SEMINOLE COUNTY : A Sanford Foodie’s HAVEN

BY LEON KONIECZNY

service will have you lingering and trying a glass of wine (or two) along with your meal. Start with an appetizer, their selection is the best! They have a great wine selection, too, so you can enjoy a glass or two with your entrée. Just down nearby Rinehart Road a piece, you’ll find Giovanni’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria in the Timucuan Plaza. While Giovanni’s has a few other locations in Central Florida, the Lake Mary location is always busy, with good reason. My favorite there is the pizza, but they also have a decent selection of great Italian food, and their garlic knots are legendary— you can smell them all over the parking lot.

Now with several locations, the original in Sanford and a second in Longwood, Chianti’s Ristorante Italiano has been a favorite of mine since the day it opened well over ten years ago. I used to live nearby and was there way too often—the waitstaff knew me by name. It’s a great place to take out-of-town visitors. The service there is outstanding, and the food is excellent. They have great lunch specials—my favorite is the personal pizza and a soft drink, and it’s a bargain. And if you’re in for dinner, try the Chicken Parm or the Chicken Marsala—but anything you choose is a good choice. Chianti’s also has a restaurant in the Sanford Airport.

There are some great restaurants close to Downtown Sanford as well. Jimotti’s Restaurant has been around for quite a few years now and boasts excellent, authentic Japanese food. Chef Junichi, with over 20 years of Japanese cooking experience, has special fish flown in all the time, just for his restaurant. Don’t forget to try the delicious Ramen special on Wednesday.

If you have a taste for Mexican food, try Alebrije Mexican Restaurant in the Winn-Dixie

Shopping Plaza. You won’t be disappointed with their authentic Mexican offerings. My favorite is the Enchiladas Supremas with the Verde and Polbanas (mole) sauces. I recommend a margarita with your meal.

A relative new kid on the block, La Famiglia Italiana has been getting rave reviews and my experience jives with that. The executive chef has many years of experience in Italian food prep, and oversees the kitchen, but you’ll often find him visiting with the guests, getting their feedback, and ensuring that their meal is topnotch. My favorite is the Chicken Gorgonzola how can you go wrong with all that cheese? While I’ve not yet tried their pizza (there are too many other great items on the menu), friends tell me that it, too, is top-notch.

Yes, I live in Downtown Sanford and almost always eat in one of the many great restaurants here, but I do slip out occasionally into the surrounding area. You should give it a try, too; you might be amazed at all the great dining “Florida’s Natural Choice” (aka Seminole County) has to offer. Don’t forget to make reservations—great places are always busy, so call ahead and enjoy your good eats! n

Leon Konieczny is a local Central Florida foodie and food blogger who’s been writing about Sanford and Seminole County area “good eats” restaurants for the past twelve years. He’s big into eating at local mom ‘n’ pop shops where high-quality ingredients, love, and a dose of home cooking make all the difference. While he occasionally eats at the big chains, he claims it’s only to remind him where a real quality dining experience lurks — in the small restaurants which are the heart and soul of every neighborhood and community.

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