Whether you’re staying in Cape Canaveral for a few days or only a few hours before your cruise sets sail, there’s always time to grab a bite to eat! This guide to the best restaurants near Port Canaveral will help you choose exactly where you want to go. It covers:
- The closest restaurants to Port Canaveral
- The cheapest restaurants near Port Canaveral
- The best vegetarian and vegan restaurants near Port Canaveral
- The top-rated restaurants near Port Canaveral
- The best breweries and bars near Port Canaveral
- And much more!
From restaurants you can walk to from the terminals to budget-friendly bites to the most memorable spots on the island and everything in between, this article will ensure you get a true taste of the ‘Space Coast’ before you hit the open water.
Closest Restaurants to Port Canaveral
Port Canaveral is split into Terminal A – Port Entrance North and Terminal B – Port Entrance South.
Terminal A includes CT 5, CT 6, CT 8 and CT 10 and is separated from the rest of Cape Canaveral by a bridge over the canal. There are no restaurants or bars in walking distance from Terminal A because pedestrians aren’t allowed to cross the bridge by foot.
Terminal B includes CT 1, CT2, and CT 3 and is on the Cape Canaveral side of the canal. Your restaurant options fare a bit better here and are possible to reach with a 20 to 25-minute walk from the terminals or a quick trip in the car.
(Confused? Click here to see a detailed map of Port Canaveral.)
If you want to grab a convenient bite to eat without going far, these eateries in The Cove and the Marina District are the closest restaurants to Port Canaveral:
- Charlie’s Cafe
- Wild Ocean Market
- Gator’s Dockside Port Canaveral
- Rusty’s Seafood and Oyster Bar
- Junkanoo Island Kitchen and Rum Bar
- Fishlips Waterfront Bar and Grill
- Seafood Atlantic
- Grill’s Seafood Deck and Tiki Bar
- Rising Tide Tap & Table
Cheap Restaurants Near Port Canaveral
Many of the restaurants near Port Canaveral listed above are seafood spots with prices that reflect the location and the cuisine. Of them, Charlie’s Cafe – a diner – is your best bet for a budget-friendly meal. Otherwise, you can find more cheap eats around Cape Canaveral before you board your ship.
Get the best bang for your buck at fast-food restaurants like Subway, Burger King, McDonald’s, and Wendy’s which are all located within a 10-minute drive from both terminals.
If you’re looking for something one step up from fast-food, more cheap restaurants near Port Canaveral within a 10-minute drive include the Portside Galley, La Cantina, Zachary’s Restaurant, Di Lorenzo’s Pizza and Subs, and Southern Charm Cafe.
Portside Galley serves up American fare and has a variety of sandwiches and wraps starting at $6.99 each. La Cantina is Mexican and has burritos, enchiladas, sandwiches, and more for under $10 a plate.
Zachary’s offers Greek and American food and some of the most budget-friendly options are the sandwiches that start as low as $4.95 each. Di Lorenzo’s Pizza and Subs is great for groups and the best deal here is the 16-inch cheese pizza for only $10.99.
Finally, just down the road, you’ll find Southern Charm Cafe serving up some sweet and savory breakfast deals like breakfast sandwiches starting at $3.95, three pancakes for $4.95, or a full order of biscuits and sausage gravy for $5.25.
Vegetarian and Vegan-Friendly Restaurants Near Port Canaveral
Want to eat clean before you board your cruise and don your swimsuit? These four vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurants near Port Canaveral will be right up your alley.
The Green Room Cafe serves fruit smoothies, acai bowls, and filling salads along with sandwiches and wraps, many of which can be made vegan. It’s a 16-minute drive from Port Canaveral and you can click here to see the full menu
A-Live and Healthy Cafe is ‘the home of raw food and a fresh approach to the vegan lifestyle.’ Everything on the menu is vegan and the unique options are supplemented by organic juices, smoothies, drinks, and desserts as well. A-Live and Healthy Cafe is the best vegan option on the Space Coast and though it’s on Merritt Island it’s still only a 17-minute drive from the terminals. Click here to see the full menu.
