What to Expect at the Back Porch Restaurant: A Family-Friendly Country Picnic

About 30 minutes from Downtown Orlando and only a few exits from Championsgate, a serene picnic-style lunching spot awaits in the countryside. Great for ladies’ lunches, family days, dates, and really for anyone who needs a respite from busy tourist-land, will love discovering the Back Porch Restaurant in Lake Alfred, Florida.

Founded in 1986, the Back Porch restaurant is a unique concept catering to antique-loving, holiday knick-knack shoppers and people looking for a cozy picnic-style meal. Worth the drive on a Saturday afternoon (they are closed on Sundays), the Back Porch Restaurant is a long-time favorite for Floridians in the know.

Back Porch Restaurant Near Orlando

What to Expect

The Back Porch website keeps it simple – a subtle rundown of what to expect, with more of a focus on the boutiques you may find as part of their Stable Home Decor and Barn Antiques shops, both onsite.

The rest is left to be discovered on your own as you approach an easy-to-access country lane just off of I-4, with a huge grass parking lot fitting what seems like hundreds of cars on a busy day.

But don’t be fooled by the country barn setting and the big grass pasture – inside an adorable, homespun vibe awaits that the whole family will love.

Casual Menu

Upon entering the restaurant, grab a paper menu for each person in your group and a pencil. Find a table in any one of their lovely seating areas – an indoor, air-conditioned tea room vibe, a screened-in Florida room style room, or an expansive back porch (hence the name) with views looking over a pond. 

The back porch is the best option for seating in my opinion, offering shady tables even on the hottest of days. Kids can distract themselves by feeding the fish, spotting turtles, or even their resident alligator!

Review the daily specials card that is on each table, make your selections, and pay at the counter. Selections typically include your choice of soup, salad (which is a side dish like cole slaw, a green salad, or potato salad), a sandwich or wrap, and a dessert. Everything is homemade! 

The best part? The ‘works’, which includes all the bells and whistles mentioned above, is less than $12 for all of that food. So yes, this place is even outrageously affordable!

Kids will enjoy choices like mac & cheese, a hot dog, or peanut butter and jelly – all served with their choice of fountain drink and a cookie. The fun part is, everything comes served to you in a picnic basket!

Desserts are a big hit here with choices like homemade carrot cake or ice cream sandwiches.

While the day away with fun treats, cold beverages from their back porch bar, and a touch of shopping afterwards to work off a few of those post-picnic calories.

Why Kids and Families Will Love the Back Porch

It’s not every day you get out to the country, and this feels perfect for a lazy weekend or holiday drive. Every holiday is decked out (I’ve visited for both fall vibes and Christmas decor), and it is a great mood setter for when the weather changes.

Kids are giddy over the fun picnic-style options, but don’t worry – there are no blankets or ants at this picnic – all great patio seating.

Besides the food, the atmosphere is just plain serene. Everyone will enjoy a bit of calm, without the cleanup of packing a picnic for the park.

If your family is en route to LEGOLAND, which is a direct shot about 30 minutes south, then this could be a great little stop along the way.

If You Go

Back Porch Restaurant
Address: 115 Co Rd 557, Lake Alfred, FL 33850
Hours: They are closed on Sundays and Mondays, and are only open during lunch hours from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with lunch service from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

There is ample parking – even for campers and towed vehicles, so don’t stress! The first time I went, we took our camper and I was in such a panic that we would have nowhere to park if we got there too late!

Speaking of, be sure to time your arrival a little before or after noon to avoid the rush. There will be seating for everyone at noon time, but it can be a bit overwhelming trying to figure things out for the first visit! Just remember to grab one paper per person who will be ordering, and take a seat to make your choice. Pay at the counter and the rest will be delivered to you!

Overall

You won’t want to miss this place, which is gaining more and more attention from younger Orlando families after years of the older generation keeping it a secret from us! My mom used to go there years ago for her monthly ladies luncheons, and you’ll often see the same thing happening now – ladies exchanging gifts for birthdays, families having a comforting chicken salad croissant sandwich like they were visiting Mom’s house for the afternoon, and the kids pointing and spotting pond life with glee.

It’s just one of those all-around feel-good places that deserves a visit. 

So the next time you have visiting family or just want to try something offbeat and different, head on down I-4 a little further than normal and discover this adorable country restaurant.