Vero Vine Top Nine Best Cheeseburgers

The Vero Vine Top Nine is in no particular order. The locations are picked by community members based on a calculation derived from the profile popularity, survey data and listing rating and then randomized.

Make your order delivery Free at Chow Cab with the Vero Vine coupon code.

Bistro Fourchette – (772) 770-2071

Awesome little french bistro downtown Vero Beach! Build your own burgers every Wednesday nights!

1309 19th Pl, Vero Beach, FL 32960

View Food Review | View Food Plates

Use Chow Cab Free Delivery Code: Vero Vine

The Patio Seafood Tavern – (772) 774-8232

The Patio won the Burgers and Brews cookoff earlier this year for having the best burger! This tastes DIVINE!

1103 21st St, Vero Beach, FL 32960

View Food Review | View Food Plates

Use Chow Cab Free Delivery Code: Vero Vine

Bobby’s – (772) 231-6996

Cool beachside restaurant with some of the best burgers in Vero!

3450 Ocean Dr, Vero Beach, FL 32963

View Food Review | View Food Plates

Buggy Bistro

This burger looks awesome!!! Lip smacking – Jaw dropping Florida scratch cooking.

A food truck at a special event near you.

View Food Plates

Casey’s Place –

#5 out of 227 restaurants in Vero Beach on Trip Advisor!!!

917 Azalea Ln, Vero Beach, FL 32963

View Food Plates

Grumpy’s Burgers & Beers – (772) 217-3734

The Hangover Burger with a beer cheese sauce over a fried egg! This was my favorite during my review!

1327 21st St, Vero Beach, FL 32960

View Food Review | View Food Plates

Use Chow Cab Free Delivery Code: Vero Vine

Hurricanes Grill & Wings – (772) 562-2226

While they might have Wings in their name, they are much more than that! They have great appetizers, wings, entree salads, tacos, and of course some really great burgers too!

Indian River Plaza, 1555 US-1, Vero Beach, FL 32963

View Food Review | View Food Plates

Use Chow Cab Free Delivery Code: Vero Vine

Planet Yum – (772) 202-2393

Looking for a vegan option in Vero, well then you have found it! I had this during my review of Planet Yum and did not know there was not any meat in it, it tasted that good!

2121 14th Ave, Vero Beach, FL 32960

View Food Review | View Food Plates

Osceola Bistro – (772) 569-1299

The menu represents an array of flavors and influences from around the world showcasing Chef Bireley’s culinary travels. Chef Bireley strives to purchase as many fresh ingredients from local farmers and fisherman as possible.

2045 13th Ave, Vero Beach, FL

View Food Plates

Use Chow Cab Free Delivery Code: Vero Vine

Hurricane Grill & Wings – Restaurant Review

by Thomas Miller – Food Blogger / Restaurant Critic for Vero Vine

My next tasting experience takes me to Hurricane Grill & Wings just off of US Hwy 1 in Vero Beach. While they might be a little bit hidden back in the corner with all of the construction going on out front, they are still there and pumping out some really great food. I’m a huge fan of chicken wings, and they have some of the best that I have found in town. During my visit, I was hoping to get a sampling of some of their other offerings to see how they stack up beyond just the wings and burgers we are most familiar with.

Parking is still in the same area, and you still use the same sidewalk to make your way to the front entrance. The sidewalk is lined with a chain link fence that has a black cloth lining to hide the construction going on in front. I was concerned with there being excess dirt or debris in the area, but that was not the case. It seemed perfectly clean, and their outdoor dining area was still open as well. We arrived on a Tuesday evening and the restaurant was quite full, we were directed to take a seat anywhere we would like. Shortly after sitting down we were greeted by our waitress to take our drink orders.

Let’s jump right in and see what I had to eat and drink!

Beer Flight Sample – I was curious to try a few of their biggest sellers that they offer on tap, so I asked if I could just have a small sampling of a few of them. The waitress brought out 3 samples to try. From left to right they are: Angry Orchard Hard Cider, Shock Top, and a Blueberry Lager. The Angry Orchard was my favorite of the 3. It had the brightest and fruitiest flavor of all of them. Shock Top is normally served with an orange slice, but since the sample was small, they did not provide one. It was very light and had absolutely no aftertaste. The Blueberry Lager was a little bit heavier and had a subtle blueberry flavor.

Wood Smoked Mahi Dip – ($9.49) – The first appetizer we were presented with was the smoked fish dip. It’s definitely a colorful dish, with lots of options. Everything was extremely fresh and quite tasty. They also include a cup of their Gold Rush wing sauce for those that want an added kick.

Jumbo Wings Snack Size – ($6.49) – Up next is the reason that brings me into Hurricanes, and it’s their jumbo wings. They were dressed with Gold Rush sauce, served alongside was ranch dressing, carrot, and celery sticks. The wings were perfectly cooked, tender, and juicy. They had just the right amount of sauce on them and were fantastic, as always.

Honey Pecan Grilled Chicken Salad – ($10.99) – I love a huge salad with lots of ingredients, so I was excited to see this offering when it was brought to the table. Grilled chicken breast, honey roasted pecans, bleu cheese crumbles, tomatoes, and dried cranberries were piled high on a bed of fresh mixed greens. It was served with a honey lime dressing. The dressing was light, but definitely had a bold flavor. The addition of the candied honey pecans added a nice crunch to the salad. It was simply delicious!

Mahi Tacos – ($11.99) – Cajun seasoned Mahi fish fillets are grilled, then topped with cheddar jack cheese, diced tomatoes and shredded lettuce. The flour tortilla was soft and fresh, but the Mahi was a bit under seasoned for my taste. Even with the addition of the Gold Rush sauce that came with the dish, I still didn’t find that punch of flavor I was looking for. I asked the waitress for a recommendation, and she suggested we try the Firecracker Shrimp sauce on it instead. She brought is a sample of that sauce and it did the trick.

Sea Salt Caramel Cheesecake – ($5.99) – A very popular flavor trend lately is salted caramel everything! This creamy New York Style cheesecake, sprinkled with crunchy sea salt and topped with a gooey layer of Hershey’s caramel, was absolutely the perfect way to round out our meal. The crust had a nice graham cracker flavor and a slight crunch to it. The cheesecake was smooth and creamy, and surprisingly, not too sweet. The whipped cream on the side was fantastic! It was super thick and very creamy.

