New Smyrna Beach in Florida is an idyllic haven

Editor’s note: Chris Bartlett, co-founder and co-host of Worth Tasting, contributed to this column.

From surfers with a taste to catch a great wave to early morning sunrise photographers and beach walkers, anywhere along 17 miles of inviting, white sand beaches, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., is an idyllic haven to stay in and feel a bit like a local while savoring an incredible vacation.

The sunshine and air feel and seem brighter and lighter in this historic charmer of a beach town. You can even drive and park your car directly on the beach — one of very few places in Florida and the Continental U.S. where this unique, off-road experience is allowed.

It feels like it all happens here between the rich biodiversity of the Indian River Lagoon and its important place in Florida’s history of its earliest settlers with the arrival of a Scottish physician and about 1,200 Mediterranean settlers in 1768. New Smyrna Beach is named after the wife of Andrew Turnbull, who was born in Smyrna in Asia Minor.

Arriving to visit some 256 years later in January marked a turning point in our dozens and dozens of trips to Florida. Something here struck me as the best of everything Florida has to offer all rolled into the fascinating facets, districts and avenues that create an ideal location for diverse culinary exploration. A foodies playground for sure . . . Truly, one of Florida’s hidden gems.

I couldn’t agree more with how the visitor’s bureau (www.visitnsbfl.com) describes the area’s lodging options: “In New Smyrna Beach, there are as many different styles of lodging as there are varieties of birds skimming the shores. From whimsically appointed, colorful and eclectic, low-slung beach cottages just steps from the sand, to lofty, sleek, bright, modern oceanfront condos with picture windows overlooking the shimmering ocean horizon.”

For this exploration, two different styles were enjoyed.

The Black Dolphin Inn (www.blackdolphininn.com), an intimate, Spanish Isle-inspired enclave with 14 rooms, is situated across from the Indian River, where relishing watching the sun rise was the perfect way to begin the day. I could tell that lots of love went into the design of this spectacular inn. From the moment we first saw the architecture and lobby, we knew this was someplace special.

The focal point upon entering is the immaculate, open kitchen and counter seating, where a full breakfast is served daily. I asked the owner what the inspiration for the kitchen’s location was.

“The kitchen is where we convene in the home and as part of the design, it was important to make it conducive for us to interact with the guests,” he said.

This AAA Four Diamond inn has uniquely decorated rooms, many with a balcony, where one can enjoy morning coffee or sip a glass of wine. The courtyard with its cypress and palm trees is an oasis to sit and relax with a book or think about what is next on the agenda in exploring.

Wanting to experience a beachside location, Joy By The Sea (https://joybythesea.org) more than fulfilled this desire. Six beachside villas include two 1-bedroom (perfect for families) and four studios.  All are complete with a full kitchen, surrounding the saltwater pool — a tranquil, luxe, seaside enclave.

The lavish and comfortably adorned Beach House across the street is the crème de la crème when it comes to a true-getaway vacation. With four bedrooms, full kitchen, two giant balconies, large pool with volleyball net, hot tub, outdoor kitchen and beachfront location, it’s a perfect place for large families and reunions.

And to top it all off, The Queen’s Gambit, about a mile away, is for those who want to experience a lavish beachfront lifestyle. The 5,000-square-foot home (sleeps 10) is immaculately decorated, has four bedrooms, an oceanfront, outdoor kitchen with pizza oven, infinity pool, putting green and pool table. No matter which accommodation you choose, Ryan, the concierge will arrange the perfect vacation or party with every amenity imaginable.

Third Wave Café & Wine Bar serves a classic yet eclectic mix of traditional Mediterranean and Southern coastal cuisine. Chef Dave focuses on using locally sourced and sustainable ingredients. He mentioned that the chicken comes from a few miles down the road. Mozzarella is made in house. And double zero flour (a must-try) is used to make pizzas. Think artisan restaurant in a beach town. The patio is inviting, adorned with greenery and enchanting firepit featuring an artistic iron globe sculpted into an octopus-sphere.

From the freshest of seafood, rotating features from the smoker to Neapolitan pizza, the price points meet all budgets. The Christmas salad is so colorful with vibrant flavors (shredded Granny Smith apples, carrots, cabbage, cucumber, roasted beets, kale, candied pecans, ricotta, white balsamic vinaigrette).

