The Daytona Beach area has no shortage of popular restaurants — those that stay busy year-round, drawing locals, snowbirds and tourists in equal measure.
But tucked beyond the familiar names and beachfront favorites, lies a quieter tier of eateries — underrated, hidden gems, call them what you want; these are the restaurants defined less by buzz and more by consistently great food that flies under the radar.
From a strip mall osteria serving homemade pasta to a Latin fusion kitchen and cozy gastropub, here are eight restaurants from New Smyrna Beach to Bunnell that I consider criminally underrated and deserving of the extra spotlight.
94 Trattoria Italiana
94 S. Charles Richard Beall Blvd., DeBary; 386-742-7379, facebook.com
94 Trattoria Italiana consistently proves that passion is its own language — one you can hear from every corner. Between the clink of wine glasses and bursts of song from the kitchen, Chef Aldo himself — a man who clearly cooks by instinct, not script — often emerges to greet visitors and recite the evening’s specials.
Inside, the pace is unhurried — just the low hum of dinner conversation and a menu that leans confidently on well-executed classics, from penne vodka and house-made gnocchi to veal parmigiana and crisp pan pizzas.
Carbonara, rich, creamy and velvet in texture, arrives in sauce thick enough to cling to each strand of bucatini, making every bacon-and-pecorino-layered forkful somehow tastier than the last, while tender pockets of veal ravioli come bathed in a sweet, slightly nutty marsala wine sauce — a winner in and of itself. And though I rarely save room for dessert, the tiramisu always earns it.
Cafe Du Japon
306 Seabreeze Blvd., Daytona Beach; 386-262-2676
Though it opened in 2012, Cafe Du Japon — French for Japanese Café — feels as if it’s been quietly holding its place on Seabreeze Boulevard for decades. The dining room reads like a preserved slice of the 1980s — wicker-basket chairs, softly warn tabletops, and a disco ball casting flecks of light across the ceiling, as if time simply chose not to intervene.
There’s little in the way of exterior signage or branding, giving it the air of a locals-only secret, and the menu follows suit, prioritizing tradition over trends. Start with a small gyoza plate — crisp, pan-fried dumplings — or seaweed salad before sifting though several sushi roll entrees, like the Sunset Scallop, Jalapeno Oyster or Tuna Lover’s Roll. You’ll also find sashimi — sliced, raw fish; chicken katsu — thin, breaded and crispy-fried chicken cutlet served with white rice and tangy katsu sauce for dipping — and fried ice cream for dessert.
Maiwi’s Latin Fusion
314 Flagler Ave., New Smyrna Beach; 386-882-3098
On Flagler Avenue, where restaurants typically announce themselves loudly, this Latin kitchen does the opposite — concealed behind a cigar lounge, undetectable from the street, and known mostly to those who already know where to look.
While seating is limited, the eatery, complete with a small service window opening to the patio, stays busy thanks to a steady stream of patrons spilling over from the neighboring tiki bar — many popping in mid-cocktail or between rounds for a helping of hand-pounded tostones or a Maiwi Burger.
Everything on the menu at Maiwi’s is made in-house — a detail that shows itself in textures and flavors, from Colombian-style empanadas, filled and fried to-order, to bite-sized arepa flights filled with shredded meats, and fresh-pressed Cubanos. Prepared on Cuban bread, the sandwich brims with tender pork and ham, Swiss, pickles, mustard and homemade cilantro sauce — a fresh, punchy spread that makes all the difference.
If you order just one thing, make it dessert: scratch-made guava and cream cheese pastries that arrive freshly baked and piping hot, impossibly flaky and packed with flavor.
Mongoose
208 W. Howry Ave., DeLand; 386-873-2128,Facebook.com
Housed within a 1936-built home along the historic downtown’s West Howry Avenue, Mongoose is DeLand’s hidden slice of Asian-fusion street food paradise. The restaurant’s vintage setting is met with contemporary details, like quirky LED signage, while its menu boasts an assortment of scratch-made-to-order eats that rotates constantly.
If you’re lucky, the hot and spicy noodles — a towering serving of pan-fried, whole wheat egg noodles, tossed with slivers of seared kalbi steak and a house chili crunch — will make an evening appearance, though the Tan Tan Ramen ($19), a recent discovery, proved a rewarding departure from my usual favorites. Its rich nutty base is kicked up with a swirl of chili oil, while slivers of garlic chicken and bacon-braised mustard greens fill every spoonful. Wings, fried rice and other noodle dishes are also often in the mix.
