A college town with wild swampy energy, Gainesville’s best restaurants are creative, affordable, and as welcoming as a home football game.
Students, locals, and professors all find inspiration (and comfort) here.
1. The Top
A landmark for creative, customizable burgers, vegan/vegetarian treasures, and wild takes on Southern comfort food.
The menu runs from black bean patties to fried green tomato BLTs and steak with blue cheese.
Mismatched décor, tattooed staff, and a packed mural-covered bar make it the city’s after-class hangout and date-night go-to.
2. Satchel’s Pizza
Satchel’s is an institution—part pizza parlor, part art gallery, part playground.
Handmade crusts, gooey cheese, and creative toppings dominate, and kids love dining in the “van” (a retro van turned private table).
Try a cinnamon roll for dessert, browse the gift shop, or wait for a table in the colorful garden out back. Cash only, pure Gainesville.
3. Embassy Cuban Café
Hearty Cuban sandwiches, slow-roasted pork, picadillo, rich yuca, and cafe con leche rival Miami’s best.
The dining room is lively, the servers quick, and the pastelitos are perfect for breakfast or a sweet treat after class.
Embassy is the city’s most delicious passport to the island.
4. Dragonfly Sushi & Sake Company
A downtown favorite, Dragonfly rocks the freshest sushi, innovative rolls, and izakaya-style shared plates.
The cocktails are inventive, the happy hour a hit with everyone from students to professors, and nights out spill from the sushi bar into the long, convivial room.
5. Leonardo’s 706
A Gainesville classic, Leonardo’s serves up creative pasta, hand-tossed pizza, salads, and a legendary garlic bread.
The warm, wood-paneled spot walks the line between old-school family joint and university-chic. Locals love it for lunch, banners and art on the walls, and endless refills of sweet tea.
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