Knowing that the chef uses double zero flour, we had to order the Funghi Fromage pizza (oak-roasted, seasonal mushrooms, shredded mozzarella/provolone, Parmigiano Reggiano, garlic, herbs, authentic black truffle oil). It met our high expectation being that we are spoiled by some of the best pizza in the world in our hometown of New Haven, Conn.

Wild Alaskan King Salmon from the chef’s private reserve is brined, peppercorn crusted with Dijon butter beurre Blanc, an amazing dish. Keeping with the seafood theme, the description of Creste de Gallo caught my attention: broken scallops, Florida rock shrimp, semolina pasta, mushrooms, artichokes, cherry tomatoes, capers, tossed in scampi butter and topped with a sprinkle of Pecorino. It tasted as good as it sounded with a generous amount of seafood.

The mixologist serves up creative beverages, including the “Dry Creations.” The Queen’s Mule was impressive in both taste and presentation, prepared with Seedlip distilled herbal (a non-alcohol spirit), house-made hibiscus honey syrup, organic lemon, mint and Fever Tree ginger beer. The luscious tres leches cake is large enough for two, perhaps even three, beautifully adorned with piped fresh whipped cream topped with strawberries.

SoNapa Grille pays homage to two popular wine regions in California, Sonoma County and Napa Valley, with its extensive wine list and chef-inspired food complementing the wine.  Whether you’re looking for a full entrée or light bites, the menu has you covered. Popular on the menu are the brick oven flat breads, so one had to be tried. The Sereno de Mar (grilled shrimp, sun-dried tomato pesto, spinach, goat cheese crumbles, with a drizzle of balsamic glaze) was lite and flavorful. The perfectly executed thin crust, cooked to perfection let the toppings take center stage.

The soup special, Green Bean “casserole” is a play on a Thanksgiving traditional side dish, tasting like it, albeit with soup consistency. The grilled shrimp and polenta description led to ordering this appetizer. Large shrimp tops a crispy polenta cake with just enough habanero honey butter to add a bit of heat and sweet, all sprinkled with goat cheese crumbles. Tile fish (always try local) was the catch of the day. The mild, sweet flavor is similar to lobster and crab. Its preparation allows the fine flavors to shine; pan seared, served over dashi-infused, black-forbidden rice, topped with shitake-umami butter sauce. The seasonal “Churro” Basque cheesecake…yes, the flavors of a churro) put a fantastic, sweet ending to the SoNapa experience.

Norwood’s Restaurant & Treehouse Bar is not new to the food scene, founded in 1946, and a local favorite. What makes Norwood’s unique is the option to dine and enjoy a drink upstairs — in the tremendous treehouse. With the right timing you might capture picturesque sunset views through the canopy of branches and foliage.

But don’t let the treehouse overshadow the food. The house smoked bacon wrapped scallops is a popular dish. It’s so popular, the restaurant goes through 300 pounds of bacon per week. The zucchini bread served with whipped local honey-cinnamon butter is a must. Interestingly, Chef Dennis had an abundance of zucchini on hand when restaurants were forced to close due to the pandemic. Thus, zucchini bread was the answer. Those who ordered take-out, were given a loaf to enjoy at home.

He was pleased to provide his recipe (see below). The recipe, prepared at home, was perfect in taste and texture and it’s addicting. The smoked fish dip, perfect for sharing, is served with locally made lavash (the best ever). The seafood “potpie” has a generous amount of shrimp, scallops, crab and other fresh fish sauteed in a white wine supreme sauce topped with tender and flaky puff pastry.

Seafood lovers, you’ll want to order the Admiral’s Platter (5-ounce lobster tail, grilled mahi, broiled sea scallops and shrimp).  Next visit, we’ll save room to savor the cinnamon roll cheesecake topped with a Rumchata cream cheese icing and candied pecans.  If you enjoy eating early, the Sunset Menu offers great options.

Something we found quite charming in New Smyrna Beach is how it feels like there are three distinct downtown areas, each with a different vibe to experience and explore. Flagler Avenue, with its chilling-at-the-beach energy, exudes the more relaxed; aren’t-we-all-tourists-on-vacation kind of atmosphere. Our first day began both with breakfast at the super-fun, uber-themed Mermaid Cafe, and a stroll up and down Flagler to the beach and back to where the causeway bridges over the Indian River North.

