Restaurants in Live Oak

When owners Vanessa and Ron Wilkerson were opening Samba Rock Acai Café, they encountered many roadblocks along the way. For instance, the city assessed there would be a $30,000 traffic-impact fee for their restaurant. So the duo improvised. They built an indoor bike parking area, reducing the fee while still providing customers a place to park their wheels. This is just one example in which Ron has defied what some might see as a career-ending set-back. In 1988, the former professional BMX Freestyle rider fell into a coma after failing to land a no-hander, no-footer trick on his bike. Though some might have given up after a life-threatening experience like that—he suffered short-term memory loss and even forgot some of the BMX tricks that he had pioneered—Ron got back on his bike. And if he hadn’t, he would never have traveled to Sao Paolo, Brazil, met Vanessa, married her, or opened Samba Rock Acai Café.

The menu at Samba Rock Acai Café pays homage to the country where the Wilkersons met and where Vanessa grew up. Blended Brazilian berries and mix-ins, such as bananas and peanut butter, make up the base for their acai bowls. They crown this base with toppings such as fresh fruit, avocado, coconut cream, and granola. Their smoothies also feature acai, as well as organic ingredients, which have never been tainted by spray tanners to look more appealing to customers. To round out their South American-inspired menu, they serve yerba mate—steeped leaves of the mate plant—with acai to sweeten each sip.

Harboring a passion for tasty, good-for-you food, the culinary staff at River Cafe crafted a menu of seasonal, organic, and regionally acquired cuisine to be shared among family and friends in a casual environment. The friendly staff seats guests in the dining room or outside on the patio, which sports a billowing barbecue, vibrant foliage, and trees filled with songbirds and American Idol hopefuls. Alongside servings of barbecue pulled-pork, tri tip, and paninis, the staff serves mason jars full of artisanal teas, cups of gourmet coffees, fine wines, and tall, frothy glasses of locally made brews. The team also caters, a service that has been rendered for many local environmental companies, including Ecology Action.

In 1981, Gelormo and Elvira Parisi saw their dreams become a reality with the opening of Parisi's Ristorante Italiano, an intimate, traditional eatery celebrating their Calabrian legacy. Today, their son, Roberto Parisi, continues his parents' commitment to quality by serving a menu filled with recipes originating with Roberto's grandmother and a handful of magic beans. Chef Ken Bealor adds a slight Irish lilt to the preparation of the dishes, which include homemade pastas and sauces made from scratch. The chef also has the pleasure of working with the freshest herbs and vegetables as the restaurant grows many of their own, and often cooks with meat and seafood bought locally. For a complete Italian dining experience, Roberto has gathered a fine selection of wines from across the globe that, despite their varying allegiances to country, get along quiet well with each other.

In "The Court," diners imbibe views of the University of Notre Dame, or they can opt to enjoy a romantic meal in the dining room where pianist Christoforos Kostantinos Griveas twinkles the ivories to a medley of musical styles. During clement skies, the restaurant keeps the French doors to their patio open, which plays host to a Mediterranean garden, numerous TVs, and a full bar.