Feature Story and Photos by Larry H. Oskin
The Red Wing Restaurant is a rustic-style dining delight in a somewhat hidden area of rural Groveland. Owned by Patrick Borsey, Red Wing has been a favorite local staple for many years. Once you enter their famed green door, you will face a long bar with old-fashioned wood-paneled walls. While listening to country music, you will see a variety of stuffed animals and birds hanging from the walls with the Pheasant Room on the left and the Boar Room to the right. The simple ambiance gives it the feel of an old hunting lodge.
Patrick Borsey is originally from Stamford, Connecticut. He went to Tech High School there before attending the local Fairfield University to study accounting. Borsey joined the US Navy in 1984, based at Fort Story in Little Creek, VA. While at sea, he worked in the Mess Hall doing everything from supplies, cooking and working as the ship storekeeper. He was able to experience exciting travel opportunities across the globe, visiting 56 different international ports. He always looked forward to trying new and different foods in each port. He still fondly remembers the first time he ordered shrimp that came complete with the heads still on the food. After the Navy, Borsey spent the next 25 years working in building supplies. He moved to Groveland in 1996.
Red Wing History: The original Red Wing was built back in the 1940’s by Charles McMillan. The restaurant was first built as a house, where the owners lived. In February of 1948, the wooden building open as a restaurant and since has been a popular gathering place for locals. All of the local Citrus grove owners and workers used to eat at Red Wing for breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Many regulars ate three meals a day at Red Wing. Some even kept a running tab that they paid off at the end of every month. It was called the Red Wing Tavern by the first owner, before the second owner changed it to a full-service restaurant. Even though Red Wing closed for a while, he became close friends with the former owner, having been a regular diner.
Red Wing was always Borsey’s favorite local restaurant! Even though the opportunity arose at the peak of the market in 2005, Borsey bought the closed restaurant business and the land to become the fourth owner. He cleaned, refurbished, remodeled and upgraded everything from the electrical, plumbing and septic tank systems to the kitchen equipment. He added a screened-in patio for outdoor seating and private parties. He filled in the pool and started a private small animal rescue on the attached farm out back. Borsey has done it all at Red Wing with everything from being a chef to serving guests, equipment repairs and dishwashing. To ensure Red Wing quality of food preparation, service and fine dining experiences, he has become a Restaurant Certified Chef in various categories by Serv Safe, while also being certified in various restaurant management and operations programs.
Eclectic & Exotic Menu: When Borsey re-launched Red Wing with a chef, they kept most of the original and popular menu items that still exist today, with the occasional addition of new dishes and food updates. Every dish here is made from scratch. Besides still being famous for their burgers, sandwiches, hand-cut steaks, prime rib, chicken, pork, seafood, pastas, soups, vegetables, salads and traditional foods, Red Wing is still known for their unique, eclectic and exotic menu. Borsey imports specialty foods from all over the world. His international Navy dining experiences have led him to serve foods that he wouldn’t have ever thought of like camel, mouse, elk, quail, alligator, game sausage and venison. They serve prime rib dinners every Friday and Saturday night. They are famous for their big variety of award-winning delicious half-pound hamburgers, served on brioche buns. They are also best known for their freshly baked homemade cinnamon apple, peach, cherry and blueberry cobbler desserts. Plus, they have a large selection of domestic and international beers as well as wines for every taste. They only use top quality USDA inspected meats and foods. Due to COVID-19, they are currently only serving lunches and dinners. The cooking staff and servers all wear safety masks and gloves.
All You Can Eat & Special Options: Red Wing features 2 nights of ‘All You Can Eat’ with fried shrimp on Tuesdays and quail on Wednesdays. You can celebrate Thursdays at their popular weekly Burger Nights. They do offer gluten-friendly foods and an ever-changing series of Daily Specials!
Award-Winning Honors! With so many awards, editorials and trophies, Red Wing Restaurant has several big Walls of Fame for you to review, while waiting for your food to be served. They have been proudly featured in the Orlando Sentinel, Focus, The Southwest Reporter, West Orange Times, chamber of commerce and Lake & Style Magazines with ‘Best Burger’, ‘Best Lunch Wraps’, ‘People’s Choice’ awards and many more. They have certificates and awards from their ongoing support of numerous local non-profits, sports teams and charitable programs. They display an earned Golden Spatula Award for their famous burgers! They were most recently featured as one of the ‘Best Hole in The Wall Restaurant Dives in Florida’ by Only in Florida.
Special Occasions & Catering: Red Wing has a variety of small and large private rooms. They also have a very large outdoor patio area for parties, business meetings and special family celebrations. Besides dine-in services, they offer delivery and pick-up services. They offer Red Wing Gift Cards to help you share their dining experiences with friends, family and co-workers.
Hours & Extras: Lunch is served Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 AM to 2 PM. Dinners are served Tuesdays through Saturdays from 4:30 thru 8 PM. Military, ex-military and all veterans will always receive a 10% discount. They hope to return to offering breakfasts as soon as the pandemic challenges are lifted.
For more information and to see the Red Wing Restaurant menu, visit them at: 12500 State Highway 33 – just 2 miles south of Highway 50 in Groveland, FL 34736. Phone: 352-429-2997. Visit: http://www.redwingrestaurant.com/ and follow them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Red-Wing-Restaurant-119968615387/
