Storm Chasers ‘23: The ‘Canes fan travel guide to

This is a summer series for Miami Hurricanes fans who plan on attending away games for the 2023 season. The ‘Canes have five away games in ‘23, taking trips to: Philadelphia, PA; Chapel Hill, NC; Raleigh, NC; Boston, MA; and Tallahassee, FL.

Different contributors from around the country will offer their answers to set up Miami Hurricanes fans for the perfect trip to watch the ‘Canes beat the home team. For Tallahassee, FSU alumnus Sam Tschida provided his tour of the city for SOTU readers.

Miami @ Florida State, Saturday, November 11th

What’s the best strip/street/neighborhood to visit that’s away from campus?

Midtown along Thomasville Rd has a lot of great restaurants and bars to check out. Table 23 and Over Under are great bars; Ology Brewing is another great spot also located here. The entire area is not entirely walkable, so a car / Uber is a must.

Railroad Square / All Saints is a great spot located near FAMU to find food and unique locations as well. Olean’s Cafe is located here, one of Tallahassee’s most famous restaurants that serve the best fried chicken you’ll ever eat.

What’s the best strip/street/neighborhood to visit that’s close to campus?

CollegeTown is right across the street from the stadium and right next to the campus on the south side. Great spot for watching other games before/after the FSU-Miami game. Township and Madison Social provide great drinks and experiences on any day of the week. Also has several shops and a brewery the further down you walk on Madison St.

Best pizza in the city/town?

I would be lying if I said there are a ton of great pizza options in Tallahassee. However, Momo’s Pizza is the best among them.

They have two spots within walking distance of the stadium, including one just past Stadium Drive, a short walk from the tunnel. Massive pizza slices and great wings as well.

Gaines Street Pies is also a good pizza place within walking distance of the stadium. Definitely more of a “college” spot but always has great options with both pizza and calzones. Good prices for what you get as well.

Best breakfast place for the next morning?

Uptown Cafe has a fantastic breakfast and brunch. It is located a short drive from campus in the Midtown district. It is landed on the “best of” lists in Southern Living and has some of the best pancakes you’ll ever have. It has limited seating, so get there before the church crowd does.

The Egg is located in the middle of downtown overlooking College Ave with another location further away on Captial Circle. Great breakfast variety with both food and coffee. A little expensive but it is worth it.

Canopy Road Cafe has two locations located within the capital circle but away from downtown. Classic breakfast place with friendly staff and good food. Typically never an incredibly long wait (until the church crowds roll in).

Best dessert (cookie, cupcake, donut, ice cream) place?

Au Péché Mignon French Pastry Shop is a famous pastry shop near campus in downtown Tallahassee. While I have never been there personally, I have heard great things about their eclairs, cheesecake, and cinnamon rolls. Definitely a local favorite.

Sugar Rush Milkshake Bar has a variety of milkshakes to choose from that are all great. It is pricey, but definitely worth it. Its milkshakes are in the style of the Chocolate Emporium at Universal in Orlando, in big portions with a lot of flavor and sugar. Within walking distance of campus.

Best local beer/cocktail type place?

Proof Brewing has its brewery within a short drive of campus. They have a ton of different types of brews here, all brewed in-house. Sours, pale ales, browns, seltzers, cider, stouts, and anything else you can think of. They also have a patio area and massive TVs to watch different games on.

Oyster City has a bar right down the street from CollegeTown. It has all of its in-house brews with food available. Madison Social / Township is in this same area and has a great variety of beer and cocktails as well.

Any hotel recommendations, or Air B&B neighborhoods?

The Double Tree by Hilton is in the center of Downtown Tallahassee and provides easy access to anywhere you want to go. You can walk to campus or Doak within 15-25 minutes. There is a gym across the street called Downtown Fitness you can use as a hotel guest that is fairly private and has all the needed equipment.

Staybridge Suites are much further from campus, about a 20-minute drive, off of I-10 as you enter Tallahassee. For those driving to the Capital, it is a cheaper option than anything downtown with good amenities and rates for game weekends.

Best place to watch the other games?

Anywhere in CollegeTown. Madison Social and Township will be full of college students and alumni alike with a ton of TVs to watch.

The Hobbit is another good spot. It’s a sports bar with a lot of televisions surrounding the restaurant and is a short drive from campus. Good wings as well. A decent mixture of alums, fans, and college students.

Is there a prime tailgating location for game day?

The Old IM fields are the best spot to tailgate if you can get a pass. If not, there are “unofficial” tailgate lots surrounding the south side of the stadium off of Lake Bradford Drive. The parking lot surrounding the stadium, particularly the one in front of Dick Howser Stadium, always has a bunch of lively tailgates going on. One other spot would be surrounding the College of Education on the west side of campus. If you get there early enough, you can set up camp for the day and it is a short walk from the stadium.

What is the first place you would take someone from out of town to see/eat/visit?

St. Marks Wildlife Refuge. A short drive from Tallahassee. Beautiful area with walking trails, bike paths, and fishing spots.

Maclay Gardens- A short drive from downtown. Beautiful park in north Tallahassee with guided tours and walking trails.

Midtown Caboose has the best sandwiches and burgers in town, bar none. Great food options, it is always a must-do whenever I make it back to Tallahassee.

Casa-Grande. Tallahassee has a ton of Mexican options (La Tiendita and Panchos are also great) but Casa-Grande is the best. Located in the Midtown section of Tallahassee off of Thomasville, they have great food and massive Margaritas.

The Wrap

One that Sam forgot to include is Club Downunder. Downunder hosts a bunch of different events including concerts, Labor Day, Veterans Day, and Halloween events.

Check out the map above, it has all of the places we’ve discussed in the post included on a My Map so you can easily maneuver throughout Tallahassee and get breakfast, drinks, desserts, pizza, sandwiches and anything else you desire.