Florida has never lacked memorable restaurants and bars, the kind of places where families gathered for milestones, tourists lined up for a taste of local flavor, and generations of regulars felt right at home.
Sadly, even the most iconic spots can’t stay open forever.
From casual beachy destinations to downtown diners with brushes of fame — including one where Elvis Presley stopped for breakfast — Florida has lost several beloved institutions in recent years.
Here are 12 Florida restaurants that have closed their doors but remain deeply missed — selected by USA TODAY Network reporters who live in these communities and, yes, once dined and drank at these spots.
Alfie’s Restaurant | Ormond-by-the-Sea
After a nearly 40-year run in Ormond-by-the-Sea, Alfie’s Restaurant closed its doors in July under owners Greg and Dina Evans after the couple announced their well-earned retirement. Greg had run the local restaurant, which his parents started in Jamestown, New York, in 1969, since the mid ‘80s, ultimately nurturing a business whose impact extended far beyond the dining room — from providing free Thanksgiving meals to those in need, to supporting countless community fundraisers.
Known for its home-style cooking, Alfie’s was a place where fried fish and fried ice cream reigned, where a life-size gator beckoned guests inside and where four decades of family gatherings, first dates and hometown stories unfolded. The restaurant officially sold in August, according to recent public records, and though the space’s future has yet to be defined, the memories live on. — Helena Perray, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
Beach Road Chicken Dinners | Jacksonville
For 80 years, diners flocked to Beach Road Chicken Dinners for workday lunches and Sunday family dinners alike for generous helpings of the restaurant’s signature fried chicken — described by a Times-Union reviewer as “juicy, moist, crispy, ungreasy, fresh, tender and hot” — and all the fixings, ranging from creamed peas, mashed potatoes, biscuits and gravy. Original owner Paul Synhoff began frying home-grown chickens in 1939 at the small restaurant on Atlantic Boulevard, then the only road to Jacksonville’s beaches — hence its name, Beach Road Chicken Dinners.
Featuring ’40s-era decor and waitresses clad in white uniforms for decades, Beach Road was Jacksonville’s oldest continuously operating restaurant under multiple owners until 2019, when it was sold and reopened as Beach Road Fish & Chicken Dinners, whose run ended in early 2023. Months later, the landmark restaurant was demolished to make way for a new luxury apartment community. — Gary T. Mills, Florida Times-Union
Bonita Bill’s | Fort Myers Beach
With its “No shirt? No shoes? Can we get you a beer?” motto, the iconic Fort Myers Beach restaurant and bar was a visitor and local favorite for three-plus decades. It had everything beach bar fans could ask for — a laid-back vibe, good food, cold beer and spectacular waterfront views. Heck, thanks to Hurricane Ian, it even had a Bertram yacht resting on a dock next to its dining room that hundreds of customers signed and took selfies with. But on Jan. 5, 2025, it closed for good.
Originally a fish house in 1926, Bill Semmer bought the Bonita Fish Company and Fish House in 1991 and rebranded it as Bonita Bill’s. His death in January 2023, a pummeling from Ian, “costly repairs and construction, rising operating, labor, and food costs, and a changing market,” led to his family’s decision to sell. But not all is lost. New owners will soon reopen it as Bonita Fish Company and preserve its old Florida charm. — Robyn George, The News-Press
Cabo’s Island Grill & Bar | Tallahassee
Loyal patrons spanning generations are still craving fare from the surf-culture-inspired Mexican dining institution known for its wet burritos and fresh seafood. Cabo’s Island Grill & Bar owner Mike Ferrara and Bob Staerker decided after 34 years that it was time to retire in October 2021, which is great of course, but if you search up and down Facebook you’ll find a few lost souls pleading for someone, anyone to satisfy their Cabo’s cravings. From burgers to French fries and crab cakes, the list goes on. Some have even suggested that they come out of hiding to drop a recipe book, maybe even operate a food truck.
