In the heart of Dr. Phillips lies a hidden gem, a traditional Italian restaurant with a twist – Cariera’s by Castelli. During the week tourists and regulars alike enjoy the traditional Venetian atmosphere and superb dining menu, but when the weekend starts on Friday, Cariera’s is filled with scintillating live music and fun times for the entire family.

Less than a year ago, Cariera’s was purchased by new owners and remodeled to include more comfortable dining chairs, new tableware, updated wine list, renovated restrooms and several new menu items to add to the restaurant’s already popular menu options. The restaurant walls are decorated with authentic Venetian masks along with digital picture screens that rotate classic pictures and those of some of Cariera’s regular customers. Eat there often enough and you too can add your picture into the mix.

Through the years, (actually since 1975) Cariera’s has always been family owned, and to this day the tradition remains the same. Interestingly enough, Cariera’s by Castelli is owned by two Brazilians and one Argentinean, of course they came from Italian families and basically grew up in the kitchen. Don’t let that sway you, all three of the new owner’s have decades of experience in the restaurant industry including several other successful restaurants and the best Italian chefs in all of Orlando. Even with all the changes you will find that most of the menu items have stayed the same with only a handful of new dishes added to the menu. Why mess with perfection right?

The menu at Cariera’s is filled many with delectable items, cooked with the finest and freshest ingredients available. For starters, they recommend a traditional favorite – calamari. Squid fried to perfection and served with a tasty marinara sauce for dipping. If you want to head straight to a main entrée and you love pasta, try the fettuccine with a vodka cream or Alfredo sauce or the chicken penne (a staff favorite). Cariera’s serves a wonderful Lemon Mahi if fish is what you love to eat and we heard the Veal Cariera’s is to die for. Looking for something new, the owners suggest the Shrimp di Napoli or one of their other gourmet pizzas with ultra thin crust. Other menu items include signature pasta dishes, seafood and a good selection of dessert options. Additionally, Cariera’s offers several of their pasta dishes and their flat breads as gluten free options. Wash all that down with. . . the Godiva Shake (named for the touch of Godiva liquor they add to this new favorite). Just need a drink and a great atmosphere, hang out in the separate bar area and try either the Tiramisu or the Bada Bing Martini – magnifico!

If you’re in the neighborhood why not stop by Cariera’s by Castelli, you’ll be glad you did. Cariera’s is located at 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd. in Orlando 32819.

http://CarierasByCastelli.com

Newcomers Rob and Angie Nelson have transitioned their way from food truckers to full-blown restaurant owners. Redeye Bar and Grill located in Ocoee, Florida, has only been open for about four months, but has made a splash in the industry with succulent barbecue dishes. Originally, the two started off with a food truck which Rob tells us was, “just a hobby.” They would travel to all of the hotspots in Orlando, like World of Beer, to serve some of their custom creations such as the Big Daddy Burger. Eventually, Rob and his wife Angie had to sell the food truck and relocate to Hawaii for Rob’s career, which was in the hospitality industry. After spending just a year there, they moved back to be closer to family and Rob decided to turn his hobby into a passionate career.

After researching family recipes, consulting with previous restaurant owners, and working with “The Sauce Man,” Rob was able to take his hobby to the next level. The creations were made with passion and custom flavors. Take the Redeye sliders for example. This Redeye favorite isn’t just your typical meat on a small bun. They take homemade cornbread (which is baked by Rob’s mom every morning) and top it with barbecue pulled pork, glazed barbecue sauce and honey. We recommend you follow that starter with a custom sandwich or a Redeye barbecue dish, such as the Sliced Beef Brisket. The tender meat is slow cooked over three types of hard wood for over 12 hours before being served with a choice of soup or salad and a side dish. To top off your meal, indulge in the Bananas Fosters that can easily be split between four people. The crispy pastry hovering over vanilla ice cream, bananas and powdered sugar is absolutely mouth watering.