Osteria Rustica Italian Restaurant
4750 E. Moody Blvd., Suite 108, Bunnell; 386-437-2000
With just eight white-clothed tables, hand-lettered chalkboards and walls dressed in scenes of Venetian alleyways, Osteria Rustica feels like the type of tucked-away gem you stumble upon once and hope to keep secret.
The restaurant’s owner, from the Venetian island of Burano in Northern Italy, often greets guests personally before guiding them through the menu, where everything is made in-house, from the pastas and breads to the mozzarella and hazelnut chocolate mousse cake ($12) — so good it’s not uncommon for me to order a second (or third) slice to take home.
Starters blur the line between appetizer and entrée. Case in point: the bocconcini — plump, purse-shaped pastas filled with caramelized pears and sweet gorgonzola and scattered with crumbled pecans for added texture. The Mezze Maniche Amatriciana ($27) has cemented its place among my menu essentials, pairing soft, tubular pasta with a lightly sweet plum tomato sauce, finished with a splash of pinot grigio, imported pecorino Romano, caramelized onion and crisp bacon.
The Salted Goat
2 S. Charles Richard Beall Blvd., DeBary; 386-320-0217, saltedgoat.com
It’s always a treat stepping into The Salted Goat, a restaurant that remains, visit after visit, one of the area’s most quietly impressive dining spots — and there’s more than just its urban energy, cocktails and service to thank for that. The gastropub’s farm-driven philosophy shapes the menu — a spread grounded in scratch cooking and locally sourced ingredients.
Brunch stretches until mid-afternoon, followed by a full daily menu that kicks off at 3 p.m., and a rotating lineup of dinner features after 5 p.m., each inspired by what local farmers are producing at their best. The approach makes each visit unique — one leaning toward BBQ glazed pork belly, the next toward Piggy Pasta, tossed in an addicting chardonnay cream sauce.
The Salted Goat prepares steaks worth the splurge, most recently a seven-pepper-crusted New York strip from Florida’s Quincey Cattle Beef, best paired with a side of whipped potatoes and Brussels. The Shanghai noodles, however, is one dish I can only hope sticks around. Vegan and gluten-free, it has a subtle kick, pairing delicate rice noodles with marinated local mushrooms, shanghai scallion oil and black lime powder, among other ingredients that make it the aromatic masterpiece it is. For protein, add chicken, shrimp, salmon or steak.
Thai Mango
1714 State Road 44, New Smyrna Beach; 386-428-0208, facebook.com/nsbthaimango
Thai Mango, a restaurant whose roots run deep, is one spot you can’t skip when those Pad Thai cravings hit. Set within a Publix-anchored shopping plaza, the New Smyrna Beach restaurant delivers flavors that defy its low-key surroundings — and have for nearly two years now at its current location.
Past the décor, the menu does talking — authentic flavors, scratch-made dishes and portions that don’t leave you wanting. Start with a helping of steamed chicken dumplings or crab rangoon before choosing between curry, noodle and stir fry plates aplenty.
My go-to? The Pad Thai — soft rice noodles, bean sprouts, egg and scallion stir-fried with a rich tamarind sauce — is among the restaurant’s most popular dishes, and for good reason, though the pineapple fried rice is a close contender. The heaping portion, stir fried in an earthy, yellow curry sauce, combines chunks of sweet pineapple with chicken, plump shrimp, roasted cashews and various veggies — a texture playground that often leaves me with plenty for my next meal.
Imli Indian Kitchen & Bar
330 S. Atlantic Ave., Ormond Beach; 386-281-3323, imlikitchen.com
Imli Indian Kitchen & Bar opened just two summers ago in Ormond Beach, where the standalone restaurant has quietly racked in a 4.9-star Google rating among local foodies — those with an appreciation for layered heat and aromatics.
The menu leans South Indian in influence, typically incorporating more rice and lentil bases, the use of coconut milk and spicier curries, prepared with mustard seed, among other ingredients. Approachable crossovers, like the masala fries, help ease newcomers into the broader menu, where you’ll find tandoori meats prepared in a traditional clay oven and various tomato-, cashew- and coconut milk-based curries, each prepared to your preferred spice level and with your protein of choice.
Start with samosa — a traditional, golden-fried pastry layered with potatoes, green peas and cumin seeds; followed by a bowl of tomato-based chicken tikka masala with garlic naan. Kick up the heat with vindaloo — heavily spiced tomato-onion sauce prepared with red chilies, bay leaves and vinegar — before ending your visit with a rice pudding or creamy mango mousse dessert.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: 8 hidden gem restaurants to try in the Daytona Beach, Flagler area
Reporting by Helena Perray, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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