It goes without saying these days that visitors to Orlando can expect a gastronomic experience as well as an exciting one. Our restaurant and food scene has gained worldwide fame for quality, as well as quantity, and it continues to impress.
But it took the famous Michelin Guide to put Orlando on the culinary map, so to speak. It was just three years ago, in June 2022, that the Guide first acknowledged the existence of the city’s high level of dining delectation, and it has now become an annual tradition of highlighting this restaurant trend.
Of course, Orlando’s foodie features have existed for some time before the Michelin man came along (we’ve been writing about it for at least 20 years!), but it needed something like this to grab global attention for places like Victoria & Albert’s, the peak dinner experience at Walt Disney World, the fun Maxine’s On Shine in downtown and super-elegant Baçan at The Wave hotel in Lake Nona.
Now, with the arrival of the New Year, we have more Michelin-rated restaurants to celebrate, adding to an existing portfolio of cooking excellence that rivals virtually every other major city in the US.
This year’s batch of nominees are also typical of Florida’s general profile for superb dining, with more than 140 restaurants in Orlando, Miami and Tampa that are now rated as Michelin-worthy in one category or another. They include Peruvian and Portuguese cuisines, Italian and Japanese, as well as Latin American and seafood specialities.
And, as we know many of our UK visitors now like to anticipate all these tremendous tastes in advance, we thought we’d highlight the latest members of Orlando’s Michelin magnificence!
Just as a quick recap, prior to this year, the Theme Park Capital of the World could boast fully 48 restaurants in the three main categories listed by the Guide, namely 1, 2 or 3 Stars; Bib Gourmand (“exceptional food at moderate prices); and Recommended (restaurants that serve high-level food but have yet to be awarded).
Among that list of four dozen are seven within Walt Disney World, eight in the upscale suburb of Winter Park and another five in the general tourist area. The other 28 are sprinkled throughout the various downtown districts, notably in the Mills 50 District, and places like Lake Nona and Winter Garden.
They cover the full gamut of local and international cuisines that you can expect to find in the big-city setting of places like New York and Los Angeles, and are especially notable for the tastes of Latin America (Papa Llama, Baçan, Black Rooster Taqueria and Otto’s High Dive), Japan (Kadence, Sushi Saint, Natsu and Norigami), Vietnam (Camille and Z Asian), Italy (Prato, Ravello and Primo) and even the Philippines (Kaya), as well as sensational steaks and seafood (Four Flamingos, Capa, Knife & Spoon and Sear + Sea).
And now we have four additional deserving paragons of dining delight to highlight for 2025, all of which are new to us as well (it’s just not possible to get around to every restaurant in this amazing city of ours!). Two of them add to the dazzling display of Japanese cooking you can now sample across Central Florida, while another takes classic American dishes and gives them a highly modern twist and the fourth is the latest Winter Park eatery to be acknowledged for its creative cuisine.
Here’s what the Michelin Guide says about each one of the quartet (and we promise to visit all four ourselves before the end of the year!):
Coro (in the eclectic Audubon Park district of downtown): Chef Tim Lovero has fashioned a singular take on the neighbourhood gem at this contemporary spot. Step inside and feel instantly at home, thanks in part to a warm, first bite from the kitchen delivered moments after arrival. It’s just the beginning of an enjoyable meal crafted from their ever-changing, shared plates-style menu. Warm potato naan is served with whipped chicken-skin butter and marmalade; impossibly tender lamb shoulder is even better with butternut squash purée and sautéed greens; but dessert is the scene stealer, taking the classic fries and a milkshake combination and turning it on its head with panna cotta, crispy sunchoke, cocoa nibs, and diced French fries.
(Yes, we’re definitely smitten by this idea!)
Sorekara (in the trendy Baldwin Park district): In a world of uniformity, Sorekara proudly forges its own path, offering a surprising and delightful culinary journey that revels in turning expectations on their head. Chef/owner William Shen’s tasting menu highlights Japan’s 72 micro seasons with original dishes infused with a sense of whimsy. Whether it’s madai sporting a distinctive riff on tradition or a deeply savory bowl of kegani sourced from Hokkaido, there is an elegance and refinement threaded throughout the meal, which progresses through multiple rooms across several hours. Another hint that this is far from typical? Sorekara is open for one seating, only a few nights a week.
(Does this sound like a truly unique dining experience? We absolutely think so!)
UniGirl (more Japanese tastes in the super-fashionable Mills 50 district): This casual concept from Chef/owner William Shen (and named for his pup, Uni) draws a queue before it’s even open. It’s no wonder, as everyone is here clamouring for a taste of their onigiri, on offer until they sell out. The menu is a moving target, with ever-changing availability alongside a host of daily specials like a Japanese curry hash brown. It’s all spot-on, whether filled with a crispy fried chicken thigh or tuna enlivened with mustard. Unagi is a fan favourite, with cubes of barbecued freshwater eel enhanced with a sweet sauce complemented by the well-seasoned rice.
Ômo by Jônt (classic French techniques married with pristine Japanese ingredients in Winter Park): Chef Ryan Ratino’s lauded Washington DC restaurant, Jônt, is more than just the inspiration for this offshoot. It echoes that spirit and sensibility, albeit with a few Florida touches. The larger space allows for discrete moments at each meal, while three tasting menus run the gamut from tightly edited and more affordable to loaded with luxury ingredients. No matter the selection, expect refined dishes punctuated by the seasons. Scallop prepared two ways demonstrates the kitchen’s deft hand while chocolate and hazelnut kakigori is an elegant tribute.
Hopefully that is another tempting glimpse into Orlando’s every-growing, and ever more creative, dining scene. See all 52 of the city’s Michelin-rated restaurants, and where to find them, on this link.
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