With the addition of Papa Llama to my list, I have officially visited every Michelin starred restaurant in Orlando. Among them, Papa Llama stands out as the odd one in the group. While most Michelin restaurants in the city present a sleek, contemporary atmosphere from kitchen to dining room, Papa Llama feels more like a…
June is an upscale Mexican restaurant in the Thornton Park region of downtown Orlando. I really like the design and atmosphere of the restaurant. It’s like walking into a modernized hacienda, it feels new and hip but also cozy and warm. It gives off a trendy vibe similar to AVA MediterrAegean without the pretentious feeling…
I’ve driven past Beefy King a million times when I lived close to downtown Orlando and never thought much of it. I thought it was a local chain or something like the Florida equivalent of Dick’s in Seattle, and it’s honestly not far off. But instead of being a chain, it’s just a standalone quick…
Zaru is one of Chef William Shen’s latest concepts in the Mills District, and he’s been churning out restaurant ideas like Subway franchises lately. This Japanese udon shop focuses on housemade sanuki style udon, and there was a lot of hype following its opening. For those unfamiliar, udon are thick wheat noodles. They’re slippery, chewy,…
Kadence is Orlando’s original omakase institution and has maintained its Michelin star for years, remaining the pinnacle of traditional high end sushi in the city. So imagine my surprise when I was browsing ExploreTock one day and discovered that this Audubon Park gem offers a takeout option. High quality Michelin star sushi you can take…
Coro restaurant Orlando is a small plates spot in Audubon Park that earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and I can totally tell they’re catering to the Michelin guide. The cozy modern ambiance feels like walking into an artsy rich person’s kitchen, but after spending about $100 per person during my visit, I’m left wondering if…
Otto’s High Dive in Orlando’s Milk District is a Michelin Bib Gourmand Cuban restaurant that’s been on my radar for months. My wife brought home a slice of their tres leches cake a while back, and I was instantly hooked. That dessert alone ranks in my top 5 in Orlando, so I needed to know…
Tasty Takeover Orlando brings together some of the city’s most popular food trucks and pop-up restaurants every week, and Mohawk Smokehouse is consistently one of the biggest draws. They boldly claim to be Orlando’s best BBQ on their website, so after hearing the hype for months, I finally made the trip to see if they…
As a self-proclaimed glutton and sushi lover, I’ve eaten my way through countless sushi spots across Orlando. In recent years, I’ve noticed more chefs starting to recognize that there’s a real demand for traditional nigiri-focused sushi outside of omakase dining. That’s why I think Okonomi at Mills Market in Orlando is an exciting step forward….
