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Faiyaz Kara's 55 best restaurants in Orlando

By Orlando Weekly Staff on Thu, Oct 18, 2018 at 2:38 pm

“So what’s your favorite place to eat in town?”

It’s a question I get asked about as often as the James Beard Foundation snubs Orlando’s chefs and restaurants for its annual awards – that is to say, a lot. My usual response – “Arby’s” – is typically met with a grimace, an empty stare, or a look that says Jeez, what a dick. When I first started reviewing restaurants for this fine publication back in 2006, coming up with a list of the 55 best restaurants in Orlando would’ve been – well, it just wouldn’t have been. Ten? Maybe. Fifty-five? Oh hell no. But that was long before our culinary age of enlightenment, when the unfamiliar tested the establishment; when genre-bending became the norm; when chefs wittingly tested our palates; and when restaurants of renown began gracing our city’s neighborhoods, hotels and, yep, theme parks.

I’ve had the honor, and the pleasure, of ingesting it all and it’s been nothing but fun. We’ve seen a bevy of Best Of lists released by various publications, including our very own, but this list makes an earnest effort to answer the question, “Mr. Kara, in your well-informed and battle-tested opinion, what are the best places to eat in town?” For each of the 55 restaurants ranked and listed below, I can state unreservedly that they’ve granted me some mighty fine meals, and memories. - Faiyaz Kara

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Faiyaz Kara's 55 best restaurants in Orlando

1. Kadence

The city's omakase game has gone banzai over the past couple of years, and the artistes at this Audubon Park nine-seater – Jennifer Bañagale, Mark Berdin and Lordfer Lalicon – work the white-oak slab, slicing, dicing and plating with such extreme care and precision you might not notice the sexagenarian next to you cringing at the piped-in lyrics of "The Next Episode." You wouldn't think it, but watching A5 Miyazaki beef being chopsticked onto a giant Pacific oyster shell, or seeing rinds of kaffir lime knifed into bowls for ... wait for it ... cod sperm soup, can be downright mesmerizing. Oh, there's a fair amount of flair, but pizzazz often takes a back seat to minimalist aesthetics, quality ingredients (fish is flown in from Japan twice, sometimes thrice, weekly) and an adherence to longstanding methods and rituals. I swooned over the trio's East End Market effort Kappo but, behind the dark, shadowy exterior of Kadence, I've tripped the light fantastic. (kadenceorlando.com)

Photo by Rob Bartlett

2. Norman's

Fine dining is indeed alive and well, and at this perennial stalwart within the gilded walls of the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes, so is fusion cuisine – thanks to celebrated chef Norman Van Aken, who leaves the execution of his "New World" fare in the capable hands of executive chef Andres Mendoza. The menu's Latin-Caribbean DNA has seen little mutation through the past 15 years, though influences from China and North Africa make the occasional foray. Mendoza's tasting menu is the most accomplished in the city – a hickory-smoked tenderloin of American bison with Okinawa potato, Brussels sprouts, chimichurri verde, carrot tuiles and a black fig jus; or peach-barbecued Rohan duck breast with mole negro should give you an idea as to what to expect – and the doting service is unparalleled. (normans.com)

Photo by Rob Bartlett

3. The Ravenous Pig

The "American gastropub" appellation may have been nixed, but it's never been more apropos for the Ravenous Pig since James and Julie Petrakis moved the restaurant to the Cask & Larder's old digs and inherited an in-house brewery. But the Pig is far more than your average gastropub – for one, the Petrakises have always adhered to a strict ethic of sourcing local, seasonal and sustainable ingredients. Couple that with CIA-trained techniques and a creatively unpretentious bill of Southern fare and it's no wonder they've brought their Winter Park restaurant national acclaim and multiple James Beard Foundation Award noms. Plus, it's one of the few restaurants embedded in the consciousness of the food intelligentsia outside our city. (theravenouspig.com)

Photo by Rob Bartlett

4. Kabooki Sushi

I'll just say it: Henry Moso is Orlando's most creative sushi chef and if you've dropped a pretty penny to experience one of his extravagant, multicourse omakase free-for-alls, you already know that. If you haven't, prepare to be floored. No, it may not summon memories of the traditionalist experience you had in the Ginza but, at Kabooki, Moso fuses imagination and fresh ingredients in a balancing act that's worthy of an encore. Watch what he does with live Boston scallops, or New Zealand steelhead trout, or Japanese red sea bream and rejoice in the flavors he conjures. Only ingredients of the highest order are good enough for Moso, and while the dining room itself could use a bit of a refresh, those patrolling the confined quarters are as knowledgeable as they come. (kabookisushi.com)

