29 tiny restaurants in Orlando you've probably overlooked

Kadence

1809 E. Winter Park Road
From the trio that brought us Kappo comes Kadence, a nine-seat stunner serving superlative multicourse omakases. Ingredients are ever-changing and are flown in twice, sometimes thrice, weekly from Japan; what they do with them is why a visit here is a must for any Japanophile. Sushi-only lunches go for $61-$75 and feature 12 pieces, soup and dessert.
Photo by Rob Bartlett

King Bao

710 N Mills Ave, Orlando, (407) 237-0013
This tiny restaurant packs a big taste and is the ideal lunch special for hungry customers ballin’ on a budget. If the variety of steamy, soft bun baos isn’t enough to satisfy you, the truffle tots definitely will. The owner, Vic Nguyen, was born and raised in Orlando and now serves locals with dishes that marry eastern and western flavors.
Photo by Rob Bartlett

King Bao

710 N Mills Ave, Orlando, (407) 237-0013
There's probably no better metaphor for Mills 50 than the Mr. Potato Head: a sweet-potato croquette topped with sour cream and roasted corn salsa, wrapped up in a soft, fluffy bao bun for $3.

Photo via Photo via King Bao/Facebook

Sticky Rice

1915 E. Colonial Drive, (321) 800-6532
Within the spectrum of flavors at the city’s sole Laotian eatery, you’ll find the familiar flavors of sweet and spicy along with flurries of funky, fermented and fishy. Popular dishes include pork tapioca dumplings, sticky chicken wings and lemongrass beef jerky; the cucumber salad and papaya salad offer a blast of umami courtesy fermented crab, crab paste and shrimp paste more suited to advanced palates. Can’t pass on the sticky rice – no Laotian meal is complete without it.
Photo by Rob Bartlett

Vivi Bubble Tea

1111 E Colonial Dr, (407) 412-5224
Vivi Bubble Tea prides itself on providing the freshest taste possible and a variety of seasonal flavors in all of its tea choices from Taiwan. The inside of this tea spot is youthful and modern, making the small space feel refreshing and bright. Its mission it to create a “relaxing yet enjoyable experience” and to “become the icon of heedful technological tea drinking.”
Photo via vivibubbletea_mills50 /Instagram

Buttermilk Bakery

1198 N Orange Ave, Winter Park, (321)-422-4015
This cozy small-batch bakery is family owned by mother, daughter and son, and promises to satisfy your sweet tooth. Here, you can find an assortment of unique pastries, including matcha-almond croissant and cherry-orange oat cookies.

Photo via Buttermilk/Instagram

Buttermilk Bakery

1198 N Orange Ave, Winter Park, (321) 422-4015
The owners use “as-local-as-possible” ingredients and started off selling their pastries in farmers markets. Now, they serve made-in-house sweets to die for.
Photo by Rob Bartlett

Bikkuri Sushi

1915 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, (407) 894-4494
Sushi and takeout might not always sound great together, but this little restaurant on Colonial specializes in sushi on the go, offering up fresh fish in place of settling for a microwave meal or monotonous salad for dinner. It also offers buy one, get one free margaritas on Mondays and other hot happy hour deals if you choose to dine in.
Photo via i.am.ingrid.b /Instagram

Willie’s Pinchos Restaurant

1718 N Goldenrod Rd, Orlando, (407) 601-3373
Location can make this Puerto Rican delicacy easy to overlook, but don’t. Burgers, meats and good eats with some Latin flavor sets this lunch and dinner spot apart from the everyday deli sandwich or soup. The owners love to chat with customers and provide excellent service, which doesn't go unnoticed.
Photo via Willie’s Pincho’s Restaurant /Facebook

Goff’s Drive In

212 S Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, (407) 286-3421
Many Orlando residents go to Goff’s not only for the ice cream but for the memories. This little walk-up ice cream stand has been around since 1948, and is still serving up the best sundaes on Sundays to this day.
Photo via Goff’s /Facebook

