Extended stay at the Space Coast
April 23, 2018 7:12 AM Subscribe
I'm going to be working down in the Space Coast area for an extended period, and I'm looking for food and relaxation recommendations to maintain sanity.
I'll be staying in Cocoa Beach for about a month (coming home on the weekends). Work schedule is very up in the air right now - if things are going well, I may have some downtime; if there are problems, there are going to be some very long days.
I'm looking for food and drink recommendations in the area, especially for dinner (and especially for very late dinners, like after 10 pm, if the work is going poorly). All cuisines, all price points. I don't mind driving a little bit. Is there any decent Cuban food this far north?
Second, due to the scheduling there may be some downtime during the day (around 3-ish hours at a stretch). Are there any good places to chill out for a few hours? Beach options might be ok, but I don't know if I'm going to up for changing, dealing with sand, showering, and then heading back to work. Places with wifi would be great.
Any other recommendations for the area?
I'll be staying in Cocoa Beach for about a month (coming home on the weekends). Work schedule is very up in the air right now - if things are going well, I may have some downtime; if there are problems, there are going to be some very long days.
I'm looking for food and drink recommendations in the area, especially for dinner (and especially for very late dinners, like after 10 pm, if the work is going poorly). All cuisines, all price points. I don't mind driving a little bit. Is there any decent Cuban food this far north?
Second, due to the scheduling there may be some downtime during the day (around 3-ish hours at a stretch). Are there any good places to chill out for a few hours? Beach options might be ok, but I don't know if I'm going to up for changing, dealing with sand, showering, and then heading back to work. Places with wifi would be great.
Any other recommendations for the area?
My sister lives in the area and loves Meg O'Malley's in Melbourne. As you may deduce from the name, it's an Irish bar. Live Celtic music on, I think, Fridays. It's got a lively atmosphere and is lots of fun.
El Ambia Cubano in Melbourne is also good!
posted by zoetrope at 8:28 AM on April 23, 2018
El Ambia Cubano in Melbourne is also good!
posted by zoetrope at 8:28 AM on April 23, 2018
There's a Waffle House on A1A in Cocoa Beach. It's open 24 hours and just a short walk to beach access. If you just roll your pants up and take off your shoes, you can easily kill an hour walking the beach without worrying about changing or getting too sandy.
posted by galvanized unicorn at 9:40 AM on April 23, 2018
posted by galvanized unicorn at 9:40 AM on April 23, 2018
Florida's Fresh Grill at 2039 N Atlantic Ave gave me one of the best meals of my life. No really, it's been 3+ years and I still think of it on a regular basis and now I need to plan a vacation that hits Cocoa Beach so I can go there again. Do not be deterred by the strip mall location, once inside you'd never know. On a scale of 1 to 10 I give them a 37.
posted by spinturtle at 9:40 AM on April 23, 2018
posted by spinturtle at 9:40 AM on April 23, 2018
I liked Green Room Cafe in Cocoa Beach for fresh healthy wraps and smoothies, sometimes nice when you’re eating out for every meal. They serve beer too. Roberto’s Little Havana is Cuban, also Cocoa Beach, though I’m not really a judge of good Cuban food. If you’re closer to the Port, Thai Thai Restaurant was pretty good and is open until 10pm. There are a several bars and restaurants of various types along the north side of the port/harbour, and they seem to be open late.
For downtime, if you can easily get to the north side of KSC and the cape, I loved going to the Canaveral National Seashore and spotting manatees and birds.
posted by sizeable beetle at 1:33 PM on April 23, 2018
For downtime, if you can easily get to the north side of KSC and the cape, I loved going to the Canaveral National Seashore and spotting manatees and birds.
posted by sizeable beetle at 1:33 PM on April 23, 2018
There's plenty of stuff just in the Cocoa Beach area. Seconding Florida's Fresh Grill (I like the trout with lemon caper butter) and they have a decent happy hour too. Fat Kahuna's has Hawaiian-inspired seafood. Jazzy's has lobster rolls and fried seafood. Tiny Turtle is great for lunch -- mmm sofrito bowls. Great coffee next door too. Roberto's makes a decent Cuban and medianoche. (I think there are two other places in the CB area that serve Cuban food, Yelp to see if they're still open.) Barrier Jack's has a great catfish-and-eggs breakfast. Mexico's Grill has lunch tacos.
As far as late-night goes -- everything open in CB is glorified bar food or Denny's. Sandbar has great umm, people-watching. Cheesesteaks and fries at Pineapple Point. Fish and chips at Pig and Whistle. Get your TouchTunes on.
And I mean, you're at the beach so you should go to the beach. There's showers on Minuteman and at Shepherd Park, you can dry off your swim shorts at the bar (or the kava bar or the Surfinista) and put your work clothes on over them. It's the Brevard Way.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 4:32 PM on April 23, 2018
As far as late-night goes -- everything open in CB is glorified bar food or Denny's. Sandbar has great umm, people-watching. Cheesesteaks and fries at Pineapple Point. Fish and chips at Pig and Whistle. Get your TouchTunes on.
And I mean, you're at the beach so you should go to the beach. There's showers on Minuteman and at Shepherd Park, you can dry off your swim shorts at the bar (or the kava bar or the Surfinista) and put your work clothes on over them. It's the Brevard Way.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 4:32 PM on April 23, 2018
If you're into dive bars, the Beach Shack at the end of Minute Man Causeway is our go-to spot. Right on the beach, good pours, and the people watching is excellent. When you get hungry you can find good food within walking distance.
Live blues several days a week also.
posted by jeporter99 at 5:07 AM on April 24, 2018
Live blues several days a week also.
posted by jeporter99 at 5:07 AM on April 24, 2018
Response by poster: Having now been back a couple times, I have tried several of these recommendations.
-Fat Kahuna's was a great meal, definitely recommended.
-Tiny Turtle was a nice reprieve for lunch.
-Sandbar was great to visit when the weather was nice.
-Beach Shack was maybe a little dive-ier than I wanted. The "live blues" ended up being... live, but definitely not blues. More like a classic rock cover band.
Other places I've found and liked:
-Sage Bistro is moderately upscale and the food is decent.
-Vargas Cafe has an excellent Cuban and sweet coffee.
-I ate a lot of breakfasts at Juice 'n Java Cafe. Coffee's decent, breakfast burritos are pretty good.
Melbourne was just too far to drive after a long day at work. If I have a day off next time I'll head down there.
posted by backseatpilot at 9:56 AM on December 11, 2018
-Fat Kahuna's was a great meal, definitely recommended.
-Tiny Turtle was a nice reprieve for lunch.
-Sandbar was great to visit when the weather was nice.
-Beach Shack was maybe a little dive-ier than I wanted. The "live blues" ended up being... live, but definitely not blues. More like a classic rock cover band.
Other places I've found and liked:
-Sage Bistro is moderately upscale and the food is decent.
-Vargas Cafe has an excellent Cuban and sweet coffee.
-I ate a lot of breakfasts at Juice 'n Java Cafe. Coffee's decent, breakfast burritos are pretty good.
Melbourne was just too far to drive after a long day at work. If I have a day off next time I'll head down there.
posted by backseatpilot at 9:56 AM on December 11, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by exogenous at 7:37 AM on April 23, 2018