Bars in New Smyrna Beach

Lined with mahogany-colored shelves, Wine Bank's walls display bottles upon bottles of wines, suggesting that its name is no misrepresentation. But unlike most wine shops, Wine Bank isn't just about wine. Here, beers, fine wines, and cigars complement an in-house menu of upscale starters and gourmet entrees, ranging from pork filet mignon to shrimp mac 'n' cheese. And for those who would rather drink wine than spend thousands building vineyards in their basement, Wine Bank offers memberships with discounts and invitations to private tastings and events.

Guests are never far from the sand or surf at Hidden Treasure Tiki Bar & Grill, where American cuisine meets ocean views. Fittingly, the menu is stuffed to the gills with seafood, from wild gator-tail and crab-cake appetizers to entrees of Maine lobster, stuffed shrimp, and sea scallops. Diners can also chow down on burgers, pasta, and barbecued pork chops. The laid-back spot combines these eats with on-the-water fun by renting out hydrobikes.

Twenty-nine stories separate Top of Daytona Restaurant & Lounge from the sands and rolling surf of Daytona Beach. From this vantage point, diners savor expansive, 360-degree views of the Atlantic Ocean, the mainland, and the Halifax River—views that the Orlando Sentinel lauded as "spectacular"—all while indulging in a menu inspired by classical pan-European cooking.

Executive Chef Vadim Vladimirsky incorporates Portuguese, Russian, French, and Italian flavors into his dishes, embracing the cuisines' rustic roots while adding his own refined, yet accessible touches. Accents such as homemade mozzarella cheese, a reduction of aged balsamic vinegar, and a rosemary-tinged port sauce demonstrate his dedication to upscale eating. And given the restaurant's oceanside location, an emphasis on fish and Caribbean lobster comes perfectly natural—Chef Vladimirsky even personally buys the seafood fresh from local suppliers each morning.

Should guests somehow tear their eyes away from the food and the view beyond the curving wall of windows, they find the dining room echoes Top of Daytona’s classic feel. A stone-circled fishpond bubbles in the center of the room, surrounded by stately chairs and tables draped with crisp white linens. The ambience grows most spirited on select Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings as live musicians entertain the crowd and help teach passing seagulls to sing in tune.

The chefs at The Windy City Bar & Grill draw inspiration from that town about a thousand miles northwest known for its hot dogs and butcher-cut steaks. The all-beef hot dogs here are true to form, served up on a poppy seed roll with yellow mustard, relish garnishments, and a dash of celery salt, and the black and blue burger pays tribute to the Chicago Bears. Italian beef sandwiches may be ordered wet, dry, or thrown into Lake Michigan, whereas chefs salads and cobb salads may be adorned with your choice of dressing.

When French native Joel Martin was young, his family moved to Africa. While there, Joel learned to stalk many jungle creatures including crocodiles with the help of his Malgache friends. Years later, in 1995, Martin packed up his own family and moved them to Florida, where the heat and humidity reminded him of his beloved childhood in Africa. Today he owns and operates Black Hammock Adventures, located near some of Orlando's busiest attractions, and charters picturesque airboat rides on the gator-infested waters of Lake Jesup. His boat, equipped with Goliath's desk fan, skims earplugged riders past alligators and other lake fauna at speeds of up to 45 miles per hour. During rides, experienced guides pilot the vessel safely through narrow creeks and shallow wetlands, and help tourists to spot sunning reptiles. After zooming by a congregation of gators, guests can stop by Black Hammock's free wildlife exhibit, enjoy a lively libation at the Lazy Gator Bar with live music every weekend, sit down at the full service restaurant featuring Executive Chef Barth that is known for its fried gator tail, or hand over their cameras as they pose for pictures with a live baby alligator or barter for an autograph with hunks of raw meat.

Hugo Joe’s seasoned culinarians answer the persistent calls of hungry bellies with a menu brimming with flame-licked specialties from the U.S. and around the globe seven days a week. Discuss the many traits of the multifarious cucumber over a pile of tangy fried pickles with sour cream ($4.99) before making your way to a hearty oven-baked chicken parmigiana sub ($7.49) or a texas burger, a veggie-and-swiss-topped slab of succulence nestled between slices of texas toast ($8.99). For a taste of Italy that doesn’t require an ample licking of a world atlas, order one of the shrimp and pasta dishes ($15.99) or opt for the baked ziti covered in three cheeses and house sauce ($10.49). The wings ($6.49/half-dozen), coated with a choice of sauce, target mouths in the mood for bison airfoils. Stamp a palette’s passport with the mark of Switzerland sans ink with a wienerschnitzel ($14.49), or conquer a bucket of Hugo Joe’s signature oysters ($24.99).