Gitto’s Pizza

120 S Orange Ave, Orlando, (407) 203-8889
Gitto’s is small, but will make a big difference on how you feel at the end of the night, which is full. Gitto’s is one of those shining gems of Orlando that stays open until 5 a.m. for those doing the late night stroll from Wall Street foraging for drunk food. Plus, they put a free garlic knot on your pizza - the work of true angels.
Photo via Gitto’s Pizza /Facebook

Kai Asian Street Fare

1555 Semoran Blvd, (407) 540-0555
After months of perfecting their recipes in a test kitchen, engineers Isra Sunhachawi and Quan Van opened Kai and were ready to debut their food creations to the masses. Kai offers Asian street food and some savory favorite, including the “K-Pop and Lock” -- hand-cut fries topped with bulgogi, kimchi and spicy mayo. Other options include wontons, crispy Korean and Vietnamese fried chicken wings, soups, garlic noodles, loaded fried and fried rice.
Photo via kaistreetfare /Instagram

King Cajun Crawfish

914 N Mills Ave, Orlando, (407) 704-8863
We may be landlocked here in Orlando, but King Cajun is all about bringing the freshest seafood with a New Orleans twist to the City Beautiful. The owner is a NOLA native and still insists on flying in crawfish in from Louisiana, picking them up from Orlando International Airport every other day just in time for the lunch time rush.
Photo via King Cajun Crawfish /Facebook

Valhalla Bakery

2603 E South St, Orlando, (407)-613-5968
Located at Market on South, this bakery has got a rebellious, yet magical feel to it (maybe it’s just the donuts talking). Valhalla is small but ever expanding, and the bakery also offers one-of-a-kind specialty cakes, including wedding cakes. The menu offers a rotation of sweet depending on the season, so don’t limit yourself to one trip.
Photo by Rob Bartlett

Dharma Southern Kitchen

2603 E. South St., 407-613-5968
Market on South also houses Dixie Dharma. It’s hard to find a table at certain times but stick around because this food is worth the effort. The vegan mac & cheese is gooey, garlicky and a comforting side to the "meaty" Carolina BBQ pulled jackfruit sandwich, served on buttery (in a vegan way) Texas toast graced with shavings of preserved lemon. Cheesy homies and smoky Brussels sprouts are also a hit

Photo via Market on South/Facebook

Mynt

535 W New England Ave, Winter Park, (407) 636-7055
Mynt may be small, but it is far from any “hole-in-the-wall joint.” This Indian restaurant offers the pleasures of a more upscale aesthetic without the loud, intruding and impersonal vibes of a larger space. The plates are pretty and the food is unique. It’s a good place to be if you want to try Indian food in a nicer setting.
Photo by Rob Bartlett

Mediterranean Deli

981 W Fairbanks Ave, Orlando, (407) 539-2650
Mediterranean Deli is a lunch time favorite among many Orlandoans. This is your place if you’re looking for cheap that doesn’t taste cheap. The hummus is made fresh daily and the gyro sandwich is a must-try. It serves gyros wrapped or open-faced and savory, flavorful dishes that locals love.
Photo via Mediterranean Deli /Facebook

Pom Pom’s Teahouse and Sandwicheria

67 N Bumby Ave, Orlando, (407) 894-0865
This funky little wall-filled space provides sandwiches, pastries, and an assortment of loose leaf teas as authentic as the art found throughout the space from local artists. Pom Pom’s owner is originally from Thailand and has a degree as a pastry chef, so you know her stuff has got to be good.
Photo via pompomsteahouse /Instagram

Tako Cheena

932 N Mills Ave, Orlando, (407) 757-0626
Tako Cheena is a combination of “food truck meets restaurant,” according to their Facebook. We'll happily munch anytime on one of the innovative fusion-flavor folds Edgardo Guzman's team has dreamt up. Late-night patrons happily scarf the spicy-sweet Korean beef taco, filled with bulgogi, kimchi and cilantro.
Photo via Tako Cheena /Instagram

Tako Cheena
932 N. Mills Ave., 407-757-0626
Tako Cheena's Latin-Asian tacos and burritos quell hunger pangs and desktop lunchtime boredom in Mills 50. Pick up the three-taco special – choose from Thai peanut chicken, panko-crusted cod, Asian braised beef, tom yum mojo shrimp and Indian curry-dusted crispy tofu.

Photo via Tako Cheena