As Florida’s dining scene evolves, we continue to say goodbye to old favorites and hello to promising newcomers, bringing a fresh wave of flavor to the Volusia-Flagler region.
In July, while some restaurants closed their doors, other fresh faces fired up their kitchens, dishing out everything from saucy comfort foods and scratch-made brunch to global bites and must-try sweets.
Hungry for something new? Here’s your guide to the latest restaurant and café openings in the Daytona Beach and Flagler area.
Volusia-Flagler restaurants that opened in July
The Cove Tiki Deck
790 S. Atlantic Ave., Ormond Beach; 407-956-0389, thecovetikideck.com
The Cove Tiki Deck held its grand opening in the final week of July in Ormond Beach. Alongside its full bar serving tropical cocktails, the coastal restaurant features an open deck with ocean views, live music and a seafood-centered menu.
Options range from the tiki shrimp lettuce wraps and fried Florida gator bites with Cove Kick Sauce to the crispy shrimp po’boy, ahi tuna bowl and sesame ginger salmon. Several burgers, pasta and steak options are also available.
Frozen Gold Ice Cream
1760 Ocean Shore Blvd., Ormond-by-the-Sea; 386-236-8246, facebook.com/Frozengoldnsb
Frozen Gold Ice Cream quietly opened its third location last month in Ormond-by-the-Sea.
The new shop occupies the former Surfin’ Scoops building across from the beach, where it serves at least two dozen hard-scoop ice cream flavors, including gluten-free and dairy-free options, according to its menu.
The shop offers a variety of specialty sundaes — like the Oreo Overload, M&M Madness and Cinnamon Toast Crunch sundaes — as well as floats, shakes and banana splits, prepared with any three ice cream flavors of choice, from classic vanilla to butter pecan, banana cream pie and chocolate peanut butter.
High Five Asian Street Food
222 N. Nova Road, Sute B, Ormond Beach; 386-777-9888, highfiveormond.com
High Five Asian Street Food opened for business in July within the Publix shopping plaza at 222 N. Nova Road in Ormond Beach.
The new pan-Asian restaurant replaced the former Pacific Bistro and strives to bring the “vibrant tastes of Asian street food to every dish with care and consistency,” its website notes, with a focus on “fresh ingredients and bold, authentic flavors.”
It’s menu features everything from Thai and Chinese to Vietnamese and Korean flavors, including pho, fried rice, pad Thai, several curry dishes, Mongolian beef, ramen and more. High Five Asian Street Food offers both dine-in service and online ordering.
Mile Marker 803 Clubhouse
101 Palm Harbor Parkway, Palm Coast; 386-283-5252, facebook.com
Mile Marker 803 Clubhouse, described as “the ultimate watch party and dining experience,” held its grand opening within Palm Coast’s European Village July 1.
The elevated sports bar offers both indoor and outdoor seating, dozens of TVs and live entertainment, as well as happy hour specials from 3 – 6 p.m. Monday – Friday and lunch specials from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. daily, according to its Facebook page.
Each priced under $20, lunch specials range from a 6-ounce burger, side and soda ($15.30) to a salad, soup and soda ($12.60).
The restaurant’s standard menu includes Kick Offs — Clubhouse Wings, garlic cheese curds, and Maryland crab, spinach and artichoke dip; Two-Handed Tackles — fried cod sandwich, brisket melt, and charbroiled burgers; and Main Events — meatloaf Wellington, shrimp creole, and brisket mac and cheese, among other items.
Mr. Dunderbak’s
116 N. Beach St., Daytona Beach; 386-258-1600, facebook.com/MrDunderbaksDaytona
After 50 years, Mr. Dunderbak’s recently closed the doors to its Volusia Mall restaurant and relocated to downtown Daytona Beach, where the iconic restaurant, delicatessen, grocer and pub soft-opened in July.
The decision to relocate came down to visibility and flexibility for the brand, co-owner Matt Martin previously told The News-Journal, noting a downtown storefront would allow the restaurant to operate on its own schedule.
The nearly 100-year-old, 4,000-square-foot establishment is open daily for dine-in only and is serving a limited menu until further notice, according to its official Facebook page.
The popular restaurant of more than 50 years is known for its variety of more than 300 seasonal canned and bottled beers, alongside draft selections, and its signature spread of schnitzel and sandwiches — each prepared with freshly sliced deli meats and cheeses.
Yummy Sushi
1820 Dunlawton Ave., Suite 105, Port Orange; 386-275-1008, yummysushiportorange.com
Yummy Sushi, a new all-you-can-eat, dine-in sushi restaurant, opened last month in Port Orange, replacing the former Red Bowl Asian Bistro, which closed in June.
Lunch, served from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., is priced at $16.95 for adults, while dinner, available from 3 p.m. until closing and all day Sunday, is $23.95.
The lunch menu includes, but is not limited to, starters — rock shrimp, gyoza, shrimp tempura, edamame; soups and salads; steamed or fried rice and noodles; nigiri sushi; and hibachi — mixed vegetables, chicken, steak or shrimp.
The dinner menu includes, but is not limited to, raw and cooked sushi rolls — such as spicy tuna, yellowtail, and eel avocado rolls; deep-fried rolls — like the Dynamite Roll and the Seafood Roll; hand rolls; and specialty rolls — including the Fire Tuna Roll, Double Salmon Roll and the Green Dragon Roll.
Volusia-Flagler restaurants that closed in July
Backyard Boys BBQ
Backyard Boys BBQ, known for its hardwood-smoked selections, salad bar and Southern comfort foods, quietly closed its doors last month.
While no official announcement was made, numerous customers reported the restaurant being closed during its normal service hours. Following a recent one-star review left online, the restaurant’s owner responded, stating, “business is closed.”
The restaurant is still listed as “open” on Google, though a note reading “closed” has been taped to the establishment’s front door. When attempting to call the restaurant, guests are met with a message stating, “the number you’ve dialed is not in service.”
Before becoming Backyard Boys BBQ under owner Tim Carner, the South Daytona building stood as one of the first locations of Sonny’s BBQ, where he mastered the foundation of what would become his lifelong career, according to the restaurant’s official Yelp page.
“Years later, Tim would come to perfect his own brand of barbecue at two restaurants that he opened in Sanford and Mount Dora culminating with his purchase of the old Sonny’s building in South Daytona where it all began for him,” the same Yelp page states.
Backyard Boys BBQ was located at 1840 S. Ridgewood Ave. in South Daytona.
Did we miss any? Email hperray@usatodayco.com to be added to the list.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: 6 new restaurants opened in Daytona, Flagler area in July, 1 closed
Reporting by Helena Perray, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Helena Perray, Daytona Beach News-Journal | USA TODAY Network
