to contribute.
More than 150 eateries were nominated, with 47 selected for the inaugural USA TODAY Restaurant of the Year list. That included The Daley Trade, a farm-to-table tapas and wine bar in Titusville.
In December, restaurant critic Lynn Dowling selected 10 restaurants for her 2023 Space Coast Restaurants of the Year list. I think they’re all pretty good compared to what’s on the national list. Readers thought we had made some significant omissions, and we agreed, so here are the restaurants that should have been included on USA TODAY’s Restaurant of the Year list. He added five more to fill out the list.
ah!Written by Ember & Oak | Melbourne
712 E. New Haven Ave., Melbourne, 321-722-6285, facebook.com/AhaByEmberAndOak
Yes, Ember & Oak is an authentic steakhouse with formal decor and steakhouse prices. But little sister haha! I know how to throw a party. A daily menu at Aha!, located in the spacious courtyard outside E&O. Served by food trucks, it includes Flamin’ Hot Cheetos fried chicken sandwiches, Hush Puppies, Smash Burgers inspired by the iconic Big Mac, and more.
Details of Aha!Chef at Melbourne’s high-end steakhouse plans fun new casual restaurant
Aya | Melbourne
936 E New Haven Ave., Melbourne, 321-327-7061, ayamediterranean.com
This bright and cheerful Mediterranean restaurant specializes in dishes that blend the fresh flavors of Morocco and Lebanon. The place is family-run, with Ziad Aseed named as “father, chef, and owner,” with his daughters Sarah and the restaurant’s namesake Aya on the floor.
Cafe Margaux | Cocoa Village
220 Brevard Ave., Cocoa Village, 321-639-8343, margaux.com
Cafe Margaux has established itself as the grand dame of Brevard restaurants. For more than 30 years, this elegant Continental restaurant has set the standard for fine dining on the Space Coast. The environment is beautiful with stylish chandeliers and a chic color scheme.
Chez Quan’s | Melbourne
1470 Aurora Road, Melbourne, 321-622-6979, facebook.com/lovechezquans
Chez Quan’s is definitely a hangout for the cool kids, with graffiti-style art painted in bright primary colors on the walls. But with Quan Rutirasiri in the kitchen and her son Adam Woodworth behind the counter, it’s also a friendly and fun place. Rutirasiri prepares dishes from her native Thailand, such as spicy basil chicken mince, but the menu also includes empanadas, chicken wings and “sammies.”
Clash XI | Melbourne
923 E New Haven Ave., Melbourne, 321-312-6067, crusheleven.net
Looking for the perfect date spot in downtown Melbourne before catching a show at the nearby Melbourne Civic Theater or Henegar Center? Clash XI is your place. In an urban-chic setting, we offer great service, craft cocktails, mocktails, and a menu that includes crab cakes, smoked duck fettuccine, and carrot cake ice cream.
Cuisine | Satellite Beach
1790 State Road A1A, Unit 105-108, Satellite Beach, 321-779-3605, cuizinerestaurant.com
Intimate, romantic, and a little mysterious, enjoy drinks, small plates, and music in CuiZine’s lounge, or reserve a seat in the dining room and enjoy some of the region’s best steaks, seafood, and desserts. Visit us on Thursdays for Prime Rib Night.
Cypress Table | Cocoa Village
307 Delannoy Ave., Cocoa Village, cypresstable.com
“We love the idea of serving fine dining in to-go boxes,” chef and owner Patricia Rieger said shortly before opening her adorable, pock-sized restaurant in September 2022. It turns out she gets delivered at Cypress Table, a counter service location. Dishes include the Ropa Vieja Cuban Sandwich and the Dirty Bird Sandwich with Buttermilk Fried Chicken. Don’t leave without having a donut.
