Palace Southside

Palace Southside in Lakeland is best understood as an Authentic Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar with a casual dress code and a $$ price point. The appeal is direct: Italian staples, wine-bar positioning, hours that run from late morning into the evening every day, with later closing times on Friday and Saturday.

For diners deciding how to use it, keep the plan simple. Palace Southside is grounded in familiar Italian choices rather than a highly formal format. Signature dishes include pizza, pasta, lasagna, fettuccine carbonara, eggplant parmigiana, making it a practical pick when the table wants recognizable Italian food in Lakeland.

Use the second visit for wine, not just another pasta order

Palace Southside is listed as both an Italian restaurant and a wine bar. That does not require overcomplicating the meal. If a first visit centered on pizza, a return visit can lean toward pasta or one of the named classics, with the wine-bar side treated as part of the experience.

Food-wise, the safest ordering strategy is to work across the core categories rather than treating the restaurant as a single-dish destination. Pizza and pasta are central signatures, while lasagna, fettuccine carbonara, eggplant parmigiana give the table familiar Italian options.

For a repeat guest, the decision tree is simple. If the first visit was pizza, make the next one pasta. If the first visit was a heavier classic, return for a different signature dish. If the group includes people who want familiar Italian food and someone who specifically wants a wine-bar setting, Palace Southside is a clear fit.

Daytime visits are practical; evenings give the wine-bar side more room

Palace Southside opens at 10:45 AM every day, which gives diners flexibility for earlier visits as well as dinner. The hours are Monday through Thursday from 10:45 AM to 8:45 PM, Friday and Saturday from 10:45 AM to 9:45 PM, Sunday from 10:45 AM to 8:45 PM.

The casual dress code also helps define the experience. Palace Southside can be approached as an easygoing Italian meal rather than a formal fine-dining appointment. That makes the venue useful for diners who want Italian food and a wine-bar setting without needing to dress up.

The better approach is to order from the known Italian signatures: pizza, pasta, lasagna, fettuccine carbonara, eggplant parmigiana. For a practical Italian restaurant and wine bar in Lakeland, Palace Southside is a grounded choice.

Plan the visit around the occasion

For a low-key meal, focus on the casual dress code, $$ price point, familiar Italian dishes. For a more wine-minded visit, treat the wine-bar identity as part of the reason to go. Palace Southside also has a verified Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for 2026.