The Florida Food and Beverage Scene is Hot

Florida is a reflection of its people and geography, with the state foods being Orange juice and the Large mouth bass. As the likes of Ponce de Leon, Soto, and Narvaez explored in and around the 1500s, they brought their own seeds for oranges, lemons and other tropical fruits. Searching for gold, this fruits grew wild throughout the state. The first group of permanent settlers were Minorcans, Greeks, and Italians. In the late 1700s they were asked to grow indigo, but then found fishing was a lot easier. As they tried to grow Indigo, they realized their native staples like lemons, eggplant, and olives grew very well. The permanent settlers culinary influences were established by citrus farms, and black beans and Garbanzo beans from Spain. From the American settlers they developed Southern cuisine of salads, and quantities of citrus. Floridians have been a melting pot of flavors, from Minorcans using datil peppers to flavor the sauces to the Jewish restaurants starting up in the early 1900s. As people moved from the Northern states, they developed new uses of guavas, seafood, ginger, and other locally grown foods. In the late 1950s, Cubans set another cuisine of sandwiches, black beans, and arroz con pollo. Just as the Bahamians, Haitians, Nicaraguans, Vietnamese, and other ethnic groups continue to influence the flavors coming out of Florida.

Florida food has transformed over the years to blend in a variety of flavors and cultures. The Florida food and beverage industry has done the same with restaurant offerings throughout the state bringing you everything you can imagine. From the beaches to the ethnic centers to Disney Florida food and beverage is one of the best and most diverse in the country.

Be a Florida Insider. Tell us about your Florida cities food and beverage happenings. Write restaurant reviews, articles and events and we will build you your own city page. A great way to get involved and become your cities expert on the food and beverage scene. (Click Here.) .