By Orlando Weekly Staff on Sat, Aug 24, 2019 at 1:15 pm
Orlando's restaurant scene has never been hotter. This summer, our team spotted the best restaurants for special occasions, date nights, or even just a lunchtime bite outside in the fresh air. These eateries include cheap bites to top-dollar treats, but all of them are part of Orlando's foodie explosion.
Who knows whether serving regional Mexican fare in upscale digs is enough to reverse the curse of this South Eola space, but dishes like a bracing aguachile negro and crunchy/creamy chapuline-and-guacamole tacos give one hope. Weekend brunches are highlighted by $4 margaritas.
100 S. Eola Drive, 407-601-5750; $$
George Miliotes is one of the 140 wine professionals in the U.S. known as Master Sommelier, and he might just be the man to seat you at your table. The family-style wine-braised chicken ($59) is an entire, purple-hued chicken served in a large cast-iron-style casserole with mushrooms, pearl onions, Yukon potato hash, asparagus, and its own braising liquid perfectly transformed into sauce. A favorite small plate is the grilled octopus salad ($18), which is presented like a ceviche.
There are plenty of wines offered by the glass, and there are lots of bottles within budget, starting at about $60. There's also an "Outstanding by the Ounce" section, which highlights the best-of-the-best bottles from all over the world. Open daily at different times.
Henry Moso, one of our city’s finest sushi chefs, brings his brand of high-end Japanese dining to Dr. Phillips. Stellar omakases (a one-week heads-up is recommended) are worth the pricy ($175-$250) admission, though an a la carte version is offered daily based on available ingredients for $150. Nigiri purists can readily indulge in a 10-course tasting for $65, but don’t overlook the cold and hot tasting items. Cocktails get crafty in a good way.
Closed Monday. 7705 Turkey Lake Road, 407-776-2001; $$$
Inviting Milk District food truck park hosts five food trucks at an open-air pavilion with 15 rotating taps, surrounding a square patch of faux grass that acts as an informal beer garden. Brazilian steak, poke and Viet-Korean fare are offered every day, with Brazilian-style empanadas and SwedeDish’s Scandinavian offerings splitting a fourth spot. A daily rotating vendor keeps things interesting.
609 Irvington Ave., 407-776-4693; $$
The veranda-less Veranda presents Eastern European cuisine from Moldova and Romania, from such peasant staples as mamliga (polenta cakes served with salty cheese crumbles and sour cream) to Ottoman-influenced meat rolls and mince patties. For the less adventurous, Italian dishes (think pastas and pizzas) are also offered.
Open daily. 1700 W. Sand Lake Road, 407-730-9190; $$
French steakhouse chain makes its U.S. debut inside the Bay Hill Plaza, offering fare a cut above Outback, but not quite the level of a Ruth’s Chris. Steaks, naturally, are the focus, including cuts like rump steak, top sirloin and various ground steaks. The “maquignon” – a burger with hashbrowns acting as buns – is an ideal lunchtime option. For starters, consider escargots, foie gras or a seasonal terrine. For the steak-averse, traditional preparations of pot au feu and blanquette de veau will give you all the French feels. There are 12 dessert options to choose from.
7625 Turkey Lake Road, 407-930-1708; $$$
Fast-casual joint in Lake Nona (with more outposts to come in Winter Park and UCF) lets guests build beautiful guilt-free and gluten-free bowls of deliciousness. Choose from nine different bases (everything from black rice and orange-basil quinoa to Asian sweet potato noodles and kale), layer on cooked veggies like ginger broccoli and smoky cauliflower, add some meat, other add-ons and a sauce, and have at it. Meats, btw, don’t suffer from the over-charring so often found at Chipotle.
12711 Narcoossee Road, 407-627-1990; $
Fresh-fruit slushies, teas and coffee are this Cali-based chain’s signature offerings, but “Hispanic-Asian” food offerings make ideal accompaniments to such boffo iced bevs as mangonada and spicy watermelon. Chilotes – elotes topped with crushed Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and chicharrones – are as street as it gets, though popcorn chicken, wings and noodles keep things heated.
5282 W. Colonial Drive, 407-487-4597; also 1700 W. Sand Lake Road, 407-270-5164; $
This humble ramen joint by Suichi Tanida, the former chef at Epcot’s Mitsukoshi Restaurant, gives downtowners a healthy dose of traditional tonkotsu, shoyu and miso ramen. Don’t overlook gratifying donburi rice bowls or takoyaki. A handful of vegan options are offered.
