Come for the theme parks—stay for the dining. Orlando is the most exciting dining city in North America right now, and yet somehow still frying below the radar.
The city's culinary rise mirrors Orlando itself: diverse, imaginative, and constantly reinventing. Drawing inspiration from Florida's agricultural abundance, international influences, and a new generation of talented chefs, Orlando's restaurants from Palm Beach Meats, to Four Flamingos, Hamilton’s Kitchen, and Bacan, are creating experiences that rival those found in far more celebrated food destinations. Beyond the roller coasters and castle gates, a remarkable culinary adventure awaits.
When people ask me what I would choose to eat for my last meal, I tell them, “The entire menu of Palm Beach Meats.” That’s all I need. For those who enjoy steak, I implore you: run, don’t walk. News of their Michelin Bibb status made waves, and so upon arrival at Orlando airport, we hop in a car and in two shakes of a lamb's tail, arrive at this mecca of wagyu—Florida's only all-wagyu retail shop and restaurant; the first company in North America to import an entire Takamori "Drunken” Wagyu cow; certified by the Kobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association; and one of the very few businesses in the United States authorized to sell Certified Kobe Beef as retailer, wholesale supplier, and restaurant. Palm Beach Meats has emerged as one of North America's most respected Wagyu specialists, sourcing some of the world's rarest Japanese, Australian, and American wagyu.
Opening their menu is like reading a list of spa treatments for my palate. The wagyu-centric menu includes novelties like: Wagyu Burrito, Wagyu Empanada, Wagyu Lumpia, Wagyu Wontons, Wagyu Hotdog with Wagyu Chili—and those are the items we didn’t order. Armed with our appetites, we start with the most sumptuous Wagyu Sando imaginable. This thick wagyu steak, lightly fried in a thin panko crust, brushed with a savory katsu sauce, sprinkled with Maldon salt, and sandwiched in shokupan milk bread, is the mic drop of all sandwiches. So juicy, so robust, so seductively tender, it demands our silent praise. With eyes closed to focus our senses, we sink into our seats and indulge in every luxurious morsel, leaving not one crumb behind. In short order, our intermezzo of Popcorn arrives seasoned with a unique blend of sea salt, black truffle, dried foie gras powder and wagyu tallow. Movie nights will never be the same.
Our PBM Wagyu Burger is a thick patty of juicy beef draped in a melt of sharp cheddar and layered with crisp wagyu beef bacon. This is succulence, gently seasoned to elicit the optimal flavour profile of the beef, elevated by the contrasting and complimentary textures, and all the salty, smoky and savory notes that harmonize into one sinfully rich tasting burger.
Philadelphia: meet Orlando. This Japanese A5 Wagyu Philly Cheesesteak combines the soft tenderness of wagyu beef with creamy, earthy and woodsy black truffle aioli and the sweetness of caramelized onions. It's simply the most decadent Philly Cheesesteak ever, and proof that everything is better with wagyu.
Classic desserts are elevated by buttery wagyu tallow that enables a silkier texture to an impossibly rich chocolate brownie with a perfect scoop of vanilla. But the most divine luxuriance is the Crème Brûlée Sando of golden-fried Japanese milk bread enveloping tallow-infused airy whipped cream and a velvety custard, torched to crusty caramelization. We have reached our bliss point, and tip our hats to this warm and friendly carnivorous oasis who had us at, "Nice to Meat You."
Palm Beach Meats Orlando, 407-233-4094, 3421 S Orange Ave
When a restaurant has the name of Chef Richard Blais attached to it, we are immediately intrigued. When we read his menu, we are immediately enticed. When we dine at his Michelin-recommended Four Flamingos restaurant, we are immediately satisfied beyond measure.
Four Flamingos encapsulates the Orlando vibe. Chef Blais is effortlessly flamboyant in his tropical selection of ingredients that coalesce into a refined palate of colour and flare that launch the simple to stardom. Dishes like Shrimp Burger with a guava lavender slaw, Oysters, bejewelled with coconut lime pearls, or Oxtail & Foie Gras Empanada with a mango chutney, are just a taste of a chef’s whimsy that knows no bounds.
