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Sawgrass Tavern Reopens as The Grove House, Plus Changes in Middleton
Updates checked October 19, 2026. Sawgrass Tavern reopened today as The Grove House, following a week closed for renovations and staff training. Over in Middleton, Southern Roots Collection is open, China Taste is still under construction, and Piesanos is now serving customers. Here’s what has changed since our last update. This Week at a Glance…
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Whatever Happened to Peach Valley Café at Eastport?
A few days ago, I received an email from OnlyVillages reader Michael asking about Peach Valley Café, the breakfast and lunch restaurant announced for Eastport last year. He wrote: “Last Fall, TV announced Peach Valley Cafe was coming to Eastport. Since then, there has been no news. Do you have any idea about an opening…
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Piesanos Middleton Opens, Oak & Stone Live, and Rock N Roll Recreation Planned
Piesanos Middleton opened on its announced opening date, Monday, October 12; Oak & Stone is welcoming diners at Eastport; and new design plans have dropped for Rock N Roll Recreation. Here is your local update on what is open, what is cooking, and what is still under construction across The Villages. Updates checked October 13,…
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J&T Smokehouse Review: Great Barbecue Hiding in Leesburg
Photos from my J&T Smokehouse visit on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. J&T Smokehouse in Leesburg doesn’t look like much from the road. It’s a small storefront in a strip mall on U.S. Highway 441, and it’s easy to drive right past. But the barbecue inside is excellent, and judging by the crowd, plenty of Villagers…
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Middleton and Eastport Photo Update: Woodrow’s Is Open, Piesanos and Publix Getting Closer
Photos from my visit to Middleton and Eastport on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. On my latest visit to Middleton and Eastport, I brought the camera along to see what was open and what was getting closer. Woodrow’s Duckpin Bowling and Smalls Sliders were open, while Piesanos, Coffee for the Soul, Chase Bank and the new…
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R.J. Gator’s at Lake Sumter Landing: Good Food and Generous Portions After Golf
After golf on September 30, our group headed to R.J. Gator’s at Lake Sumter Landing for dinner. The suggestion that got us there: “Let’s go to the Lake Sumter Gators—it’s better than Brownwood.” That was the preference of some in our group, so R.J. Gator’s Florida Sea Grill & Bar it was. It’s one of…
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Oak & Stone Opens October 6 — Plus a Peek Inside LUXE Steakhouse
Eastport is about to get another restaurant, and another highly anticipated opening looks like it may not be far behind. I stopped by today for a fresh look at Oak & Stone Eastport and LUXE Steakhouse & Cellar. Oak & Stone now has a firm opening date of October 6, and when I stopped by…
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Havana Country Club Dinner: Why We Skipped Mallory Hill’s Restaurant
Mallory Hill got our round. It did not get our dinner. After a shaky meal there last time, we skipped the clubhouse and went for a Havana Country Club dinner instead. Here’s how that gamble paid off. We played Mallory Hill yesterday, and the golf was the easy part. The real question was dinner. This…
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KungFu Chef in The Villages: Review, Menu Highlights, and Our Dining Experience
In this KungFu Chef review, we cover a packed dinner service, quick service, standout soups and spring rolls, and the Thai Basil Shrimp we enjoyed. The close seating and an ordering mix-up made parts of the experience less smooth, but overall there was plenty we liked. We stopped in at KungFu Chef for dinner and…
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Luxe Steakhouse at Woodlands Now Targeting October Opening
Luxe Steakhouse & Cellar at Woodlands Championship Golf Course is currently targeting an opening in the first or second week of October, according to new details shared with OnlyVillages. We learned more about the plans for Luxe Steakhouse & Cellar during a conversation at Havana Country Club Restaurant this week. While dining at Havana, we…
