Signs about Harlowe Grove started popping up a few months ago in Downtown Winter Garden. I was intrigued to get a glam-looking spot. Since the news about the area, I wasn’t as excited. But I still wanted to give it a shot. I don’t believe it’s related to the person taking over the other buildings.
The Parking: I completely missed a small lot behind the restaurant. Caught it on the way from the trusted parking lot, which usually has plenty of spots unless you drop by during the weekend rush. The restaurant sits on the corner, just one street over from the parking lot. And there are always a few street parking options around.
The Atmosphere: This is definitely the fanciest spot I’ve been in the Winter Garden area. The decor is impressive and grand. Definitely targeting beyond the small town vibes. It felt like a spot you would find in Winter Park. I can’t lie, I was conflicted. I thought it was very pretty. It just didn’t feel like the small-town vibe I love about this area.
The Meal: My server was super sweet, and I went with a lot of her recommendations. I started with a cocktail, one of the recs, the HG espresso martini. Not my drink of choice, but I’ve kind of come around to espresso martinis. I prefer it if it has tequila. This one still had vodka, but the addition of pistachio & almond orgeat was appealing. I enjoyed the nutty flavor. It worked well. It was far too sweet, but if you like that or want a dessert-y drink, this is a good choice.
The social media posts I’d already seen about this spot had great reviews of the Pistache, Yo! drink. I thought it was up my alley because tequila and pistachio are flavors I enjoy. The drink had tequila, mezcal, pineapple, lime, tan, and that same pistachio & almond orgeat from the martini. I did not enjoy this combo. The flavors didn’t mesh well together for me. I actually think I may have enjoyed it without the orgeat, woulda been a fancy margarita.
The menu is rather expensive, so I had to choose carefully. Both my drinks were $15. I skipped on starters and went for a main. My server did recommend the lobster lasagna, but I was trying to look out for my stomach, and I wasn’t ready for a heavy, creamy meal. Although it does sound delicious. I ended up choosing the filet mignon, which came with potato puree and some carrots. For $58, it was nothing special. Not something I’d order from here again. It wasn’t bad, just entirely underwhelming, especially since it’s one of the most expensive items on the menu. I was expecting to be blown away.
Since I skipped on appetizers, I did want to try dessert, but I was getting full. The server did say the hummingbird cake is amazing, and if I wasn’t super full, I woulda tried that. She recommended the Dolce Vita, which is an espresso martini affogato. And this is not on her, she clarified with me, but I totally just wanted a regular affogato. Since I had had the espresso martini earlier, I just didn’t need another one. And this one didn’t have the orgeat, so it was like a basic espresso martini – which, as said, is not something I would go for. Plus, the regular one came with a pistachio macaron, which the alcoholic version didn’t, and was cheaper. This was my own fault. To be fair, though, the ice cream felt like a store-bought scoop, so I probably just wouldn’t bother either way.
I’m interested in coming back for the happy hour to try some more items at a more reasonable price point. I was kind of disappointed with almost everything I got. A couple next to me ordered almost all the apps, and they seemed to enjoy their selections. There were quite a few mishaps with getting orders to the right place. They did just open, and I understand they are still perfecting things, so I’m willing to try them again.
Rating: 5/10
Address: 186 S Main St, Winter Garden, FL 34787
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