Meet Orlando for grown-ups. JJ Goode of Food & Wine shares a 48-hour cheat sheet for the city, replete with as many international flavors as Epcot—without the hordes of children. A bonus: some of the picks are also endorsed by IgoUgo members.
Restaurants
1. Jiko—The Cooking Place
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, 2901 Osceola Pkwy.
With its open kitchen and a vast blue ceiling decorated with model birds in flight, the dining room at Africa-themed Jiko is a dramatic stage for chef Anette Grecchi-Gray’s ambitious food. She adds the flavors she fell in love with in Africa to familiar dishes, pairing braised lamb shanks with fiery Ethiopian berbere sauce and roasting chicken rubbed with chermoula, the lively Moroccan spice blend. The wine list of South African bottles is spectacular, with 45 choices by the glass.
IgoUgo member jo_j_k: “For dessert, we had Tanzanian chocolate candies: dark-chocolate-filled beggar's purses with white chocolate and orange Van der Hum dipping sauce—oooooh my oh my. All in all, well worth the visit.”
2. Primo
JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes, 4040 Central Florida Pkwy.
Acclaimed chef Melissa Kelly has transported her seasonal-is-best ethos from the original Primo in Rockland, Maine, to this four-year-old Orlando outpost. Her contemporary Italian menu, with dishes like sweet-pea ravioli in lobster broth and grilled duck with turnips and mustard greens, features produce from local farms and an on-site garden.
3. Norman’s
The Ritz-Carlton, Grande Lakes, 4012 Central Florida Pkwy.
Orlando scored when Norman Van Aken, the chef who put Florida on the culinary map, opened this outpost of his namesake Coral Gables restaurant (now closed) in 2004. The Orlando restaurant continues to serve Van Aken’s bold cuisine, which blends big flavors from Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia.
IgoUgo member folashade: “This is one of the best restaurants I have eaten at. The presentation is above par, the staff is friendly, and the food a perfect blend. I was glad I was traveling for work since this is a very pricey restaurant, but it’s well worth it.”
4. Victoria & Albert’s
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, 4401 Floridian Way
Perhaps Orlando’s priciest and most formal restaurant, Victoria & Albert’s isn’t the place to bring the kids—unless they like to eat Monterey Bay abalone with Meyer lemon and capers or guinea hen with morels and truffle foam. The often-changing prix-fixe menu ($115 per person) is an exceptional alternative to Disney’s many fast-food stands.
IgoUgo member DrBSidle: “The impeccable standards of Victoria and Albert’s are noticed from the first moment of the visit. A personal menu with each diner's name awaits, with choices for each of the several courses from appetizers to dessert. Most tastes (my wife, traditional; myself, experimental) will find an appealing dish throughout the meal. Every course is exceptional.”
5. California Grill
Disney’s Contemporary Resort, 4600 N. World Dr.
This trailblazing restaurant at Disney’s Contemporary Resort brought Orlando its first taste of seasonal cooking in 1995. The eclectic menu still changes weekly, so the grilled fish on your plate might be served with ramps or chanterelles in spring and something else in summer. After dinner, step onto one of the rooftop overlooks to watch the fireworks exploding over Cinderella Castle.
IgoUgo member berky: “We made priority seating reservations for the California Grill so that we could watch the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom from the dining room. Everyone was encouraged to abandon their tables to move outside onto the viewing balconies and the restaurant's lights were dimmed so that those who chose to stay at their tables could watch the display.”
6. Bubbalou’s Bodacious Bar-B-Que
12100 Challenger Pkwy.; 1701 Rock Springs Rd. (Apopka); 1471 Lee Rd. (Winter Park); 5818 Conroy Rd. (near Universal Studios); 1049 E. Altamonte Dr. (Altamonte Springs)
The smell of wood smoke lures tourists and locals alike to this Orlando mini-chain institution, which has built a loyal following for its pulled pork (cooked slowly over oak) and crispy fried catfish.
7. Ming’s Bistro
1212 Woodward St.
Ming’s is one of the few places in Central Florida offering Chinese delicacies like chicken feet and turnip cakes on its dim-sum laden carts. Don’t be scared off by the word bistro in its name: Ming’s is the real deal, with authentic food in a no-frills, fluorescent-lit dining room.
8. Lac Viet Bistro
2021 E. Colonial Dr.
For years, the stalwart Little Saigon was the place where Orlando’s growing Vietnamese population went for its pho fix. But Lac Viet Bistro, which opened in 2004 near Little Saigon in the city’s Colonialtown neighborhood, may be even better, serving dishes like ground pork tucked into rice-flour crêpes and a lotus-stem salad with fresh herbs.
9. Harmoni Market
2305 Edgewater Dr.
Launched in 2006, this combination specialty-food market/restaurant is a great reason to visit the up-and-coming College Park neighborhood. Simple Mediterranean-inspired food reigns here, from flat breads topped with fig, blue cheese and bacon to roast pork sandwiches with Manchego cheese and tomato relish.
10. Blue Bistro and Grill
815 N. Mills Ave.
Floridian Jephanie Foster cooked her way around Chicago before returning to open this small restaurant on the outskirts of downtown Orlando. Her frequently changing, high-energy menu borrows flavors from around the world in dishes like grilled squid with kimchi relish and grilled romaine with chipotle-spiked vinaigrette.
Bars & Lounges
1. Redlight Redlight
535 W. New England Ave.
Brent Hernandez, the owner of this tiny, low-key bar in Winter Park, has built a beer list that could compete with almost any other in the country. There are plenty of Belgian beers, solid American craft brews like Ommegang and Allagash and even the pricey Swiss rarity Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien, which is aged in barrels once used for wine and grappa.
2. Infusion Tea
1600 Edgewater Dr.
A wall of rooibos and oolong in glass jars greets you when you step into Infusion Tea, the charming teahouse owned by Christina Cowherd and her husband, Brad. In April, they moved from a tiny shop down the block to this expansive space, which also houses a local designers’ co-op. For advice on which of the more than 75 teas to order, consult one of the friendly “tea experts.” And don’t leave without a scone slathered with cream and jam.
Hotels
1. The Ritz-Carlton Orlando
Grande Lakes, 4012 Central Florida Pkwy.
The city’s most luxurious hotel, the Ritz-Carlton Orlando has a luxe spa with citrus-based treatments (like sweet-orange body wraps and zesty-lime showers) and a Greg Norman-designed golf course; plus it’s only 15 minutes from the Disney parks.
IgoUgo member Hulamik: “We were upgraded for free to a suite on club level. Extreme luxury, great view, shower, tub, and sit-down makeup area. Bed linens were wonderful, along with the comfort of the bed.”
2. Animal Kingdom Lodge
Walt Disney World, 2901 Osceola Pkwy.
This hotel, built to resemble an African lodge, offers an arcade and a playground for kids and a fitness center, sauna and massage services for adults. And who wouldn’t enjoy watching zebras graze on the nearby savanna?
IgoUgo member OrlandoAA: “We did go to the theme parks while we were out there, but honestly, if you live in the area, a day or two at the lodge would be more enjoyable than standing in those long lines at Disney.”
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