The Mermaid Cafe offers a playful and innovative menu, where most of the usual breakfast fare has some unique twist or interesting preparation — think Belgian waffles stuffed with all kinds of fresh, yummy goodness. These are way beyond the typical egg, meat and cheese sandwiches. How about a gorgeous basket of piping-hot, powder-sugar covered beignets . . . So scrumptious that they rival Cafe du Monde in New Orleans.

After hanging out at the beach, exploring local shops and Smyrna Dunes Park, we headed to Avanu on Flagler for dinner. What a beautiful space. The Polynesian-leaning menu, exquisitely curated dining and bar areas, coupled with inventive dishes make this restaurant inviting and charming. From the Volcano Shrimp to the Bugagi Salad to the Lemongrass Seafood Noodles, each dish and every bite was a hit.

On this coolish evening, we chose to “experience” the Fire Dessert, which was a creamy slice of panko-crusted cheesecake, flash fried then flambeed (tableside) ala Bananas Foster -yes, outrageous and decadent and sheer perfection!

Canal Street straddles the mainland side of the Indian River North. It is lined with eclectic shops, restaurants, art studios, bars and cafes. It seems as though this is where the locals, and area residents, come into town to conduct business, shop, eat, engage and play.

The Hub on Canal and Jane’s Art Center are two of the most impressive spaces both to shop (and support) regional artists, and to immerse in some fantastic classes — super impressive spaces that add such inspiration and vibrancy to the community.

Lunch at The Corkscrew was inspired. From the superb service to the decor to the fresh menu fare, we are thrilled that we dined here. The Cuban Candy (crispy fresh cod bites with sweet chili sauce and house-made remoulade) is so tasty that we could eat it everyday. And though we passed on a sweet ending (extremely difficult to do), the dessert tray that our waiter displayed at the table was total temptation city.

Another fantastic spot along the river, and not too far from Canal Street, is Outriggers. From locally caught fish, fresh-fried or expertly grilled, Chef Erik Amalfitano’s passion for creating and serving food people will enjoy and love is refreshing and infectious. He also happens to have mastered one of the best Key Lime Pie recipes — classic and memorable (crazy-big portion, too) as it is meant to be.

Over on Third Avenue, we couldn’t resist at least one stop into Mon Delice for croissants, pastries, coffee from locally roasted beans and custom-made breakfast sandwiches with a choice of just about any type of French bread, rolls and/or croissants. Although there is nowhere to eat inside, this is a must-visit at least once, or once daily, if you love an authentic European-style bakery, this is the place.

Across Third Avenue, adjacent to both Norwood’s and The Garlic, is Heath’s Natural Foods.  We enjoyed the market with its massive array of products for body, mind and spirit. From the available wine varieties to the chef-driven deli area, everything is thoughtfully and purposefully curated, prepared and shared with sheer joy — thus we enjoyed a wonderfully delicious and nutritious lunch here.

It was welcoming, friendly and authentic in a way that seems to perfectly reflect the extremely dynamic and hospitable people who give New Smyrna Beach such brightness and warmth.

Interestingly, the more days spent exploring any local, culinary destination, our list of recommendations from people only grows as to where we have to try while in town. Everyone has their respective favorites. And that’s no surprise.

Of course, New Smyrna Beach was no exception. With only four full days, these bragged about restaurants and historic inn await our return. A quick tour of the Victoria 1883 left us breathless between its exquisitely appointed interior, rooms and thoughtfully presented grounds and property — an absolute must stay.

One breakfast chef said both The Spot and The Bakers Table are musts. A few other recurring favorites seemed to be The Garlic, Limoncello, Cafe del Soul, City Market Bistro and The Grille at Riverview. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it to Island Roasters Coffee Company either, but next time awaits.

Norwood’s Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups zucchini, julienned

1 ½ cups canola oil

6 eggs

4 cups sugar

4 ¾ cups flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

1 ½ teaspoons nutmeg

1 ½ teaspoons cloves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.

Place zucchini, oil and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until combined.

In a bowl, sift the remaining ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Place batter in the greased pan and bake for 45-60 minutes. The top of the loaf will spring back when lightly pressed, alternatively, cake tester will be clean after inserting.

Stephen Fries is professor emeritus and former coordinator of the Hospitality Management Programs at Gateway Community College in New Haven, Conn. He has been a food and culinary travel columnist for the past 16 years and is co-founder of and host of “Worth Tasting,” a culinary walking tour of downtown New Haven. He is a board member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Email him at Stephen@stephenfries.com. For more, go to stephenfries.com.