For our Food & Drink issue, we asked a handful of local residents to share one of their favorite dishes from restaurants around town. The dishes they come back to again and again offer a taste of local fare worth discovering for yourself.
Mesa de Notte
Chicken Piccata
“My favorite dish in town has to be the chicken piccata from Mesa de Notte. It’s light, buttery, perfectly lemony, and the chicken is always so tender. Simple, fresh and absolutely delicious every time!”
— Andrea Byal
Breakfast Station
Crunch Toast
“My favorite place to eat in Ocala is the Breakfast Station in Pearl Britten Plaza. My favorite dish there is the Crunch Toast. It is French toast dredged through Cap’n Crunch cereal and deep-fried. Why do I love it? Read the description. It is French toast deep-fried in Cap’n Crunch cereal. It is like heaven on a plate.”
—Sean Watson
Bagelicious
Chicken Salad Melt on a Whole Wheat Bagel
“For 20 years, I’ve been going to Bagelicious and ordering the exact same thing, a chicken salad melt on a whole wheat bagel. At this point, they know me so well they start making it the moment I walk through the door.”
—Desi Leibfried
Brick City Southern Kitchen
Chopped Brisket Sandwich
“It’s the best brisket I’ve ever had, and I get it every time I go here! It has an incredible smoky flavor with the perfect amount of bark. The beef is always very tender and never dry. I pair it with their collard greens and homemade mac and cheese for the perfect combination.”
—Rikki Hambidge
Flying Boat Taproom
Smoked Blackened Mahi Sandwich
“My favorite dish in the Ocala area is a smoked blackened mahi sandwich at the Flying Boat Tap Room on Baseline Road. It’s a comfort food that’s mild and full of flavor and healthy as well. Combine that with the unique atmosphere and enjoyable service there, and it all adds up to my favorite dish at my favorite spot.”
—Dan Sommer
Mustangs & Mulligans
Gazpacho
“I love our gazpacho soup at Mustangs & Mulligans because it is cool and refreshing!”
—Amanda Daugherty
