Dining 2026 Weeks 1-2

 I decided to write more often about my dining visits and my history with each eatery that I dine at in 2026. My goal is just like 2025, go to 12 New places that I have never been, and at least 52 different places throughout the year. So, here are my dining out experiences for the first two weeks of 2026.

1/6/2026 Frigate's Waterfront Bar & Grill

Score: 3.5 (Great to Excellent)

Frigates is an eclectic restaurant located in Eau Gallie off of US1. There is a boat dock for customers on the North bank of the Eau Gallie River. Origin: The owners of the North Palm Beach Frigate's purchased the Eau Gallie property in 2016, with plans to create a tropical restaurant.  It opened in October 2019. The site has been a few different places but is most remembered by locals as the site of a Burger King. Later it became the Eau Gallie River Crab House; I went a few times with my nephew Jared and his family.

For me, I go to Frigates quite often since it opened because it is close to my home, and I do like their food. I also like that they have an outdoor area with a large bar along the river. You can't get any more Florida than that. On this particular visit, I had been at the Brevard Zoo and wanted a small afternoon snack since I had skipped lunch.

I had a Beer (Landshark draft with Lime) and the Happy Hour Special, a Double Spicy Tuna Roll. I took this photo with my phone to share on Facebook.

I sat at the outside bar where Tracy, who knows me well, was my bartender. From my seat at the bar, I took this photo. If it is cold or windy, they drop the shades. On this day, some were up and a few were down.

There is also a Frigate Bird sculpture flying over the bar area. Hence the name of the place.

The same food, taken with my camera. It was a double sushi roll so I had to show it twice...The sushi roll looked so good to the bartender Tracy that she ordered one to go for herself.

1/8/2026 Wagon Wheel

Score: 3.0 (Great)

Wagon Wheel is an American Pizza and Sandwich eatery located in Melbourne. It was opened in 1971 on the North end of Babcock Street. It was in the JM Fields shopping plaza that is now DRS. It is less than a mile from my home. I am not sure when they moved to their current location off of Wickham and Lake Washington. When my company ENSCO moved onto Wickham, Wagon Wheel became an almost weekly lunch place for me. What I ordered this time was not much different than what I use to order.

A glass of Water and a Hot Italian Combo Sandwich with everything but NO Mustard.

The section of the menu with Italian Sandwiches. I like that they have a Grinder. My dad Harold use to make Grinders.

The view from my seat...

My sandwich...they know how to do it, the sandwich with meats and cheese are put into the pizza oven until the bread gets crispy. Then they add the cold vegetables and serve. Then I eat...

1/9/2026 3.0 Grills Riverside

Score: 3.0 (Great)

Grills Riverside is a Seafood restaurant located in Melbourne on US1, just North of the Pineda Causeway. I had been at Squid Lips with my friend Ken, but wanted to head further North to get some photos of the SpaceX Starlink launch.

Origin: This place opened in May of 2010. It was an expansion of the Grills that is located in Port Canaveral which opened in 1997 and is still there. A fisherman opened Grills as a place to share the seafood being caught at Sunrise Marina at the Port. They are known for there grilled fish but they have an extensive menu.

I ordered a Beer (Landshark bottle plus a Lime) with a cup of Bahamian Chowder; an order of Rock Shrimp (which was not on the menu but I was craving so asked the waitress Jenifer);  and a Grilled Fish  & Cheese Sandwich (Tuna cooked medium; means pink) plus the Tropical Kale Salad instead of chips or fries.

The launch from the dock that Grill's owns on the Indian River.

Took a while to get that huge slice of lime into the bottle.

The view from my seat which was inside, but at the window looking onto the back deck. They have a Tiki Bar on the deck which I frequent when watching my favorite local Band the Tree Frogs play.

The cup of Bahamian Fish Chowder...(The oyster crackers are made in Rutland Vermont)

The Rock Shrimp. These use to be plentiful in Florida when I moved here but are hard to find now.

The Sandwich with Tropical Kale Salad (which was better than I thought it would be).

1/12/2026 Portside Pub & Grille

Score: 3.0 (Great)

Portside is an Eclectic Pub and Grille in Sebastian Florida, a little over 30 miles South of my home.

Origin: There was not much online about history but it's been open for more than five years with at least two owners.

It was my first time here. I was golfing with my cousin Jon, Dan, and Robert. After nine holes of pure hell at Sebastian Municipal, Jon said we were going here. I am glad he selected it.

I had a draft Beer (Cigar City Maduro) with Mussels in Garlic from the Bar Snacks menu.

The entrance. There is ample parking and it is located on Coolidge Street, Inside there was a bar with about 16-20 stools, a variety of tables and an outside patio. The menu is very eclectic with a large variety of selections including Jambalaya from New Orleans and Maine lobsters.

Jon wanted to sit at the bar where Sandy was our bartender. She was very sweet and took care of us,

Dan and Robert using a calculator to add up our golf scores.

They had a special menu for people at the bar.

Jon and Dan ordered Junior Shepherd's Pie and Robert ordered the Sliders. This is a photo of the Pie.

As I said, I ordered the Garlic Mussels thinking they would be brought out still in the shells. I was wrong, there had to be at least three dozen mussels in the bowl. The sauce was good and Sandy even brought me more bread.

Well, two weeks of the real are gone. I have one New place of 12 and 4 different places of 52.