Retirement wasn’t the sole reason for the restaurant closing, unfortunately it was another casualty of COVID-19. “Our business never came back, and we thought it would,” Cabo’s former General Manager Lindsay Berke said. It was the first of too many times that the restaurant had failed to break even by the end of the workday since 1993. In 2006, the restaurant drew rave reviews from the Tallahassee Democrat’s then food reviewer Ashby Stiff, who gave the restaurant four chef hats. He said the restaurant was an extension of the personality of Ferrara, described as “Tallahassee’s best-known dream-weaver and perhaps the freest of free spirits we’ve known.” — Kyla Sanford, Tallahassee Democrat
Captain Joey Patti’s Seafood & Saloon | Pensacola
It may be the end for Captain Joey Patti’s Seafood Restaurant, a beloved Pensacola establishment in operation since 1989, which closed on Sept. 6 with hope of finding a new location. Owner Charles Merritt said while he will continue to search, the restaurant’s fate is uncertain. It was important to give his loyal customers the opportunity to come in, enjoy a bowl of their famed tomato-based gumbo and say goodbye.
Merritt took over the restaurant almost a decade ago, following the illness of his mother and founder, Josephine Patti Merritt, and has been keeping it going in her honor ever since. The restaurant was Merritt’s mother’s dream, serving people without any shortcuts, from the hand-breaded fish to the homemade cakes − principles that Merritt religiously followed. Josephine Patti Merritt began the restaurant next door to Joe Patti’s World Famous Seafood Market at 610 S. C St., where it stood for decades. It had humble beginnings, but she gradually added more until it blossomed into the beloved sit-down seafood spot. — Brittany Misencik, Pensacola News Journal
Carmichael’s | Ocala
This family restaurant was an Ocala institution for 19 years. It closed in April 2005. Even though Ocala/Marion County has grown tremendously since then, no restaurant has ever taken its place on the local dining scene.
You went to Carmichael’s for special family dinners or breakfast with friends from church. It served chicken pot pie, Yankee pot roast and orange rolls. Another local institution, the Ocala Golf Club (“muni”) sits right across East Silver Springs Boulevard.
A few Carmichael’s spinoffs popped up in later years, but they didn’t last long and couldn’t replace the original, anyway. In its last year, classic Carmichael’s served 200,000 meals. If time travel were possible, this 34-year Ocala resident would make it 200,001. — Jim Ross, Ocala Star-Banner
The Catfish House | Hobe Sound
The Catfish House in Hobe Sound, revered for its Lake Okeechobee bone-in “little ones,” served its last meal on June 24, 2023, after owners Greg and Loretta Nocenti retired after 25 ½ years.
The 70-year-old restaurant previously was owned by John Smith, who ran John’s Catfish Restaurant for about 10 years, and Bud Johnson, who ran Johnson’s Catfish House for about 30 years before that, Loretta Nocenti said.
Unlike most farm-raised catfish, which are served as boneless fillets, the Catfish House specialized in the smaller wild-caught variety cooked and eaten with the bones still in — its signature catch coming straight from Lake Okeechobee, home to a large catfish population.
“We just want to enjoy some time and travel,” she said. “But it’s very emotional. I just love that place.” — Laurie K. Blandford, TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers
Niki’s Family Restaurant | Melbourne
After 35 years of serving up generous portions of comfort food with a Greek twist, Niki’s Family Restaurant in Melbourne officially closed its doors in May — leaving behind a legacy of loyal customers, hardworking staff and countless memories.
Owner Floyd Bradley, who purchased the restaurant in 1990, believed the staff were more than employees, they were family.
Leopoldo Arancibia worked at Niki’s for 28 years, earning admiration from staff and customers alike. Nikki Cashon herself, along with Debbie Lund, worked alongside Bradley for 27 years. Lindsy Druckenmiller started at Niki’s when she was just 15 years old and stayed for 18 years. Evening chef Bruno Mauro served as a steady presence for 22 years.
As the community said goodbye to Niki’s, it’s clear the restaurant was more than a place to eat — it was a place where milestones were celebrated and the spirit of hospitality thrived. — Amber Olesen, FLORIDA TODAY
Old Naples Pub was popular after-beach stop near Gulf
It’s a place where sandy flip-flops and dripping swimsuits were welcome. Old Naples Pub was a couple-block walk away from the Gulf and Naples Pier, a popular spot post-beach especially for a burger, beer and one of many free pickles sitting on tables in Mason jars.