Nothing is ordinary here. Our Tuna Tostada is lavished with creamy avocado and crowned with a slow cooked egg yolk that combine for silken textures enveloped in a fresh toasty corn crunch.
Grouper is one of the most popular Gulf fish. Black Grouper is firm but tender. This Florida Black Grouper, delicately prepared as a piccata with coconut and key lime, and accented with cilantro oil and fried capers, is so beautifully cooked and luxurious on the palate, that it is exactly the kind of exotic culinary escapism we crave when dreaming about travel.
Swordfish is a premiere deep-sea game fish in Florida. Presented here as a prime rib, this Swordfish is uniquely blackened with a potpourri of seasoning that elicits the optimal profile of the fish without overpowering. Tender as a pat of butter, one can only nod with appreciation. It is a privilege to taste such beautiful food, when we know that there is no way to prepare dishes like these without care, without love for ingredients and for the patrons who will be enjoying them.
We initially decline cocktails until we see what our neighboring tables have ordered, and so we settle on what looks like a fruitopian lab experiment. Resort & Relax is a lavender elixir of pea flower-infused gin and guanabana (soursop) purée. Our waiter pulls the trigger on a bubble gun that blows a massive wobbly orb above the rim, and then, with one squeeze of lemon peel, Poof! It bursts into a cloud and wisps away. Tropically sweet and fun, it really encapsulates the joie de vivre of the dining room.
With a menu as flavour-forward as this, who can say “No” to dessert? Our Baked Florida is a play on the Baked Alaska. Flambéed table-side, our waiter sets our swirl of meringue alight. Cutting into this smooth confection, we instantly know this show piece will be a show stopper. Indeed, the confluence of key lime custard and raspberry gelée with the delicate crunch of meringue is almost too much to handle. This is without question the single most ambrosial key lime pie I have ever tasted. Ever. Each spoonful is so richly, velvety smooth and we are left incredulous to how enjoyable it truly is. Dining at Four Flamingos is a Blais of glory.
Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Florida Kitchen, 407-239-3854, Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, 1 Grand Cypress Blvd
Hamilton's Kitchen exudes the romance of a Mediterranean garden with stucco arches and tropical greenery tucked into a pocket of Old Florida serenity. Here, string lights flicker above the patio and a trickling fountain where "Florida Southern" cuisine—contemporary Southern cooking rooted in local ingredients and brightened by Caribbean influences—is seasonally-driven.
Chilled Melon Gazpacho with cantaloupe, heirloom tomato relish and a drizzle of leek oil sings with Southern charm, while the Lion’s Mane Schnitzel with mushroom velouté reflects a refreshingly innovative kitchen. Southern Cornbread is golden sweetness that softly melts a spread of whipped honey butter. Crisp, bright salads boast the farm-to-table philosophy of the kitchen, whether garden fresh greens with macerated strawberries or peaches with burrata. The menu reflects the bounty of each season.
Our Jumbo Lump Crab Cake is a meaty puck chock full of Blue Crab, lightly seasoned and seared, and encircled by a creamy, piquant Creole remoulade that enriches each succulent morsel.
A thick fillet of Crusted Grouper is lavished with herbs, white wine and beurre blanc for a delicate tenderness that cuts like silk. Accented with pop-in-your-mouth pearl onions, it is nestled in a lovely aromatic pillow of Carolina Gold rice. There is almost a creamy texture to these gently sweet and nutty heirloom grains that provide added depth and richness to the dish.
This kitchen has a velvet touch, and from sea to land each dish is cooked to the perfect à point for optimal taste and texture. The Grilled Rack of Lamb is a generous portion of Frenched-chops, lacquered in a dark glossy, lip-smacking balsamic-maple reduction for a perfect balance of acidity and sweetness. It is oh-so-tender and feels like it melts in my mouth. The base of golden mashed potato is divinely rich and creamy and, when combined with the savory jus, is one decadent forkful after another. It is hearty, polished and unmistakably Southern.
