Plus, send in your fall events.
 
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Today’s Forecast

92º | 70% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:05 a.m. | Sunset 7:50 p.m.

 

🍽️ Combee’s top cuisine

Eat down the street: Combee Road restaurants
The exterior entrance of S&L Restaurant in Lakeland. Signs painted on the building read, "Warning! Our burgers are habit forming!"
Careful with this list — it may be habit forming. | Photo by LALtoday
There’s more to Lakeland than just the downtown core. Branch out and you may even find your new favorite restaurant on the outskirts of town, or a hole-in-the-wall you pass every day but have never stopped in to try. Take a restaurant ride with us down Combee Road on the east side of Lakeland.

Old vs. new

If you’re searching for a classic, look no further than S&L Restaurant. This burger joint has been serving up breakfast + lunch for more than four decades, so you know they’ve perfected the patty. Pro tip: Bring your billfold; it’s cash-only here.

Taco trucks pop up along Combee all the time, so there’s always a new one to try. One of our favorites is Taqueria El Burrito, typically set up next to the Swan City Pawn Shop. Stop here to grab six tacos for $5 — we recommend the chorizo.

A few slices of pizza on a tray with a Buffalo Bills flag hanging on the wall behind it

Bills fans will love That 716 Pizza Joint — save us a slice?

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Photo by @jschrades_93

We turned to the foodies of Facebook to find out their top spots. Cindy P. told us to check out West Caribbean Cuban Restaurant, which is known for its Cuban sandwiches, cocktails, and dinner dishes like ropa vieja.

Readers also love That 716 Pizza Joint, a New York-inspired spot with Buffalo wings, pizza, and subs. It was even voted into our pizza bracket challenge a few years ago.

Top rated

All of the eateries on this list have over four stars when it comes to Google reviews, but The Egg Factory is one of the highest rated at 4.6 with more than 1,000 reviews. You’ll feel right at home eating diner breakfast staples among cozy furnishings.


Bowls of pho noodle soup from Pho Tan in Lakeland, FL

What are you waiting pho? Visit one of our favorite spots this week.

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Photo by LALtoday

City Editor Connor’s favorite fare is at Pho Tan, and Reader Terri S. agreed, recommending the vermicelli with shrimp + chicken.

Which eatery strikes your fancy? Vote below — we’ll grab lunch at the top choice + report back on Instagram.
Asked

Where should we go for lunch today?
A. S&L Restaurant
B. Taqueria El Burrito
C. West Caribbean Cuban Restaurant
D. That 716 Pizza Joint
E. The Egg Factory
F. Pho Tan
Pick our plate
 
Events
Friday, Aug. 30
  • Mom’s Night Out | Friday, Aug. 30 | 6-8 p.m. | Art Centric Studio | $35 | Leave the kids at home for a night of small bites and watercolor painting.
  • Chroma Fest | Friday, Aug. 30 | 6-10 p.m. | Art/ifact Studios | $10-$20 | Experience local culture with live performances, a night market, food vendors, and a fashion show.
  • Sunset Dance: Soul Line Dancing | Friday, Aug. 30 | 7-10 p.m. | Bonnet Springs Park | Free | Jump in line and dance it out with instruction by Above Your Expectations Dance Team.
Saturday, Aug. 31
  • Se7en Wetlands Summer Bird Sit | Saturday, Aug. 31 | 7:15-9 a.m. | Se7en Wetlands | Free | Hike half a mile to observe the birds of the wetlands doing their morning routines.
  • Downtown Cars + Coffee | Saturday, Aug. 31 | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. | The Joinery | Free entry | Show off your ride or browse other cars with a coffee in hand.
  • Sidewalk Sale | Saturday, Aug. 31-Monday, Sept. 2 | 11 a.m.-8 p.m. | Lakeside Village | Price of purchase | Shop sales outside many of your favorite stores and enjoy specials at this outdoor mall’s restaurants.
Sunday, Sept. 1
  • Andy Shreeve w/ Hangry Joes | Sunday, Sept. 1 | 2-5 p.m. | Swan Brewing | Free entry | Don’t get hangry — come out for hot chicken and live music on the patio.
  • Senior Sundays at CRAVE | Sunday, Sept. 1 | 2-5 p.m. | Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ | Price of purchase | Adults 55+ can build their own hot dog at a discounted price.
Monday, Sept. 2
  • Labor Day Dance Fitness Master Class | Monday, Sept. 2 | 9:30-11 a.m. | Union Hall | $20-$25 | Turn up the heat with this mashup class by Turn Up Dance Fitness and Zumba Dance Fitness, followed by an after party.
Friday, Sept. 6
  • Military & First Responders Appreciation Night | Friday, Sept. 6 | 7:30 p.m. | Viking Stadium at Lakeland Christian School | $0-$6 | Lakeland Christian School would like to celebrate first responders and active and retired military with free admission + halftime recognition at the home football game.*
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
Travel

🍁 Fall getaway: 7 (new) destinations to explore

An airplane flying through the sky
The first of the new flights takes off to Concord, NC on Thursday, Oct. 24. | Photo provided by Visit Central Florida
Whether it’s spectacular autumn colors, rich history, or turquoise waters that are calling your name, Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL) has them all.

