Loyd Have Mercy wins 2026 Best of Florida honors

Loyd Have Mercy, a Titusville family restaurant known for Southern soul food, earned a 2026 Best of Florida Award in Southern Restaurants and an Honorable Mention in Barbecue Joints. The recognition highlights the restaurant’s generational recipes, event catering and community fundraising work.

Why it matters: - Loyd Have Mercy’s statewide recognition gives the Titusville restaurant a bigger spotlight in Florida’s Southern food scene. - The awards also underscore the appeal of family recipes, hospitality and catering for group events. - The restaurant’s fundraising program ties sales to support for local schools and nonprofit organizations.

What happened: - Loyd Have Mercy was named a 2026 Best of Florida Award winner in the Southern Restaurants category. - The restaurant also received a 2026 Best of Florida Honorable Mention Award in the Barbecue Joints category. - The restaurant is based in Titusville and serves lunch and dinner five days a week, Wednesday through Sunday.

The details: - The menu includes wings served breaded or naked, with sauces such as Honey Gold and Garlic Parmesan. - Other offerings include whiting fish sandwiches, chicken livers and gizzards. - Lunch specials come with a side and a drink. - Daily specials include two sides. - Guests can dine in, order takeout, use delivery or choose curbside pickup. - The restaurant offers group dining for parties of 20 or more. - Catering is available for events from 15 to 2,000 guests, with half and full pans available for pickup or drop-off. - The restaurant regularly hosts birthdays, baby showers, wedding events, holiday parties, sports team outings and corporate gatherings. - The restaurant also runs a monthly fundraising program for schools and nonprofit organizations. - Participating groups receive a unique code, and 8% of online sales made with that code are donated to the cause. - Dr. Loyd said, “The recipes in our restaurant have been handed down through generations.” - The restaurant describes itself as “The Best Gourmet Soul Food on This Side of Heaven.” - A link for more information was included in the source release: More information.

Between the lines: - The dual honors suggest the restaurant is being recognized not just for food quality, but also for consistency and community presence. - The event and catering focus points to a business model that extends beyond everyday dining. - The fundraising program gives the restaurant a direct role in local charitable support, which can deepen customer loyalty.

What’s next: - Loyd Have Mercy plans to keep serving the Titusville community and building its base of loyal guests. - The awards mark a milestone as the restaurant continues to grow its family business and local profile.