In Conclusion:

If you are not a big fan of wings (who doesn’t like wings?), but your significant other is, Hurricane Grill & Wings still has lots of options to choose from. Wings, burgers, salads, seafood, tacos, there is definitely something for everyone and don’t forget the cheesecake!

Have you tried Hurricane Grill & Wings? What has your experience been with them? Sound off in the comments below and let me know your thoughts, or feel free to email me at thefoodguy@verovine.com with your questions or comments.

Atmosphere – 4 Forks

Service – 5 Forks

Food – 4 Forks

Ratings Scale Legend:

1 to 5 Forks – 1 Bad to 5 Excellent

Hurricane Grill & Wings

Hours: Open 7 days a week, Open at 11:00am – 10:00pm on Monday – Thursday and Sunday, Friday and Saturday open till 11:00pm

Indian River Plaza

1555 US-1, Vero Beach, FL 32963

(772) 562-2226

Italian American Civic Association – Restaurant Review

by Thomas Miller – Food Blogger / Restaurant Critic for Vero Vine

Located at the corner of 16th Ave & 25th St in a residential neighborhood, just a few blocks away from some of Vero’s busy downtown thoroughfares, is the Italian American Civic Association. I think most people associate a Civic Association as a “members only” place to gather, eat and have a good time, but they would be partially incorrect in this case. If it were not for the suggestion of my good friends Angelo and Brenda from The Angelo and Brenda LIVE weekend talk show, I would not have known this place IS open to the public on Wednesday and Friday nights for dinner. With the number of Italian restaurants in town, how will this place that serves Italian food on paper plates stack up against the rest? Keep reading to find out.

We were invited to come by for a tasting and arrived during their dinner service on a Wednesday night. We had a hard time finding parking in their moderately sized lot, so we parked on the street. The grounds are nicely landscaped and the building appears to be well taken care of. As we entered through the double red front doors we were greeted by the hostess. We were then shown to our table in the club lounge. The lounge is usually reserved for members, but opens to the public for the Wednesday and Friday night dinners. In the lounge, they have several tables and a bar for seating. On the other side of the building there is a large banquet room with plenty of tables, a dance floor, and a stage where they have entertainment during the Friday night dinners. Shortly after sitting down we were greeted by Anthony Andola, the President of the Association. He does a lot of the cooking in the kitchen along with the other volunteer members of the club. He said that he hoped we were hungry because he was going to bring us out a lot of food! There were three of us dining this evening and we were up for the challenge!

Lets dive right in and see what we had to eat and drink!

Yuengling Draft Beer – ($1.25) – A draft beer for less than most places charge for bottle of water, YES PLEASE! It was served ice cold in a pilsner glass, which I can only assume is approximately 8 oz in size.

Jack and Coke – ($4.00) – Since they have a full bar, you can get just about any kind of mixed drink you want. Prices range from $2.00 to $4.00 for each drink. One of the best bargains anywhere in Vero and a healthy pour at that!

To start your meal, on the counter in the lounge they have a large bowl of salad, garlic bread, and a few dressings that you can help yourself to while waiting for your meal. It’s unlimited, so feel free to go back as many times as you would like. The salad was fresh, crisp, and the garlic bread was crusty on the outside, and soft on the inside. They were both really good. On Friday nights they have garlic knots!

Eggplant Parmesan – ($8.00) – I should mention that this was a double portion that Tony brought us out to try. He wanted to make sure we had enough to sample between the three of us. While eggplant is not one of my favorite foods, this dish may just change my mind. The eggplant is dried, then fried and layered with cheese. The texture was soft and was easy to cut with just a fork. The tomato sauce is house made and some of the best I have tasted in Vero! This was one outstanding dish.

Pasta with Meatballs – ($7.00) – The pasta offerings change from week to week, so you may have a different option when you dine with them. Tonight we had large rigatoni with meat sauce, and two meatballs. The pasta was al dente, the sauce and the meatballs were all house made and were fantastic! As I’m writing this article I’m getting hungry for this again, it was unbelievably good!

Pasta with Sausage – ($7.00) – This dish is similar to the last one, except instead of meatballs, they’ve added sliced sausage on top of the pasta. This dish also had the optional peppers and onions added for no additional charge. The sliced sausage was very tender and flavorful, and the peppers and onions added a whole different flavor profile than the last pasta dish. It was amazing!

8 inch Hero – ($8.00) – This was made like a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich with shaved beef, peppers and onions, and mozzarella cheese melted over the top on a toasted bun. The meat was very tender and flavorful, the peppers and onions were nicely sautéed, but we all thought it could have used a bit more cheese and one that has more zing to it to take this sandwich over the top. All in all, it was still a very good sandwich.

Stromboli – ($9.00) – This thing was huge! It’s basically a rolled up pizza with your choice of toppings (additional toppings are $1.00 each), cheese, and marinara sauce on the side. The crust had just a slight crunch on the outside, and was soft and tender inside. They made ours with sausage, pepperoni, and cheese. Hands down, my favorite dish of the night!

Large 18″ Pizza – ($10.00) – This is easily one of the best bargains in Vero to feed your entire family. You start with a basic cheese pizza for $7.00, then add what toppings you want on it for $1.00 additional per topping. This “white” pizza had a garlic pesto sauce, ricotta, and fresh mozzarella on top. The aroma of the garlic when Tony brought the pizza to our table was intoxicating! The crust was perfectly baked, the garlic pesto sauce was herby and delicious, and the slices of mozzarella just melted in your mouth. Hands down this has to be one of the best pies I’ve had in Vero the 2 years I’ve lived here.

In Conclusion:

I went into this review with low expectations. I was thinking how good could the food actually be in a Civic Association anyway? It’s probably like the spaghetti dinner at my parents church with the sauce out of a jar. On the contrary, these folks are making their own amazing sauces from scratch, along with some incredible pizzas, pasta dishes and strombolis too! How does it stack up against the rest of the many great Italian restaurants in Vero? Excellent food + great value means I can pretty much guarantee you won’t be disappointed. You will just have to come give them a try and see for yourself, and you just might see me there!