The drink list is nothing to brush off either. Unlike many other barbecue joints in town, Redeye has a variety of wines and craft brews. They recently upgraded their kegs from six to ten taps and they even have a root beer tap for the kids. One of their most popular brews is Dale’s Pale ale. Because of the high demand, it gets tapped out quite often and Rob tells us he is on a waiting list to get more. The combination of delicious food, a good drink menu, and their weekly live music, makes Redeye Bar and Grill a complete dining experience. Rob also informed us that brunch has started as of February 10th, 2013 where they will serve puff pastries, mimosas, and have a saxophone player to keep you in that relaxed state of mind on a Sunday afternoon. Don’t forget to stop by Redeye Bar and Grill at 2594 Maguire Road in Ocoee, Florida.

Shipyard Brew Pub located in Winter Park, Fl. Will leave any beer connoisseur with a very satisfied palate. With its daily changing beer menu from their seasonal Pumpkin Head beer to their bacon infused beer, Shipyard will not leave you wanting. Aside from their microbrewery Shipyard also brings a taste of New England to Central Fl. Main Lobster, Clam Chowder and a Raw Oyster bar are a few of the New England staples that you can find at Shipyard. Watch this video as Shipyard’s manager explains what sets this brew pub apart from the rest – and he’ll tell you a little about their Mug Club.

Shipyard Brew Pub is located at: 200 W Fairbanks Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789

http://www.shipyardwinterpark.com/

http://www.restaurantequipment.net/

As the year comes to a end, we like to look back at all the local restaurants that have been featured on our blog. And we would like to give them a big thanks for taking the time out to talk to us and answer our questions. We wish these restaurants continued success in the upcoming year. And in no particular order a list of our favorite dish from each restaurant.

Jimmy Hula’s – Burt Reynolds

Tibby’s New Orleans Restaurant – Shrimp and Andoullie Cheddar Grits

The Ravenous Pig – The Mahi Burger

Seito Sushi – Its a tie with the Sashimi platter and the fried cheescake

4 Rivers – Texas Destroyer Sandwich

Yellow Dog – The PB& J

Mellow Mushroom – The Kosmic Karma Pizza

Hot Olives – Crab Cake Sandwich

Prato – The American Pizza

Living in Florida is beneficial for those who love the beach. We have the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico or you can head east for a surf on the cool Atlantic Ocean waves. But living in Central Florida makes it tough to ever truly feel the tropical ambiance of either coast- until now. In the small city of Winter Park, lies a little piece of tropical heaven. It’s a place where you can get a cold craft beer on a hot summer day, listen to the tunes of a Bob Marley melody, and of course experience the succulent flavors of a fresh fish taco topped with all the varieties of fixings you can think of. This little slice of Utopia is the one and only Jimmy Hulas.

Jimmy Hula, who is the concept behind the restaurant, is not just a man, but a legend. His name runs wild throughout the borders of California, Florida, and Hawaii. He was known to be a world traveler, an adventurer at heart, but no solid facts are known about Jimmy Hula. The only thing we know for sure is that he loved the beach and to have a good time. Zach Hartman, Manager, says, “Everywhere Jimmy went, he started a party and brought with him a piece of that culture and cuisine.” And so in turn a legendary man inspires what will become a legendary restaurant.Stepping into Jimmy Hula’s of Winter Park, you immediately let go of anxieties and have a brush of calming vibes flow through you. Plastered on the walls are surf boards and island inspired artwork. The music of island beats dance through your head as you have the trouble deciding on an infamous fish taco or what is considered “the best burger” in the US. Both choices are undeniably delicious, but if still can’t decide Hartman tells us, “We feel we have the finest burgers in the United States, however because of the uniqueness of our taco offerings, at the moment our fish tacos are our most popular items.” I am not sure if that would sway your choice one way or the other because its not comparing apples to apples. If you have to, order both. Maybe a VooDoo Fish Taco topped with pineapple mango salsa and house-made VooDoo sauce and a Burnt Reynolds Burger that is accompanied by a fried egg, bacon, and Lays chip, and take one home with you- that’s my recommendation.Once your decision is made, you sit down on the unique car-seat booths to enjoy your meal, but not before you select a craft beer that will ignite your taste buds and quench your thirst. Don’t forget to order a starter. The Jimmy Cracked Corn is a newer item that will have you chomping at the bit to get every last kernel. You won’t be embarrassed eating corn on the cob in public, that’s for sure.

