Most folks are well aware of Florida’s main attractions: Orlando theme parks, South Beach, bustling downtown Key West, any strip of sand for Spring Break.
But there’s a lot of Florida in the middle of the state, far from the tourists and the beaches.
The town of Arcadia, and a funky bar and grill called the Nav-A-Gator, is one such that’s worth a stop. It’s a slice of old Florida, more Jimmy Buffet than Mickey Mouse. Located 88 miles south of Tampa and 177 miles northwest from Miami, Arcadia is best known for orange groves and rodeos.
Yes, there are cowboys in Arcadia!
But I went in early 2020, pre-pandemic, to sample the culinary delights of the Nav-A-Gator. It’s set on the banks of the Peace River, and this ramshackle indoor-outdoor eatery boasts a tiki bar, live music and a marina. There are eco-tours of the river, and you can choose from renting an air boat or kayak.
The indoor restaurant is filled with colorful manatee murals and alligator trinkets, and the outdoor seating is a raucous, sand-filled space where diners enjoy cold beers and hot wings.
You can sample fried gator bites (yes, they do taste a little like chicken), swamp cabbage (hearts of palm), and fried redfish sandwich.
My personal favorite came at dessert, with a generous slice of Key Lime Pie.
The best of all: dogs are welcome in the outdoor seating area. We brought our two puppers, but they refused to try the gator bites.
