How many restaurants are in Lakeland, Florida?

There are 734 restaurants tracked in Lakeland, Florida by InspectFL, based on public DBPR inspection records.

What's the average health score in Lakeland?

The average InspectFL Health Score for restaurants in Lakeland is 92.9 out of 100, based on analysis of Florida DBPR inspection data.

How are restaurant grades calculated on InspectFL?

InspectFL assigns letter grades (A through F) based on a 0-100 Health Score calculated from the number and severity of violations found during DBPR inspections. Fewer and less severe violations result in a higher score and better grade.

Where does InspectFL get its data?

All restaurant inspection data on InspectFL comes from public records maintained by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). InspectFL aggregates this data and presents it with easy-to-understand grades and scores.

Lakeland, Florida

Polk County · 734 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.

734

Restaurants

63.4%

A-Rated

92.9

Avg Score

2,414

Inspections

Data on this page

Restaurants tracked

734

Graded restaurants

733

Inspection records

2,414

Official source

Florida DBPR

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's grade mix looks fairly mixed, so this page is best used to narrow the list before checking each restaurant's full record.

Best supporting links

How to read a restaurant page, editorial standards, and corrections.

A: 465 B: 161 C: 75 F: 32

About Dining in Lakeland

Of Lakeland's 733 graded restaurants, 63.4% earned an A grade — roughly in line with statewide averages. Currently, 4.4% of restaurants hold a failing F grade, representing 32 establishments with significant health violations. The average InspectFL Health Score across Lakeland is 92.9 out of 100, based on 2,414 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