If you happen to be watching your weight or looking for something Gluten-free, you can go naked! Not literally, but when you order your favorite taco, sandwich, or burger, you can get it wrapped in lettuce or bun-less. You will also be happy to know that many ingredients on the menu are local. Hartman says, “The produce heavy nature of our menu items forces us to use mostly locally source organic and fresh produce where ever possible. Especially for seasonally affected items like our Fire Roasted Avocado.”
Jimmy Hula’s is definitely a unique establishment in this area of Florida. When asked how they differ from other local restaurants, Hartman confidently tells us, “Jimmy Hula’s offers a world of flavors based on Jimmy’s travels. There’s not many places with the range of tastes you can experience at our locations. You can’t get a fish taco and a burger with bacon, eggs, and potato chips at the same establishment anywhere in Florida. Maybe not anywhere else in the US.” We have to agree with Zach Hartman on this one. And if you upset your neighborhood doesn’t have an amazing, establishment like Jimmy Hula’s, have no fear. A second location was opened in Orlando close to the University of Central Florida and a third location is coming soon too! If you are saying to yourself, “I want a Jimmy Hula’s near me”, then you are in luck. There is opportunity to open a franchise near you: http://www.jimmyhulas.com/franchising.phphttp://www.jimmyhulas.com/blog/jimmy-hulas-catches-big-waive-from-state-of-fl-to-sell-franchises

When you think of sushi, you tend to think of a light fare. However, when we walked in Seito Sushi of Baldwin Park, we happened to waddle out after our sushi feast. Seito translates from Japanese as ‘great’ and our experience as the name implies, definitely lived up to that expectation. From the first interaction of being greeted by the hostess to the last bite of succulent fried cheesecake, we were utterly impressed. Seito won’t only satisfy a sushi lovers taste buds, it will also captivate one who enjoys traditional Asian eats. One visit to Seito and your senses will be dragging you back for more.

Even though the original Seito Sushi opened up in the Winter Park Village years ago (which was sold in 2011), Seito Sushi of Baldwin Park is booming with business. When we ran into Jason Chin, Business Owner, we asked him what made Seito so successful over the past 10 years. He says, “I believe our absolute commitment to quality and to our community has helped us earn a solid reputation throughout the years. We are not afraid to re-examine ourselves at every turn to make sure we are doing things in the best way possible.” Jason also gives many kudos to his loyal staff by telling us, “They are like family to us and I believe the guests can feel the presence of that relationship as well. It always seems like the standards we set are being met and exceeded willfully by our staff; I find this to be a very powerful kind of motivation as it is self-regenerating and infectious. Hands down the biggest reason for our success is our wonderful staff!”

In agreement with Jason, the staff prepared a delectable platter of sashimi to start us off.
The presentation was detailed down to the garnishes. The chefs did a wonderful job laying this together. The platter had a mixture of commonly found fresh Flounder, Yellowtail, and Albacore Tuna garnished with gold flakes, as well as the more rare findings of Scottish Salmon and Shima Aji, topped with caviar and garnished with an edible flower, the purple pentas. Shima Aji is a rare find outside of Japan, so it won’t always be available. However, everything was fresh, tender, and slightly chilled enough that we could have possibly devoured another platter.

Breaking up the seafood feast, we continued with Gyoza, beef dumplings, fried to a crispy perfection. As that didn’t last long, we found ourselves diving in head first into the more famous selections: the sushi rolls. The Corona roll, which Jason said was one of the most popular rolls, was made of grilled shrimp, tempura asparagus, cucumber wrapped in avocado, snow crab, masago pico de gallo, cilantro and lime. A tasty eat for those who prefer their sushi cooked. However, not to forget the sushi skeptic, we ordered the Bento box. The schmorgesborg came with miso soup, a ginger dressing salad, Gyoza, half a California roll, rice and thin sliced Angus steak. A great dish for those who want to eat a little sushi with a larger serving of cooked meat.