Another offbeat option for hungry vegans on Cape Canaveral is Pita Paradise. It’s a 12-minute drive from the terminals and while they still have plenty of meat options, the Meditteranean grill also has vegan fare like the hummus pita, the falafel pita, lentil soup, tabbouleh salad, and more.
Finally, Rock the Guac Mexican restaurant is the closest vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurant in this roundup at only 10-minutes driving from Port Canaveral. Here, the classic salad and burrito bowls can be customized with lots of meat but also vegetarian and vegan-only fillings as well.
Top-Rated Restaurants Near Port Canaveral
USA Today has published two roundups of the best restaurants in Cape Canaveral and they include many of the closest spots to the terminals. Rusty’s Seafood and Oyster Bar, Grills Seafood Deck and Tiki Bar, Fishlips Waterfront Bar and Grill, and Seafood Atlantic, Inc all made the first list and all but Rusty’s Seafood made the second roundup as well.
Beyond these nearby restaurants, you can also try the restaurants in Cape Canaveral with stellar Google Reviews like Zarella’s Italian and Wood Fired Pizza, Thai Thai II Sushi Bar and Restaurant, Southern Charm Cafe (also on our cheap eats list), Barkada Bowl Poke and Phillipino Food and Vargas Cafe which all have at least 4.5 stars or higher and are under a 10-minute drive from Port Canaveral.
If nothing on these list has quite caught your eye, consider a more unique dining experience at the Kennedy Space Center. The complex has four restaurants and three snack stands and, of course, tons of history and interactive space experiences like exhibitions and special events for the whole family to enjoy. The center opens at 9 am every day of the year and is about a 20-minute drive from the cruise terminals.
Best Bars and Breweries Near Port Canaveral
No matter where you’re traveling from to board your cruise in Port Canaveral, we can all agree that your vacation started the minute you stepped out your front door. So, why not celebrate with a few drinks? There are plenty of great bars and breweries on Cape Canaveral to discover!
For beer lovers, the Rising Tide Tap and Table is the closest option to the terminals and one of the best bars with 60 craft beers on tap, a lakefront deck, and happy hour deals from 3 to 6 pm. Or, visit the Florida Beer Company and the Cocoa Beach Brewing Company, located five and 15 minutes from the terminals respectively.
The Florida Beer Company calls itself ‘Florida’s Original Brewery’ and has been serving up their 28 craft beers since 1997. They also have brewery tours for a more educational experience before you set sail. The Cocoa Beach Brewing Company is built into a charming house and has been pleasing customers with their home brews since 2008.
Still looking for more? Drive a little further to the Bugnutty Brewing Company and Dirty Oar Brewing Company nearby in Cocoa Beach.
For cocktails, waterfront views, and convenience, Grill’s Seafood Deck and Tiki Bar, Fishlips Waterfront Bar and Grill, Gator’s Dock Side and Junkanoos Island Kitchen and Rum Bar are all close to Port Canaveral in The Cove and the Marina District between the two terminals. The Preacher Bar and Nolan’s Irish Pub are both within a 10-minute drive from Port Canaveral as well.
Eat Your Way Through Cape Canaveral With This Restaurant Guide
Cape Canaveral may be better known for rocket launches and cruise ships than their restaurants, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some tasty spots to eat at if you know where to find them.
Almost everything in this Port Canaveral restaurant guide is located within a 15-minute drive from the cruise terminals and most of the eateries are much closer than that. Whether you’re looking for a budget-friendly meal, vegan and vegetarian-friendly options, the top-rated spots on the island, the best breweries, or just the closest and most convenient places to grab a bite to eat before you set sail, this article has you covered.
So, choose the one that sounds the most delicious to you, enjoy your meal, and then it’s time to hit the open water feeling full, energized, and refreshed for your long-awaited vacation!
-Di Minardi (that’s me!), travel blogger at Slight North