Where To Eat, Drink And Stay In Orlando, Florida

Brushing off Orlando as a tourist trap for Disney fanatics is easy. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll discover that Florida’s third-largest city has long been home to a thriving culinary landscape brimming with enticing options from cocktail-fueled karaoke sessions to spurge-worthy tasting menus.

“I think many people will be surprised by the diversity of Orlando’s food scene, as well as the tight community that’s been built as more local restaurants come to the forefront,” says Jamilyn Salonga-Bailey, the co-owner of Kaya, a contemporary Filipino restaurant and 2024 James Beard finalist for Best New Restaurant. “Orlando has a really supportive food community, and there are so many folks in the city that want to see our culinary scene push forward beyond big box chains.”

Justin Levaughn, the co-owner and beverage director of Otto’s High Dive, a Michelin Bib Gourmand-recognized rum bar and restaurant, agrees and adds: “I've also noticed over the years that our hospitality industry takes a certain sense of pride in being a hidden secret, world-class food and beverage scene that visitors have to dig to discover.”

If you’re someone who plans vacations around quality restaurants and bars, Orlando has you covered. Ahead is a handy guide on where to eat, drink, and stay when visiting The City Beautiful.

Kaya

For some of the city’s best Filipino food, head to Kaya in Mills 50, a neighborhood just north of downtown Orlando packed with all kinds of Asian restaurants. Co-owned by chef Lordfer Lalicon and Salonga-Bailey, Kaya is much more than your typical restaurant; it’s a vibrant community hub where locals belt out karaoke, knock back drinks during happy hour, and feast on Sama Sama, Kaya’s signature seafood- and vegetable-forward tasting menu. Even better? Over 90 percent of Kaya’s produce is sourced from area farms, which helped it earn a Michelin Green Star. If it’s your first visit, Salonga-Bailey recommends the oxtail kare kare: “Chef Lo made this dish for his wife Julie on their first date almost 20 years ago, so he’s had a lot of time to perfect it.”

Ômo by Jônt

Consider Winter Park’s Ômo by Jônt a culinary homecoming of sorts for lauded chef Ryan Ratino of Washington, D.C.’s two Michelin-starred Jônt who’d dreamt of opening his own spot in Central Florida after attending Orlando’s Le Cordon Bleu. As with Jônt, the dining experience is progressive. Guests begin in the living room with bite-sized indulgences (warm brioche topped with pineapple jam and foie gras) and Krug Grande Cuvée, before being guided to a 16-seat counter for artful compositions of prized Japanese ingredients (Nanatsuboshi rice, Akamutsu, Bafun uni) and seasonal Florida produce. Presented at another counter, desserts are equally considered; the ice for kakigori is shaved fresh off a Hatsuyuki machine, while mignardise arrive playfully presented in Jônt’s signature box. The three tasting menus (Excursion, Journey, Jaunt) begin at $145 per guest, so while Ômo by Jônt is spendy it’s also refreshingly relaxed, thanks to the cheerful staff and hip-hop soundtrack.

Otto’s High Dive

Otto’s High Dive in the Milk District bridges the past and present, while highlighting the region’s rich cultural and agricultural heritage. As beverage director and co-owner Justin Levaughn puts it: “We’re paying homage to our roots as Cuban and Puerto Rican immigrant families, embracing our future as Floridians, and highlighting the abundance of great food grown in our backyard.” Despite being billed as a neighborhood rum bar, there’s far more to get into than well-crafted daiquiris and coquito. The food menu offers something for every appetite, from zippy ceviche made with the daily catch to the house lechon, which is roasted on Otto’s custom-built Caja China “to keep the technique in line with our families preferred method of roasting,” says Levaughn.

Tori Tori

Since opening ramen-focused Domu back in 2016, Sean “Sonny” Nguyen has emerged as one of Orlando’s most prominent chefs and restaurateurs by launching several Asian concepts along the way, including the Michelin-recommended Tori Tori in Mills 50. The goal? To combine the best qualities of a high-end cocktail lounge with an old-school Japanese izakaya. Tori Tori is not a traditional sit-down spot; instead, you order drinks and food at the bar, nab a seat, and wait for your order to arrive. As for what to get? You can’t go wrong with pairing a Toki Highball—which is poured fresh from the Suntory Toki Highball Machine—with some charcoal-grilled chicken yakitori skewers like tsukune (meatballs) and skin.

Bacán and Nami at Lake Nona Wave Hotel

Hotel restaurants have long had a repuation for being bland and predictable. That’s definitely not the case at Lake Nona Wave Hotel, a stylish art-filled and tech-savvy property that’s home to two enticing concepts. Michelin-recommended Bacán sends out elevated Latin-inspired cuisine—the classic Brazilian fish stew moqueca gets a fresh revamp from chef Chef Guillaume Robin with local seafood, crispy quinoa, and coconut broth—alongside equally creative cocktails like the Cocobolo Old Fashioned, a tropical blend of Brugal 1888, Amaro Nonino, and Xocolate Mole Bitters garnished with a torched banana leaf.

Led by chefs Freddy Money and Jason Beliveau, Nami is a dark and swanky hideaway specializing in crowd-pleasing Japanese comforts with elevated twists. Think: lamb chops drizzled with green miso, buttery hamachi slices accompanied by tangy ponzu, and puffy lobster donuts. If you’re in the mood to splurge, look no further than the 20-course chef’s counter experience, where the warm staff will pamper you with intricate bites featuring the freshest vegetables, seafood, and meats.