The Hidden Garden is the perfect place for a romantic moment. Photo courtesy of Emily Jourdan.

Emily Jourdan

AS A BORN AND RAISED CENTRAL FLORIDIAN, I’VE HAD MY FAIR SHARE OF DATES IN ORLANDO. Some good. Some bad. And some completely disastrous. Nearly 30 years later, I’ve been married almost two decades, but we still make date days and nights a priority.

With nearly 30 years of dating under my proverbial belt, let me show you some of my favorite date spots in the area, why you should go, and what makes these places exceedingly special.

The Hidden Garden

Location: Winter Park, Park Avenue
Restaurants: ABO and Garp & Fuss

The Hidden Garden courtyard is a tiny oasis off Park Avenue’s main street, tucked away from the hustle and bustle the avenue attracts on weekends and during events. It boasts a few tiny shops like the Hidden Garden Hair Salon and The Ancient Olive, intertwined with an intimate courtyard, greenery and a small fountain. But the real standouts here for an exceptional date are Atlantic Beer & Oyster Bar (ABO for short), and Garp & Fuss.

Atlantic Beer & Oyster Bar

Imagine a seafood shack with a salty weatherworn décor tucked in a cozy courtyard off Park Avenue. The unexpected Winter Park is abuzz with folks escaping the avenue’s bustle. The compact dining space has a long bar where draft beer flows. Look for bestsellers OBP, Jai Alai, and Panty Dropper from Florida breweries. A few tables run parallel with the bar, where diners crowd in to feast on oysters on the half shell—bivalves from Canada, the Eastern Seaboard, West Coast, and the Gulf. Crab legs, ceviche, and lobster rolls round out the menu but don’t skip the fish dip. Atlantic Beer & Oyster Bar works well for a casual day or evening date. atlanticbeerandoyster.com

Garp & Fuss has many standouts, including this lobster roll. Photo courtesy Catherine Walters.

Garp & Fuss

Tucked away down an alleyway off of Park Avenue, you’ll find a restaurant that feels a bit Harry Potter and a little bit winery in Ojai, California. Garp & Fuss is a relaxed dining area with a large stonework atrium that serves simple, home-style food that’s just damn good. The name of the restaurant is a nod to one of the owners’ sisters, who were nicknamed Garp and Fuss by a family member, and that familiarity is felt throughout the space. Cocktails and mocktails are strong and flavorful, as is the food. Steak Frites is particularly exceptional, as is their selection of burgers. Reservations are strongly recommended and ask for a table in the atrium for the best views and people-watching (sunsets are spectacular). garpandfuss.com

Leu Gardens & Mead Botanical Garden

Location: Orlando and Winter Park
Destinations: Leu Gardens & Mead Botanical Garden

A couple strolls along a path inside Leu Gardens. Photo by Roberto Gonzalez.

Leu Gardens

American naturalist and essayist John Burroughs spoke for many of us who seek the relief and calm green spaces provide. If you have the urge to run for the trees with your date—or the camellias, azaleas, or cycads—Leu Gardens offers the escape your heart seeks. The 50-acre botanical garden occupies prime space just to the south of Winter Park. Situated prettily on the banks of Lake Rowena, the gardens and the historic house in the midst of them were a gift from Harry P. Leu and his wife Mary Jane to the City of Orlando in 1961. Twelve different areas make up the gardens, including Mary Jane’s Rose Garden, the largest formal rose garden in Florida, and an impressive array of camellias that comprise the country’s third largest collection. It is perfect for strolling, snuggling on a bench or smooching on a bridge when no one is looking (or when everyone is looking if that’s your thing). With the recent addition of Foxtail Coffee and Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream inside the gardens, you can top off your walking date with a sweet treat. Advanced admission purchased online is $14.08 per person. leugardens.org

Mead Botanical Garden

This free garden in Winter Park boasts 48 acres to explore. With its hiking trails, creek, boardwalk, tall pine trees, greenhouse, butterfly garden, and pond home to turtles, fish and wading birds, you’ll find much to discover and experience at Mead Botanical Garden during your date. Mead isn’t as tamed and manicured as Leu, but there is something romantic and wonderful about its wildness. Remember to wear sneakers or hiking boots, as most of the trails are not paved. meadgarden.org

Victoria & Albert’s

Location: Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

If you’re reading this story now, you won’t be sitting at Victoria & Albert’s for a date night in February. But that’s okay. Because you’re a planner. And like me, you may enjoy the anticipation of something as much as the actual event. If you have the budget and bandwidth to dine at Victoria & Albert’s in your lifetime, you should do it. If you need a plus one, count me in. Nestled inside Walt Disney World’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, this MICHELIN-starred restaurant is simply the best; the best food, the best service, and an overall romantic experience that is sure to please your date. Guests dine under the grand rotunda dome; a space reminiscent of a garden—from its Victorian-themed murals and wallcoverings to the graceful flowers and butterflies that adorn the ceiling. Settle in for a delectable dining experience with world-class service and thoughtful touches from beginning to end. Each night, there are two chef’s tasting menus available. Although subject to change, the prix-fixe menu begins at $295.00 per guest. Optional wine pairings start at $155.00 per guest. Zero-proof pairings start at $115.00 per guest. For an extra special nightcap, stop at the brand-new bar, The Perch, in the Grand Floridian Lobby for a hand-crafted cocktail. disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/victoria-and-alberts-overview

BACÁN dazzles with both a striking interior and a creative menu. Photo by Omag Staff.

BACÁN

Location: Lake Nona Wave Hotel

For those looking for a date location worthy of a social media post (or two), head to Lake Nona for meal at BACÁN. BACÁN restaurant at the Lake Nona Wave Hotel is arguably one of the hottest spots in Orlando for Instagram-savvy foodies. With its open‑kitchen design, soaring ceilings, jewel‑toned seating, gold lanterns and a bold mural of Pachamama (an Andean Mother Earth goddess) by Amy Rader, every frame seems tailor-made for the ‘gram. The plates are equally photogenic, too. Think Whole Truffle Chicken plated two ways, lobster topped corn tostadas and liquid nitrogen desserts that melt theatrically at the table. Add in cocktails with fragrant garnishes and a chic patio that overlooks a Miami-inspired sculpture garden, BACÁN serves lewks as well as delicious meals. bacanlakenona.com

Better Than Sex offers in-house desserts and drinks that truly set the mood. Photo by Roberto Gonzalez.

Better Than Sex

Location: Ivanhoe Village

I know … this choice seems a little “on the nose” as they say but hear me out. Located in a dimly lit, cozy space designed for couples, Better Than Sex is the perfect pick for a romantic night out if you’re looking for more privacy and a perhaps a little PDA. Most tables are partially enclosed with curtains or walls for extra privacy, letting you enjoy your indulgence with no distractions. Portions are generous and made for sharing, so bring a partner—or at least someone who doesn’t mind splitting bites.

All menu items are made in-house by a team led by husband-and-wife duo Dani and Len Johnson, who opened the first Better Than Sex in Key West in 2008. Since then, their passion project has grown to include locations in Orlando and several other cities. betterthansexdesserts.com