Restaurant reviews:For fast-casual dining, this Cocoa Village cafe is tops in Brevard
Cypress table details:Former food truck Cypress Table finds brick and mortar home in Cocoa Village
Fat Snook | Cocoa Beach
2464 S. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach, 321-784-1190, thefatsnook.com
Driving along State Route A1A south of Cocoa Beach, it’s easy to pass fat snook. stop it. This is one of the best places in the area to enjoy fresh seafood, intimate conversation, and the best slice of key lime pie you’ve ever tasted.
Kahuna Luna | Cocoa Beach
8 Minutemen Causeway, Cocoa Beach, 321-613-5796, lunafoodandwine.com
Last year, area restaurant patrons said, “Hmm,” after chef Luca Firadi merged the Italian-flavored menu at Luna with that at the newly opened, tropical-themed Fat Kahuna, steps from the beach. I raised my voice. This will be Philadi’s third visit here since closing the highly acclaimed Mango Tree in 2016. Now he seems to have found the perfect formula. This amalgamation works beautifully, with a laid-back, clean environment, well-regarded wine list, and delicious mixed drinks.
Restaurant reviews:This Cocoa Beach restaurant serves wonderfully creative food and drinks.
Milpa’s Tacos and Tortillas | Cocoa Village
207 Brevard Ave., Cocoa Village, 321-631-1133, milpataco.com
Cocoa Village needed a dressy Mexican restaurant, light on sloppy beans, fillers and sombreros, and more on authentic, upscale Mexican vibes and food. Milpa, a relative newcomer, offers interesting tacos and hearty entrees on freshly baked tortillas. Milpa also makes some of the best moles. — L.D.
Scott is 5th place | Indian style
141 Fifth Avenue, Indian Tick, 321-729-9779, scotsonfifth.com
At Scott Ehrlich’s colorful little restaurant, it’s sometimes hard to decide what’s more fun: the flashy decor or the chef’s frequent visits to the dining room. Some nights the menu features Asian cuisine, other nights Italian or Mexican, but always classic American fare.
Terry’s Chinese Restaurant | Suntree
6450 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne, 321-425-4638, tellychineserestaurant.com
At Tely’s, don’t expect crunchy noodles and soy sauce on your table or fried noodles on the menu. At Tely’s, staff in tuxedo shirts serve a menu that, if not directly from Hong Kong, is close to Hong Kong products with a touch of creativity. One of his signature dishes, Snow White Shrimp, is a little Chinese, a little American, with shrimp tossed in a creamy, sweet-and-sour mayonnaise sauce.
28 North Gastropub | Viera
2250 Town Center Ave. Suite 101, Viera, 321-241-1159, 28northgastropub.com
Enjoy innovative cuisine, seasonal menus and mouth-watering cocktails in the middle of a major shopping centre. Yes, if you are dining at 28 North at the Avenue Viera. The cuisine changes seasonally, and the cool steampunk decor will make you forget there’s an Old Navy across the street.
Umami Restaurant & Sushi Bar | Melbourne
3042 W. New Haven Ave., West Melbourne, 321-676-5159, myumamisushi.com
Chef Chris Charn is, in some ways, a purist among local owners of Japanese restaurants when it comes to applying modern techniques to traditional dishes. At Umami, located on an unassuming square where Wickham Road intersects West New Haven Avenue, some of the seafood is flown in from Japan, and Mr. Churn slices it thinly on a hot stone tableside. We will cook A-5 Wagyu beef “Wagyu stone grilled” etc. Serve with vegetables.
Yellow Dog Cafe | Malabar
905 US 1, Malabar, 321-956-3334, yellowdogcafe.com
There’s a long-held belief in Brevard County that you can find scenic restaurants and good food, but you can’t find them in the same place. We don’t think that’s true, but Yellow Dog definitely disproves that theory. Guests will enjoy all the wonders the Indian River has to offer, from frolicking dolphins to soaring seabirds, all while savoring chef and owner Stuart Boughton’s heart-warming cuisine.
susie fleming leonard is a features journalist with over 30 years of experience.please contact her sleonard@floridatoday.com. Find her on Facebook: @SuzyFlemingLeonard Or on Instagram: @SuzyLeonard.
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