“A treasure trove of Naples nostalgia covered nearly every inch of space, even the restrooms,” the Naples Daily News said in 2024.
A hidden spot at the end of Naples’ swank Third Street South shopping district, Old Naples Pub was founded in 1990 by Donald Flock, who died in 2014, and Stephen Briggs, who remained a partner until his death in September 2022. Briggs met Flock in 1979, “when there weren’t many places in Naples” to eat, a Naples Daily News 2014 said.
“His idea was to have a place in Naples we could all enjoy,” Briggs said in the story 11 years ago.
Old Naples Pub closed May 31, 2024, when its owners decided to retire, the end of a popular, casual dining option. ― Dave Osborn, Naples Daily News
Ta-boo: Iconic Palm Beach lost a bit of a bygone era
Ta-boo wasn’t just a restaurant — it was Palm Beach’s unofficial clubhouse where martinis flowed, secrets whispered and shrimp “Scampi-style” never dared change. Since 1941, it played host to the glitterati and the quietly fabulous: Sinatra, JFK and generations of Worth Avenue regulars who knew their banquette number, their bartender and their order by heart.
But on May 29, 2023, the lights were dimmed for good. Owner Franklyn DeMarco, who ran the show for 30 years, sold the name and assets to another icon, Thomas Keller, who grew up nearby. A revival was teased, then tabled. It’s unclear whether Ta-boo will return or remain a memory wrapped in leopard print and candlelight. As the Post’s former restaurant critic Paul Reid once quipped, Ta-boo was “often frequented by men and women who are well-endowed financially, some who pretend to be, and certain women who add new dimension to the words Silicon Valley.” And that, darlings, is the kind of fabulous that makes everyone curious about Palm Beach. — Diana Biederman, The Palm Beach Post
Tony & Pat’s | Gainesville
This restaurant may be responsible for the extra pounds I still carry around today.
Originally opened in Daytona, Tony & Pat’s moved to Gainesville in 1974 and was a local staple in the Archer Square shopping center from 1979 to November 2007, when it closed and the center was demolished to make way for a new Kohl’s department store.
Tony & Pat’s featured an all-you-can-eat buffet with hand-tossed pizza, pasta, soup, salad and garlic bread. I remember as a kid searching through the large stainless steel pasta container for the few meatballs hidden inside. Those in the know would swing by the counter and request their favorite pizza be added to the buffet.
A favorite of both families and University of Florida students, the restaurant’s dated décor only added to its allure. I distinctly remember the Budweiser lights at each table, complete with moving Clydesdales. – Alan Festo, The Gainesville Sun
Waffle Stop in Sarasota, where Elvis Presley ate, closed after more than 70 years
Sarasota has seen many legendary restaurants, but only one could claim the King of Rock ’n’ Roll as a customer. After more than seven decades in business, Waffle Stop — the downtown diner with the blue window stencil declaring “Elvis ate here!” — closed on Dec. 31, 2024. The breakfast-and-lunch spot at 660 S. Washington Blvd. opened in 1951 and became forever linked to a young Elvis Presley. On Feb. 21, 1956, the 21-year-old singer, still months away from his first No. 1 hit, pulled up in a pink Cadillac with bandmates Scotty Moore and Bill Black. He ordered a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, potatoes, and three glasses of milk, leaving behind a fifty-cent tip and a story that became central to the diner’s lore.
That morning, waitress Edith Barr Dunn, daughter of the diner’s founder, served Presley. She remembered him as “just a flirt” after he complimented her legs, but his visit would define the Waffle Stop’s legacy. In later years, the diner leaned into its brush with fame, decorating with Elvis memorabilia, stenciling his signature on the window, and even offering an “Elvis in the Building” special modeled after his order. — Wade Tatangelo, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Wade Tatangelo is Ticket Editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and Florida Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor for the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached by email at wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: 12 iconic Florida restaurants that closed but are still missed today
Reporting by Wade Tatangelo, Dave Osborn, Diana Biederman, Amber Olesen, Laurie K. Blandford, Brittany Misencik, Jim Ross, Helena Perray, Kyla A Sanford, Robyn George and Gary T. Mills, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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