Now saving the best for last, came desert. The fried ice cream and fried cheesecake with fruit was mouth watering from the second the plates were placed on the table. Fascinated and perplexed by how one might fry a cheesecake or by any means, ice cream we asked how they did it. Its only a matter of adding a cake like breading around the desert to be fried. So simple and so delicious.

After being impressed over and over again, we asked Jason why someone should choose Seito Sushi over many of the other sushi restaurants in the local Orlando area. He simply told us, “Although there are quite a few great sushi spots in Orlando, I can confidently say that our level of service and quality cannot be matched. We are constantly in search of new and exciting items to offer our guests; you absolutely will not find any other sushi restaurant with the variety of fish and seafood as we have.”

You can find Seito Sushi at one of their two locations: 4894 New Broad Street Orlando, FL 32814 or 8031 Turkey Lake Rd Orlando, FL 32819.

Website: SeitoSushi.com

/SeitoSushi
/SeitoSushi

If you are looking for the nice, comfy and relaxed atmosphere of your local bar and the elegance and eclectic menu choices of a fine dining restaurant, then a gastropub is what you are searching for. A hidden gem established by chef owners James and Julie Petrakis have done a excellent job of blending these two worlds. Having trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY they decided to return to their native Florida roots, drawing inspiration from England’s gastropubs on serving good food and hand-crafted cocktails in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. This local hot spot is known as The Ravenous Pig: An American Gastropub which James says is, “a place where you can get great food in a lively, unstuffy atmosphere.”

While they keep things on the casual side, they do advise making reservations for dinner time as it is the busiest time of the day and there might be a bit of a wait if you just drop by. The menu is varied in nature, so you can get the pub favorite of the house-made soft pretzel with whole-grain mustard or the shrimp tacos delicately prepared to perfection. A Mahi burger for lunch or a grilled sockeye salmon dish will accentuate every taste bud. Each dish, whether it be lunch or dinner, is prepared with many local organic ingredients and are utilized based on season. James explains, “Florida has produce and seafood that is second to none. We really enjoy showing people what Florida and its coasts have to offer.” Dessert being the most important part of the meal of course, house-made seasonal flavored ice cream or sherbet and “pig tail” fritters are decadent enough to satisfy that sweet craving. However, their menu changes monthly, so if you have happen to hesitate on a particular item, keep in mind it might not be there next month. The extensive wine and cocktail list will meet the needs of a casual drinker to the wine connoisseur. With the combination of leisure and class, The Ravenous Pig makes sure their guests have a fun a tasty experience each and every time.

Celebrating The Ravenous Pig’s 5year anniversary on October 3rd- James and Julie have definitely left their mark on the Central Florida restaurant scene – and they are about to make a even bigger mark as they plan to open a sister restaurant Cask and Larder this fall. Staying busy, they are also palnning on the release of a new cookbook titled; The Ravenous Pig: Seasons Of Florida, coming out on October 2nd just in time for their anniversary.

The Ravenous Pig is located at 1234 N. Orange Ave. Winter Park, Fl 32789
http://www.theravenouspig.com/

http://www.caskandlarder.com/

www.Facebook.com/pages/the-ravenous-pig/48468194369

How could a painting of an old yellow dog with Rhett and Scarlett dancing out the window in the yard turn into a critically acclaimed cafe?

What stemmed from a painting dubbed “The OG” by owner Fish Morgan, was a restaurant unlike any you’ve experienced elsewhere.

Located in Gotha, Fl, one wouldn’t expect to see such a progressive and light-hearted establishment as they dodge wild chickens that attempt to cross the road, or marvel at buildings that have been standing seemingly since the days of secession. The Old-Florida charm that Gotha has to offer, however, is the perfect complement to the area’s most popular spot.

