Where to Eat Breakfast, Find a Baked Pretzel and Enjoy Gelatin

Dunedin is an adorable town on the Gulf of Mexico. What makes Dunedin such a unique place is its small-town feel, which is emulated throughout the restaurant culture. Furthermore, the town is easily navigated by foot or bicycle, providing you with access to the great restaurants and treat shops that dot the landscape.

What I found to be of interest was how unique the dining options were. Many of the restaurants and shops follow the culture by offering a wide assortment of places to eat and places to find a tasty treat. Usually, coastal towns offer your typical margarita and fried seafood or grilled burger. Now, I am not saying that we all do not love a nice grilled burger, but getting more than what is expected is most certainly a treat. This is where Dunedin takes it a step further and gives us a taste of its culture despite its proximity to the beach and the usual beach cuisine.

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The following article will guide you in finding some of these unique but delicious places that will give you a more mindful approach to eating in Dunedin, FL.

Restaurants

Sandpiper

833 Douglas Avenue

Best Breakfast

The Sandpiper Café is one of the highest rated restaurants in Dunedin, FL. They have the best breakfast in town and offer a beautiful cozy setting to dine in. The Sandpiper opened in 2015 and has been a staple in the Dunedin community ever since. In addition to providing a great meal they also roast their own coffee. This onsite roasting gives the café a distinct authentic feel that will delight any traveler. The following are the breakfast items that we tried during our visit.

House Skillet – A delicious breakfast skillet that consists of potatoes, tavern ham, red onions, red peppers, Colby Jack cheese, sour cream, that is then topped with a fried egg and sprinkled with scallions. This breakfast skillet has all your favorite makings for the perfect combination of breakfast flavors. I really enjoyed this breakfast selection, especially when paired with hot chocolate.

Veggie Skillet – My wife ordered the veggie skillet and thoroughly enjoyed it. This skillet consists of mushrooms, spinach, Pico de Gallo, red peppers, sour cream, and red onions. It is also topped with a fried egg. My wife ended up pairing her meal with a hot chocolate as well, which was perfect on a cooler morning.

Hot Chocolate – This delicious beverage was a warm welcome to a chilly morning. The hot chocolate was served in a coffee mug with steamed milk and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Delicious! Normally, we would have ordered a specialty latte or coffee drink but since we are pregnant, we wanted to limit the caffeine intake for our little bun in the oven. However, we look forward to trying some of their coffee options after our little bundle of joy is born.

If the weather is right, the Sandpiper has outdoor seating that is tucked away on the side and behind the restaurant. They have umbrellas and large oak trees to provide shade for their patrons. This is a nice option as you can enjoy Florida’s lovely weather while you enjoy your meal.

Lane’s Lemonade

349 Main Street

Best Pretzel

My wife and I love a good pretzel, and we were ecstatic when we stumbled upon Lane’s Lemonade while strolling through the downtown of Dunedin. At first glance you may think you are looking at a box car that should be a part of a train, but it is actually a restaurant. This is a unique twist on an outdoor restaurant that serves cold beverages, ice cream, and pretzels. Lane’s Lemonade is located on the Pinellas Trail and the corner of Main Street in downtown Dunedin.

We had the pleasure of trying various beverages and treats from Lane’s Lemonade, and we found them all to be exquisite. For instance, there is the famous Lane’s Lemonade, which is a refreshing cold beverage that consists of hand squeezed lemons. All their beverages are made using fresh squeezed citrus that is locally sourced from Orlando. The lemonade is a great refreshment for a warm day and it pairs nicely with a warm baked pretzel.

Lane’s Lemonade is not only known for its delicious and refreshing lemonade but also their pretzels. Lane’s Lemonade pretzels are vegan and they are locally sourced with unbleached flour. The pretzel dough is made by a local Romanian family in Largo, FL that has passed the recipe down from generations. Best of all, the pretzels are made fresh daily.

One cannot go to Lane’s Lemonade and not enjoy their famous and amazing pretzels. The pretzels are offered in three types of flavors such as salt, cinnamon and sesame. They are a delightful hand rolled pretzel, served warm with a side of mustard, cheese sauce or frosting. I would have to say that my favorite was the sesame pretzel, while my wife preferred her good old original salt pretzel. However, we both also enjoyed the cinnamon pretzel, especially on a cooler day because it reminded us of an autumn day.

In addition to their pretzels, there are several other menu items worth noting. My wife and I enjoyed the following items:

Arnold Palmer lemonade – A perfect union of fresh brewed iced tea and the famous freshly squeezed Lane’s original lemonade mixed to perfection.

Lavender lemonade (the owner’s and my wife’s favorite) – This delicious beverage is a mixture of lavender flavors and Lane’s own lemonade. Not only does it taste great, but it also looks just as delicious. A definite rare twist to an already refreshing beverage.

