It's been a while since I have reviewed these fine folks and lately, they have reinvented…read morethemselves so it's definitely time for an update! It's a quirky little place that has a one-alley drive-through and a walk-up window and no dine-in. Why did I say alley? Because it looks like a one-alley oil lube place. So much so that to this day, folks drive through and ask how much is an oil change even though all they have is great food and a few sundries! I think it's partly related to their name! So how did they reinvent themselves? Up until about two years ago they were famous for selling case beer. You would pop your trunk and a guy would drop the case right in. You never had to get out of your car. For some reason they quit selling beer to focus on other things. Up until about a year ago they had great food but no fries and this was a major complaint they had to deal with. They fixed this and now they have huge portions of wonderful, glorious skin-on fries! So now you come here for fantastic breakfast sandwiches, great burgers, pulled pork sandwiches and fries. Of course, drinks. On my last visit I ordered a cheeseburger and fries @ $8.87. I'm embarrassed by the picture as there was a huge, juicy, hand-formed burger under there! There were even more fries, but I scoffed some down on the way home! So, you can blow through here for breakfast or lunch and have a great sandwich and patronize a local business at the same time! It doesn't get much better than that!

Another Local Secret! This is a drive thru convenient store (they do have a walk up window in case…read moreyou're set against a drive thru for some reason - kinda defeats the whole purpose I think). The BEST Iced Tea - you can even add Vanilla to your tea to mix it up a bit. Try one of their homemade breakfast sandwiches or a BBQ sandwich for lunch, mmmm!

It's a country store! The best orange juice on earth! I got 2 quarts of orange dairy free ice…read morecream, this stuff is to die for! We alway make the visit when in the area! The young lady was friendly and helpful! Got some strawberry preserves and some orange blossom honey!

If you are blowing through Highlands County and need a quick refreshing break, this place will take…read moreabout thirty pleasant minutes of your time. That's especially true if you're dragging along a couple of screaming munchkins that need to stretch their legs and have some ice-cream! Backstory- Back in the day, that would be 1935, Steve Maxwell was a big-time citrus grower. He had over 100 acres and opened this quaint little store to showcase his fruit and the packing house behind it to process it. Today, Steve is getting on in years and has leased this quaint country store to some fine folks from Frostproof. Atmosphere- An old-fashioned front porch with rocking chairs for enjoying the Florida weather. An immaculate old-style interior will all manner of citrus based food and paraphernalia. One of the highlights is orange ice-cream! Grab some, sit in the rockers and let the stress fall away. The little ankle-biters will love it! In season, this is the place to ship Florida citrus to friends and relatives. Just this last December they shipped over 600 boxes! If you are in the area, grab a meal in tiny Avon Park. Fire up your GPS and have desert here. I think you'll smile!

- Imported Beer & Wine approved! -…read more Who doesn't like an Italian Market, and this is a first for my teeny tiny town! Arriving- They are in the Jacaranda Hotel with their own entrance directly on Main St. Street parking is limited so swing around to the back of the hotel where there is a big lot. Pro Tip- For mobility challenged folks, be aware that there are two stone steps to navigate up to the front entrance. Ambience- This is a tiny little place with shelves of mostly imported Italian merchandise. Although small, the aisles are wide and easy to navigate. The day I stopped by, January 15th, their Beer & Wine license had just been approved. They will shortly be selling imported Italian adult libations for you to take home and enjoy. Pro Tip- Directly next door there is an excellent privately owned coffee shop for your daily caffeine addiction. Customer Service- I met the very personable husband of the couple that are the owners. The wife is Sicilian and supplies the Italian connection. Products- If you like to cook Italian, this would be a great place to check out. What's currently missing is fresh items so I didn't get that wonderful Italian aroma that I expected. Hopefully that will change as they get settled in. Conclusion- This is a work in progress that is worth a quick stop to check out now and definitely worth a mental bookmark for the future!

Winnie and I visited this morning after lunch at Jacaranda and we were very happy with everything…read morewe saw. We spoke with the owner about her Italian background in Sicily, her path to opening the store, and the changes coming to the store in the near future. She focuses on True, Quality Italian Ingredients imported from Italy. The store is bright and airy, very clean and well stocked. Stay tuned for one of the upcoming changes in the very near future, adding Italian Beer and Wine to the store. Once you use real Italian Ingredients in your recipe, you will see what a difference it makes.

- Put a smile on your face! -…read more Main street in my tiny town is growing quickly. This is the 3rd tiny shop to open recently in front of the historic Jacaranda hotel. Arriving- Theses Shops have private entrances on Main Street so you don't necessarily need to go inside the hotel. Main Street parallel parking is free. An alternative is to park behind the hotel in the free lot and walk through it. It's beautiful so you won't regret it! Ambience- A lot of folks say cute and I would agree. Also, spotless. Products- The focus is soda of which there are hundreds. There are also ice cream and hot dogs which I didn't have a chance to sample. My focus was old fashioned root beer. I had no problem finding what I wanted and the price was fair. Customer Service - Nice guy that was friendly and efficient! I couldn't ask for more! Conclusion- So it's a blistering hot Florida summer day and you need a break from sweating. A great choice would be a hot dog, soda and an ice cream for dessert. Five stars! Pro Tip- This is one of three delightful privately-owned businesses all adjacent to each other. The other two are aromatic and delicious coffee shop and a unique Italian market. I strongly suggest you visit all three while you're there!

