Even though Tallahassee is a college town, there's more to the food scene than you'd think. I know we're all broke college students, but I promise these things are worth the splurge. Over the past three years, I've been to almost every restaurant in Tallahassee, ranging from casual to fine dining. I love food, but I hate cooking, so my stomach loves me and my wallet hates me. Luckily for you, I've narrowed it down to the top 50 things you need to eat in Tallahassee before you die or graduate (because that's pretty much the same thing).
*Restaurants are listed in no particular order and do not reflect the feelings of the Spoon University Florida State's staff as a whole.*
1. The Gator Hater from Wells Brothers Bar and Grill (aka Monk's)
If you go to Florida State, it's a requirement to hate the Gators. This burger is a classic cheeseburger with bacon on a buttered and toasted sourdough bun. If you haven't tried this perfect mouthwatering must-have from the best burger joint in Tallahassee, you need to.
2. The Jefferson from Voodoo Dog
This hot dog is ridiculous and was definitely created while under the influence. Mac and cheese and Ritz crackers on a hot dog? It doesn't sound exactly appetizing, but #trust that it's to die for.
3. Red Velvet Pancakes from Prime Time
Brunch is a lifestyle. If you're a hardcore brunch connoisseur like me, you need to experience these pancakes. They have powdered sugar on them and are served with vanilla bean buttercream and maple syrup. They aren't overwhelmingly sweet, which obviously makes it acceptable to have dessert for breakfast. Prime Time not only offers them as an entree, but you can also get a mini version of these on the side or as an appetizer.
4. Garlic Knots from Gaines Street Pies
I'm not kidding you, there was a point in the semester where I would eat these garlic knots three times a week. I would be out at night, and around 1:30 am my roommate and I would be screaming for these. They're life-changing, and I suggest you try them after a night out. You can thank me later.
5. The Queso from Tacospeak
I'm usually more of a guac person than a queso person, but this queso has the best of both worlds with a scoop of guac in the middle.
6. Crispy Mac 'N Cheese from Spear It Legendary
Plot twist: yes you can make mac 'n cheese unhealthier than it already is. So bad for you, but so damn good.
7. Any Pizza from Momo's
If you haven't been to Momo's yet, what are you doing? Their pizza slices are bigger than my face and more delicious than any other pizza I've ever had.
8. Sirracha Meatballs from Vale Food Co.
If you're not a fan of spicy food, you're going to have to pass on these. Everything from Vale is good, but I've never tasted something quite like this. See for yourself, but make sure you have a cup of water next to you while you're eating these.
9. Loaded Tater Tots from Merv's
Merv's kills the tator tot game with an array of different options. The best choice would have to be the loaded tator tots, with the drunken tots coming in at a close second. The loaded tots come with what you would think: everything.
10. FSU Roll from Tally Thai and Sushi
Because go noles, duh.
11. Shicken Philly Sandwich from Gordos Cuban Cuisine
Gordos puts a unique twist on the traditional Philly sandwich by adding a Cuban flair to it. Chicken and pressed Cuban bread instead of the traditional steak and hoagie roll.
12. Lasagna from Mom & Dad's Italian Restaurant
There's a multitude of Italian restaurants in Tallahassee and all of them have some dishes that are better than others. This lasagna is the best lasagna in Tallahassee, no other lasagna in town can even come close to the one from Mom & Dad's.
13. Cinnamon Roll Pancakes from Bada Bean
Bada Bean is a popular breakfast/brunch spot in Tallahassee because of their expansive menu and good food. The cinnamon roll pancakes are a cult classic. Everyone raves about these, and for good reason. They have a cinnamon sugar swirl in them, and to top them off they're drizzled cream cheese icing.
14. Mozzarella-Stuffed Chicken Parm from Centrale Italian Parlour
The newest Italian restaurant on the block knows what they're doing. One word: dank.
15. BLT Dip from Madison Social
Madso does everything right, they can do no wrong. Every single item on their menu is great, but particularly I die for this app.
16. Cinnamon Roll from Canopy Road Cafe
Canopy Road has the best breakfast, hands down. What's better than a giant $4 cinnamon roll?
17. Sushiritto from Lucky's Market
Sushi in the form of a burrito? How could you not want to try this? This trend has been a long time coming. Thanks to our newest supermarket, Lucky's Market, Tallahassee can finally taste the creation that's been taking major cities by storm.
