Roni's Restaurant — Restaurant in Sanford

We had a few hours to kill before a flight out of Sanford Int'l Airport, and we were looking for a decent, low key place to eat. My sister found Roni's on Google, and the solid 4.7 rating gave us enough confidence to make the trip. Turns out 4.7 is not nearly enough.

That day we were a group of 4 native New Yorkers, now scattered in the Bronx, Las Vegas, and Asheville NC, and we are all serious eaters who get around. We each ordered different dishes and sides, and not a single one was disappointing.

Some paraphrased quotes: "This is the best fried chicken I've EVER had. So juicy, and the batter is light and not greasy." -- From my sister, who's a real foodie and knows her stuff.

"This is the best shrimp and grits I've ever had." -- From someone who's had a LOT of shrimp & grits and loves them.

"The waffles are so light and fluffy! Everything is perfect." -- My picky aunt

As for me, I ate a double order of powdered french toast with maple syrup, then snatched one of my aunt's waffles. Hot coffee kept coming. We definitely could have eaten more, if we had enough time.

Finally, a note on the service. Miss Betty was our kind and lovely waitress, and she is an absolute treasure. She certainly made these 4 white folks feel like part of the family. Everyone we met in the building was warm and friendly. If we're ever in Sanford again, we'll be back. If you're there now and looking for low key homestyle cooking served with a smile, you'll find...

Want a down home meal like your parents make at home? Yeah, you'll get that here. Worried about COVID-19, the young lady sanitized the table just before I sat down. The chicken and waffle meal was amazing. Made like they were planning to eat it themselves and not serve it. That kinda attention to details. A fresh waffle. Tasted like they just made it minutes before it was on my plate. The chicken? Fried to perfection. Crispy. Deliciously seasoned. I don't know if I loved the waffle better or the chicken better, so I'm really glad I got both! The lemonade I got, I expected it to taste like lemonade from minute maid. I was pleasantly surprised when it tasted like pure, home-made lemonade. And they kept refilling my cup each time it was empty. They even play some old school 90's R&B in the background. It was a great experience. If you're looking for good people, good food, and a good vibe, you gotta check this place out. I cannot say enough good things...

My family and I stopped here for breakfast before hopping on the Auto Train that leaves out of Sanford. This restaurant is not even 5 minutes from the station. From the moment we stepped in, everyone in the establishment was warm and friendly. The food was DELICIOUS, and our server, Richard, was super attentive and accommodating. We got lucky and happened to be there while another gentleman was packing up fresh banana pudding. He offered us a sample, and it was so delicious that we had to order two for the road. We also bought some chicken wings for our 18 hour journey that we happily enjoyed for dinner (the other passengers looked jealous 😏). The cook even came out to say hello to us and we had the opportunity to chat with a gentleman named Mario who shared a little about the history of the town. Overall a great experience not only for the amazing food, but for the warm hospitality. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED STOPPING BY HERE!!! Hello from your friends...