Top Places to Dine in Daytona Beach for Accessible Travelers

1. Mama Foo Foo

Mama Foo Foo is such a cool restaurant where it's hard to decide which is better: the food or the ambience! This unique restaurant has a unique trendy decor, and it sits right in the middle of the huge Halifax Marina surrounded by docks and hundreds of boats. Inside, the atmosphere is equally gorgeous, and seating is available inside or outside. The menu has delicious starters such as the Saffron Arancini or the Fried Spinach Goat Cheese Pomodoro Dip. The main courses are equally impressive with dishes like Honey Sesame Scallops, the Wagyu Smash Burger, and the Fettuccine Alfredo. And don't forget dessert; the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake is a local favorite! Their ADA compliant parking, entrances, and bathrooms make Mama Foo Foo a perfect choice for any wheelchair user.

2. Dahlia Mexican Kitchen at ONE DAYTONA

The Dahlia Mexican Kitchen at ONE DAYTONA is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in town. In addition to really tasty Mexican food, they have ADA compliant accessible parking, entrances, and bathrooms, making it an easy choice for the hungry wheelchair accessible traveler. While they have the traditional Mexican fare to choose from, they have their own incredible dishes such as the Tortilla Soup and the Guajillo Shrimp for starters. After that, I suggest the Molcajete Mar Y Tierra with grilled carne asada, grilled shrimp, and carnitas.

If you're in the mood for a Margarita, I suggest the Watermelon Bobarita. You can't go wrong. They also have several desserts to choose from, but I always stick with the classical Fried Ice Cream. It won't disappoint.

3. Big Tuna's Beach Bar & Grill

If you’re a wheelchair accessible traveler looking for the perfect beachy type of restaurant in Daytona Beach, Big Tuna’s Beach Bar & Grill needs to be on your dining list. Located right across the street from the beach, Big Tuna’s has a chill, laid-back atmosphere with a well-rounded menu including a variety of seafood, steaks, tacos, salads, sandwiches, and more.

Consider starting your meal with their unique Guac Bites. They are simply breaded guacamole bites golden fried with delicious spicy crema. Or you may want to try the Big Tuna’s Ahi Tuna Tempura Sushi Roll drizzled in sriracha mayo. But since you are at the beach, the obvious choice could be a bowl of their classic, locals-favorite New England Clam Chowder.

As for main courses, Big Tuna’s has some incredible dishes to choose from. You'll love their creamy Mac Daddy Lobsta; the ultimate comfort food! They also have shrimp, snow crab, fish, ribs, steaks, tacos, and more. For dessert, I suggest the Sweet Potato Pile Up: crispy fried sweet potatoes, sea salted caramel ice cream, and a drizzle of marshmallow fluff. Decadent and delicious.

Big Tuna’s also does a nice job at providing disability access for their guests. Their accessibility page boasts the restaurant's ADA-compliant parking spaces, wheelchair accessible tables with ample room to maneuver your chair, and ADA-compliant restrooms, making sure any wheelchair traveler has a comfortable and confident experience.

4. Rose Villa Southern Table & Bar

Looking for some Southern charm in an Old-Florida type of restaurant? Look no further than Rose Villa Southern Table & Bar. Located along the Ormond Beach Main Street District, this Victorian house was built in the late 1800s and opened as a bed & breakfast in 1901. The locale is an authentic and classy restaurant serving a variety of delicious Southern dishes including the popular Southern fried chicken. You'll also find shrimp & grits, jambalaya, and waffles topped with fried chicken and warm, sweet, buttery syrup. Rose Villa also offers other great meals like steaks, pork chops, and crab cakes.

For the accessibility traveler, Rose Villa does offer ADA-compliant wheelchair access on the main first floor and accessible restrooms to accommodate wheelchair users. Be sure to park in the back, because that's where the disabled parking is located along with their entrance with disability access. I had no problems navigating through Rose Villa in my electric wheelchair.

5. Caribbean Jack's Restaurant

Caribbean Jack’s Restaurant is another local favorite riverfront restaurant for any wheelchair traveler visiting Daytona Beach. They serve a variety of tasty, fresh seafood including calimari, crab cakes, shrimp, seafood chowder, fish, & gator bites. If you're not in the mood for seafood, try the burgers, sandwiches, ribs, kebabs, tacos, or pasta.

