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Web designers aren't fancy people anyway, more than likely you will find
more web designers eating cold pizza at midnight than you will find dining
at the Ritz Carlton Amelia Island at nine in the evening. As for the rest
of the locals (the ones who aren't web designers) we've found that most
of them would like you to think they are a lot fancier than they really
are. Since we've seen the crowds, we feel that we can safely tell you
that the dining establishments detailed here are where the 'locals' eat.
This page is intended to help get your belly full and without emptying
your wallet at the same time. Amelia Island has plenty of places to eat,
but we're going to tell you about where the locals dine. There are two
criteria for our selections - good food, and reasonable price.
Sushi. Now you are already thinking - Sushi? - I thought this was
going to be about Discount Dining. 'Sushi' is synonymous to 'Expensive
Japanese Restaurant', right? That's right, it is. If you don't know where
to get it. If you want sushi that's fresh, if you want sushi that's good,
if you want sushi that's very reasonably priced, if you want the
absolute best sushi that Amelia Island has to offer, go to the grocery
store. Yes, the grocery store. Publix, on 14th street, next to Kmart is
the definitive sushi solution. In the back of the store, near the seafood
counter, you will find the sushi bar. Made fresh, while you watch. Super
sushi. Great prices. Free chopsticks. Try it out.
The Usual. The Regulars. Yep, we have those too. McDonalds, Buger King,
Wendys. All in a row, like usual, on 8th Street (A1A), just north of Sadler
Road. Go just north of the big three, and you'll find Taco Bell on the
right side of 8th street, very near a real estate office. Not that any
of these are a secret, but when the kids insist on a visit to Ronald, it's
good to know where he lives. That's over so lets move on to the good stuff...
If you are looking for a burger that is above and beyond, we have
a few other places for you to try. Beef 0 Brady's is on 14th Street,
around the corner from and in the same shopping center with Publix.
Great burgers, chicken wings, and all your favorite sports on multiple
TV's. Across the street, just a bit closer to Sadler Road, you'll find
The Loop - not fancy, but good burgers and chilli, and they have some
tables for dining outside if you didn't get enough sun at the beach.
Buffet - All You Can Eat. Chow down. Sometimes after you've spent the whole day at the beach
(or making web sites) you are REALLY hungry. When dinner is over, you don't
want to be impressed by the service, or amazed by the atmosphere, you want
to be FULL. We've found the place you need to know about. Shoney's - on the
corner of Sadler Road and Fletcher, about a block from the beach. The menu
at Shoney's buffet is different every nite - from 12oz t-bone steak to the
locals favorite - seafood - and is reasonably priced ($6.99 to $10.99). Nice
salad bar, plenty of veggies and trimmings, and a light desert bar (but you
won't want desert after this dinner). Our favorite is the seafood buffet on
Friday and Saturday nights - the mahi mahi and steamed shrimp are super. Ask
about the breakfast buffet too, that's a deal you won't want to miss.
Subs. Two places we really like, plus a few new ones we haven't tried yet.
Subway, on 8th Street, in the same shopping center as Walmart. Eat fresh.
Firehouse Subs, also on 8th Street, just south of Hamburger Row, very
close to the intersection of Sadler road. The Subway even has a drive in
window, so if your bathing suit is wet and your feet are all sandy, you
don't even have to go inside - you can order from the car.
Pizza. A bunch. Domino's (227-2200) is on Sadler Road, just across the
street from the post office, in the same shopping center with Flash Foods.
Big Daddy's Pizza (491-8484) is right next to Subway, 8th Street, around
the corner from Walmart. Pizza Hut (261-6661) is on AIA as you are leaving
the island (heading for Yulee). Papa John's (261-8080) is on 8th Street,
opposite side of the road from Walmart. They all deliver. Papa John's used
to be our favorite pizza when we were up late at night making web pages,
but the pizza quality control engineer must have gone on vacation, and
you might not be hungry any more after you've been on hold on the phone
for 15 minutes, so we recommend Domino's. If you want hot, fast, and good,
give Domino's a call.
Fried Chicken. KFC is on 8th Street, in the same shopping center as Walmart,
but across the parking lot. If you aren't in a hurry, and you like fried
chicken that drips while you eat it, it's the place to go. If you want
some REALLY good fried chicken, you'll have to drive a bit - off the island -
to the 'mainland' as the locals call it - but it's worth the drive. Walmart.
Not the one on Amelia Island, but the new Super Walmart, just off the island
on A1A headed back to 95. It's about a 10 minute drive, but the deli counter
in the grocery store has by far the best fried chicken we've found anywhere
near Amelia Island. They also have a lot of other great stuff, like big
yummy steak fries. Well worth the drive. For the heath conscious beach goer,
they also have rotisserie chicken at about half the price of the on island
spun birds.
BBQ. BBQ comes in all forms and shapes and flavors. There are a few BBQ places
on Amelia Island - enough said about them. If you want REALLY good BBQ you
are going to have to leave Amelia Island and visit that place we told you
about before - the mainland. Jump in the car, cross the bridge (same direction
as Super Walmart) and keep driving for 10 minutes or so until you see Rich's
Real BBQ on the right hand side. Not the fanciest place we've seen, but who
cares - they have great BBQ, all you can eat specials, an open salad bar, and
very reasonable prices.
Oriental Food. We have two great places for Asian food here on Amelia Island.
Remember that. Two. Never mind what the phone book says. We have two. The first
is The Great Khan, in the same shopping center and a few doors down from Kmart
on Sadler Road. Here you will find an EXCELLENT Mongolian BBQ, and a nice
Chinese buffet. Prices are reasonable, and lunch is a real steal. The Lucky Wok
- you want Chinese take out, this is the place. Located
on Sadler Road in the Food Lion shopping center, this tiny carry out stirs
up some excellent Asian food. Extensive menu, great prices, and delivery
service too - give them a call at 261-2555.
Donuts. We don't know any good places for donuts, it's been proven that too
much sugar is bad for web designers so we try and stay away from that stuff.
If you really want donuts, dial 911 or stop the first Fernandina Beach police
car you see - we heard a rumor that they know where the donuts are best.
A Final Note. Hope this brief
directory helps you save a few dollars on your vacation. Have Fun! And don't forget
the sun block - nobody likes bright red tourists.
Article By Amelia Island Online Staff
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