Cress Restaurant — Restaurant in DeLand

Ah Cress, where do I start?

I suppose a foodie love story should start at the beginning. The quaint restaurant has a patio for outdoor seating right in the heart of downtown DeLand. However, relaxing with a good bottle of wine while enduring the Florida heat didn't sound enjoyable so we opted to sit indoors. Despite their small interior this restaurant stays busy (a testament to their food and service). Reservations are recommended.

Our server (Evelyn) could have written a book on good service. She was attentive and very knowledgeable about their wine and food. She recommended a bottle of Belle Glos Pinot Noir. It was smooth, fresh, and fruity without being too sweet. A good choice.

I was drooling over almost everything on the menu. Drooling isn't recommended in public therefore, I had to pick something. That is how this foodie love story began.

Chapter One: Appetizers

The garlic escargots were perfectly immersed in creamy butter and served with a crispy yet soft baguette. One bite is enough for anyone to learn why the French consider escargot a delicacy. The lamb rillette croquettes are a unique take on the dish. The shredded lamb is served on a mashed crispy potato croquette and topped with a mustard pommery cream sauce.

Chapter Two: Entrees

If Florida had a state dish, Cress's take on grouper would be it. It's refreshing, flavorful, and interesting. I have no clue why it's being taken off the menu, I would suggest going to try it before that happens.

The filet was served on the best Crème Fraîche Potatoes Gratin that I have ever had. I'm not usually a fan of starchy sides however, they don't fall into that category.  In fact, I am pretty sure this was a food from the Gods. May wanna fact check that though.

The braised Australian leg of lamb complemented by their seasonal vegetables and grits was everything you would want in comfort food.

Speaking of seasonal vegetables. Did I mention their mission to support local farmers? No? Well, I should have because their love for ingredients definitely shines through in their meals.

Chapter Three: Dessert

I feel like I have already overshared but it would be remiss of me not to mention their chocolate tort. A delicious cake served with chocolate ganache, creme chantilly, and of course seasonal berries. Its rich chocolate flavor with a hint of salt was the perfect ending.

Overall, this isn't the place to go when you don't have another option. This is the...

You will get a better meal and service at Perkins for a fraction of the cost. Don’t spoil your evening at this pretend upscale eatery and avoid like the plague. The chef’s “wife as host” hustled us to our table upon entering having moved the chair back to the table after sitting with her friends. She then resumed her impossibly loud conversation after shouting assertively into my ear “they will go soon and you will have your peace”…this opener did not bode well. After an hour and fifteen passed I begged for bread and four thin slices of “Publix” level white bread showed up(for which I was later charged $4!). The snails app arrived at the hour and a half mark and was devoid of garlic as advertised and was accompanied by four more slices of cheap white bread(no crunchy baguette here). The wine pour was one finger. The cold steak was mostly gristle and was stacked on top of mash and veggies covered in charcoal dust permeating the supposed “reduction” resulting in black pile of watery gunk…very unappetizing and unappealing. My wife’s duck breast was also cold and impossible to chew staked on top of bitter orange segments and pickled(not freshly cooked) beets with goat cheese…also inedible. When told of the situation the waiter brought the chef who leaned over in our faces and tried to defend this dining catastrophe ultimately promising an adjustment of the bill. We didn’t even eat the desserts accompanying the prix fixe and chose to pay and get out immediately. When the check came a measly 25% was deducted. The host wife arrived after I balked and defiantly claimed that “the kitchen is small” and “it’s the weekend” even though the joint was half-full and she had time to sit and chat with her friends. Very rude service and unspeakably bad food. We almost felt like picketing to save...

We returned to Cress on 10/1/25 for the Textbook Vineyards Wine Dinner and it was another unforgettable experience. Suran and Tom make this restaurant truly special. Suran brings her signature warmth and energy to the dining room, while Tom, now the head chef, came out from the kitchen to talk with every table: something you don’t often see at this level of dining. It felt personal, welcoming, and genuine.

It’s no surprise that Cress was just awarded the 2025 DiRoNA Excellence Award (fewer than 1,100 restaurants in North America have ever received it) and has held the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2022. These honors reflect the same quality we experienced throughout the evening.

The five-course dinner was paired with outstanding wines from Textbook Vineyards, with wine rep Kenneth Widger sharing background on winemaker Abigail Estrada. Highlights included the lightly smoked fish ceviche that paired beautifully with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc (Russian River Valley, 2023), the persimmon & arugula salad with avocado, pepitas, and paprika oil matched with a Sonoma Chardonnay (2023), and the chorizo croquettes with pumpkin purée and micro cilantro alongside the bold “Mis en Place” Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon (2022), our favorite of the night. The Smoked Spanish Wellington with the “Page Turner” Red Blend (2021) was rich and layered, and dessert, a Belgian dark chocolate brownie with blackberry ice cream, was unforgettable, especially paired with the “Yountville Ranch” Napa Cabernet (2022), which we saved to enjoy after the meal. A bonus sparkling wine was poured at the end.

Between the awards, the food, the wine, and the personal hospitality of Suran and Tom, Cress continues to stand out as one of the very best restaurants in Florida. Highly recommended and we’ll...