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Angelino's and Great Southern Cafe
- Thread starter Bama Gal
- Start date
Jdarg
SoWal Expert
Or takeout- why stand outside on that front porch like a bunch of cattle in the feed lot? It's pasta. Get it to go.
TreeFrog
Beach Fanatic
You know, I'm sympathetic to our visitors who find restaurant prices high on 30A. I find them high, too. The price of an "upscale" dinner on 30A will buy you top-shelf "fine dining" in most cities.
But our restaurant owners face some challenges, which reflect in the prices they are forced to charge:
-Property prices on 30A are extraordinarily high. That leads to high rents, which drops through to the meal prices.
-Restaurants on 30A are largely locally owned. They don't enjoy the economies of scale that the big chain restaurants have.
-The business here is seasonal, but certain costs of operating a good restaurant don't go away while it's locals-only in early December or mid-February and they serve 3 dinners on a Tusday night.
Thanks to our friends at Angelina's, Fire, Cafe 30A, Borago, D&K, Red Bar, Shades at the Loop, Amore, Smiling Fish, Bud & Alley's and the Taco Bar, Rendezvous, Summer Kitchen, Courtyard Wine and Cheese, Flip Flops Grill, Stinky's, Blue Orleans, Great Southern, Cafe Tango, Seagrove Village Market, Pizza by the Sea, Enzo's, Hurricane Oyster Bar, The Terrace, Hibiscus, Criolla's, Onano, Basmati, Cowgirl Kitchen, Wild Olives, Cocoon's, Old Florida, and anyone else I've forgotten. You're the best.
But our restaurant owners face some challenges, which reflect in the prices they are forced to charge:
-Property prices on 30A are extraordinarily high. That leads to high rents, which drops through to the meal prices.
-Restaurants on 30A are largely locally owned. They don't enjoy the economies of scale that the big chain restaurants have.
-The business here is seasonal, but certain costs of operating a good restaurant don't go away while it's locals-only in early December or mid-February and they serve 3 dinners on a Tusday night.
Thanks to our friends at Angelina's, Fire, Cafe 30A, Borago, D&K, Red Bar, Shades at the Loop, Amore, Smiling Fish, Bud & Alley's and the Taco Bar, Rendezvous, Summer Kitchen, Courtyard Wine and Cheese, Flip Flops Grill, Stinky's, Blue Orleans, Great Southern, Cafe Tango, Seagrove Village Market, Pizza by the Sea, Enzo's, Hurricane Oyster Bar, The Terrace, Hibiscus, Criolla's, Onano, Basmati, Cowgirl Kitchen, Wild Olives, Cocoon's, Old Florida, and anyone else I've forgotten. You're the best.
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scooterbug44
SoWal Expert
I think high prices are very much in the eye of the beholder (except for all the 30-A cheeseburgers - those are all WAY overpriced IMO and it's just chintzy to charge extra for cheese or standard toppings when you're already charging more than $10 for a burger).
You are paying more for quality of ingredients, environment, and service. If prices are so bad, stop eating there, don't drink $ alcohol, or COOK YOUR OWN FOOD!
There are some restaurants whose prices do NOT reflect their level of quality or service, so I leave those to the tourists or folks w/ different palates to support.
There ARE a bunch of great restaurants in the area where you can have great food and based on my dining experiences in other cities/countries, they are quite competitively priced.
For $8 at Amore I get a lunch of a drink, half a large pizza w/ my choice of 2 toppings, and a small salad made w/ the good lettuce, fresh mozzarella, kalamata olives, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts. As that feeds me for 2 meals, I don't find $4 for a healthy meal prepared fresh to my specifications to be "high." Dinner w/ wine, a shared pizza, and appetizer costs less than $20.
For $20-30 at FIRE I can have a wonderful brunch that lasts for several hours with 3-5 glasses of champagne and dessert.
For $20 at Hurricane Oyster Bar I can have a great dinner of beer and raw oysters.
A Red Bar crab cake dinner (the best in the area IMO, though Shrimpers is close) w/ drinks is less than $30.
Dinner at what I would consider a fine dining establishment w/ wine and dessert runs $40-60. I don't find that excessive at all.
You are paying more for quality of ingredients, environment, and service. If prices are so bad, stop eating there, don't drink $ alcohol, or COOK YOUR OWN FOOD!
There are some restaurants whose prices do NOT reflect their level of quality or service, so I leave those to the tourists or folks w/ different palates to support.
There ARE a bunch of great restaurants in the area where you can have great food and based on my dining experiences in other cities/countries, they are quite competitively priced.
For $8 at Amore I get a lunch of a drink, half a large pizza w/ my choice of 2 toppings, and a small salad made w/ the good lettuce, fresh mozzarella, kalamata olives, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts. As that feeds me for 2 meals, I don't find $4 for a healthy meal prepared fresh to my specifications to be "high." Dinner w/ wine, a shared pizza, and appetizer costs less than $20.
For $20-30 at FIRE I can have a wonderful brunch that lasts for several hours with 3-5 glasses of champagne and dessert.
For $20 at Hurricane Oyster Bar I can have a great dinner of beer and raw oysters.
A Red Bar crab cake dinner (the best in the area IMO, though Shrimpers is close) w/ drinks is less than $30.
Dinner at what I would consider a fine dining establishment w/ wine and dessert runs $40-60. I don't find that excessive at all.
LeBoeuf
Beach Lover
I'm another who likes Angelina's. No, its not haute cusine, but it doesn't pretend to be. A good veal parmigiana and a gorgonzola salad for under ten bucks - whats not to like?
I'm with you, my BR buddy. One of the first things I always do when arriving in Seagrove Beach is order a pizza and gargonzola salad from Angelina's. The only place I avoid anymore is The Old Fish House.
Go Tigers!
Matt J
SWGB
Amen!
Smiling JOe
SoWal Expert
I stopped going to Angelina's after their poor response to serving a salad with a toothpick in it. As for Great Southern, I've been a few times and was not impressed. I agree that prices of restaurants in SoWal are typically high. Some are worth it, and some are not. Yes, rents, insurance, and increasing food/delivery costs, run up the price of menu items. Service at many places leaves much to be desired, but there is a good number of restaurants which retain good servers. Everything in SoWal is more expensive. Ever pay $6 per pound for chicken at the grocery store? You will in SoWal. It's too bad that you chose Angelina's and Great Southern to base your opinion of all restaurants in SoWal.
I have eaten at most every restaurant in SoWal, too, and cannot say that most are average to poor. I'm curious to know exactly which restaurants you think stink. Personally, I love to cook, and can cook many dishes as well as most any restaurant around here, and at 1/5 the price. When I eat out, I go to the restaurants where I know the servers and/or owners, and can rest assured that I will enjoy the experience.
I have eaten at most every restaurant in SoWal, too, and cannot say that most are average to poor. I'm curious to know exactly which restaurants you think stink. Personally, I love to cook, and can cook many dishes as well as most any restaurant around here, and at 1/5 the price. When I eat out, I go to the restaurants where I know the servers and/or owners, and can rest assured that I will enjoy the experience.
bamabeachbum
Beach Fanatic
I have only been to Great Southern one time, food was very good, service was outstanding. I have read mixed reviews of Great Southern on here, but to say that all the places on 30A are Average, I would have to disagree with you. IMHO