Candid Florida

Kappys

On my drive home from the Orlando International Airport Monday, I swung by a few old haunts and was delighted to see them still hanging in there. While Maitland – especially along US 17/92 – has undergone some radical changes since I used to live there, a few old standards keep hanging in there, among them, Kappy’s.

It’s an old-fashioned drive-in, the kind my parents would frequent, with burgers, dogs, and the thick, rich milkshakes that it’s so hard to find these days without dropping a bundle. Open for lunch and dinner, it’s still a fave of locals in the know – and worth trying out on your next trip.

Tucked into an urban Tallahassee strip backing up on FSU, Pitaria is a grill shop serving up souvlaki, pita, dolmades, and other Greek standards in veg and non-veg versions (make mine lamb!). Around for nearly 20 years, it’s obvious it’s an FSU tradition as the back-to-college crowd files in. Falafel, hummus, and fava beans accent the menu. Opa! You’ll find them at 617 W Tennessee, downtown Tallahassee.

Sour cream and onion flavored crickets. Soda that comes with a warning that you’ll poop blue after drinking it. Stacks and stacks of exotic beers and ciders floor to ceiling. And all of it jam-packed into a historic wrapper, a general store in downtown Fort Pierce. It’s weird, wild, wonderful and whimsically unexpected. Don’t miss it! They serve deli and bakery items, but you’ll have a hard time finding it behind all the beer and candy. Good luck! Open Mon-Sat 8:30-6:00 @ 100 Avenue A, Fort Pierce.

When in downtown Palm Beach…let the memories lead you into Hamburger Heaven, an oldie and goodie from the 1940s. It was like slipping into the five-and-dime with Mom for a burger, with mile-high cakes, root beer floats, and egg custard tempting! Right in the heart of it all, and yes, they’ll have you out in time to beat the meter.

Intriguing Greek pastas at Hellas

One of the toughest things about going to Tarpon Springs is deciding where to eat. Unfortunately (when in proximity to Greek cuisine), during my second day at the area, my business meeting came complete with a lunch. So I had no excuse to choose between calamari at Santorini, or pastistio at Mykonos … instead, I could dive straight into dessert. I walked it off first, of course, in the near-100-degree heat, so it was a relief to step into the chilled room at Hellas and order up a pasta: make mine layers of chocolate and vanilla custard with a touch of mousse. On my visits to Greece, the only place I saw such elaborate baking was in Rhodes, and sure enough, Rhodes has its own Tarpon Springs Blvd – it’s near Halki, where many of the original sponge divers are from. When in Tarpon Springs, always save room for dessert!

Hellas
85 Dodecanese Blvd, Tarpon Springs
(727) 943-2400

With family ties to the Greek Isles over the past several decades, I’ve always been drawn to Tarpon Springs as a source of gifts for those I hold dear. It’s the one place I know I can find authentic imports from Greece, be it the latest pop CD from Anna Vizzi or a new alphabet primer for the little ones. I was delighted, of course, to stop in at Gift World and find exactly what I was looking for … worry beads for my brother, and a nice set of flash cards for a niece who’s just young enough to pick up Greek as a second language.  Peek in the back room, of course, for the cool Greek imports, which include a variety of books, primers, CDs, Disney movies in Greek, and Greek language toys.

Gift World
557 Dodecanese Blvd, Tarpon Springs
(727) 938-3225