Atmosphere – 4 Forks

Service – 5 Forks

Food – 4 Forks

Ratings Scale Legend:

1 to 5 Forks – 1 Bad to 5 Excellent

Italian American Civic Association Website

1600 25th St, Vero Beach, FL 32960

(772) 778-1522

Open to the public for dinner on Wednesdays from 4:30pm till 7:00pm, bring the whole family, Fridays Adult Dinner by reservation only and call to place order by 12:00pm day of, Cocktails and social hour starts at 5:30pm till 6:30pm, then dinner service starts at 6:30pm and runs until the last person has been served. Friday night dinners is Florida casual dress. The hall is also available for rental. Give them a call at the number above for more information.

Swine & Co – Restaurant Review

by Thomas Miller – Food Blogger / Restaurant Critic for Vero Vine

Recently renamed to Southern Social

Swine & Co. has been one of the most highly anticipated restaurant openings in Vero since I started writing my restaurant reviews last November. I’ve heard people around town talking about it, curious about when they will open, but I could not find much information about it on the internet. I was lucky enough to receive an invitation to a soft opening this past Saturday night to get a closer look. Nick and Angela Novak, owners of Filthy’s Fine Cocktails & Beer, are teaming up with a former Riverside Cafe employee John Scarr and Chef Mike Van Buskirk, of Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club and Cobalt. They believe they have created something unique to the local restaurant scene. Do they have what it takes to survive in the crowded, yet impressive restaurant space in Vero? Let’s dive right in and see what this place has to offer.

They are located on 14th avenue, a little bit north of Baci Trattoria on the east side of the street. They occupy the space that once housed Avanzare. Street parking is available along 14th Ave, unfortunately do not have space for their own parking lot. The building has gone through extensive renovations, so much that you would not recognize it if you dined at Avanzare previously. The outside has been painted black and they added a large Swine & Co. sign in white on the front of the building. Since I never had an opportunity to dine at Avanzare, I don’t know what the interior looked like, but it does appear that it got a complete makeover. The interior design is what I like to call “gastro pub’ style, with the black ceilings, exposed air ducts, stained concrete floors, wood and metal chairs, rustic light fixtures with Edison bulbs, and reclaimed pallet wood on the walls with a large Swine & Co. sign hung on it. They have one wall with a leather booth and a communal high top table in the middle of the main dining room.

Now on to my favorite part of the evening! Let’s take a look and see what I had to eat and drink!

Perfect Pear Margarita (Left) – ($10.00) – My wife joined me and this was the drink that she ordered. It’s made with Partida Blanco tequila, Thacher’s Prickly Pear Liqueur, lime juice, and agave nectar, served over ice. It was a little bit tart from the Thacher’s pear liqueur, yet you could still taste the generous pour of the tequila. The black you see on the glass is a black salt to complete the margarita presentation.

How Tea Shuld Bee (Right) – ($10.00) – When we got the two drinks, we were confused, since the name of mine had “tea” in it, and the taller glass actually looked like it had tea in the bottom of it. The smaller glass actually looked like something a margarita would be served in. It contains Milk Washed Tea Vodka, honey syrup, lemon, and salt. It must have had a fair amount of lemon in it because it was very tart. The honey syrup did help to sweeten it a little bit. I tend to like my drinks sweeter, so needless to say this was not my “cup of tea” so to speak, but if you like tart drinks, you’ll love this one.

Deviled Eggs – ($9.00) – Made the traditional way, but kicked up a notch by adding candied bacon and chives, it gave them a slightly sweet and smoky flavor from the candied bacon, and the chives gave it a subtle onion flavor. I don’t make these that often outside of the holidays, but I should considering how good they are. I’m also stealing their idea and adding bacon to my recipe since they were so good with it.

Fried Green Tomato BLT – ($14.00) – Up next is a twist on a classic dish. It’s made with green tomatoes that have been battered and fried, then topped with pimento cheese sauce, next is a slice of roasted pork belly, and finally topped with fried greens as a garnish. The tomatoes were nice and crispy, but I thought were a little bit under seasoned. The saltiness of the pork belly did make up for what the tomatoes were lacking in seasoning.

Southern Ramen – ($17.00) – I’m embarrassed to admit that as a foodie, this was my first ever bowl of ramen. If they are all as good as this one was, then I have definitely been missing out. It’s made with braised pork, a soft cooked egg, mushrooms, cilantro, a spicy chili sauce., and topped off with green onions as a garnish. With a name like Swine & Co, the pork had better be spectacular, right? In this case, it was! The pork was moist, tender, and very flavorful. The ramen noodles were plentiful, and seemed to be bathing in a wonderful pork broth. Hands down, my favorite dish of the night and the one I am going to order next time I eat here.

Pork Tenderloin – ($18.00) – Once again they prove why the name Swine is first on the sign, because they have made another excellent pork dish. It’s cooked via the Sous Vide method, then grilled. Served over brussel sprout leaves, a sweet corn succotash, and finished with a bourbon molasses reduction sauce. The pork was fork tender and out of this world good. The brussel sprout leaves were perfectly cooked, and the sweet corn succotash was excellent. The bourbon molasses sauce was sticky and sweet, and paired well with the pork.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse ($7.00) – I did not see the dessert offerings on the menu, so we asked our waitress what our options were. When she said “Chocolate and Peanut Butter” she had my attention, and I said I’ll have one of those! Served in a small glass jar, was this smooth and creamy peanut butter mousse that had chocolate chips in it, topped with a round of chocolate, then topped with whipped cream and mint leaves. For those that love chocolate and peanut butter, this dessert is hard to beat!

In Conclusion:

Swine & Co. is definitely filling a void in the Vero restaurant scene that is unlike any other that I am aware of. With the semi industrial, yet comfortable atmosphere, their unconventional dishes and drinks, I think they definitely have the winning formula to bring people back time and time again. “Creative Food with Southern Charm” is what Swine & Co. is all about and they certainly deliver both very well.