Dessert comes with a story. Chef Antwan Ellis's warm Butter Cake was born from a mentor's challenge to master this classic dessert. We are the happy beneficiaries of this moist and unapologetically buttery cake, drizzled with sea salted-caramel and tempered by vanilla ice cream and fresh strawberry. Sweet meets salty; warm meets cold. "Just one bite" is an unrealistic ambition.
Since the moment we’re seated, the patio setting immediately changes our pace. There is an easy elegance and conviviality, a southern vibe with an island breeze. Hamilton’s Kitchen is a hidden gem that feels less like a hotel dining room and more like a Winter Park retreat with a calm intimacy worlds away from Orlando's theme-park orbit.
Hamilton's Kitchen, 407-998-8090, The Alfond Inn at Rollins, 300 E New England Ave, Winter Park
Dining in Orlando is a diversity of thrills for our palates. BACÁN is leading the charge. Simply put: it is exciting. Loosely defined, bacán means, “cool, great, awesome”—and indeed our dining experience here is all those things. Central and South American influences meet the eclectic artscape of the adjoining hotel and gardens—and every dish delivers wow factor.
The cocktail menu entices us to break our own rules and taste as many as we can. Cocobolo Old Fashioned elevates a classic with coconut rum, xocolate mole bitters and burnt banana leaf. Yerba Mate blends herbs, mezcal, smoked agave syrup and shishito peppers for a unique elixir that hits all the right notes. Ingredients we would not expect to find on a cocktail menu, like avocado foam, crown Parcha, a smooth mixture of mezcal, grapefruit and passion fruit soda. Each cocktail is a totally inspired and innovative drink that we’ve never seen before.
The Cachapa reimagines the Venezuelan corn pancake. Its sweet, golden base is layered with rich duck confit and foie gras and punctuated by bursts of fresh orange and delicate chive blossoms, before a Grand Marnier-inflected sauce is poured tableside. This is rustic and savory Latin American comfort food transformed into edible art.
Charred Octopus is so meaty, perfectly tender and lavishly brushed with a kick of Argentinian chimichurri and aji Amarillo. Lobster and Burrata Tostadas flaunt a melange of flavours and textures from sweet lobster and creamy burrata to the tropical citrus of passion fruit, toasty notes of pepitas, and pickled tomato on crunchy blue corn tortillas.
Heads turn when our Whole Truffle Chicken Two Ways arrives. This is the pièce de resistance. Accompanied by a generous heap of crisp potatoes and a smoky, spicy and savory salsa brava—the real star of the show is the farm-fresh chicken. Brined overnight, the chicken then luxuriates in truffle butter for six hours before roasting on the rotisserie. The word “tender” is not enough to describe how juicy and flavourful this chicken really is. Then, a portion of it is fried to a glorious craggy, golden crunch that would make the Colonel blush. But wait! There’s more! Our waiter, wearing white gloves, performs a table-side shaving of truffles over this already-delicious comfort food, adding woodsy depth and luxurious aroma.
Carne Asada arrives from the grill with swagger. Our 12oz striploin is charred for a perfect crust that seals within a rosy and juicy tender cut of beef. Each bite transports us to a backyard barbecue somewhere in Mexico. Columbian salsa adds brightness, while a creamy corn romesco adds a seductive hue of smoky sweetness that lassoes our palates into submission.
Who can resist dessert at a time like this? BACÁN’s bold Latin-inspired flavours and theatrical presentation continue to the sweet end. Paloma En Fuego plays with citrus in different registers: moist lemon olive oil cake meets silken thyme-scented flan, concentrated citrus confit and clouds of toasted meringue. With custard-like tenderness, the Tres Leches yields milky sweetness amplified by a silky vanilla ganache, while almond dark chocolate provides a bitter snap and roasted nuttiness. Bejewelled with chocolate pearls and gold leaf, it’s a smooth and balanced indulgence to finish a dining experience that leaves us swooning.
BACÁN, 407-675-2000, Lake Nona Wave Hotel, 6100 Wave Hotel Drive