18. Tacos from La Tiendita
This is no Tex-Mex type sh*t. These tacos are the real deal and you can get them for cheap. What's better than that?
19. The PB&J from Midtown Caboose
Peanut butter and jelly on a burger? Sounds...unusual, but it's surprisingly delish. Marshmallows optional.
20. Bacon and Tomato Melt from Bagel Bagel
I'm gonna be real with you, this greasy perfection is best enjoyed after a night out. I've had it on a regular morning and it's still yum, but it's even better after going out the night before.
21. Trust Me Roll From Siam Sushi & Thai
You're putting your life in the hands of the chef with this roll. Basically, you tell your waiter/waitress what different things you enjoy in a sushi roll. The chef then prepares a specialty roll based off of what you told the waiter/waitress you like in your sushi. I've done this once to stray away from my usual and I wish I could get the roll the chef made me every time. It was so tailored to me that it felt like the chef knew me on a personal level, no joke.
22. Chicken Hibachi with Yum Yum Sauce from Mr. Robotos
Solely including Robotos because of the Yum Yum sauce. I'm big on sauces and you could probably order anything from here, drown it in the Yum Yum sauce, and it'd be good.
23. Cheescake Bites from Dipped
Who doesn't like things dipped in chocolate? Satisfy your sweet tooth until 3 am at Dipped.
24. Traditional Wings with Medium Fiesta Ranch Sauce from Hobbit American Grill
It was a toss up between this sauce and the garnet and gold sauce. I've tried both, but this one won me over. Other wing restaurants have a sauce like the garnet and gold sauce, just under a different name. I love ranch, but never thought that it could be mixed with spicy flavors to create this masterpiece of a sauce.
#SpoonTip: The Hobbit has 64 cent wings on Thursdays.
25. The Five from Maple Street Biscuit Company
Maple St. isn't exclusive to Tallahassee, but it has the residents of Tallahassee enamored with its southern comfort food. The biscuits are always fresh, flaky, and buttery. The Five's fried chicken is fried to perfection, and the melted American cheese and the bacon make it even better. But what makes it the best item on the menu is that it's smothered in sausage gravy. If you're looking for a savory southern breakfast, Maple St. is the place.
26. Açaí Bowl from Vale Food Co.
Tallahassee isn't the healthiest town in the game. There definitely aren't as many options for açaí bowls like there are in larger health-conscious cities like Miami or LA, but Vale knows what they're doing. The açaí's consistency is thick and frosty and includes granola and three toppings of your choice. An extra topping is only $1 more. #Blessed to have found an açaí bowl comparable to the ones I get in Miami.
27. Cuban Sandwich from Kubano
Sorry Gordos, but your Cuban doesn't compare to the one from Kubano. I'm part Cuban, so I should know.
28. Oysters from Bird's Aphrodisiac Oyster Schack
Always fresh and always good. You actually can find fresh oysters in Tallahassee (I'm just as surprised as you are). Side note: the burgers here are awesome too.
29. The French Toast Doughnut from Donut Kingdom
I donut care about Krispy Kreme or Dunkin'. Stop being basic and give in to the temptation to try one of Donut Kingdom's sinfully tasty doughnuts.
30. Super Perro from Super Perros
If you've never had a Colombian perro, just go. Don't ask questions and just go get one.
31. Pineapple Bowl from Tally Pineapple Express
Tally Pineapple Express was created by two college students, and the bowls they make are the definition of #foodporn. There's no set menu and you get to customize your own bowl. They give you a base of rice and peppers, you get to choose your protein and sauce, and the pineapple that was scooped out to make your bowl. This work of food art is not only innovative, but extremely 'grammable.
32. Enchilada Burrito from El Jalisco
First things first, if you don't get your burrito wet then you're doing burritos wrong. Melted cheese on my faaaaaat burrito? Yes, please.
33. Bubble Bread from Bella Bella
Do you love cheese? I LOVE cheese, all types of cheese. What's even better than cheese? Bread topped with greasy melted cheesy goodness.
34. Lobster Bisque from Paisley Cafe
This is a fan fave, and for good reason. It's hella creamy and better than your basic bisque from Panera or Newk's.