Yellow Dog Eats’ looks as if it had been a permanent fixture in the area- a notion reinforced by the 100+ year old former country store it occupies- but in reality, it hints at the direction the area is taking as many Central Floridians are rekindling their affection for begone days while simultaneously incorporating their own flair. And that’s exactly what Chef and Owner Fish Morgan has done here. Yellow Dog Eats’ light-hearted approach to the restaurant scene integrates amazing food, a laid back atmosphere, and personal attention with the charm of a turn-of-the-century venue.

When entering the building, guests are immediately greeted by a personable staff behind the counter- and quite often, Fish himself- as they pass a collection of antique and alternative art pieces that would rival any museum collection (if they had museums for that kind of stuff). The art displayed here blends popular culture with a bygone age, and directly reflects much of Fish’s own style.
 
 

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What we are sure about though, is how amazing the food is. That’s really what you came here to read about, right? Yellow Dog offers some of the tastiest concoctions we’ve ever, well… tasted. Each of Fish’s creations are a combination of flavors that work so well together that we wondered why we didn’t think of them. Then we realized that we didn’t go to the Culinary Institute of America and we’re not one of the best Chefs in the business. He did, and he is.

Sampling a few different dishes ranging from the Pig Noodle (NOT what it sounds like), to a different take on the PB&J, we were amazed at how well each of the ingredients went together and created something unlike anything we had eaten before. The Pig Noodle came with coleslaw and what can only be described as gourmet Mac N Cheese right on top of the pulled pork sandwich. The PB&J was loaded with fresh peanut butter and jelly, as expected, but it also incorporates bananas and shavings of chocolate. It came with a side of animal crackers- a nice touch for this child-hood favorite.

Fish attributes his amazing fare to his constant search for the best and freshest ingredients. His philosophy is that if you start with quality ingredients, you’ll get a quality product. We tend to agree, but also think that what makes his food so special is the level of attention he gives to each plate- from kitchen to dining room. Don’t be surprised if you get a visit from Fish where he asks you about your day, your food, or stops by to chat for a bit just to get to know you.

If you’re looking for a new favorite restaurant or just simply want to try something different, Yellow Dog Eats is the perfect place. The welcoming environment and amazing fare will keep you coming back, but the friendly staff and Fish himself, will make you feel like you’ve never left.

Check out their website here.

Find them on Facebook
Follow them on Twitter

 
America. Land of the fried and home of the grav-y, right? Not anymore, my friend. We’re in the midst of a culinary transformation. The deep-fried bourgeoisie’s days are numbered as the health-conscious proletariat is rising up and storming the proverbial Bastille. From each according to his flavor, to each according to his taste.

Okay, its not exactly a grand cultural revolution taking place in the streets. We’re not by any means holding a hunger strike, creating a giant paper mache statue, or standing in front of a column of street-carts.

There is no wall to tear down.

This is a Food Truck revolution. But we’re still taking its message to the streets, which is coincidentally, where the Food Trucks are located.

There’s a shift afoot in the American culinary experience. Where before, deep-fried and breaded was king, a new food movement for Americans to explore is emerging- one that shifts the focus away from the carnival-esque fried abominations once readily available at food carts and vendors nationwide and towards more gourmet creations offered by the burgeoning popularity of the modern Food Truck.

Here is where we, as eaters of food, and lovers of all things American make a stand (there is generally no where to sit at a Food Truck event) and say “No more!” to pre-made and processed food from a cart. “We demand gourmet and sometimes organic creations made from fresh, local produce!” “And we want it to be prepared and delivered to us in a truck!”

This is a revolution to be taken in baby steps. We’re eating well prepared, high quality food, but its still wrapped in the fast-food facade that we’re used to. We, as Americans, are somewhat slow to change and often want to have our cake and eat it too.

Let us eat cake.