Photo by Rob Bartlett

5. Victoria & Albert's

The grande dame of Disney's restaurant empire may have lost relevancy amongst the city's attention-deprived foodie contingents with its dated interior and pricey degustation of fussy fare, but tweezers, squeeze bottles, microgreens or not, executive chef Scott Hunnel still dazzles, incorporating foie, truffles, caviar and other haute standbys into his carefully curated tasting menu. It makes for refined dining in the vein of Joel Robuchon (R.I.P.), Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud et al. even if Hunnel never quite attains their rarefied heights. Still, it's a unique throwback experience (servers are called "maids" and "butlers" here) of a slowly disappearing type. Not to mention the people-watching – Vic & Al's likely has the highest percentage of "special occasion" diners of any restaurant in the city. (victoria-alberts.com)

Photo via Victoria & Albert’s

6. Cress Restaurant

Sure, there have been a few concept changes in the decade-long life of this DeLand charmer, but in its current state as a "ticketed events-based restaurant," chef/owner Hari Pulapaka not only probes and examines the cuisines of the world in his "global kitchen" but, more so than any other chef in Central Florida, does so while raising awareness of socio-political issues and championing causes related to food waste and sustainability. Whatever the cause, Pulapaka's menu creations are always interesting – Libyan camel-duck kebabs, Moroccan quail bisteeya, tempeh kofte etoufée – and their preparation indicative of his methodical and exacting nature (Pulapaka is also a mathematician, after all). Wife Jenneffer curates a dynamic wine list and, together, the duo bestow the sleepy hamlet with a semblance of cosmopolitan gentility. (cressrestaurant.com)

Photo via Cress Restaurant

7. Capa Steakhouse

High-end chophouses are a dime a dozen in this town, but the sexy Spanish steakhouse on the 17th floor of the Four Seasons Resort Orlando is the only one worth braving the infuriating hordes of driving-challenged tourists for. A gin and tonic graced with juniper, Key lime and botanicals proves pacifying, but by the time you commence indulging in modern takes on Basque and Spanish staples, as well as USDA Prime cuts of beef, all is forgotten. The menu, conceived by the resort's executive chef Fabrizio Schenardi and executed by chef Gabriel Massip, comprises tapas (I can't get enough of the celtuce with chipotle and romesco), raciones and beefy cuts ranging from 30-day dry aged bone-in ribeyes to A5 Miyazaki wagyu. There are entrees (the duck breast with almond spatzle, seasonal fruit and a foie emulsion, for one) that wow as much as the ceiling-spanning art installation resembling a matador's red flowing cape by Peter Genetenaar. Cap your meal with sweets by Rabii Saber, one of the country's best pastry chefs, and a superlative meal will be had. (fourseasons.com/orlando/dining/restaurants/capa)

Photo by Rob Bartlett

8. 1921 by Norman Van Aken

Luring the state's most acclaimed chef to Mount Dora – far from the burgeoning Olympic Village of celebrity chefs that is Disney Springs, where throngs flock for a rare glimpse of a TV hotshot and then settle in for a meal as fulfilling as an M. Night Shyamalan flick – was nothing short of a coup for this sleepy little town. At 1921 by Norman Van Aken, modernism supplants the mouse ear as the prevailing motif, with borrowed works and furnishings from the Modernism Museum next door taking eye candy to a whole new level. More importantly, 1921's menu reflects a genuine attentiveness to the flora and fauna of the Sunshine State. Here, Van Aken acts as our very own Michel Bras, conceptualizing a multiculti menu inspired by the restaurant's immediate surroundings, with talented chef Camilo Velasco realizing the vision. (1921nva.com)

Photo by Rob Bartlett

9. Pizza Bruno

I know what you're thinking: A pizza joint in the top 10? Really? If you've sunk your pearlies into one of Bruno Zacchini's neo-Neapolitan pies, then you know it's justified. Fermented dough is scorched in a wood-fired, Ferrari-red Pavesi oven at about 900 degrees Fahrenheit until properly leopard-spotted, but the toppings, comprising new, at times seasonal, flavor combinations are where Zacchini gets creative. There's enough mod to entice tattooed millennials to shred a pizza topped with maple syrup, blueberries and guanciale, or one with charred peaches, romesco, pickled jalapeños and Volpi soppressata. Pizza is one of those foods that can divide households, but Zacchini is happy to straddle the line between purist and progressive. (pizzabrunofl.com)

