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Known as the most magical place on Earth, Florida attracts millions of tourists each year. However, some visitors to Orlando make the mistake of only sticking to the theme parks. While many of the amusement parks offer great food, many of the best restaurants in the city are in the downtown area.
However, this cosmopolitan city also boasts an incredible food and drink scene that should be explored by all. From casual breakfasts and long brunches to lavish dinners and late-night treats, there are endless dining options on offer.
With so many fantastic places to choose from, it can be difficult to narrow down your options. That’s where we come in!
Here are the tastiest restaurants in Downtown Orlando.
Kres Chophouse and Steakhouse
- 17 W Church St, Orlando, FL, 32801
- www.kresrestaurant.com
- $$$$
Kres Chophouse and Steakhouse has been voted the best restaurant in Downtown Orlando by several prestigious publications, making this a must-have dining experience. Located in a 1936 landmark building on Church Street, this elegant New York-style venue delivers an all-American dining experience with a contemporary twist.
Kres is famous for its brunch and dinner menu featuring superb meat-based dishes including grass-fed filets of beef, veal chops, and porterhouse lamb. Chops are aged in-house and cut to order to ensure every plate that goes out is of the highest quality.
Diners can choose from decadent sides including three cheese au gratin and shrimp and bacon mac and cheese to accompany your chosen meat, or select several for your table to share. Vegans are also well-catered for, with equally tasty dishes including vegan wellington, made with a unique mushroom and bean blend.
Kres Chophouse and Steakhouse is open daily from 11.30 am until midnight on weekdays, 5.00 pm until midnight on Saturdays, and 5.00 pm until 11 pm on Sundays.
The Boheme
- 325 South Orange Avenue, Orlando, FL, 32801
- www.theboheme.com
- $$$$
The Boheme is well-known for its weekly jazz-themed Sunday brunch with live music and family-style dining, but this luxurious establishment shouldn’t be overlooked as an option for dinner and drinks. Located in the Grand Bohemian Hotel, this venue oozes European charm and service is second to none.
Fine dining is the order of the day at The Boheme. Try the Cognac-flamed pepper steak or the Mediterranean salmon for a flavorful dining experience you won’t soon forget. The Boheme also has a lavish private dining room that caters perfectly for special events.
The daily dinner service runs from 5 pm until 10 pm and reservations are recommended to secure your spot.
Dovecote Brasserie
- 390 North Orange Avenue, Suite 110, Orlando, FL, 32801
- www.dovecoteorlando.com
- $$$$
This fine-dining restaurant serves French-inspired cuisine with an American twist that locals and visitors love. The award-winning menu features a fresh raw bar with various oyster, clam, and shellfish dishes, while the team of chefs prepares stunning meat, seafood, and game dishes to order.
To accompany the high standard of food, only the most excellent drinks list will do. DoveCote doesn’t disappoint here, and the extensive range of wine, champagne, cocktails, and beer pairs perfectly with the cuisine. DoveCote’s main dining room is a stunning place to eat, but there is also plenty of outdoor seating, a private dining area, and a beautiful bar for guests to enjoy.
The restaurant is open Monday through Friday from 11.30 am to 10 pm, with split lunch and dinner service on Saturday and lunch service on Sunday. Reservations are recommended and can be made via the website.
Artisan’s Table
- 55 West Church Street, Suite 128, Suite 128, Orlando, FL, 32801
- https://artisanstableorlando.com
- $$-$$$
If you’re looking for a creative American-style restaurant in Downtown Orlando, Artisan’s Table is it. With mouth-watering breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus and a knock-out cocktail list, you may find yourself wanting to visit this Florida institution more than once.
The location of this venue is a short walk from Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts so it attracts an arty theater crowd that gives the restaurant a lively buzz. The happy hour is an especially fun time to visit, with twisted takes on classic tequila and gin drinks on offer that’ll keep you at the bar for longer than you might have intended.
The food at Artisan’s Table is equally as moreish. Try entrees including the fried artichoke Cesar or the Instagrammable artisan burger with an incredible brisket and short rib patty.
Artisan’s Table is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, open for lunch and brunch from Wednesdays to Sundays, and for dinner from Wednesdays to Saturdays. Book your table on the website.
The Ravenous Pig
- 565 W Fairbanks Ave, Winter Park, FL, 32789
- www.theravenouspig.com
- $$-$$$
The Ravenous Pig is a gastropub, brewery, and beer garden in Winter Park that serves up elevated bar food in a 1920s-style venue.
This venue is run by a husband and wife team, native Floridians James and Julie Petrakis. They met while studying at the highly acclaimed Culinary Institute of America in New York and combined their collective knowledge and experience to open The Ravenous Pig in 2007.
Known by locals for the quality of its products and the location of one of the best beer gardens in Orlando, this spot has been a hit ever since.
The menu changes every day depending on what’s in season, but you can expect to see sharing platters, appetizers like chilled octopus and mushroom beignets, and entrees including lobster tacos and steak fries. The drinks menu is vast and includes home-brewed craft beers on tap, lots of tasty cocktails, and a superb whiskey list.
If you find yourself falling in love with The Ravenous Pig, check out the owners’ other restaurants including Cask & Larder at Orlando International Airport and The Polite Pig at Disney World’s Disney Springs.
Napasorn Thai Restaurant
- 56 East Pine Street, Orlando, FL, 32801
- www.napasornthaiorlando.com
- $$-$$$
For some of the best Asian food in Florida, visit Napasorn Thai Restaurant. This family-owned venue is inspired by the owner’s memories of their grandmother’s cooking, and their authentic and delicious menu pays homage to her original recipes.
