Written by Lindsay Grohs
A true hidden gem. Garp & Fuss is tucked in the “Hidden Garden” of Winter Park, Florida. It was established in 2017 and has been bringing joy to adventurous food lovers ever since. Garp & Fuss merges rustic charm with modern refinement, offering a global twist to the fine dining world. It is almost as if this restaurant combines two different types of atmospheres. On one hand, they have a patio that evokes a vineyard vibe, but the interior of the restaurant mimics a modern retro aesthetic. The architecture and decor in the patio and outside areas exude a winery-inspired charm, with arches lining the brick walls and plants hanging from the ceiling and as centerpieces on tables. The inside of the restaurant is characterized by its wood furnishings, booth seating, and nostalgic color scheme. Colorful plates line the walls. Near the back of the restaurant, there is also a gaming area where guests can play pool. Upstairs is "The Lounge.” This area has a few small tables, as well as a couch with a table, and offers a more relaxing, quiet vibe for those looking to escape the loudness of any crowds that may walk through the door.
Just like the ambiance, the menu at Garp and Fuss highlights dishes from everywhere with a little bit of everything. It's mysterious yet bold and introduces flavor profiles that you didn’t know you needed. They have both a brunch and dinner menu. The brunch menu showcases a delightful mix of savory and sweet dishes, including Chicken & Waffles (sugar cone waffles, buttermilk fried chicken, maple bourbon gravy, spicy aioli, and a fried egg), Short Rib Hash (braised short rib, cherry peppers, spicy aioli, and a fried egg), French Toast (sourdough with cream cheese filling and wild berry compote), and Shrimp & Grits (blackened shrimp, smoked gouda grits, Nueske’s bacon, cajun tomato broth, and a fried egg), to name a few.
In the mood for a mid-morning drink? No problem, Garp & Fuss has a brunch-specific drink menu as well. These drinks include your typical Mimosa, Bloody Mary, Espresso Martini, and a few others. No matter what you’re craving when you walk through their door, Garp & Fuss is sure to satisfy your hunger for bold, enticing flavors.
Their dinner menu has a slightly wider range of options, offering appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, and other various entrées. Their appetizers are sure to draw your attention as they redefine the role of fish in this course. Fish on a flatbread? Fish in nachos? They have it all. The Crab Rangoon Flatbread and Tuna Poke Nachos offer a twist on these classic types of appetizers. They also provide the Butcher's Board (chef’s choice of assorted meat & cheese with seasonal accompaniments), Mangia (Mama Karen’s meatball, Pomodoro, house-made ricotta, and grilled ciabatta), and the Big Effing Pretzel.
One of my favorite things about their menu is the creative names for their dishes. You mainly see this element come into play in the sandwich and entrée sections. Their sandwiches have a lot of unexpected yet delicious flavors. A few of these sandwiches include the Boozy Burger (thick-cut bacon, beer-battered onion rings, cheddar, and bourbon BBQ sauce), the Fig & Goat Burger (fried goat cheese, house fig jam, thick-cut bacon, and arugula), the Pub Burger (local mushroom, caramelized onion, Alpine Lace Swiss, and steakhouse aioli), The Garp (Chicago Italian beef, Alpine Lace Swiss, horsey crema, giardiniera, au jus), and The Fuss (fried chicken, honey sriracha, marinated cucumber, arugula, blueberry relish, and boss sauce). Their entrée options deliver a fabulous array of dishes that cultivate a symphony of flavors, each showcasing the restaurant’s creativity and craftsmanship. Some favorites include the Jack’d Up Chicken Parmesan (Pomodoro, burrata, arugula salad, pickled red onion, and rigatoni), Cheese & Pear Fiocchi (pappardelle, Nueske’s bacon, fried egg, and arugula), and the Steak Frites (marinated hanger steak, truffle parmesan fries, bourbon peppercorn demi, arugula salad).
When I dined at Garp & Fuss a few weeks back, I had both the Pub Burger and The Fuss sandwich. The Pub Burger was everything you could want out of a burger. It wasn’t too much for my taste buds, but rather just the right amount of toppings to enhance the flavor of the burger itself. The mix of mushrooms and caramelized onions was a dance of earthy richness and mellow sweetness. The burger itself was cooked phenomenally. It came out warm, with the cheese melting off the sides. The steakhouse aioli added the final element of pizazz to the burger, offering a smoky, rich, creamy zing to the dish.
The Fuss was another combination of heavenly flavors. Every element of the sandwich paired well with one another. The chicken was cooked to perfection, as it was crispy but not overdone. The marinated cucumbers and arugula topped the sandwich with a light crunch that complemented the crispiness of the chicken. The honey sriracha and boss sauce gave the sandwich a spicy yet sweet kick. And lastly, the blueberry relish pulled the sandwich together with its jam-like sweetness. The profile of the dish reminded me of chicken and waffles but turned into a sandwich and amped up to another level.
I must also mention that the menu at Garp & Fuss is ever-changing since it shifts over time, sometimes ever so slightly, other times with a larger rebrand of the courses. Their most recent menu change was when Garp & Fuss reopened in August 2024 after a short shutdown of the restaurant. In the process of reopening, they were able to rebrand some of their menu items while still holding on to some previous fan favorites.
If you are looking for a quick bite, an enchanting brunch, or a casual yet upscale date night spot, Garp & Fuss will be your perfect match. They are worth a visit (or many)!
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