Have you tried Swine & Co? What has your experience been with them? Sound off in the comments below and let me know your thoughts, or feel free to email me at thefoodguy@verovine.com with your questions or comments.

Atmosphere – 5 Forks

Service – 5 Forks

Food – 4 Forks

Ratings Scale Legend:

1 to 5 Forks – 1 Bad to 5 Excellent

Swine & Co Website

Swine & Co Facebook Page

Swine and Co, 1932 14th Ave, Vero Beach, FL 32960, USA

(772) 205-2212

Hours: Open 7 days a week, 4:00pm til 10:00pm, Brunch served Saturday and Sunday, 10:00am til 4:00pm.

The Barefoot Cafe – Restaurant Review

by Thomas Miller – Food Blogger / Restaurant Critic for Vero Vine

Once again I head back to historic downtown Vero Beach, this time to the arts district for another tasting at a cozy little cafe that has quite the following. They are located off of 14th Avenue and in the Theatre Plaza. Owners Steve and Lisa Horn are very passionate about serving great food at fair prices. From breakfast items, to tasty soups, crisp salads, and freshly made wraps, they definitely have you covered no matter what you are hungry for.

I arrived downtown shortly before 10:30am and did not have a problem finding an open parking spot. If you come later you might, as busy as this place was during my visit. There are two cafe style tables out front if you wish to dine outside, or plenty of high tops and seating at the bar inside to sit and enjoy your meal. As you enter the restaurant, you are instantly transported to the islands. With large murals of tropical scenes, bright, colorful artwork and walls, a thatched roof over the bar seating area, and reggae music complete the laid back island atmosphere.

Lets dive right in and see what this place has to offer and what I had to eat and drink!

Southwest Chicken Chowder – ($3.25) – Lisa started me out with a couple of their homemade soups. Steve makes these soups daily from scratch. This chowder is loaded with chicken, peppers, onions, garlic and corn in a chicken stock base. It has a nice blend of southwestern seasonings, yet is not spicy. It was really good!

Bohemian Seafood Chowder – ($3.25) – The second soup I tried was this wonderful seafood chowder. It has lobster, shrimp, dolphin (mahi), scallops, red potatoes, carrots, peppers, onions, and bacon in a tomato base. Chock-full of seafood, this chowder is very hearty. The tomato broth is rich and delicious, and the bacon gives it a slightly smoky flavor.

Tuscan Shrimp Wrap – ($9.50) – When Lisa said she was bringing out a wrap for me to try, I was not expecting something like this. This wrap is made with shrimp (chicken also available), provolone and parmesan cheese, sun dried tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, fresh spinach and basil. The wrap is then grilled on a Panini press to melt the cheeses and bring all the flavors together. The grilling also gives the tortilla a satisfying crunch when you bite into it. The shrimp were perfectly cooked, the cheese was gooey and delicious. The coleslaw was perfect, creamy and sweet, just the way I like it.

Meat and Potato Hoagie – ($9.95) – This sandwich is the Thursday special and it is fantastic! Its made with thinly sliced beef sirloin, sharp white cheddar cheese, horseradish sauce, brown gravy, and served on a toasted hoagie roll, finished off with potato sticks. The sirloin was very tender and seasoned to perfection, and the sharp cheddar cheese was the perfect match for this sandwich. Hiding in the back is some of the best potato salad I’ve ever tasted. It’s one of their grandmother’s recipes and they would not share it with me no matter how much I begged them. However I did learn a little secret of what makes it so good, but unfortunately I was sworn to secrecy and cannot share it with you.

Cajun Chicken Wrap – ($7.75) – Once pressed, these wraps are almost like a quesadilla that is just overloaded with ingredients! This wrap has blackened chicken breast, grilled peppers & onions, pepper jack cheese, and calypso sauce. It was nice and crunchy from being pressed, the chicken was moist and delicious, the pepper jack cheese added a little bit of heat, and the calypso sauce tasted similar to a chipotle sauce. The macaroni salad is also made in house and is as good as the potato salad. Here is an insider secret that I can share with you. If you cannot decide between the potato or the macaroni salad, Lisa said they can split it and give you half of each with your sandwich. Win-Win!

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie – ($4.25) – The season for Pumpkin Spice everything is coming up and its starting a little bit early at The Barefoot Cafe! Lisa makes her own pumpkin pie filling from scratch, then blends it with ice, and milk for this decadent treat! Topped with whipped cream and a dusting of nutmeg the flavor was perfect, with just the right amount of sweetness. I took mine to go and as the ice melted it only got better with each sip.

In Conclusion:

I definitely enjoyed my time at The Barefoot Cafe and had some really great food too. Steve and Lisa are owners that care and put their heart and soul into what they make and serve every day. If you become a regular here, they will definitely get to know you and address you by name when you come back. Next time you are downtown stop by and see them. Or better yet, make a special trip, I know you won’t be disappointed.

Have you tried The Barefoot Cafe? What has your experience been with them? Sound off in the comments below and let me know your thoughts, or feel free to email me at thefoodguy@verovine.com with your questions or comments.

Atmosphere – 5 Forks

Service – 5 Forks

Food – 5 Forks

Ratings Scale Legend:

1 to 5 Forks – 1 Bad to 5 Excellent

The Barefoot Cafe Website

Theatre Plaza, 2036 14th Ave #100, Vero Beach, FL 32960

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8am – 3pm, Closed Saturday and Sunday

(772) 770-1733

Delivery available downtown Vero for no extra charge. Limited delivery available away from downtown for an 8% delivery fee on your order. Call the restaurant to see if you fall within their delivery area.

Havana Nights Piano Bar – Restaurant Review

by Thomas Miller – Food Blogger / Restaurant Critic for Vero Vine

As a follow up to my review of Maison Martinique, I was invited back to The Caribbean Court Boutique Hotel to experience their piano bar, Havana Nights, and their new piano player Brian Blatz. Located on the second floor of the hotel is a cozy, yet romantic space to have a drink, enjoy an appetizer, or an entire meal. The bar has its own specific menu, but also offers the full menu from the restaurant downstairs as well. Chef Chet Perotti and Chef Patrick Hughes were still fairly new to the kitchen during my first visit. I gave them 4 forks on food last time so I was excited to see what they would bring to the table this time to possibly earn that 5^th fork.

