ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando landmark Beefy King will celebrate its 50th birthday on Saturday. It's not the only local restaurant that has grown along with the city.
These six Orlando-area restaurants are some of the oldest and most well-established in the area. If you're looking to eat some of the food Orlando natives have eaten for years, give one of them a try:
The TownHouse Restaurant
Located in the heart of Oviedo, The TownHouse has been serving country-style breakfast, lunch and dinner since the 1950s. The restaurant, which is family-owned and operated, moved to a newer, bigger building in 2016, when road construction closed the original location. The staff has been cooking new specials ever since.
What to eat: They’re especially known for their chicken pot pies on Sundays. See the full menu here.
Where: 139 N Central Avenue, Oviedo, Florida
Contact: (407) 365-5151
Goff’s Drive In
This Orlando landmark will have its 70th birthday in June 2018. The reason it has stuck around so long? Customers have loved the friendly employees who serve the cones, sundaes and shakes since 1948. You can find the small ice cream stand just past Camping World Stadium on South Orange Blossom Trail.
What to eat: Reviewers rave about the banana splits, which come with bananas, pineapple, strawberries and walnuts.
Where: 212 S Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, Florida
Contact: (407) 286-3421
Hot Dog Heaven
You may have seen Hot Dog Heaven’s distinctive (and giant) sign while driving on East Colonial Drive. Food website The Daily Meal said the restaurant as had the best hog dogs in Florida in 2018. The store has expanded from the 500-foot space from which it started in 1987. The brand even has a consulting company to help other hot dog hopefuls find success.
What to eat: The Chicago dog is the restaurant’s signature dish. See the full menu here.
Where: 5355 E Colonial Drive, Orlando, Florida
Contact: (407) 282-5746
Gabriel’s Submarine Sandwich Shop
This College Park sandwich shop has been situated next to Edgewater High School for 60 years, offering classic submarine sandwiches all the while. The store was opened in 1958 and is still family-owned. Gabriel’s also serves wings, milkshakes and party subs up to 6 feet long.
What to eat: The cheesesteak is a melty, cheesy classic. See the full menu here.
Where: 3006 Edgewater, Drive Orlando, Florida
Contact: (407) 425-9926
Lee & Rick’s Oyster Bar
What started in 1958 as a small oyster bar with only nine seats is now an Orlando establishment. Lee and Rick’s son now runs the restaurant, which has an 8-foot-long shucking bar for those who want to watch their oysters cracked open fresh. Just off of Kirkman Road in Orlovista, the outside of Lee & Rick’s, a large wooden boat, is hard to miss.
What to eat: Oysters are obviously the house specialty, but they have plenty of other seafood dishes too. See the full menu here.
Where: 5621 Old Winter Garden Road, Orlando, Florida
Contact: 407-293-3587
The Old Spanish Sugar Mill
This brunch restaurant offers pancakes with a special twist – you cook them at the table. The Sugar Mill has been around since 1961 in DeLeon Springs Park, near DeLand. Since then, customers have been ordering pitchers of the restaurant’s signature pancake batter and cooking up flapjacks on the griddles on each table. After you eat, you can explore the park by kayak or boat tour.
What to eat: In addition to having regular pancakes, the shop also has vegan/gluten-free batter and additional toppings like fruit and chocolate. See the full menu here.
Where: 601 Ponce DeLeon Blvd., DeLeon Springs, Florida
Contact: (386) 985-5644