Eateries to Try in Ocala, Florida

Established in 1981, Amrit Palace Indian Restaurant serves traditional Northern Indian cuisine in a stylish environment. The spacious restaurant has bright décor and a warm and welcoming ambiance and comfortable seating and serves an extensive menu of authentic Indian cuisine with appetizers of Samosa Chaat, Bhujia, Madras Fried Shrimp, and Gobhi Manchurian, and entrées of Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Korma, Lamb Chops, Seikh Kebab, and Shrimp Vindaloo.

Traditional desserts like kulfi and gulab jamun offer sweet end to the meal, and a full-service bar serves a variety of libations from casual wines and craft beers to top-shelf spirits and classic cocktails. Amrit Palace Indian Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Sunday.

3415 SW College Rd, Ocala, FL 34474, Phone: 352-873-8500

Located in the Shady Oaks Shopping Center, Ayuttaya Thai Cuisine specializes in traditional Thai cuisine served in a chic, stylish environment.

The casual restaurant has a modern dining space and a relaxed ambiance and serves delicious, fresh Thai food for lunch and dinner throughout the week. The menu features classic appetizers such as spring rolls, steamed dumplings, chicken satay and samosas, followed by soups and salads, rice and noodle dishes and spicy or sweet entrées of Thai Grill Chicken, Crab Rangoon, Pad Broccoli, and Amazing Praram. A full-service bar serves a variety of libations from casual wines and craft beers to top-shelf spirits and classic cocktails. Ayuttaya Thai Cuisine is open for lunch and dinner, Monday through Saturday.

2437 SW 27th Ave, Ocala, FL 34471, Phone: 352-237-3433

Braised Onion Restaurant is a casual eatery that serves New American cuisine and a variety of libations in a laid-back and relaxed setting.

Boasting a vibrant dining space with bright artworks on the walls and comfortable tables and chairs, the restaurant serves a creative menu of contemporary New American dishes prepared with locally sourced ingredients and regional produce.

The menu features prime, naturally-raised meats and chicken, fresh seafood and fish, housemade pasta and sauces, organic herbs, salads and vegetables, and homemade desserts. A full-service bar serves a variety of libations from casual wines and craft beers to top-shelf spirits and classic cocktails. Braised Onion Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, daily.

754 NE 25th Ave, Ocala, FL 34470, Phone: 352-620-9255

Restaurants For a Date

Ipanema Brazilian Steakhouse is a vibrant steakhouse that brings a taste of Brazil to the heart of Ocala.

Featuring classy quarters with white tableclothed tables, wooden accents, and high ceilings, Ipanema Brazilian Steakhouse serves Latin American cuisine and Brazilian churrascaria with fresh locally sourced ingredients and regional produce and traditional recipes from Central and South America, Mexico and the Caribbean. Helmed by a traditional gaucho chef, the restaurant offers a selection of meats form the special rotisserie, which is served table-side and complemented with a seasonal fresh salad bar and a Brazilian-style hot bar.

There is also a more traditional a-la-carte menu with options such as hearty burgers, thin-crust pizzas; fresh seafood and catch-of-the-day, handmade pasta, and delicious steaks. Ipanema Brazilian Steakhouse is open for dinner daily and lunch on Fridays and Sundays.

2023 S Pine Ave, Ocala, FL 34471, Phone: 352-622-1741

Set in a beautifully preserved circa-1890 building, the Ivy House Restaurant is a family-owned and operated restaurant that serves Southern-inspired cuisine in an elegant setting.

One of two locations, the downtown Ocala eatery is an award-winning dining destination and renowned for its seasonal menus of contemporary New American cuisine, which is created with fresh, locally sourced ingredients.

Signature dishes include Southern Fried Lobster, Wagyu Hamburger Steak, the famous Baked Krispy Chicken, and decadent Key Lime Pie, and the cuisine is accompanied by a variety of libations from casual wines and craft beers to top-shelf spirits and classic cocktails. The Ivy House Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Saturday.

53 S Magnolia Ave, Ocala, FL 34471, Phone: 352-622-5550

Katya Vineyards is a family-owned and operated boutique winery that produces small batches of handcrafted wines.

Established in 2010 and nestled among the sprawling horse farms of Central Florida, the winery brings the family’s Eastern European heritage to the heart of Ocala and produces a range of whites, reds, and rosé wines.

Executive Chef Tony Deras helms the winery restaurant which serves an evolving menu of seasonal cuisine inspired by the bounty of North Central Florida with dishes like Lump Crab Bisque with Black ink Linguini, Steak Bruschetta on Black Olive Baguette, Burrata Benedict on Sweet Corn Arepa, and Sea Bass on Roasted Tofu Steak. Visitors can enjoy gourmet food and wine pairings Wednesday through Saturday evenings.

101 E Silver Springs Blvd Suite 102, Ocala, FL 34470, Phone: 352-528-2675

Located in the heart of Ocala’s vibrant historic downtown area, La Cuisine French Restaurant brings the tastes and flavors of France to Florida.

Exuding the Old-World charm of a quaint French bistro, the cozy eatery serves an award-winning menu of classic French cuisine from the various regions of France prepared with fresh, locally sourced ingredients and gourmet imported products. Owners Patrice and Elodie make every dish from scratch using local, grass-fed, antibiotic-free meat and poultry and organic salads and vegetables where possible and with traditional French culinary techniques.

A full-service bar serves a variety of libations from casual French wines and craft beers to top-shelf spirits and classic cocktails. La Cuisine French Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, daily.

48 SW 1st Ave, Ocala, FL 34471, Phone: 352-433-2570