The orange vanilla swirl soft serve ice cream is the perfect refreshing treat for a warm day. This delicious soft serve had a creamy texture with a real citrus flavored orange taste. The infusion of vanilla and orange was absolutely amazing and an item that we would try again and again. It is served in a cone or cup.

The Swedish Coffee is an ice coffee drink with a splash of lemonade. This was my favorite because it was very refreshing but also gave me a little kick from the coffee. This would be a perfect pick-me-up while walking around town. In case you do not see this item on the menu, most definitely ask for it while placing an order, as it may not always be listed on the menu.

The following are a few of the Seasonal items:

• Strawberry shortcake (when strawberries are in season)
• Apple crisp (a fall treat)
• Graveyard Sundae (around Halloween)
• Valentine’s Day pretzels (heart shaped pretzels and available during the month of February)

Patio Seating

Lane’s Lemonade offers a cozy patio to its patrons. This charming patio is fenced in and sits right off the Pinellas Trail. This is nice because it is one of the few patios that is not right on a street, so it provides more of a quiet and intimate dining experience.

To sum it up, Lane’s Lemonade is a great place for a quick snack and refreshing beverage while you are enjoying the quaint and cozy Dunedin downtown excursion. We highly recommend visiting Lane’s Lemonade when you are in town. This is a one-of-a-kind establishment that serves quality and delicious items.

Harleys Gourmet Popcorn & Cider

316 Main Street

Best Popcorn

If you are in the mood for a treat that you and your children will love, then make a stop at Harley’s Gourmet Popcorn and Cider. Harley’s is located on Main Street and easily accessible by walking. As soon as you walk in you will be immediately met with a warm aroma of flavors that will instantly transport you to a quaint New England town in the autumn months. This is because the popcorn is made on site daily. So, the warm aroma of popcorn will permeate your senses when you walk by or peruse through the shop. The pleasant smell of popcorn was what pulled us into this little gem on our walk down Main Street.

This shop has a very unique approach to popcorn, and they make a wide assortment of flavors that you have most likely never even conceived of. Although small, the shop is cozy, warm and extremely inviting. The staff is upbeat and friendly and always offering samples to try. This is great as they have 50 flavors of popcorn to choose from.

They offer different sized bags depending on your consumption needs. Best of all, the bags are easily resealable in case you want to save it for later. This could include the hotel room for that nightly movie with the sounds of the waves caressing the shore in the background or the car ride to your next destination.

Some of our favorites that we tried were The Cider Donut and Salted Caramel.

Cider donut – as the name implies, the popcorn tastes like an actual cider donut and is absolutely delicious. The popcorn is dusted with spiced apple cider powder and tastes amazing. This is the perfect treat for those long days at the beach.

Classic Caramel – a classic old fashion flavor that tastes great with rich buttery caramel and a dash of flaked sea salt added to every popcorn bite. The texture is perfect with the right amount of crunch and soft chewy popcorn in the middle. This is a true classic for a reason. It is delicious!

Harley’s Popcorn and Cider is a great place to entice the kids for a treat while you shop and look around. You could grab a couple of bags and have them munch while you look at some of the unique shops that line the streets of Dunedin. I know I can’t wait to revisit and try some of their other flavors.

Gelato Caffé

350 Main Street

Best Gelatin

If you are in the mood for a cold treat, then Gelato Caffe is the place for you. In addition to their gelatin, they offer a wide selection of treats. Furthermore, the Café is clean and the staff is pleasant and attentive.

As the store name implies, they offer some of the best Gelatin in the area. The store has a wide variety of flavors. As you can see many of them are citrus flavors such as mango, lemon and raspberry.

My wife’s favorite was the Raspberry Gelatin, which was served in a cup with a chocolate wafer. This delectable gelatin was delicious and had an authentic raspberry flavor to it. The wafer was crisp and had a nice crunch and flavor that accompanied the gelatin well.

The Gelato Caffé also has a nice selection of Truffles with a great assortment of flavors. The truffles are well made and are quite sweet, so pace yourself. The truffles are filled with an authentic cream flavor that makes every bite savory. We definitely recommend taking a box with you, as these would be a delicious after-dinner dessert in your hotel room.

Aside from truffles and gelatin, they also offer other desserts such as fruit flavored slices that resemble the various indigenous tropical citrus fruits that Florida has to offer, as well as other delectable cookies and treats.

Conclusion

So there you have it, our favorite place to eat breakfast, have a mid-afternoon pretzel snack with a refreshing beverage, and a place for popcorn and gelatin. We hope you enjoy these places as much as we did. We feel the quality, service and flavor profile are of exceptional nature and that is why we recommend them to you. Enjoy and don’t forget to Travel Mindfully.

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