Side Dish
Café-Boutique Piano will open in Winter Park’s Hannibal Square in 2022. The family-run restaurant will feature eclectic European cuisine, live piano music and original art for purchase. While the family has previous restaurant experience from their time living in western Russia, the café 1,200-square-foot will be their first U.S. location. After much anticipation, new local... Read More
Taco Time!
It certainly doesn’t have to be Tuesday for us to enjoy a plateful of tacos. In fact, we’d argue that every night is taco night in the Greater Orlando region. That’s because our area is replete with eateries that serve them in a variety of enticing ways and aimed at every palate. And while such a wonderful array of creative offerings makes it hard to narrow down the best,... Read More
Palate
TOP FIVE: HOT DOGS A quintet of tasty things to try this month THE KING AT DOGHOUSE COLLEGE PARK Fit for a “king,” this dish features a skinless, all-beef Nathan’s hot dog served in a fresh semi-toasted bun and topped with beef chili, cheese sauce, bacon bits, onions, crushed Fritos, ketchup and mustard. The beef hot dog can be replaced with an Angus beef hot dog... Read More
Dishes that Dazzle
True to its roots, Russell’s on Lake Ivanhoe not only serves exquisite cuisine but also a piece of Central Florida history. While the name belongs to an early settler of Lake Ivanhoe named George Russell, this shore-hugging eatery is brought to us by an Orlando-based restaurant group, VO Hospitality, which is co-owned by Kevin O’Donnell and Philippe Villain. The pineapple featured... Read More
Palate & Side Dish
TOP FIVE: TACOS SWEET POTATO TACO At Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food Universal CityWalk This unique taco has a crispy shell, filled with roasted sweet potatoes, almond chile salsa, fried corn and scallions. It’s topped with non-dairy cheese, making it an excellent vegan alternative. TACOS AL PASTOR At La Fiesta Mexican Grill Crystal Lake Shopping Center A customer favorite,... Read More
The Queen of Latin Cuisine
Over the years, world-renowned chef Lorena Garcia has worn many hats. Born in Venezuela, she first started her career in law. It was not long, though, before her true passion for cooking took over and propelled her into becoming one of today’s most recognized and celebrated chefs. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University,... Read More
Tables with a View
Grabbing a seat outdoors at these restaurants makes for an enhanced dining experience. Central Florida’s favorable weather makes outdoor dining a year-round attraction, but the allure of al fresco dining has only grown during the pandemic as area foodies look to support their favorite eateries. Here we spotlight some of Greater Orlando’s top spots for enjoying a meal outdoors.... Read More
Rendezvous for Two
Safe and romantic getaways to escape pandemic fatigue, all within a day’s drive. Are you in desperate need of a date night or long weekend away with your significant other? You’re not alone. Even though the pandemic has people spending more time together, they are not connecting. After a long day of remote work and virtual education, couples are emotionally exhausted, and being... Read More
Best of the Best 2020
92 reasons why there’s no place like Orlando. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and after the past few months, we’d say we’re more fond of the Orlando area than ever before. Now that our favorite places are reopen(ing), it’s the perfect time to dive into our annual Best of the Best, featuring the top spots for food, drinks, shopping, health and beauty services,... Read More
Serving Up Something Special
After raising $22 million to help restaurant workers across the country who were affected by the coronavirus shutdowns, Guy Fieri proves he’s a big personality with an even bigger heart. Guy Fieri may be one of the faces of Food Network, but it’s his signature blonde spikes that make him so easily identifiable. In this day and age of celebrity chefs with large résumés and... Read More
Taste Test
De La Vega’s array of tantalizing tapas takes you on a culinary journey through Latin America. Mano De La Vega and his sister, Nora, moved to the United States from Mexico City to open their first eponymous restaurant in Deland about 15 years ago. According to the restaurant’s website, the siblings’ desire for creating Latin American inspired dishes further grew through marriage—Nora... Read More
The Secret’s Out
Authentic Italian cuisine and a Prohibition-era atmosphere await at Enzo’s Hideaway—that is if you can find it. True to its name, Enzo’s Hideaway is a restaurant and speakeasy tucked into an underground tunnel at Disney Springs. The fine-dining establishment seizes on Florida’s rum-running history with Prohibition-era cocktails and a mix of Roman and Sicilian dishes. Upon... Read More
Big Catch
Dive into a sea of flavors and options at Paddlefish in Disney Springs, where quality food meets an elegant ambience. Paddlefish, formerly Fulton’s Crab House, opened in 2017 as a faux yacht, luxurious seafood restaurant docked at Disney Springs. Although this stand-alone restaurant has been around for only a few years, its operator, Levy Restaurants, is no stranger to fine dining... Read More
The Best of The Brunch
If you’re like us, you love a good brunch. There’s just something about being able to toe the line between late morning and early afternoon, no matter whether you’re partial to breakfast, lunch or somewhere in between. And while the over-the-top, all-you-can-eat buffets are great on occasion, we find ourselves more excited by the tantalizing options that can be found on area... Read More
Style and Substance
The chef-driven Market to Table doesn’t forsake flavor in its search for beauty. Market to Table opened in the Roper Garden Building in Historic Downtown Winter Garden in 2016 but its roots had already begun to grow in the area several years prior at the district’s popular Saturday farmers market, where chef/owner Ryan Freelove would sell soups, salad dressings, butters and... Read More
A True Neighbor
Cozy and eclectic, Maxine’s on Shine is the neighbor you wish lived next door. If you’ve never been to Maxine’s on Shine, you might find yourself a little confused when your GPS sends you to a block of residential homes in the Colonialtown area. But don’t turn around, you’re not lost—this eatery, set between two inconspicuous homes, is just a part of the neighborhood. Opened... Read More
Settling In
With Italian-inspired dishes and a relaxed atmosphere, Sette is making itself at home here in Orlando. Sette (pronounced Se-TAY) opened in Ivanhoe Village in March, taking over the space that formerly housed Stir and before that Nova; the former lasted for seven months while the latter stuck it out for about a year and a half. Suffice it to say, restaurants have not had much staying... Read More
Best of the Best 2019
Each year, we like to take inventory of some of Orlando’s BESTS. From the best food to the best shops to the best places for pampering yourself to the best activities for family fun. After a number of years of packing our Best of the Best list with all this goodness, you’d think we’d have run out of recommendations by now? But as always, compiling this feature reminds us that... Read More
The Ultimate Foodie Guide
Recipes. ★ How Tos. ★ What to Know. Food has a way of bringing people together and we thought what better way to connect with our readers than by putting together our first-ever food lover’s guide. We’ll tell you how to properly make homemade pasta, what you need to know about purchasing fresh seafood and why befriending your local butcher may be in your best interest. We... Read More
Palate: April 2018
TOP FIVE: OMELETS BOSTONIAN AT OMELET BAR, EAST ORLANDO This spot adjacent to the University of Central Florida is all about the all-mighty omelet. Although you can customize your own with the bar’s many ingredients, the Bostonian should be on your radar. This dish is made with three eggs tossed with lobster, pepper jack cheese, mushrooms, diced tomatoes and red onions, and then... Read More
Glad to Be Home
Now that he’s returned to his native Florida and opened up a restaurant at Disney Springs, Art Smith is right where he belongs. Read More Read More