Click Here to Read my Review of Maison Martinique

There is a separate entrance up a flight of stairs outside to get to the bar, or you can enter the restaurant and take the back stairway up to it. There are tables, booths, and leather covered chairs at the bar for seating. Along with some colorful Cuban artwork, the chair inserts and pillows in the booths give the place a nice splash of color and make it feel somewhat tropical. One of the reasons why I was asked to come back was to see their new piano player, Brian Blatz. From classic standards to Elton John, Billy Joel and the Beatles, I think Brian could play just about anything and he sings too! Check out the link below to view the video I took of Brian while I was there. Or better yet, head on over beachside on Monday, Friday or Saturday night and enjoy Brian live!

Click Here to View the Video of Brian From my Visit

Lets dive right in and see what this piano bar has to offer!

The Big O (Oprah’s Favorite) – ($7.00*) – We asked our waiter what some of the more popular drinks are on the menu, and this one was suggested to us. It’s made with champagne, equal parts of Cointreau, and pomegranate liqueur. It was a little bubbly from the champagne, had a nice bright citrus flavor and was very refreshing. It was garnished with an orange ring that had the fruit removed from the middle. *This price reflects the Martini Monday special.

Chocolate Martini – ($7.00*) – This martini was also suggested to us as a popular choice amongst other guests. It’s made with vanilla vodka, Godiva dark chocolate, Godiva white chocolate, and chocolate rum. It was very smooth and had a very rich dark chocolate flavor. The alcohol flavor was very minimal, so be careful with these, they go down easy. *This price reflects the Martini Monday special.

Lychee Martini – ($7.00*) – As we were having our drinks this evening, we were chatting on Facebook with our friends about our experience at Havana Nights. We received several suggestions to try this martini, so we asked our waiter to bring us one. It’s made with Belvedere vodka, Lychee liqueur, shaken and served chilled. I tend to like my drinks a little sweeter and this one was not as sweet as the last two we tried. It had a nice lychee flavor, but was a bit to bitter for my personal taste. *This price reflects the Martini Monday special.

Pan Seared Caribbean Crab Cakes – ($16.00) – Crab cakes are always a good choice and these were exceptional. They are made with jumbo lump crab meat that is blended with fresh herbs, multi-colored peppers, and a hint of Caribbean spice. They were perfectly seasoned and the sear added a satisfying crunch. The sauce on the plate was made with roasted garlic, lime juice, and a little bit of jalapeño. Sliced lemon, tomato and lettuce completed the garnish.

Seafood al Forno – ($36.00) – I love seafood and this dish has all of my favorites in it. This dish consists of diced jumbo shrimp, scallops, lobster meat, and is topped with their shrimp and crab stuffing. It is then baked to a golden brown in a scallop shell and served over lettuce. The seafood was perfectly cooked and the shrimp and crab stuffing mix had the perfect blend of herbs, spices, and parmesan cheese. It was garnished with chopped parsley and two lemon wedges. A truly fantastic seafood dish!

Grilled Filet Mignon 6 oz – ($28.00) – My wife joined me for this review and filet is one of her favorites, so we were happy to see the chef bring this dish out to us. The dish consists of a 6 oz (also available in 8 oz) filet that has been fire grilled to a perfect medium and seasoned to perfection. Its topped with a small lobster tail, and a gorgonzola reduction sauce over the top. Sides were mashed potatoes and broccoli with sliced carrots. The filet was one of the most tender I have ever eaten, and the gorgonzola sauce was the perfect match for the steak. It was creamy and had a wonderfully bold cheese flavor. We were fighting over the last few bites of steak and the sauce, because it was that good!

In Conclusion:

We thoroughly enjoyed our evening at Havana Nights. From the atmosphere, the music, the food and drink, they were all wonderful! I might go as far as to say one of, if not the best fine dining experiences I have had to date in Vero Beach. They have really made some great improvements in the kitchen in the short time since I was there last and without a doubt, they earned that 5^th fork!

Atmosphere – 5 Forks

Service – 5 Forks

Food – 5 Forks

Ratings Scale Legend:

1 to 5 Forks – 1 Bad to 5 Excellent

Havana Nights Piano Bar

Rip Tide Menu – $27.00 – 3 Courses – All Night Long!

1605 Ocean Dr, Vero Beach, FL 32963

(772) 234-9041

Grumpy’s Burgers and Beer – Restaurant Review

by Thomas Miller – Food Blogger / Restaurant Critic for Vero Vine

Burgers are one of America’s favorite foods, and we sure do eat a TON of them. According to Google statistics, the average American eats 3 burgers per week, which puts us at just about 50 billion burgers consumed per year! Vero definitely has its share of burger joints, so how do you stand out and be one of the top burger purveyors in town? You need to do something special, and give your customers something that the other joints don’t offer. Owner Will Tseng believes he has the winning formula to get and keep your business when it comes to burgers.

Opening less than a year ago in December 2015, they are located in the old Casa Vecchia location on 21st St across from Pocahontas Park in the Historic Downtown Shopping District. As you enter the restaurant, you are greeted by the hostess and shown to your table. Seating is available at low or high top tables. They also offer several different bars with stools to sit and enjoy your meal. Nostalgic signs decorate the dark grey and red accented walls. When it comes to the ingredients, this is what makes Grumpy’s stand out from all the rest. Fresh vegetables, never frozen ground beef, hand-cut fries, and buns locally sourced from Miranda’s Bakery Shop in Fort Pierce. Beer and wine is available with six beers on tap.

Now let’s jump right in and see what I had to eat!

Hangover Burger – ($10.49) – This is one impressive looking burger! It consists of a toasted bun, all beef patty, Swiss cheese, bacon, a fried egg, and it’s topped off with a creamy beer cheese sauce. I had to cut it in half to just be able to get a handle on it and take a bite. The burger patty was cooked a perfect medium and was very juicy. The next thing I noticed was the smokiness and crunch of the bacon. The beer cheese sauce was smooth and creamy, but the flavor was more subtle than I expected. I would have liked to see the egg yolk a little bit runnier than it was, but overall this was a fantastic burger. The hand-cut fries were nice and crispy.