Photo by Rob Bartlett

10. Sushi Pop

Having three Japanese restaurants appear in the top 10 is reflective of the culinary one-upmanship taking place among local chefs and restaurateurs of the genre. And any conversation about the finest sushi restaurants in town will inevitably turn to the innovative cuts at Chau Trinh's spirited anime-themed eatery in Oviedo. Staging at Eric Ripert's Le Bernardin and Ronny Emborg's Atera in New York City, among others, has helped fuel Sushi Pop's progression and innovation, which starts with the prized cuts of seafood Trinh uses in his dazzling moriawases and omakases. Cocktails can get experimentally fun, but don't let the whimsical libations, hot-pink hues, manga art and anime on the TVs fool you – Sushi Pop takes its fun very seriously. (sushipoprestaurant.com)

Photo by Rob Bartlett

11. Osprey Tavern

Jason Chin and his wife, Sue, the local restaurant impresarios who've also given us Seito Sushi and Reyes Mezcaleria (both made this list, BTW), certainly aren't short on passion for all things culinary. Their handsome Baldwin Park boîte doesn't break new ground, as far as upmarket Americana is concerned, but who needs innovation when it's the perfect burger, a whole grilled branzino, or a bottle of Muscadet and fresh oysters you crave? (ospreytavern.com)

Photo by Rob Bartlett

12. Domu

"I want to put Orlando on the map with Domu," says Sean Nguyen, the sanguine owner of the East End Market ramen-ya and pan-Asian hotspot. Given the numerous national TV appearances his restaurant has made, I'd say he's done just that. Domu has established its ramen street cred among the city's noodle cognoscenti, but the black truffle burrata, wings glazed in a kimchi butter sauce and signature cocktails designed by Rene Nguyen (Hanson's Shoe Repair) are more than worthy of mention. (domufl.com)

Photo by Rob Bartlett

13. Seito Sushi & New Japanese

From-scratch ramen bowls, izakaya faves (okonomiyaki, uni pasta) and sushi of the highest order lend Seito elite restaurant status in Baldwin Park. Its sister resto on Sand Lake Road (run by Jason Chin's sister Jennifer and husband, Eric Springer) is just as dedicated to creativity and sourcing quality ingredients. Sibling rivalry? I'd say so. (seitosushi.com)

Photo via Seito Sushi/Instagram

14. Hunger Street Tacos

Not content with merely churning out some of the best tacos in town, Joe and David Creech, along with Bruno Fonseca of now-closed Millenia 106, turn up the heat with various specialty items like vegan tlacoyos, pescado a la talla smoked over binchotan coals and (gasp!) tacos al pastor flown in from Mexico City and shaved off the trompo. Oh, did I mention they're doing pop-up Mexican omakases all over town? (hungerstreettacos.com)

Photo by Lindsey Thompson

15. Chef's Table at the Edgewater Hotel

Skip the Tasting Room and enjoy a more intimate affair with the chef's table experience (which is actually 16 separate tables) within the historically quaint walls of the Winter Garden hotel. Don't expect any cozy confabs with chef/owner Kevin Tarter, but do expect superb, and confidently executed, continental fare. (chefstableattheedgewater.com)

Photo via Chef’s Table at the Edgewater/Facebook

16. Luma on Park

The "Jewel Box" – a two-story wine vault stocked with 7,000 bottles of 80 intriguing varieties – is quite the attention-grabbing lure for bon vivants, but it's James Beard Award-nominated chef Brandon McGlamery's flawless renditions of "casual American" cuisine that makes wining and dining at Luma an unparalleled experience on Park Avenue. (lumaonpark.com)

Photo via VisitOrlando

17. The Rusty Spoon

Forging alliances with local farmers and food purveyors since her chef de cuisine days at Primo paid dividends for chef/owner Kathleen Blake when she opened Rusty Spoon. Her self-described gastropub is just as down-to-earth as the Iowa native. Her Florida-only seafood policy means local wild clams and octopus grace her menu, though you'll find that the beef (Deep Creek Ranch), pork (Palmetto Creek Farms) and chicken (Lake Meadow Naturals) are also locally sourced. (therustyspoon.com)

Photo by Rob Bartlett

18. Urbain 40

The brasserie is bit more American after four-time James Beard Award nominee Tim Keating replaced executive chef Jean-Stephane Poinard at this Dr. Phillips haunt. Steaks, flatbreads and burgers aside, there's still plenty to keep Paris on your mind – the crepe urbain, mussels à la flamande and bouillabaisse Provençal are standouts. Plus, the French Colonial room with a Swing-era vibe is still one of the most beautiful restaurant spaces in the city. (urbain40.com)

Photo by Rob Bartlett

19. Highball & Harvest

The Ritz-Carlton's farm-to-table restaurant (they literally have a 7,000-square-foot farm on property) caters to well-heeled vacationers and food-conscious millennials with Southern-inspired dishes employing local, sometimes hyperlocal, ingredients. You'll mostly find competently executed plates of comfort food being issued from Scott Pizzo's kitchen. (facebook.com/highballharvest)

Photo by Rob Bartlett