A short 25 minute drive to Inverness will take you to a gem of a restaurant tucked away in a well-manicured swamp. The Cove Pub and Grub provides a fun atmosphere and one of the most extensive bar food menus you will find.
Set off the main road (SR-44), the property on which The Cove sits is large and beautiful. It is easy to tell the owners really care about maintaining the “refined swamp” atmosphere. Two airboats and an adjacent RV park complete the feel. The parking area is spacious, clean, and well-lit.
The restaurant is very spacious, thanks to a high ceiling and plenty of seating. Military flags and memorabilia adorn the walls, and the staff is unapologetically patriotic. The bar area is large, and their draft and craft beer selections are impressive. The food menu is not what one would expect. There is something for everyone, from salads to seafood platters to burgers. The servers are very knowledgeable when it comes to the menu, and they make spot-on recommendations.
The taco salad caught my eye, since there aren’t very many places locally that offer it. It was filled with a generous amount of ground meat, and the shell was buttery and tasty. The soup of the day was Mexican chicken, so thematically I felt obliged to order a cup of it. It was good, though having a side of shredded cheese would have taken it from good to great. I paired my meal with an IPA from Copp Brewery.
If you are looking for a fun out-of-the-way restaurant with an America-loving staff and good bar food, The Cove is the place for you. Find out more about The Cove here.