Pittsburgher – ($9.99) – This was a GIGANTIC burger just like the first one! It’s made with twice fried fries on the bottom under the burger patty, topped with cheddar cheese, bacon and their house made slaw with a side of Grumpy’s sauce. The burger again was cooked to a perfect medium, and the slaw on top was nice and crunchy, and had a little tang to it. I added some of the Grumpy’s sauce on it and it added a nice sweet and mildly spicy flavor to the burger. The onion rings were awesome! The batter had a nice richness to it, and the onions were tender enough to bite through easily. I found myself craving a milkshake with this burger combo, so if you are listening Will, maybe something to think about for the near future?

Korean BBQ – ($10.49) – I think I’m seeing a trend here with the size of these sandwiches! This “burger” is made with sliced beef that is slathered with their tangy teriyaki sauce. The bun was toasted and covered with their house made bacon jam, and topped off with an Asian slaw. The sliced beef was very tender and had just the right amount of teriyaki sauce on it. The slaw was crunchy with a little Asian twist and was very good.

12 Jumbo Wings – ($12.50) – Wings in general are awesome and I’ve had some pretty good ones in Vero. So how do these stack up? I’d say they are on point with the other local wing joints as far as size and how perfectly cooked they were. They were tender, juicy, and the sauce had just a tiny bit of heat to them. Along with the Mild Buffalo, Grumpy’s also offers Hot Sriracha, Teriyaki, Garlic Parm and Chipotle BBQ sauces. I would definitely order these again to try some of the other sauces.

In Conclusion:

My wife joined me for this review and we both thought that Grumpy’s was a cross between a Five Guys and a Red Robin. They have the same type of fresh made burgers as Five Guys, but more gourmet offerings like a Red Robin, so you get the best of both worlds here. We were also curious as to how “Grumpy’s” got its name, and the owner Will told me to “ask his wife”! It’s definitely nice to have another burger option in Vero that is not fast food. This is definitely an exceptional burger place that has a variety of burger options along with a nice selection of sandwiches and wraps.

Be sure to visit on Wednesdays for Karaoke night with Happy Hour specials, and coming up soon is Taco Tuesdays featuring the infamous Alley Tacos! You no longer have to wait until Friday to have their delicious tacos. Check out Grumpy’s Facebook page for more information and special events.

Atmosphere – 4 Forks

Service – 4 Forks

Food – 4 Forks

Ratings Scale Legend:

1 to 5 Forks – 1 Bad to 5 Excellent

Grumpy’s Website

1327 21st St, Vero Beach, FL 32960

(772) 217-3734

Hours:

Wednesday	11:30AM–12AM
Thursday	11:30AM–12AM
Friday	11:30AM–12AM
Saturday	3PM–12AM
Sunday	3PM–9PM
Monday	Closed
Tuesday	11:30AM–10PM

Polo Grill – Restaurant Review

by Thomas Miller – Food Blogger / Restaurant Critic for Vero Vine

My next tasting experience takes me over to the island side of Vero Beach again, and this time to the Polo Grill. It’s located on Ocean Drive and in the Portales de Vero center. This wonderful upscale eatery definitely has a loyal following and has some classic dishes, with a few out of the ordinary ones too. This was my first time dining here so let’s jump in and see what this place has to offer.

Parking is located off of Flamevine Lane on the west side of the building, or you can park on the street closer to the entrance at the east side of the building. As I entered the restaurant, I was promptly greeted by the host, Kenny and shown to my table. The crystal chandeliers and wall sconces were dimly lit, with wainscoting on the walls, dark stained wood, leather chairs and tufted backs of the booths it felt very elegant, kind of like a private club. Artwork throughout kept up with the name and was very equestrian.

Now on to the food! Let’s jump right in and see what I had to eat and drink!

Oyster Bay New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc – ($9.95) – I chose this wine at random, and coming from a wine newbie, I think it was an excellent choice. It was crisp, slightly tropical in flavor, and definitely refreshing.

Shrimp Scampi – ($20.95) – Before I dined here, I looked at the menu and was having a hard time deciding which appetizer to have, so I asked my waiter Hector, which one he would recommend between the crab cakes or the scampi. He recommended the scampi, so that is what I ordered. It contained 4 large shrimp, with sautéed tomato, garlic, and herbed scampi butter. I squeezed the lemon over the top and took a bite. The shrimp were perfectly cooked, and the sauce had a little different twist with the addition of the tomatoes, which was a nice change of pace. They were really good!

The Bleu Wedge – ($8.95) – This is my very first wedge salad I have had. I’ve avoided them in the past because I thought that they would be too difficult and messy to eat. It consists of nearly 1/3 of a head of iceberg lettuce, a creamy bleu cheese dressing, and some bacon crumbled over the top. It was easier to eat than I thought, and kind of fun too. I cut it up into manageable bite size pieces and it was really good. The lettuce was fresh and crisp, the dressing had lots of flavor and was very creamy.

Caesar Salad – ($8.95) – With the two entrees that I ordered, each one came with a salad, so I got one of each of the salads they offer. This is your classic Caesar with romaine lettuce, Caesar dressing, grated parmesan cheese, garlic croutons, and I got the optional anchovies on top. The lettuce was very fresh and crisp, and was coated lightly with the dressing. The anchovies were nice and salty. A true classic and very nicely done.

Pork Schnitzel with Cherries -($29.95) – This was one of the more unusual dishes that caught my eye while I was browsing the menu, so I had to try it. It’s made from pork tenderloin pounded almost paper thin, breaded, deep fried, then a cherry sauce is spooned over the top. The pork was very tender, the coating had a nice crunch to it, and the cherry sauce was more tart than sweet. It was a great flavor combination with the pork. Sides were a potato gratin, sliced carrots, and asparagus. The potato gratin was the star of the side dishes. The potatoes were thinly sliced and were layered with parmesan and cheddar cheeses. A fantastic dish, and a top seller at Polo Grill.