Caribbean Jack's is a favorite among wheelchair users, because it's fully ADA compliant with ramps, roomy mobility friendly pathways throughout, and wheelchair-friendly seating areas. The patio / deck is spacious enough so wheelchair users can have lunch or dinner while enjoying the scenic views of the Halifax River and the charming boat-laced Loggerhead Marina. Caribbean Jack's also has accessible self-parking, optional valet parking, and accessible restrooms, making it a pleasant and memorable dining experience for every accessibility traveler.

6. 4 Rivers Smokehouse

4 Rivers Smokehouse at ONE DAYTONA is a fantastic dining spot for the wheelchair traveler looking for some good barbecue! This authentic BBQ restaurant is in a relatively new building, so the layout is roomy, ADA compliant, mobility friendly, and it allows a wheelchair user easy access throughout the restaurant. There is ample accessible parking, wide doors, high and low tables, and accessible bathrooms. The staff is truly always helpful and attentive to my needs.

When you go to 4 Rivers Smokehouse, there are a ton of delicious options to choose from. That being said, I would personally recommend the 18-hour Smoked Angus Brisket, the St. Louis-Style Ribs, the Smoked Prime Rib Sandwich, or the loaded grits extravaganza they call "Six Shooter." Honestly, I have always taken a pretty full to-go box home with me. Some of the more popular sides include their cheese grits, jalapenos, and the usual favorites you would normally see at a great barbecue restaurant like collard greens, corn, fried okra, baked beans, green beans, coleslaw, cornbread, mac & cheese, and more! There are too many desserts to mention here, but the Bread Pudding is incredible!

7. Down the Hatch Seafood Company

One of the best scenic, indoor/outdoor restaurants in this area is Down the Hatch Seafood Company in Ponce Inlet. If you are an accessibility traveler looking for some warm sun & cool shade, fresh seafood, waterfront views, live music, and maybe some refreshing cocktails, you will love this mobility friendly restaurant. It sits directly on the Intracoastal Waterway, and it has a great selection of outdoor and indoor seating. The entrance is ADA compliant, the pathways are unobstructed and wide enough for easy navigation to your table, and there is plenty of room for wheelchair travelers to relax and dine comfortably. As a wheelchair user, I appreciated the accessible restrooms and the accommodating staff.

Down the Hatch has the diverse selection of dishes you would hope to see at a cozy, waterfront restaurant like this one. Appetizers include Calamari, Shrimp, Oysters, Raw Tuna, Oysters, Mussels, and delicious "She" Crab Soup. Down the Hatch also serves a tasty selection of burgers, tacos, and sandwiches. Several of the entrees offer fresh seafood such as Snapper, Scallops, Salmon, Crab Legs, Lobster, & more. They also have an extensive selection of pasta, steaks & chops, and my favorite… the Low Country Boil.

8. Mario's Italian Restaurant and Lounge

Over the years, I have tried many Italian restaurants in and around the Daytona Beach area. I was finding that every time I tried another one, it became clearer to me there was one that stood out above the rest. Serving since 1956, Mario's Italian Restaurant and Lounge in Ormond Beach has the best Italian food  around! I've tried so many dishes on their menu, and I have never been disappointed.

On their menu, you'll find most of the "staples" you would find at most Italian restaurants. Lasagna, for example, is one of those staples, but theirs at Mario's is the best I've ever had. When we eat there, I usually order their lasagna with sausage & meatballs, and I always order a large because I know we will have incredible leftovers.

Mario's has a variety of delicious appetizers, and my favorites are the calamari, the stuffed artichoke, and the Zuppa de Clams. Everybody gets a salad with their meal, and the table gets one or two loaves of bread to snack on before the meal arrives. I already mentioned the lasagna as my #1 favorite main dish, but I should also mention their notoriously good Francaise with either Chicken, Grouper, or Shrimp. They're all so tasty! You should also consider the Marsala, Pasta Fagioli, Fettuccine Alfredo, or just about anything else. I promise you will not be disappointed.

Mario's has ADA compliant parking near the front door, and they have a solid concrete ramp for disability access up to the front door in addition to an accessible entrance. The pathways through the restaurant are roomy and mobility friendly, and there are several tables where a wheelchair user can comfortably dine without feeling "in the way". The bathrooms are listed online as wheelchair accessible and ADA compliant.

Ready to start planning your vacation in Daytona Beach? Check out all the great accommodations available in the area now, and start planning your sensational beach getaway today! We’ll be looking forward to seeing you in Daytona Beach soon!

About the author:
Steve Deal lives locally in the Daytona Beach area and here are some of his favorite places to explore and experience. As an active quadriplegic, he has found the community to be incredibly accommodating to visitors with disabilities. Learn more about Steve Deal