Competition can be a bear and if you're not up to the challenge it won't be pretty. This is one of…read morethe countless Hispanic restaurant/market combos that are ubiquitous in this county. This review concerns the restaurant part and unfortunately, it's completely overshadowed by a well-entrenched competitor directly across the street. Arriving- One minute from US Route 27 with a large easy parking lot. For those folks needing a handicapped spot, there are three perfectly placed near the front entrance. Ambience- Not much. A few scattered 4-tops near one side of the market. Everything was clean. Check out my picture. This is one of those places where the food is in a glass case, that you walk by cafeteria style and let them know what you want. Even if you are eating there, everything is packaged in a Styrofoam box. When I was there prices and labeling were almost non-existent, so it was a guessing game. Customer Service- The lady behind the case filling your box was super nice but the language barrier was a huge challenge! Her great attitude and smile helped but it was still damn difficult to order. Adult Libations- This place has a beer & wine license so you can grab a brew out of a self-serve cooler if you so desire. Food- Probably a dozen entrees. I went with a Hispanic style seasoned rice and Fajita De Pollo @ $11.99. What I received was an enormous amount of food! Way too much for lunch and way too much for even dinner! See my picture. It also came with Tortillas (not shown). So how did it taste? Not good! The rice was mushy. It was studded with green olives which I would have enjoyed but they were not pitted so a pain in the ass. The truckload of Fajita Chicken was cooked through and mildly seasoned. Unfortunately, it was poorly prepared and I found some bones, gristle and pieces of rubbery skin. The peppers & onions were also overcooked. See my picture. Not my idea of Fajita Chicken. So, I had a mountain of mediocre food! It was certainly cheap but as I mentioned in the beginning of this review, I could walk across the street, pay a couple of dollars more and enjoy way way way better food. That's what I would recommend. It was clean, the employees were pleasant, and it was a good value so I'm going with two stars. Check Yelp for much better nearby!

I visited this store for the first time since it opened a while back a few years ago and let's just…read moresay it's worth the trip. There is a bakery inside so you can purchase pastries. There is also a restaurant located inside if you want hot food and a sitting area if you wanted to dine in. Everything reminded me of Miami it looked clean inside the store. There is also fresh meat inside of this supermarket so I ordered some shrimp and chicken wings for dinner the service was superb I didn't have to wait long for assistance. I will be back to this spot if ever in town again.

Cute little place not far from here. Arrived just before closing and they were welcoming. They…read morewere out of bananas so couldn't get the banana split I wanted. But the young lady picked a few flavors for me and it was good. I'll be back. Thanks for service

This is the only place that carries Spumoni ice cream and it is delish The other flavors are…read moregreat as well!

The most friendly people that make drinks. You will always be greeted by a smile and Hello Friend!read more

Massive Menu and awesome people! When you speak with others about this place, that is what you will…read morehear. So do you call this a tea shop or a smoothie shop or even a shake shop. It's hard to tell but I just call it delicious! They seem to be most known for their teas and meal replacement drinks. I had a good friend that offered to buy me an iced tea and as I'm usually a coffee drinker, I told her to surprise me. She handed me a beautifully iced cup called a Black Widow (Strawberry, Raspberry, Grape, and Peach). It was superb! I posted a pic of just part of their giant menu so you can see their unbelievable selection. BTW- I could have had an iced coffee which would be typical for me, but I took a walk on the wild side. Note- This is a street-parking place but that is usually not a problem in teeny tiny Avon Park. Note- If you are specially health conscious and doing the meal replacement thing, this is your place! These folks are very very knowledgeable! When it's hot and humid out, and of course that never happens in Central FL, this is a five-star place to grab a cool and often healthy drink!

- Fresh Focaccia Bread! -…read more I love a good Specialty Shop an if it has an Italian Flair, I'm there! This is the new second location for these fine folks. The first is in Lake Placid. Arriving- This is one of a string of small shops located in the Jacaranda hotel with entrances directly on Main Street. You can park in the free lot behind the hotel and walk through it or you can parallel park directly on Main Street, which is also free. Ambience- This is a tiny shop that is well arranged and immaculate. The aroma as you enter is wonderful. You just know you are going to have a fine experience. Website- I highly recommend you stop here first to get a feel for the variety and the prices. Products- Olive oil is of course, is the star and there are many varieties. They handle tasting very nicely, which is important! There is also bread, spices, teas, pasta and pasta sauces and more. See my pictures for more info. Customer Service- Friendly, knowledgeable, and laid back. I had no problems browsing without being pestered! Personal Experience- This is an Italian Specialty Shop at its best! Much of the stock is imported and of very high quality and the prices reflect that and it's to be expected. I found the value to be spot on and the overall experience outstanding! Five stars!