In a small tidy kitchen off Highway 17 in Lake Alfred, Calogero “Charlie” Restivo makes the best pizza in Polk County. Over piping hot espressos, Charlie dished about his background, to-die-for dough, and the joy he gets creating a memorable guest experience.
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3 ounces tequila
Good. Vibes. Only. These words are illuminated in neon on the wall inside Lucille’s American Café and is exactly what you feel when you enter this cozy, mid-century modern space. Warm wood tones, deep blue, and retro lighting beckon you in, but for those inclined towards al fresco dining, th…
1 bottle white wine
1.5 ounces tequila
The couple behind Bandidas pop-up café, Gio and Gabriella Favilli-Vigoreaux, could teach a masterclass in self-expression. Everything about the brand they’ve created together is intentional, inimitable, and just plain good. The two-woman team operating out of the Catapult Kitchen Incubator s…
2 ounces vodka
Tucked into a corner of Hope Plaza just behind the Wawa on Highway 17 sits a newly opened Indian spot. Its façade – unassuming. Its fare – comforting and sapid. Cousins Shyjan Mekkattuparamban Mathai, Giboy Varghese, and Jinoy Varghese opened the doors to their Avenue O restaurant, Chilly Ma…
1 cup frozen pineapple
14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
4 cups apple cider
4 ounces gin
1 sugar cube (or 1 teaspoon granulated sugar)
Imagine walking into the doors of a local seafood market where attention to every detail has not been lost. The building is new and modern. Over fifty varieties of fresh fish and shellfish are displayed in pristine glass cases, with neatly arranged sections of produce, spices, local honey, a…
4 cans summer shandy (Leinenkugel preferred)
If you like good vibes, good wine, and ‘drinking for yourself,’ Obscure Wine Company is calling your name – and you must go. Owner and Sommelier Wellie Bethea and Former United States Air Force combat controller turned Executive Chef Robert Bethea have poured themselves into their Central Av…
3 ounces dark rum
coarse salt
Put on your finest Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops – Cabana Boy Ice Cream is open for business, baby! Well, they’ve actually been open for two months and have quickly become a sweet tooth fixture in Winter Haven.
A buzzsaw drowned out the tink, tink, tink of a hammer on a nail as we walked through a busy construction site with Winter Haven restauranter Dan Keebler. We passed a tap wall waiting for its finishing touches and a stack of tan cafeteria trays. Haven Magazine was granted a first look into t…
Winter Haven’s premier farm-to-table restaurant, Nutwood, celebrated five years last month. Owner and Michelin Starred Chef, Steven Rojas, looks to Nutwood’s future, including a kitchen expansion, cosmetic renovations on the outdoor dining space, and a tasty new business that had him traveli…
1.5 ounces bourbon
Florals, frills, and a quiet elegance permeate the atmosphere at Lavender ‘n Lace Tearoom & Restaurant in Lake Alfred. The family-owned tearoom is a whimsical world all its own. An ancient oak with twisted, wide-reaching limbs shades the side lawn. The outdoor garden blooms with flowers …
2 ounces vodka
16 ounces hot water
The first thing you notice once arriving at Winter Haven’s new eatery, V&M Bakery and Café, is the warm, cozy, good-vibes feeling that envelops you as you walk in the door. It could be the scents of decadent fresh-baked pastries and scrumptious savory meals that fill the air or the awe-…
1⅔ cups Jameson Irish whiskey
Cinnamon Rosemary Simple Syrup:
In the bright yellow building on Avenue A, formerly Bryant Home Gallery Marketplace, Bao and Lena Nguyen bake ‘a lot of happiness’ by way of fresh bread and authentic Vietnamese recipes to make their ‘Dang Good’ bami (banh mi).
When I first heard that Tsunami Sushi was closing Downtown, I thought, ‘Noooooooo!’ It was a favorite and frequent lunch spot for the Haven team. Fortunately for hungry Downtown Winter Havenites, what took its place is just as delicious.
It’s that time of year again and what better way to celebrate the delicious decadence of spooky season than by combining two of our favorite things: candy and cocktails! This Halloween, I set out to do just this with fellow cocktail lover and owner of Confection candy store, Ivy Horn. Trust …
2 ounces Empress 1908 Gin
2 1/2 ounces bourbon
You’ve had their warm bagels at N+1 and lined up for their country sourdough at the farmers market, but soon you will have more opportunities to enjoy Honeycomb Bread Bakers. The bee brand bakeshop is expected to open in Winter Haven later this month.
1cup blanco tequila
Whether you’ve tried his food or drooled over it on Instagram, if you live in Polk County, you’ve heard the name Blue Dog Craft Barbecue. The man behind the meat, Max Miller was born in Michigan but grew up in Polk County. He worked in retail management for about ten years before setting off…
3-ounce boxes of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple Jell-O mix
A little love, a dash of southern hospitality, and good old-fashioned fried chicken are at the center of Lakeland’s newest chicken shack, LoveBird Almost Famous Chicken. The couple responsible for turning up the heat on the pick-me-up dining scene is Leah and Jeremy Brumley. You can get in o…
1/3 cup tequila
It’s no secret that minimalism has taken over the country – books and blogs that detail pairing down everything from material possessions to the space you inhabit have taken popular culture by storm. People are taking only what they need to survive and finding happiness in the mindfulness of…
2 ounces vodka*
There’s nothing like a strong cup of coffee to keep you sharp in the morning, well that and maybe an airborne axe or two. Joyce and Kraig Woodrow opened Ax-Caliber Axe Venue and Coffee House, the first of its kind for Polk County, in downtown Lakeland last fall. The pandemic presented challe…
Serves 1
Twenty-nine-year-old An’Drew Kamani Williams, aka Drew Willz, has created an ever-evolving brand centered around graphic art, clothing, coffee, matcha, and more. 16.92 Coffee Matcha Bar is in the business of bringing coffee and matcha drinks to Central Florida through the modernity and magic…
8 raspberries
Makes 1 cocktail
This is an easy one, great for dessert, too ;) Add one or two scoops of your favorite sorbet to a glass, add prosecco and cheers to the new year! Ages 21+ please drink responsibly and never drink and drive.
You’re invited to the next Catapult Kitchen pop-up! Food-centric entrepreneurs serve up their culinary concepts as a sales avenue and testing ground for recipes at the walk-up window overlooking Lake Mirror. Pop-up patrons can lounge in patio seating backdropped by the deliciously creative “…
For cocktails:
It’s been just over a year since Chef Chadi Mokbel and his wife Cindy opened their quaint Lebanese restaurant in Winter Haven. Over that year, despite the obstacles facing many businesses in the wake of the coronavirus, the Mediterranean Fresh Grill has amassed a loyal foodie following.
4 ounces vodka
2 ounces bourbon
1-ounce vodka
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has affected the health of many directly. For others, interruptions in daily routines have meant changes in their diet and exercise habits.
With Omar Gonzalez’s culinary chops and his wife Caylee’s front of the house, hospitality, and catering background, the odds and pancakes were stacked in their favor. “We knew that we wanted to do a food truck. We had been talking about, probably since we got together, that we wanted to open…
5 cups frozen pineapple
No matter where you’re headed this Summer, this refreshing Cold Brew recipe will be the perfect road companion - it’ll keep you refreshed, energized, and save you from having to drink gas station coffee! (oh no, no, no!)
A snowball with a side of nostalgia, please! Cain’s Snowballs, a Sixth Street shaved ice spot, turned a year old at the beginning of this year. The eatery – or should I say treatery – was opened on January 5, 2019, by husband and wife, Ron and Dean Cain. The Cains, both born and raised in th…
10 large basil leaves