Where to Eat at Daytona Bike Week

Daytona Beach Bike Week is almost here! Over the next week or so, we'll be running a sort of digital survival guide cover several topics you'll want to know about if you plan on kicking off the winter cold with a southerly migration for the event. Let's start off with where to grab a bite...

Several years ago, I had the distinct pleasure of trying Hog Heaven BBQ after an absolute shit burger of a day. It was exactly the shot in the arm I needed to get back in the game for the rest of Bike Week. Located on the corner of Atlantic Avenue by the Ocean Center and across from the Daytona Hilton, Hog Heaven BBQ has been a local favorite for over three decades. After wolfing down some of their brisket, you'll understand why.

Like any coastal tourist town, Daytona Beach takes pride in its seafood. Lulu's Oceanside Grill was inspired by the speed trials and races held at nearby Ormond Beach. One of the lovely young ladies waving racing flags around this time was bikini-clad hottie named Lulu, from whom this seafoodery and bar takes its moniker. If you're looking for a cold one in a bar atmosphere and good seafood, this area stand-by is a good place to try.

I don't think most people going to Bike Week think, "bet they've got great Mexican food." Mexi-munchies tend to be more of a Southwest thing than a Southeast thing. Cuban food in Florida? Sure, all day long. Maria Bonita Authentic Mexican Restaurant is known for both cuisines, though. The place recently had a management change, though, so take that with a grain of salt. It's a sit-down, casual place, which can be perfect for a lunch break from the saddle.

Located about 25-26 miles East of Daytona, this place is a treat for breakfast lunch. The Old Spanish Sugar Mill and Griddle House sits beside the spring named for the legendary explorer Ponce De Leon. It was originally a sugar cane crusher in the 1830s via the power of the water flowing from the spring. A chimney, which remains on the site, was part of the original sugar mill operation, and it's survived both times the mill was destroyed (the Second Seminole War in 1835 and the Civil War in 1864).

Nowadays, The Old Spanish Sugar Mill Grill and Griddle House restaurant continues under family operation today. Each table has its own electric griddle in the center where customers cook their own pancakes. Not just Bisquick in a bottle, though. You choose from two homemade batters: one containing stone-ground corn, wheat, rye, whole wheat, and buckwheat flours, and the other made from unbleached white flour. Go for the pancakes, stay for the pretty historic scenery.

If you're looking for something more upscale and romantic in the heart of Daytona Beach, make a reservation at The Cellar. This place has been around for nearly 14 years and they know their way around some quality food. Chef Sam Moggio and his wife Lina pride themselves on what they do and it shows.

Sam has the chops to justify that pride, too. An alumnus of the renowned Culinary Institute of America with over 40 years of professional experience, he worked in both Italy and New York before opening up shop in Florida.