Starting this fall, Avelo Airlines will fly to seven new nonstop destinations to some of the US’ most enviable spots, including:
  • Atlanta, GA
  • Manchester, NH/Boston
  • Concord, NC/Charlotte
  • Hartford, CT
  • Wilmington, DE/Philadelphia
  • Rochester, NY
  • San Juan, Puerto Rico
Visit Central Florida has all the details, like route start dates and one-way fares as low as $52.

Happy jetsetting.
Book your vacay
News Notes
Opening
  • Inklings Book Shoppe will open its second location inside Unfiltered Coffee House in downtown Bartow this Monday, Sept. 2. Visit the grand opening from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for thousands of books, fall drinks, and euphonium music by Jahiem James.
Closed
  • Polk County Tax Collector’s offices and tag agencies will be closed on Monday for Labor Day. Pro tip: If you need a tag renewal when offices are closed, there are self-service kiosks at the Grove Park + Plantation Square Publix stores.
Awards
  • Tickets are now available for the 2024 Polk Arts & Culture Hall of Fame Gala on Tuesday, Oct. 15 at Nora Mayo Hall in Winter Haven. Five new members will be inducted into the Polk Arts & Culture Hall of Fame, and local award winners will be announced.
Civic
  • There’s an opening on Polk’s Industrial Development Authority board, and the county is looking for a resident to fill it. These volunteer board members help direct local plans + development for commerce. Apply by Monday, Sept. 9 to be considered.
Outdoors
  • State officials say they’ll revise an initiative to add hotels + recreational activities like golf courses to select state parks after public feedback. Polk’s state parks — Colt Creek, Catfish Creek Preserve, and Lake Kissimmee — were not included in the initiative. (WFLA)
Try This
  • Trivia team, assemble. Keel Farms is hosting a Marvel trivia night on Tuesday, Sept. 10 where the top teams can win prizes. Pro tip: Dinner reservations are required to play, and they typically go fast.
Sports
  • The 2024 Paralympics have begun in Paris, and Plant City native Tracy Otto will represent Team USA on the para archery team. Qualifying rounds began yesterday, and finals will begin tomorrow.
Family
Job
  • Lakeland Christian School is hiring Substitute Teachers for the 2024-2025 school year. Substitute teachers are a valuable and important part of the school’s staff — allowing instruction to continue when a teacher is ill or away. If selected, individuals will be added to a pool of available substitutes. Learn more + apply.*
Shop
Learn
  • Calling all lifelong learners. Just 13 hours of study with Rosetta Stone is equivalent to a full semester of college Spanish. Ready to hone your skills between meetings, on your commute, or even replace some mindless social media scrolling? Get 50% off.*
Finance
  • Rates just dropped. Now could be the perfect time for you to tap into your home equity — calculate your payment.*
Visit Central Florida
 
Seasonal

Where’s our invitation?

How to navigate our community events page
A mariachi band takes the stage at sunset on the Frances Langford Promenade
Add all of Lakeland to your invite list with our events calendar. | Photo by @flordlangeles
This is the final newsletter of August, meaning we’ll enter fall mode next week. As we mull over autumn content, we just need one thing: your top events.

Our community calendar is always open for your submissions, from business pop-ups to art classes to fall markets and beyond. Here’s how to add your own events.

“Add Event” calendar button: Click or tap this button, create a login, and input your event information. We need the name, date(s), time(s), location, price, and a brief description. All the things a reader needs to know to find your event.

Bonus: You can always upload events for free, or choose a paid option to guarantee that it’s listed in our newsletter. Review our promotional offerings before clicking “submit.”

Have a fall event planned? Start submitting them below and you may see them right here in the newsletter this next season.
Add to the calendar
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Shop Amazon's Labor Day sale
 
The Wrap
 
Connor Jacobson

Today’s edition by:
Connor
From the editor
It’s Jimmy Buffett Day, and if today’s story has you visiting Combee Road, I have just the place for you. Pop into BookaReaderville, a beach-themed used bookstore that’s perfect for Parrotheads. It’s right across the street from West Caribbean Cuban — we see a themed lunch in your cards today.
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