Black Angus Short Rib – ($29.95) – Short ribs are becoming a new favorite of mine, so I knew that when I saw it on the menu, that I would have to try it. This is a boneless short rib that had been slow cooked for hours and served with a rich brown gravy over the top. The short rib portion was quite large, and was fork tender. The rich gravy added a wonderful richness to the dish. Sides were the same as I had with the pork schnitzel and were just as good a second time around.

Creme Brulee – ($5.95) – This is one of my all time favorite desserts, so when my waiter mentioned this was an option, my selection was a no brainer. A soft custard, baked, then sugared and torched on top to finish is always good, and this one is no exception. The sugar on top was nice and thin, and broke easily with the spoon. The custard was set perfectly and was smooth and creamy. A great way to round out a fantastic meal!

In Conclusion:

What a fantastic dining experience I had while visiting the Polo Grill! From the host, to the very professional wait staff, they all took great care of me while I was there. While slightly off the beaten path at the south end of the shopping district on Ocean Drive, this is a place that is definitely worth seeking out. If you are looking for that exclusive club feel, with excellent service, and fantastic food without the membership fees, then Polo Grill is definitely your place!

Have you tried Polo Grill? What has your experience been with them? Sound off in the comments below and let me know your thoughts, or feel free to email me at thefoodguy@verovine.com with your questions or comments.

Atmosphere – 5 Forks

Service – 5 Forks

Food – 4 Forks

Ratings Scale Legend:

1 to 5 Forks – 1 Bad to 5 Excellent

Polo Grill Website

2855 Ocean Dr, Vero Beach, FL 32963

Hours:

Monday	5–9PM
Tuesday	5–9PM
Wednesday	5–9PM
Thursday	5–9PM
Friday	5–9PM
Saturday	5–9PM
Sunday	Closed

(772) 231-4090

Dagwood’s – Restaurant Review

by Thomas Miller – Food Blogger / Restaurant Critic for Vero Vine

My next tasting experience takes me to a small strip mall off of 17th street near Hwy 1 in Vero Beach. With sandwich shops being a dime a dozen these days, you really have to do something special to stand out in this crowded space. Owners Josh and Marie Jenkins believe they have what it takes to do so. From huge sandwiches, salads, and wraps custom made to order, they have just about everything to please anyone that steps through their door. Listed as the #12 restaurant in Vero Beach on Trip Advisor, and 77 five star reviews on their Facebook page at the time of this writing, they are definitely doing something right. Let’s jump right in, take a look and see why.

Parking is tight in the strip mall, and this place is always busy for the short 4 hours that they are open each day, so be prepared to fight for a parking spot. Walking in to Dagwood’s you are greeted by a counter with stools and a dining room to the right with low and high top tables. After placing your order at the front counter, you will receive your drink and then are instructed to take any seat and your sandwich will be brought to your table. The atmosphere is nice, with ochre colored walls, and black accents. Decorations are bold and add a unique vibe to the place. With the extreme heat we have been having this summer, the day I visited their air conditioner froze up and it was a little bit warm inside but it did finally start to cool down towards the end of my visit.

Now on to the food! Let’s jump right in and see what I had to eat!

Dagwood Sandwich – ($6.75 half / $9.75 whole) – This is one impressive sandwich! Served on their house made sub roll, it contains ham, turkey, roast beef, pepperoni, bacon, cheddar, provolone, mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, banana peppers, black olives, jalapeno, and topped off with Dagwood’s special spices. Oil and vinegar was served alongside. Trying to fold it up for a bite was a challenge in itself. Once I got a handle on it and took a bite this sandwich had a lot of flavors and textures going on all at the same time. It was tangy, crunchy, and a little bit sweet. This is probably a sandwich that I would not have tried on my own, so I’m glad I got to try it, because it may be my go-to when I return in the near future.

California Club Sandwich – ($6.75 half / $9.75 whole) – This thing is stacked up with a ton of turkey! Served in their house made sub roll, it contains provolone, turkey, bacon, avocado, alfalfa sprouts, mayo, honey mustard, tomatoes, onions, and Dagwood’s special spices. With the creaminess of the mayo and the avocado, it almost tasted like a turkey salad sandwich. The sprouts were fresh as were the rest of the ingredients. This one was also a handful to pick up and take a bite, so make sure you have extra napkins on hand!

Prime Rib Sandwich – ($9.75) – This sandwich is only made on Fridays and sells out very quickly, so if you want to try it, you need to get there early. I met a friend for lunch one day prior to my review around 1:00pm and they were already out of it. It contains thinly sliced prime rib, sautéed peppers and onions, mushrooms, and provolone cheese on toasted white sandwich bread. Au Jus is served alongside. The prime rib is very tender, and I was able to bite through easily. I know why it sells out quickly, because this is one awesome sandwich!

Reuben Sandwich – ($9.75) – I had to unhinge my jaw on this one to take a bite! It’s built like a club sandwich with another layer of rye bread in the middle. It contains Dagwood’s oven roasted corned beef, sauerkraut, thousand island dressing and Swiss cheese served on rye bread. First off, the corned beef is spectacular! The sauerkraut was crunchy, not too zingy. I thought the thousand island dressing needs a little bit more kick to take this over the top, but it was still an excellent sandwich.

Potato Salad – ($1.25) – We received a 4 oz portion of their house made potato salad to try. The potatoes were perfectly cooked, just the right amount of mayo and mustard mixed in. It was very fresh, slightly sweet, and tangy. This is a definite must have with your sandwiches!

In Conclusion:

I’m really impressed with the sandwiches I tasted during my visit, and I look forward to trying a few more. From making their own house cured corned beef, pastrami, smoked beef brisket, and prime rib, along with roasting their own chicken and turkey, they definitely have some strong offerings. If Guy Fieri were to ask my opinion of where he should film an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives in Vero Beach, I would definitely recommend this place!

Have you tried Dagwood’s? What has your experience been with them? Sound off in the comments below and let me know your thoughts, or feel free to email me at thefoodguy@verovine.com with your questions or comments.

Atmosphere – 5 Forks

Service – 5 Forks

Food – 5 Forks

Ratings Scale Legend:

1 to 5 Forks – 1 Bad to 5 Excellent

Dagwoods Website

Hours: Monday – Saturday from 11:00am till 3:00pm, closed on Sunday’s

They only serve non-alcoholic beverages at this time, but are working towards including beer and wine, which will allow them to extend their hours and offerings soon!