As food trucks have gained popularity for their high quality food served at fast-food speeds, Americans have begun to embrace the revolution and have taken to social media to spread the word. Twitter and Facebook have become vital instruments with which Food Trucks market themselves and relay their latest location to hungry revolutionaries. To find your favorite Food Truck just Google them, or try to find reviews on Yelp. No proxy servers needed.

Underground and anti-establishment organizations and meetings have been arranged to take place weekly at pre-determined locations. Those of us who are tired of the old ways of the food cart have been flocking to these venues and newcomers are being converted by the thousands.

The revolution has begun, so choose a side. We recommend the Mac N Cheese.

Getting traffic in the door…

It may be the most difficult part of the foodservice game, and the ways to make it happen are rapidly changing. While word-of-mouth is still the reigning champion in promoting your business, the forms that it comes in varies greatly. Twitter, Facebook, Google+, YouTube, Blogger, and many others are encroaching on the physical person-to-person discussion of where to eat. The greatest benefit of these new digital communications is that you can often drop in on the conversation.

If you have great food, you’re already in a prime position to tap into this discussion and further promote your business – chances are, plenty of people are talking about you already. The digitized world is big, though, and it might be hard to know where to start. Let’s break it down by service, arranged by how important we think they are to your foodservice operation.

1. Twitter

Twitter is a premier tool to engage with your audiences, and with good reason. With instant responses that can spread through the Twittersphere, your name can be broadcast loud and clear through the internet. It goes without saying that you need to be short and to the point, but being clever and current doesn’t hurt, either. To get people to follow you, you need to follow them first; if they don’t follow back within a few days, unfollow them and try somebody else. A good goal is to have slightly more followers than people you follow, but it takes some work to get there.
It’s easy to get started, just visit Twitter and you just need to provide a name, email, and password.

2. Facebook

The key here is contests and engagement. If you offer a free appetizer coupon for a limited time to people who “like” your page, you’re going to be in for a treat yourself. Ruby Tuesday offered 100,000 free burgers by liking their Facebook page and, as of today, they have over 500,000 followers. That’s a lot of exposure, and even if every single free burger was given away, there’s still money to be made – people tend to bring their friends and will certainly buy some appetizers, sides, and drinks. Make sure you are visiting those who “like” your page and thank them personally. Do this until the volume of likes far exceeds your capacity to personally thank each Facebook friend, and you’re well on your way to creating a viral effect.
Starting a Facebook page is simple. Go to Facebook’s Create A Page portion of their site, choose Local Business or Place, and it’s easy as pie from there on out.

3. YouTube

This is probably the most rewarding outlet in social media; since videos generally have a higher production value compared to the snippets of conversation within other media outlets, they tend to get more attention. Add some behind-the-scenes videos, recipes, or footage from special events. You don’t even need to invest in much; just a Flip camera or similar will do fine, and free editing software such as Windows Movie Maker will do for most operations. If you have the budget, the better your videos are, the more attention they seem to accumulate. Keep adding videos every once in a while to keep your channel fresh and leverage your other social media outlets to drive views and interest.
Signing up is simple: visit YouTube, and you can either sign in with an existing Google account, or just give an email, username, and password and you’re in.

4. Google+

The new kid on the block is quickly becoming the gorilla in the room. Since, as of right now, Google+ is an invite-only platform, and they don’t have any tools for business, you’re best hope is to use your operation’s Google account to engage users as an unbranded “friend,” and hope that they add you to some well-populated circles. The flip-side of the Google+ coin is the user-generated promotion of your site through what Google calls their “+1 Button.” Similar to Facebook’s “like” button, it generates interest and puts your restaurant’s site nearer to the top of the list when people search for places to eat on Google.
Signing up for Google+ is as easy as finding someone who will email you an invite. To do this, appeal to friends, family, and customer’s to see if any of them have invites. To add the +1 button to you’re website, go to Google’s site to get the code. If you’re still new to site development and coding, have your website’s team do it for you, or your neighbor’s kid.