Closed Sunday. 486 N. Orange Ave., 407-233-4801; $$
From the folks who brought you the Stubborn Mule and RusTeak comes the Menagerie, an eclectic joint with an equally eclectic menu that criss-crosses international culinary boundaries. You’ll find everything from Taiwanese Night Market chicken to curried cauliflower served with pisco sour relish to fried cod crusted in Frosted Flakes.
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Sunday brunch until 3 p.m. 101 S. Eola Drive, 407-601-5358; $$
East Orlando Thai joint delivers a bit of the traditional (the pad Thai is solid) with a few dishes to lure the intrepid diner, like fried seasoned quail eggs; “Thai heaven beef,” aka fried beef jerky; and duck ramen in a lemongrass broth cloaking infernal red-hot chilis. Creamy Thai tea makes a great palliative.
Closed Mondays. 10725 E. Colonial Drive, 407-270-8448; $
Convivial Belgian gastropub in the heart of Sanford’s historic district has an amazing selection of Belgian brews on tap and by the bottle. Hearty dishes make fine accompaniments to all that beer, none more so than the short rib carbonnade. A deconstructed vol-au-vent’s got flavor, as does the poutine. Closed Mondays.
300 Sanford Ave., Sanford, 407-732-6880; $$
Lake Nona shipping-container food park houses numerous food concepts, from burgers and tacos to fried chicken and lobster rolls. Beer, wine and cocktails are also offered in addition to live music, volleyball courts, playgrounds and a dog park. Open Thursday to Sunday.
6877 Tavistock Lakes Blvd., 407-536-9666; $
Matt Hinckley, a champion of responsible agricultural practices, brings a wealth of experience to his East End Market meat shop, where his display case of smoked meats, terrines, rillettes and pâtés often stops folks in their tracks. Some mighty fine sandwiches can be had too, notably the crackling porchetta on ciabatta and a banh mi made with duck liver pâté.
East End Market, 3201 Corrine Drive, 786-671-1023; $$
Chef/humanitarian José Andrés brings his tapas concept to Disney Springs with much fanfare and it lives up to the hype. From sharable plates of pata negra and paella to grilled meats (the secreto is a must), the food – much like the 22,000-square-foot restaurant’s avant-garde and expressionist design – is impressive. Two different chef’s tasting menus are offered, and worth the splurge.
Open daily. Disney Springs, 1482 Buena Vista Drive, 321-348-3211; $$$$
Neighborhood general store by Sean Kelley (Henry’s Depot), Shaun Noonan (Dixie Dharma) and Joe Roberti (Grain & Ember) has plenty of good eats to go around, namely hearty sandwiches (get the French dip), boards (cheese, beef jerky, pickled veg and fruit) and breakfast items (bagels, sliders). You’ll find a nitro cold brew being poured courtesy of Wavelength Coffee, Swan City Bagels and pastries by Buttermilk Bakery.
522 E. Amelia St., 407-723-8496; $
Chelsie and Jamie Savage’s high-end veg restaurant makes the perfect complement to the couple’s casual (and uber-popular) Sanctum Cafe. The plant-based cuisine has a tonier touch than the Colonialtown eatery, but dishes like spicy makhani curry, beet tartare and chickpea fries prove equally gratifying. Don’t pass on the burgers – the yellow curry and kimchi version is east-meets-far-east remarkable.
155 E. Morse Blvd., Winter Park, 407-543-8425; $$
An ambitious restoration and renovation easily makes this restaurant the most stunning in all of Sanford. Chef Bram Fowler’s “Sun Belt Cuisine” highlights everything from Southern California to Louisiana to Lowcountry staples. Cocktails are taken just as seriously here as the wine list. Don’t leave without a bite of the buttery bananas Foster bread pudding.
113 S. Palmetto Ave., Sanford, 407-548-6964; $$$
Waits can get long at this “quick casual” offshoot of the highly lauded Domu, but you’ll get legit bowls of ramen for under $10. Noodles aren’t made in house (they’re from the respected Sun Noodle) as they are at Domu’s flagship, but the broths and bases, like the 18-hour tonkotsu, certainly are. Rice bowls and smaller bites like gyoza and fries are offered too.
Open daily. 869 N. Alafaya Trail, 407-730-7260; $Read our sister publications
PO Box 953127.
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