Where should Brad Pitt and his entourage eat while filming in Daytona Beach?
Brad Pitt, twice-awarded Sexiest Man Alive, is reportedly heading to the World’s Most Famous Beach this month, where the actor will film a yet-to-be-named Formula 1-centered movie.
The A-list star is known for his character dedication, oftentimes sticking to regimented diets and workouts for his action-packed roles.
But what cravings might the “Fight Club” actor and his entourage lean into after a long day on set? While the star isn’t known to comment on his diet publicly, and often remains low-key at unexpected local eateries, various publications, including Glamour and Men’s Health, have reported that the celebrity follows a mostly vegan and alcohol-free diet. Other outlets, however, have noted his love of pizza, Indian cuisine and more.
While we may never know Pitt’s meal preferences for certain, here are a few places at which the star should consider making a "Pitt" stop.
Wild Rabbit Bistro
48 E. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach; 386-256-7998, wildrabbitbistro.com
The "World War Z" star doesn’t mention his diet, but he has been rumored to enjoy his fair share of vegetarian and vegan cuisine, even noting his love for it during the 2020 Golden Globes awards. Luckily, Ormond Beach is home to every “conscious foodie’s dream” — Wild Rabbit Bistro. The farm-style eatery is known for its vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options, as well as its commitment to using locally sourced, organic ingredients and curating a healthy menu void of artificial sweeteners and commercial preservatives.
Wild Rabbit Bistro’s menu ranges from the avocado, tomato and cucumber-layered Vegan Hippie Hummus Wrap to the black bean, sweet potato and quinoa-layered vegan Buddha Bowl, the Impossible Burger, the Kale Krazy bowl, and classic acai bowl.
Whether stopping in for brunch or dinner, the Ormond eatery has fresh, seasonal offerings for everyone in your — and Pitt’s — party.
Sergio’s Pizza Kitchen
1500 Beville Road, Daytona Beach; 386-317-4777, Facebook.com.
Once upon a time, Pitt publicly proclaimed pizza as his go-to snack of choice — that is when he wasn't already enjoying a bowl of Frosted Flakes — as previously reported by Business Insider. If the award-winning actor is, in fact, not vegan, we have a plethora of cheesy, indulgent, sauce-smothered options for him.
More specifically, we have Sergio’s Pizza Kitchen. The pizza shop has made a name for itself since its recent opening, with several frequenting customers boasting the “best pizza in Daytona” online.
Sergio Oliverio, owner of the shop, notes authenticity, freshness and generationally successful recipes as the foundation of his menu. Each pizza uses house-made dough, scratch-made secret sauce using San Marzano tomatoes and “only 100% mozzarella” to create slices where quality and freshness shine through every cheesy bite.
The eatery’s tempting pizza menu ranges from the Drunk Grandpa — vodka sauce topped with fresh mozzarella and ricotta cheese — to the Everything Pizza — sausage, meatballs, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, spinach, broccoli and mozzarella cheese — and, my personal favorite, the Grandma — thin Sicilian pie crust topped with fresh tomato sauce, garlic, basil, parmigiana cheese and an olive oil sprinkling.
Kale Café
116 N. Beach St., Daytona Beach; 386-872-5097, kalecafejuicebar.com
Kale Café, known for its Caribbean vegan cuisine, became Volusia County’s first vegan eatery over a decade ago, and has since remained a health-food must-try in downtown Daytona.
The eatery prides itself on its use of organic, locally sourced ingredients, variety of scratch-made recipes — including its spaghetti sauce, cheese sauce, salad dressing, seitan wheat meat and burger patties — and non-GMO wheat for pastas and flours.
Kale Café offers a variety of fresh beverages from its Berry Bliss and Mango Carrot smoothies to its Just Beet It and Mean Green “Jamdown juices.” The family-owned eatery’s sweet and savory menu ranges from the date nut balls, signature kale salad and Floridian Philly Cheese, to the veggie burger and jerk seitan (a plant-based chicken substitute) sandwich.
Ammrit Indian Cuisine
2055 S. Ridgewood Ave., South Daytona; 386-492-4891, ammrit.com
Pitt, alongside his once-reported love for Twizzlers and pizza, reportedly has an affinity for culturally diverse foods. According to the Times of India, he was "so in love with Indian food that he once asked a chef in London to deep freeze food to take with him" to the United States.
Luckily, South Daytona has just the kick he might be craving. Ammrit Indian Cuisine, a Volusia staple that opened its doors earlier last year, offers a vast selection of authentic Indian, South Indian and Indo-Chinese dishes. The restaurant’s menu hosts a plethora of boldly seasoned, spiced and layered bites — as well as a variety vegetarian options — ranging from the lamb biryani — tender, marinated lamb layered with rice, garlic, ginger, an array of spices, and topped with two boiled eggs — and the chicken curry — marinated, tender chicken tossed with tomatoes and onions in a creamy, aromatic curry sauce — to the vegetarian vegetable korma — ground mixed veggies and cheese in a creamy curry — and vegetarian bhindi masala — dry okra curry made from okra, various spices, onions and tomatoes.
Paco Submarine
515 N. Dixie Freeway, New Smyrna Beach; 386-402-7281, pacosubmarine.com
Pitt, named “the Laurence Olivier of on-screen eating” by The Washington Post, has become so widely-known for his movie screen meals that video compilations have been made and articles written covering the topic in great depth online.
While Pitt’s on-screen snacks have ranged from soups, dumplings, nachos and more, one, in particular, stood out: sandwiches. Pitt has been seen eating the classic meal in movies like “The Mexican” and “Meet Joe Black” — not to mention being spotted at Subway several years back with his then wife Angelina Jolie.
Should Pitt choose to indulge in a layered handheld during his time here in Daytona, there is one destined-to-impress sandwich shop that’ll make his stay that much better: Paco Submarine. The New Smyrna gem first opened its doors just a few months ago, serving up gourmet sandwiches in a quirky, casual setting. Owners Brian Cieslak and his wife, Sommer Walker, have perfected a thoughtfully-curated menu of layered, scratch-made masterpieces like the smoked lamb wrap, made from curried brined and smoked lamb shoulder, cucumber yogurt and cilantro-mint salad, and the meatless Rudy — griddled mushrooms, caramelized onions, hot pepper relish and "funky" cheese.
The Bounty at Flagler Tavern
414 Flagler Ave., New Smyrna Beach; 386-402-8861, Flaglertavern.com/areas/the-bounty/
This 1920s-inspired speakeasy is located upstairs at New Smyrna Beach’s Flagler Tavern. The eclectic, nautical venue offers “a more intimate setting and was created for our guests who enjoy escaping the noise and bustle of the nightlife parties below,” according to its website. The sophisticated venue boasts a high-end dining experience and unbeatable views with an upstairs deck overlooking the ocean.
In a recent Facebook post acknowledging Pitt’s visit to the area, The Bounty said, “Let us know you’re coming and we’ll even make this a private affair for just you and your guests,” going on to invite the star for handcrafted cocktails or mocktails.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Brad Pitt should eat at these Daytona-area restaurants during filming