Lakeland, Florida
Polk County · 696 restaurants
Lakeland sits at the crossroads of I-4 between Tampa and Orlando, and its downtown has quietly become one of Central Florida's most charming dining districts. Nearly 600 restaurants serve a community that takes pride in its local identity — from the historic Munn Park area's independent eateries to the growing restaurant scene around Florida Southern College's Frank Lloyd Wright campus. Lakeland offers a taste of Old Florida that the coastal cities have largely lost.
Data on this page
InspectFL turns public DBPR inspection records into city-level score trends, grade breakdowns, and restaurant history so this page is useful for comparison, not just a list of names.
How to use this city page
Start with the citywide grade mix, then use filters to narrow by category, grade, or inspection dates before opening the full restaurant record.
What the citywide data means
Lakeland looks stronger than average on current grade mix, but individual inspection timelines still matter more than a citywide headline.
Best supporting links
How to read a restaurant page, editorial standards, and corrections.
About Dining in Lakeland
Of Lakeland's 696 graded restaurants, 93.7% earned an A grade — above the statewide average, reflecting strong food safety compliance in the area. Notably, no restaurants in the area currently hold a failing F grade. The average InspectFL Health Score across Lakeland is 98.9 out of 100, based on 216 inspections on record.
What Inspectors Look For
Florida DBPR inspectors evaluate restaurants on food temperature control, employee hygiene, pest activity, and equipment cleanliness. Violations are categorized as critical (immediate health risk), major (significant concern), or minor (procedural issue). Learn more about how grades work.
Explore More
- Polk County restaurants — see all cities in this county
- City rankings — compare this city with others across Florida
- Editorial standards — understand what is official vs. InspectFL analysis
- InspectFL Blog — analysis, trends, and deep dives on Florida restaurant inspections
Highest Rated in Lakeland
Restaurants
Page 23 of 28RISING STAR DELIGHTS
1801 GEORGE JENKINS BLVD
RIVERSIDE EXPRESS SEAFOOD MARKET
130 E MEMORIAL BLVD
RIVERSIDE SEAFOOD & CHICKEN
2914 S FLORIDA AVE
ROGUE COFFEE
307 W MAIN ST #2
ROMEO'S PIZZA & PASTA
2346 GRIFFIN RD
ROUNDHOUSE RESTAURANT
1025 GEORGE JENKINS BLVD
S & L RESTAURANT
2915 S COMBEE RD
SABRINA'S DELICACIES
4610 CLEVELAND HTS BLVD
SABU RAMEN
640 E MAIN ST
SAIGON BISTRO RESTAURANT
1554 TOWN CENTER DRIVE
SALEM'S FRESH EATS
6108 US HWY 98 N
SALT& LIGHT KITCHEN
502 E MAIN ST
SAMMICH STOP
2080 E EDGEWOOD DR
SAN JUAN MI CASITA BORICUA
6914 US HWY 98 N
SANDWICH FACTORY
5024 LUNN RD
SB&B EATERY LLC
1310 DAUGHTERY RD
SB&B SEAFOOD MARKET BAR & GRILL
1310 DAUGHTERY RD
SCARPAS ITALIAN
1833 E EDGEWOOD DR
SCHALAMAR CREEK CADDY SHACK RESTAURANT
4500 HWY 92 E UNIT 1028
SHANGHAI CHINESE RESTAURANT
2344 GRIFFIN RD
SHARON'S GRAB AND GO
3429 KATHY COURT
SILVERMOON DRIVE IN THEATRE
NEW TAMPA HWY BX 73
SILVINO'S PORK RINDS
2109 W MEMORIAL BLVD
SIM BOSS
5698 S FLORIDA AVE
SIMPLY SOUTHERN KITCHEN AND CATERING
4525 S FLORIDA AVE
Important context for city pages
City pages are comparison tools built from public Florida DBPR inspection data. They help surface local patterns quickly, but they are not official government rankings and they should not replace reading the individual restaurant page before making a decision.