5. LinkedIn

Often viewed as a site to boost your resume, LinkedIn actually has useful tools to keep you connected with colleagues and other business owners. If you’re in the foodservice industry, you know there is plenty of healthy competition, but plenty of friendships as well. As you foster these relationships, you may find strength in numbers.
Visit Linked In and put in your first and last name, your email, and a password and you’re well on your way.

6. Your Own Site

This is an oft-overlooked tool in your arsenal. The most important part reason for having your own site is that you ultimately determine the content and how it is formatted. Put up your menu, daily deals, and push your Facebook and Twitter. Just having a website adds legitimacy to your business and makes customer’s who are looking to try something new visit you in-person; however, having a well-designed and often-updated website can really sway a customer’s decision to choose you over the competition.
You can make your own site, even if you are not a web guru. If you visit a hosting platform such as GoDaddy, you can buy a domain, get hosting, and design a basic site all in one day. If you don’t have the time to make your own site, there are plenty of web design companies who will take care of all the nerdy tech stuff for you. Do a search to find reputable ones in your area.

7. Groupon

Groupon offers daily deals to a rich database of consumers; they might offer a coupon for $30 worth of product at your establishment for as little as $10. That $10 profit is then split between your business and Groupon. It’s much pricier than many of the other social media tools, but the turnout is hard to beat. Just make sure you’re ready for the rush, and you can financially support such a loss-leader. The Groupon folks will push you to drive your prices down to nearly nothing, so go into negotiations with a set percentage off that you are willing to settle for. Also, be honest about your chances that this will result in repeat business – will folks come back for more after the initial coupons are used?
Visit Groupon Works for more information about how it works, and then go to the Get Featured section of Groupon’s site to apply as a business. The bar to get featured is actually pretty high, you’ll need to provide information about your business such as your reviews on Yelp! and City Search (if any).

8. Business Review Sites

We decided to lump these all together. This includes City Search and Merchant Circle, among others. Usually, these sites will allow users to add business themselves, so chances are, you’re already on there. Job well done, right? Not quite. Often, you will want to provide additional information that reviewers have not added yet – your menu, average price of food, business hours, additional pictures. The best part about these sites are that people on them are generally genuinely looking for a place to eat; it’s free advertising! The downside is that even a few negative reviews can affect your restaurant’s business. Often, you are able to respond to customer complaints on these sites, so it is good form to professionally apologize for any inconveniences caused by your establishment and offer for them to try you again (and you may entice them with a free drink or similar). For every customer that puts the effort into adding a review, there are often hundreds who are just looking – it’s important to keep up appearances for those potential customers.
As noted before, you are probably already listed. Visit Google Places, Yelp!, Yahoo, Urban Spoon, and the others to make sure you are listed and reviewed well.

9. Blogging

Though we nearly ironically made a blog post about this in the past, it’s important enough of a point to be made again. If you feel as though you have the time and the content to update a blog on daily basis, you need to start one. If you have your own website (and you should), WordPress offers an easy way to start blogging once it’s installed. In all reality, it’s the only way to go as far as blogging is concerned. It’s free, updated constantly to keep pace with current technology, it’s simple to use, and versatile.
Just visit WordPress’s site and check out their Famous Five Minute install. If you have any questions, visit our past blog about the subject for more info.

10. Email

Email may be on the back burner in the minds of social media gurus, but it is still a force to be reckoned with. Nearly everyone with access to the internet has an email account. Even if all of the other ways of contacting your customers over the internet fail, if you have an in-store sign asking customer’s to sign up for your email marketing campaign in exchange for a free dessert, you are sure to pick up some of the less technically savvy customers you miss with your other online marketing campaigns.
While you can run an email campaign all by yourself, it can become tiresome coming up with new ideas and adhering to good formatting rules. Companies like Constant Contact will help lighten the load for campaigns such as these, for a small monthly fee.

It looks like you have some homework to do! Keeping up on all of these communication outlets can prove time consuming, but if you want to improve foot traffic, they can be a boon to your restaurant business.