835 17th St, Vero Beach, FL 32960

(772) 778-1900

Frontera Cocina – Restaurant Review

by Thomas Miller – Food Blogger / Restaurant Critic for Vero Vine

Frontera in Chicago has been on my bucket list of must try restaurants for quite a while now. When I learned that one was within 2 hours driving distance, I had to go and check this place out for myself. Located in what was once known as Downtown Disney, the newly re-designed Disney Springs has added additional shopping, attractions, and some really great new restaurants. Chef and proprietor Rick Bayless has won countless James Beard awards and has hosted the PBS TV show “Mexico, One Plate at a Time” for over 10 years. Disney only welcomes the best of the best, so how will Chef Rick Bayless’ new restaurant stack up against the rest? Let’s dive right in and take a look.

Parking at Disney Springs is much improved over Downtown Disney. They now have two major parking garages to park in. We parked in the Lime Garage since it was closest to the restaurant. The new garages have some cool new technology that tells you how many parking spaces are left, and which rows actually have spots, so you don’t find yourself driving around aimlessly to find a spot. We pulled in and found a spot within a few minutes. We had a short walk up the stairs, then over and down another set of stairs to enter Disney Springs. Once we entered, both my wife and I looked at each other and felt lost. We are both very seasoned Disney visitors, but there have been so many changes, it felt new to us again. As we stepped in further, we saw the World of Disney and got our bearings. We were able to easily find the restaurant not far from where we parked. We arrived fifteen minutes early for our 4:00pm reservation and were seated immediately.

The restaurant has only been open since June 27th, so they are still really new. The dining room is really open with that comfortable but industrial feel of the new style gastro pubs with the exposed ventilation ducts and high ceilings. The A framed ceiling is lined with dark wooden beams, skylights to allow in as much natural light as possible, and a large light fixture over the dining room that reminded me of hanging chili peppers. Two walls in the dining room had shelves with tequila bottles as decoration on them. There is a second dining room separated by a small wall directly in front of the bar. They also have outdoor seating with a man made water view behind the restaurant.

Now on to the food! Let’s jump right in and see what I had to eat and drink!

Fiesta Mexicana Iced Tea – ($3.00) – Both my wife and I ordered this drink and thought it was quite refreshing. It is a black tea flavored with mango, melon and papaya. It came unsweetened, but they had several sweetener options to choose from. They even had a stevia option which was nice to see.

Queso Fundido – ($12.00) – This was the appetizer we ordered to share and it arrived to our table hot and bubbly! It contains chihuahua cheese, roasted pablano peppers and caramelized onions. Four warm corn tortillas and two different salsa’s were served alongside. The cheese was nice and stringy as you would expect and had good flavor. The corn tortillas were very fresh and held together well. The red salsa was the milder of the two. It was oh so good!

Chipotle Chicken Tostada – ($13.00) – My wife ordered this appetizer as her main entree. The dish consists of crispy tostadas, chipotle seasoned chicken, crema, creamy black beans, queso fresco, and topped with a slice of avocado and a cilantro leaf. The tostadas were crisp and held together well, the chicken was nicely seasoned and tender. It was delicious!

Arroz con Plantains – ($5.00) – Since my wife ordered an appetizer as her main course, she ordered a side dish to accompany it. This side dish consists of white rice studded with plantains and cilantro. The rice was perfectly cooked and the plantains were caramelized nicely. It’s such a simple dish but oh, so good.

Shrimp Mojo de Ajo – ($27.00) – I’ve seen Chef Bayless prepare his mojo de ajo on his TV show many times, so I knew before my arrival this was the dish I would order. It’s made with pan-roasted Mazatlan blue shrimp with mojo de ajo sauce, plantain rice, grilled calabacitas. Warm corn tortillas were supposed to come with the dish, but I did not receive any. There were a ton of shrimp, I think I counted at least 10, the rice was the same as what my wife had as her side dish and paired nicely with the shrimp. The mojo de ajo lived up to my expectations and was fantastic!

Coconut Lime Cuatro Leches – ($9.00) – I’m a fan of coconut and lime flavors, so I chose this dessert for myself. It’s made with sponge cake that is soaked in 4 milks (coconut, half and half, condensed, and evaporated), topped with whipped cream, toasted coconut, fresh blackberries, and lime zest grated over the top. The cake was fresh and light, the whipped cream was a good choice for the icing, and the lime zest gave it a very fresh taste. All in all, this is a very tasty dessert!

Pecan Pie Bar – ($9.00) – This is what my wife picked for her dessert. It’s made with Mexican vanilla ice cream, and chocolate sauce. The pecan pie bar was like a dark chocolate brownie, only not as dense as a brownie would be due to the pecans which made it a little crunchy. The ice cream was fresh and tasty, and the chocolate sauce and crushed pecans were used as a garnish.

In Conclusion:

With expectations set high, we were not disappointed. You can tell that they have only been open a short time due to some chaos in the kitchen. Our desserts were provided at no charge due to a delay with the main course arrival, and now that I read the description of the Shrimp dish, the tortillas never made it either. All new restaurants have growing pains such as these, and they will get past them and eventually find their groove. Will I come back and give them another shot? Absolutely! If you find yourself in Disney Springs anytime soon I definitely recommend you check them out!

Have you tried Frontera Cocina? What has your experience been with them? Sound off in the comments below and let me know your thoughts, or feel free to email me at thefoodguy@verovine.com with your questions or comments.

Atmosphere – 5 Forks

Service – 5 Forks

Food – 4 Forks

Ratings Scale Legend:

1 to 5 Forks – 1 Bad to 5 Excellent

Frontera Cocina Website

Hours:

Wednesday	11AM–10PM
Thursday	11AM–10:45PM
Friday	11AM–10:45PM
Saturday	11AM–10:45PM
Sunday	11AM–10PM
Monday	11AM–10PM
Tuesday	11AM–10PM

Address: 1604 E. Buena Vista Drive, Orlando, FL 32830

Phone: (407) 560-9197

Page 3 of 8
←
1
...
2
3
4
...
8
→