35. Stuffed Snowball from Big Easy Snowballs
These are not snow-cones. They are snowballs, and yes there is a difference. The ice is shaved differently, allowing the flavor to stick to the ice rather than all the flavor sinking to the bottom. They have so many flavors to choose from, and you can get as many as you want on one snowball. One thing you absolutely must do is get your snowball stuffed with ice-cream—seriously, you have to.
36. Spiced Honey Chicken and Waffles from Madison Social
I've mentioned this earlier, but Madso can do no wrong. Apart from their bomb ass regular menu, their brunch menu is even better. This isn't just your regular chicken and waffles. It's honey chicken and waffles, talk about yum. If you haven't tried this from their menu, get it the next time you're brunching.
37. Steak Frites from Sage: A Restaurant
We're getting fancy here. Sage is the kind of restaurant you make your parents take you to when they're in town. I feel like no one knows about this restaurant because it's so far out, but it's one of the nicest in Tallahassee. All of the food is high quality, but this is by far the best thing on the menu.
38. Oreo Beignets from Harry's Seafood Bar & Grille
A picture is worth a thousand words. Enough said.
39. Ramen from Fat Noodle
While there are plenty of Ramen bars in big cities like LA and NYC, this is the only one in Tally. Take a break from your instant ramen and treat yo self to the real deal.
40. Crab Cake Eggs Benedict from The Egg Cafe & Eatery
The Egg puts a unique twist on eggs Benedict for an interesting brunch experience. It comes with two crab cakes topped with poached eggs and drizzled with Cajun hollandaise sauce. If you want to stray from your usual brunch plate, order this.
41. Rolled Ice Cream from Diva Pops
YAS Tally, keeping up with big city food trends. If you're not a foodie, you probably have no idea what the hell rolled ice cream is. It's a Thai street food treat that made its way over to the United States last year. Basically, liquid ice cream and mix-ins are poured onto a metal container that chills them while they're being chopped together. Then it's scraped into rolls, resulting in the most 'grammable ice cream.
42. Cupcakes from Lucy and Leo's Cupcakery
All of their cupcakes are made from scratch daily. The selection of flavors changes daily and seasonally, so you never know what you're going to be able to get. That kind of unpredictability is fun and can spice up a boring day. Any kind of cupcake you have from here is going to satisfy your sweet tooth, my personal favorite being Oreo (if you haven't noticed, I love Oreos).
43. Jambalaya Pasta from Coosh's Bayou Rogue
There's more to NOLA than Mardi Gras. If you don't want to do the five hour drive to New Orleans, just stop by Coosh's for this fire jambalaya dish.
44. Pita Fries from Pitaria
Seasoned pita that's fried to perfection with a side of Tzatziki. A definite favorite when dining at Pitaria.
45. The Filet Mignon from The Edison
The Edison is one of my favorite restaurants in Tallahassee. The ambiance, the decor, the service, the food, all of it is amazing. I don't think I could survive a week being a vegetarian solely because of my love of steak. This filet mignon, so tender and juicy, makes me hungry just thinking about it.
46. Crab Cakes from Backwoods Bistro
Yes, just so much yes. Their menu is constantly changing, just make sure you order anything that includes their crab cakes. I promise, you won't be disappointed.
47. The Tempeh Ruben with Poutine Fries from Sweat Pea Cafe
I am not vegan, I like ALL the meats. Ron Swanson is my spirit animal. Sweet Pea has convinced me that vegan food can actually be good. Whether you're a vegan, vegetarian, or a straight up carnivore, you must try Sweet Pea.
48. Any Sundae from Lofty Pursuits
Ice cream and toppings are personal, so I'm not just going to tell you what flavor to get or what to put on your sundae, that's up to you. When you step into Lofty Pursuits, it's like you're stepping into a time machine that takes you back to the '50s.
It has an classic old fashioned ice cream parlor feel to it. They have rare boardgames and toys to play with and other novelty items. They have an extensive menu ranging from ice cream to handmade Victorian candy. Lofty Pursuits is a true local gem.
49. A Gyro from Little Athens
Little Athens is a mom and pop restaurant that serves the most authentic Mediterranean food in Tallahassee. An adorable older couple own and run it and serve everything homemade.
50. Pokey Stix from Gumby's Pizza
A Tallahassee list isn't complete without this staple. If you've never had pokey stix after a drunk night at the strip, do you even live here?