Covey Kitchen + Cocktails, located at Hotel Eleo at the University of Florida in Gainesville, earned a coveted spot on Yelp's annual list of Top 100 Restaurants in the United States.
Led by Chef Charlie Keller, Covey Kitchen + Cocktails, featuring New American cuisine with international influences, placed 69th on the list. The restaurant, which opened in 2020, has received rave reviews on Yelp, an online crowd-sourced online site that provides information and reviews on businesses across the country.
Yelpers, people who share reviews on the platform, have shared glowing reviews about the food, service, and cocktails at Covey Kitchen + Cocktails. Sample reviews:
- "This place is an instant Gainesville gem!! The menu is well-thought out, and facilitated by a top-notch chef! The view of the fountain from the courtyard is breathtaking and romantic, (especially at night). Bring your special other here for a meal and a drink!" — Erich C. (Gainesville, FL)
- "I rarely write a 5 star review where the main factor was something other than the food, but I truly had some of the best service I ever had last night at Covey…" - Dennis S (Shakopee, MN)
- "OMG OMG OMG! Finally I got a chance to check out this hotel; only took over a year! This hotel is everything you can ask for! … The cocktail I had was a watermelon cooler and it was super refreshing and it was the perfect summer drink! Also the appetizers were beyond amazing; the bao buns omg I could have had 3 more of them; wow amazing!" - Alesa W. (Gainesville, FL)
- "Was in Gainesville to see a ballet production of Cinderella. Stayed at Hotel Eleo. The Covey was recommended as nice place for dinner. It was! …" Wallace J (Tallahassee, FL)
Yelp described Covey Kitchen + Cocktails as: This waterside eatery at the swanky Eleo Hotel is considered one of Central Florida's best restaurants. Located on the University of Florida campus, the restaurant's eclectic menu finds fish ‘n' chips rubbing shoulders with deviled scotch eggs and pork belly bao. An assortment of beer, wine, and signature cocktails—such as the Triple Helix with Hendricks Gin, Lillet Blanc, and Ketel One—round out the drink offerings.
To create Yelp's Top 100 US Restaurants list, Yelp reaches out to Yelpers across the country for their favorite dining spots. Then, they rank each by total number of submissions, ratings, reviews, and geographic representation, among other factors.
A complete list of Yelp's "Top 100" restaurants of 2022 can be found at the site's blog.
Photo by Kelly Harrison