Orlando Restaurants Get Noticed
Orlando is famous for its theme parks but its restaurants have also gotten plenty of attention lately. Michelin Guide released its first-ever Guide to Florida this year and WalletHub ranked Orlando as the number 2 foodie city in the U.S. Talk about a big deal! True foodies already know this but Michelin stars are some of the most sought-after awards in the restaurant industry and serve as a guiding light to people who love to try out different cuisines. The new Florida guide released in June 2022 features three Florida cities: Orlando, Miami, and Tampa. To view the full list, click here.
Michelin Star Winners
Out of the 15 Florida restaurants awarded Michelin stars, four are located in Orlando and we couldn’t be more excited. If you’re visiting Orlando, make sure to check them out:
- Capa Steakhouse & Bar
- Kadence
- Knife & Spoon
- Soseki Modern Omakase
Other 30 local eateries also received a mention in the guide for their quality and value.
James Beard Award-Winning Chefs
Our culinary representation doesn’t stop there, Orlando is the host city of restaurants with James Beard award-winning chefs:
- Four Flamingos by Richard Blais (located in the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress)
- JALEO by Jose Andres (located in Disney Springs®)
- Frontera Cocina by Rick Bayless (located in Disney Springs®)
- Bluezoo by Todd English (located in Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort and World Swan Reserve)
- Chicken Guy! by Guy Fieri (located in Planet Hollywood, Disney Springs®)
- Primo by Melissa Kelly (located in the JW Marriott Orlando)
- Morimoto Asia by Masaharu Morimoto (located in Disney Springs®)
- Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill (Wolfgang Puck located in Disney Springs®)
- Fish & Chips by Gordon Ramsay (located in Icon Park)
- Homecomin’ Florida Kitchen by Art Smith (located in Disney Springs®)
- Tapa Toro by Roberto Treviño (located in Icon Park)
Magical Dining Month
Our tourism association, VisitOrlando, recognizes the importance of the food industry for Orlando and they actively promote dining options – from food trucks to fine dining – to great effect. For example, they put on a yearly event in partnership with the city’s restaurants where they go all-out to showcase these places to the public at a reasonable price. This fundraising event called Magical Dining is similar to other cities’ restaurant weeks, featuring three-course, prix-fixe dinner menus, but Orlando’s version lasts for more than a month. This year, it will be August 26th through October 2nd.
EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival
Lastly, it would be impossible to not mention the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival. The festival gives park visitors an opportunity to “eat and drink around the world”. The festival officially started on July 14th and will end on November 19th. Although the event will still go on until November, it is better to start planning where you’ll want to stay when you visit Orlando. The perfect location for a hotel near Walt Disney World® Resort is in Lake Buena Vista, and it puts you in the heart of everything there is to see and do in this celebrated area. The Walt Disney World® Resort is right on your doorstep when you stay at the Hawthorn Suites. We are only 1.6 miles away from the Walt Disney World® Theme Parks and 1.7 miles away from the entrance to Disney Springs®.
