If it feels like a new place is opening in Vero every other week, you're not imagining it. Local tourism officials counted more than 11 new restaurants opening across Indian River County in roughly six months — one of the most active stretches the area has seen. Here are five worth putting on your list.
Giving Tree Coffee Company (2628 US-1, Vero Beach) is one of the newest locally owned coffee shops in town, pouring locally roasted Tribe Coffee alongside egg bites and fresh tomato salad. Owner Rich Nelson built handcrafted wood counters as a nod to the space's history — a nice touch for a neighborhood coffee stop.
Oslo Cafe (2950 9th St. SW) brought a casual breakfast-and-lunch spot to South Vero, moving into the former Fire & Wine space off Oslo Road. New owner Margaret runs it as a neighborhood gathering place, with counter seating that looks right into the kitchen.
Rowdy Rooster Bar & Restaurant (1103 21st St., Vero Beach) is the rowdier option — a family-operated country western bar with live entertainment, line dancing, trivia nights, and a full calendar of themed events. If you've been wanting somewhere to two-step in the 772, here you go.
Surf Subs (118 Clemann, Vero Beach) is an Italian deli sandwich shop run by Mike and Dina Iovine with their family, built around freshly toasted bread and Italian seasonings. And Smells Like Fish, a seafood food truck from Erik and Amanda Swanson, is slinging fresh seafood at reasonable prices after the couple moved to Vero a decade back.
What ties it all together is that most of these are local, family-run operations — not chains. That's the kind of growth that actually adds character to a town instead of just filling another strip-mall pad.
Bottom line for the 772: Vero's dining scene is having a moment, and it's being driven by locals betting on their own neighborhoods. Go try one.