Classic Thai noodle, curry, and rice dishes can be found at Napasorn, as well as exciting plates such as the mussel clay pot and nam sod gai which is a flavorful pork salad dish. If you’re in the mood for a culinary adventure, try the chef’s daily special which is always prepared with the freshest ingredients (and plenty of love).
Napasorn is within walking distance from Lake Eola and is open for lunch and dinner service. Food is also available to order online if you would prefer to dine at home.
Maxine’s On Shine
- 337 North Shine Ave, Orlando, FL, 32803
- https://maxinesonshine.com
- $$-$$$
For an American-style restaurant with 40s-style decor, Maxine’s on Shine is our best pick. It’s also highly rated by some of Orlando’s most prestigious publications, including being voted Orlando’s best neighborhood restaurant by Orlando Magazine.
Maxine’s on Shine is known for its lively atmosphere, live music, and outdoor seating, making it hugely popular with locals and visitors alike. The menu is outstanding and features fresh seafood, pasta, meat, nightly features, and decadent desserts.
If you’re feeling thirsty, you’ll be pleased to know that Maxine’s stocks over 70 wines and more than 40 beers. In addition to the daily dinner service, the Rejuicination Brunch is also highly popular with locals. Try the much-loved chicken and waffles accompanied by one of the many breakfast cocktails on offer.
Maxine’s is located near Downtown Orlando just off Shine Avenue in Colonialtown South. Brunch is served Friday, Saturday, and Sunday between 10 am and 3 pm, and dinner is on offer Wednesdays to Saturdays from 5 pm to 9 pm. This popular restaurant fills up quickly, so reservations are recommended.
The Monroe
- 448 N Terry Ave., Orlando, FL, 32801
- www.themonroeorlando.com
- $$-$$$
The Monroe is the fourth offering from the much-loved Good Salt Restaurant Group. This sprawling and diverse dining and entertainment venue is located in Creative Village in Downtown Orlando and is spread across 8,000 sq feet.
Guests can choose to be seated in the main dining room, the bar, the lounge, the backyard patio, or the semi-private dining area. There’s also a daytime coffee bar in this midcentury space for more casual daytime dining.
There is a lunch, brunch, and dinner menu for diners to select from, and each one is packed full of tasty bites and hearty plates. At brunch, go for tapas-style small plates of savory doughnuts and biscuits and gravy, or tuck into The Monroe’s famous fried chicken. If you’re visiting during the evening, don’t miss the Faroe Island salmon, and be sure to leave room for dessert. Cocktails and coffee can also be enjoyed any time of the day or night.
Opening hours at The Monroe vary depending on which space and menu you’re in the mood for, so check the website for details and to book. Tip: happy hour runs Tuesday through Saturday from 5 pm until 7 pm and is a great spot to get your evening started right.
Soco Restaurant
- 629 East Central BoulevardOrlando, FL, 32801
- https://socothorntonpark.com
- $$-$$$
Soco Restaurant near Lake Eola in Thornton Park is one of Florida’s best restaurants for Southern contemporary cuisine. Under the direction of award-winning Executive Chef/Partner Greg Richie, Soco was voted Best Southern Restaurant in Orlando Magazine’s 2021 Dining Awards as well as being recognized in the Best Restaurant, Best Brunch, Best Chef, and Best Neighborhood Restaurant categories.
If you like a side of people-watching with your dinner, you’ll love Soco’s dining room that overlooks Central Boulevard and Summerlin Avenue. Diners can also enjoy the outdoor patio to soak up some of Orlando’s famous good weather.
Or, if you’re stopping by solely for drinks, the beautifully-designed bar serves expertly-crafted cocktails, a great selection of beers and wines, and also has an extensive whiskey list.
The dinner menu includes street food-style small plates like ‘southern street corn’ and shrimp and cheese hushpuppies, or larger entrees like pecan-crusted fish and braised short rib can also be ordered.
Soco also has a delicious brunch menu featuring age-old classics such as buttermilk biscuits with crispy pork belly or steak and eggs and a brunch burger loaded with cheese, bacon, and sunny-side eggs. To get your weekend off to the best possible start, brunches can also be made bottomless with as many mimosas as you can handle for just $18 per person.
Reservations are recommended but walk-ins are accepted. Check the website for opening hours and availability.
Hawkers Asian Street Food
- 54 W Church St, Suite 250, Orlando, FL, 32801
- https://eathawkers.com/locations/orlando/
- $$-$$$
Deep in the heart of the Mills 50 district is where you’ll find Hawkers. Asian street food is this venue’s specialty, and bold flavors passed down through generations are the order of the day.
The street food concept means that ordering many dishes is the best approach, and with so many tasty plates on the menu, you’ll certainly want to try as many of them as possible. Explore dishes such as Malaysian Roti Canai flatbreads and fluffy Korean bao buns, and don’t miss the crispy pork belly with rich hoisin dipping sauce.
Vegetarians are well-catered to with crispy tofu, spicy kimchi, and five-spice green beans all on offer.
Hawkers is extremely popular and there’s often a queue for a table. Reservations can’t be made but diners can join a waitlist on the day they want to dine to cut down their wait time.
Eat Up While in Downtown Orlando
As you can see, this central Florida city is jam-packed with incredible dining options. While there are other rainy day activities in Orlando, do yourself a favor and spend some extra time indulging in the great food, rain or shine.
This list of the tastiest restaurants in Downtown Orlando will guide you through your culinary adventures and have your tummies full and faces smiling.
Featured Image Credit: Stockbusters
