If Orlando's in your travel plans, take the advice of these three bloggers and have a great meal in a Florida setting that's a little different than the theme parks.

The Old Spanish Sugar Mill, DeLeon Springs
Recommended by Alison Lockwood
When I first heard about a restaurant where you cook your own pancakes, I had to laugh—the whole point of going out to eat is letting somebody else do the cooking. But when my sister arranged a family trip to the Old Spanish Sugar Mill Grill & Griddle House, we had a blast.

The restaurant is located inside DeLeon Springs State Park, about an hour’s drive northeast of Orlando. There is an admission charge for the park - $6 per vehicle for up to eight people. A winter resort flourished here in the 1880s as a “fountain of youth,” and visitors can still swim in the headsprings pool, where the water is a constant 72 degrees. The old mill stands beside the springs, surrounded by ancient oak and cypress trees.

We arrived at 8:30 on a Saturday morning and were surprised to find an empty table, as the wait on a weekend can be an hour or more. The restaurant atmosphere is down-home and friendly, with servers bustling back and forth, delivering endless pitchers of batter. The premise is simple: pancakes are $4.50 per person (two kinds of batter, white flour and stone-ground). Order a few dishes of blueberries, bananas, chocolate chips or pecans to mix with your batter, and don’t forget the sides of sausage, bacon, ham or eggs (which you will also cook). Breakfast is available until 4:00 every day. Yes, there are salads and sandwiches on the menu, but really—it’s all about the flapjacks.

There’s a simple pleasure in pouring batter on the griddle, watching your pancakes bubble and rise, making the perfect flip and building a fresh, hot stack on your plate. The kids got a kick out of taking orders and adding toppings; my favorite was the stone-ground mix with pecans. Inside tip: melt butter on your pancakes while they’re still on the griddle, and they’re even yummier.

The Old Spanish Sugar Mill is worth a trip from Orlando—it’s a piece of old Florida, and a one-of-a-kind meal. (Limited reservations are available for parties of ten or more.) The restaurant is open all year, but it’s not air conditioned, so get an early start in the summer months. If it’s warm, bring bathing suits if you want to swim and rental canoes are available. In the winter months, you can drive 15 minutes south to Orange City and see hundreds of manatees in their cold-weather home at Blue Springs State Park.

Click on the map to find the location and more information for Old Spanish Sugar Mill in DeLeon Springs.

Pannullo’s In Winter Park
Recommended by Suzanne Lemon

Strolling down Winter Park’s charming Park Avenue is a delightful way to spend the day. Hip boutiques, wine and coffee bars, and shops touting everything from exotic spices to European table accents intrigue shoppers and adjacent Central Park with its fragrant rose garden invites passersby to take a seat and watch the world go by.

Hanging out on “the Ave” is not just a local pastime. Located just around 20-30 minutes from downtown Orlando and the attractions, depending on I-4 traffic, it's also popular with tourists from all over enjoying a laid-back day. So it’s not unusual to hear a clipped British accent or a bit of Spanish as you window shop.

When dinnertime rolls around, I head to Pannullo’s Italian restaurant. This Park Avenue mainstay has been satisfying the lunch and dinner crowd since 1993, run by friendly proprietors Chef Richard Pannullo and Michael Schwartz. It’s not just the delicious Italian specialties that keep me coming back—it’s the warm greeting and excellent service—not to mention Chef Pannullo’s wickedly decadent slabs of the ultimate cheesecake (Snickers is a personal favorite, although you can’t go wrong with any flavor).

While you may be in the mood for good old-fashioned Italian pizzas or pastas—spaghetti with the best meatballs I’ve ever tasted or baked ziti—the menu is enormous and is sure to satisfy even the most discriminating palate. There’s a nice selection of salads and appetizers, along with chicken, beef and veal entrees and fresh fish specials. (The decadent Chicken Gorgonzola is to die for—chicken breast stuffed with creamy gorgonzola sauce, pepperoni and roasted red peppers.)

While indoor seating is cozy with an exposed brick wall backdrop, it’s fun to nab one of the outdoor tables on the sidewalk or patio. Even if you just feel like a snack—perhaps bruschetta and a glass of wine—it’s a perfect spot from which to observe the parade of folks promenading along, some with pooches in tow. Paddle fans during summer and heat lamps in winter keep the patio comfortable.

Pannullo’s gets crowded, especially on the weekends, so it may be best to make a reservation. If not, the friendly hosts will be happy to take your cell phone number and call you when your table is ready, allowing you to do a bit of shopping in the meantime—just one more example of the great service.

Click on the map to find the location and more information for Pannullo’s in Winter Park.

Pisces Rising in Mount Dora
Recommended by Laurie Peterson

Mount Dora has been a favorite day trip destination for Central Floridians for years and some, like myself, ended up living there. Located about 45 minutes north of Orlando in Lake County, it’s known for its quaint small-town atmosphere, a February art festival, boat and car shows, craft fairs and the antique stores and markets in the area.

The lakeside setting and variety of restaurants and shops can make for a relaxing day and it’s a much more walkable place when there’s not a special event going on. Check out the whimsical toys and fresh baked dog treats at Piglets Pantry, the shops in the Renaissance Building on Donnelly Street, and the front porch of the Lakeside Inn. One of my favorite times is the holiday season when centrally-located Donnelly Park ‘lights up’ after a hokey-but-sweet presentation of local talent.

I have several local favorites for dining, including The Goblin Market (funny name) for special occasions,  Copacabana for great Cuban (both in a little alley called Dora Drawdy Way off 4th Avenue) Fiesta Grande on Baker Street for Mexican and Maggie’s Attic (in the shops at 4th and Alexander) for wine tastings. But for anything from happy hour to a full dinner, it’s often Pisces Rising.

The outdoor deck is the only public place in town to watch the sunset on Lake Dora while enjoying a beverage, sadly, most of the lakefront near downtown is privately owned. ‘Pisces,’ as it’s called locally, is not directly on the water but there's a nice view from its location on one of the town’s hills. (Mount Dora’s slightly elevated terrain is enough of an anomaly for Florida to justify the name.)

There’s a large bar and outdoor seating for full meals on the deck, as well as a good bar menu, live music Thursday-Sunday and a pet-friendly policy. Inside, large windows offer a climate-controlled view in a open, casual space that was once a ‘cracker bungalow’ home built in 1920 and carefully restored.  The name references the astrological sign symbolized by two fish and seafood is a specialty, along with steaks and daily specials. I like the 'La-di-da' shrimp with black beans and sundried tomatoes and I've had some great oysters there, prior to the Gulf disaster. Pisces also offers a huge wine list, friendly service and a range of salad and appetizer choices. I don’t usually get dessert, but I make an exception for their Key lime pie. They also do the tableside flambe’ desserts, you don’t see that too often -- it’s fun. And you’ll walk off the calories on the “uphill climb” to your car.

Click on the map to find the location and more information for Pisces Rising in Mount Dora.