Photo by Roberto Gonzalez
Best Restaurant: REEL FISH COASTAL KITCHEN + BAR
WINTER PARK
Reel Fish Coastal Kitchen + Bar proves that Orlando’s best restaurant does not need to make a fuss. Inspired by the fish camps that have fed Southern families since the 1930s, this Winter Park favorite pairs fresh seafood with laid-back hospitality. Its menu celebrates sustainably sourced catches from the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean, transforming honest ingredients into comforting classics and inventive dishes.
Whether you come for oysters, seasonal fish, weekend brunch or a cocktail at the bar, the experience feels polished without losing its easygoing coastal charm. That balance has clearly hooked local diners. Orlando magazine readers named Reel Fish the Best Overall Restaurant in the 2026 Dining Awards, a fitting catch for this neighborhood seafood standout. reelfishcoastal.com
Photo by Norma Molina
Best New Restaurant: OSTERIA ESTER
THORNTON PARK
Osteria Ester is fun to say and less fun to spell, but I am willing to practice if dinner is involved. This new concept from Good Salt Restaurant Group is a love letter to Italian-American dining, filled with familiar flavors, hospitality and the kind of lively atmosphere that makes staying for another drink seem reasonable. Good Salt has spent 25 years proving that restaurants can mean more than what arrives on the plate, creating connections with diners, employees and the community. Osteria Ester carries that philosophy into its newest chapter in Thornton Park. It feels warm, polished and built for sharing, whether you are gathering around the table with friends or celebrating its win as Orlando magazine’s Best New Restaurant. osteriaester.com
Photo by Roberto Gonzalez
Best Appetizers: JUDSON’S LIVE
DOWNTOWN ORLANDO
Judson’s Live makes me feel fancy. The interior is dark and moody, but not in a gross, “we’re trying to hide the dirt” kind of way. It’s elegant, it’s elevated, and that continues with the food. The menu changes seasonally, but they always have a slammin’ cheese and charcuterie board ($27). Right now, it’s loaded with mediterranean goat cheese, XO gouda, chorizo cantimpalo & beef bresaola, rosemary-infused honey, pecan pralines, Castelvetrano olives, and grapes. The French onion meatballs ($14) are incredible, with pork & beef cocktail meatballs, sherry cream sauce, brown butter crumb, and shaved Gruyère cheese. May we also recommend their seasonal old fashioned, seasonal syrup, sagamore bourbon, dash of orange bitters, stirred and served chilled over ice sphere, with a dried blood orange ($16). Did we mention the food isn’t even the star attraction here; you get some of the best entertainment possible. drphillipscenter.org
Photo by Catherine Walters
Best Appetizers: GNARLY BARLEY
IVANHOE VILLAGE
Everyone knows your name, kind of, at Ivanhoe Village’s Gnarly Barley. This friendly neighborhood bar and sandwich shop offers terrific bar food in a casual setting. Their more recently added outdoor bar provides a great view of Lake Ivanhoe right along the Village’s main thoroughfare. If I had to rank my favorites here, it would be 1. Fried Cheese Curds ($12), GNachos ($12), and the Pickle Dip ($11). Everything is fresh and quick. Gnarly offers a variety of sammis, burgers, tacos and salad as well. Everything’s gnarly here. Like a bag of Takis™. thegnarlybarley.com
Photo by @alfies.hifi
Best Bartender: ALFIE’S HIFI
MILLS 50
What makes a great bartender? A perfect pour helps, but I also want someone who can read the room, recommend exactly what I did not know I wanted and somehow remember my order the next time I walk in. Orlando magazine readers found all of that in Antoine Blythe of Alfie’s HiFi, naming him Central Florida’s Best Bartender. Working inside the stylish Mills 50 listening lounge, where vinyl selections set the mood and cocktails keep the evening moving, Blythe understands that tending bar is equal parts craft, timing and hospitality. Anyone can hand you a drink. A truly great bartender makes you feel like you ordered the right one, picked the right seat and arrived on exactly the right night. alfieshifi.com
Photo by Norma Molina
Best Kept Secret: PACKWOODS
MAITLAND
The last time I went to Packwoods it was almost too crowded; obviously I spilled the beans on this place during last year’s dining awards feature, and although I’m not 100 percent responsible for their increasing popularity, I like to think I had something to do with it. The team behind the bar at Packwoods oozes craft cocktail expertise. They also remember you, which goes a long way when you frequent a place. They’re friendly, sophisticated but not pompous, and they know their cocktails. The Packwoods menu is a voluminous twelve pages of unique cocktail creations and elevated old favorites. They also entertain themed nights like Tiki Tuesday, where the specials lean into the theme (think rums and tropical flavors), cocktail classes, and a bottle of the month club round out this exceptional space. packwoodsbar.com
Photo by Roberto Gonzalez
Best BIB Gourmand: THE RAVENOUS PIG
WINTER PARK
I’ve been frequenting The Ravenous Pig for so long, it’s fun to see how far they’ve come (remember when they occupied what is now Reel Fish Coastal Kitchen)? The Ravenous Pig, a staple gastropub in the heart of Winter Park, does it all right, every time, and that is what probably caught the eye of MICHELIN aficionados or secret agents or whoever makes up the list. Pop into the bar; you’ll get a great cocktail; sit down for dinner; you’re sure to be wowed; drop in to the Beer Garden for some brews and game day bites; it is party time. Personally, I go for the Pub Burger ($24) with blue cheese, caramelized onion, lettuce, tomato, a house pickle and their signature truffle fries. Right now, I’m also hooked on their seared foie gras starter ($32) with pickled green strawberries, olive oil cake, pistachios and Barolo jus. theravenouspig.com
Photo courtesy Peach Valley Café
Best Breakfast: PEACH VALLEY CAFÉ
MULTIPLE LOCATIONS
Go to the Valley. The Peach Valley Café, that is. Known for their gigantic pancakes, their sack of orchard fresh apple fritters with a brown sugar scented strawberry yogurt dipping sauce (yes, that’s a thing and it’s amazing; don’t get the half sack ($4.59), you deserve a full sack ($6.99). And let’s talk about the pancakes. You think you’re hungry, so you order three pancakes, but these pancakes are larger than a frisbee, and thicker than a bowl of Bisquick™. One pancake ($5.59) is enough for anyone, though I’ve seen someone eat two ($8.59) in a sitting. peachvalleycafe.com
Photo by Roberto Gonzalez
Best Chinese: CHUAN FU
WINTER PARK
Chuan Fu shines with its sizeable and authentic Szechuan menu. Here, you’ll find many classics served in a traditional family-style. This is a place to be adventurous. If you’re not sure what to get, or you’re thinking, Catherine, how adventurous are you thinking? Is this Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom or is this more of an Adventures in Babysitting kind of quest? For the less adventurous, I’d recommend the Tomato Omelette Soup ($15.99), flavors that naturally go together, in a format you’re probably not familiar with. Then go for the ChenDu Dandan Noodle, a spicier version of Taste of Chendu’s Dandan noodle dish ($13.99), with just enough heat to make the meal fun. If you’re wanting a full-on epic adventure, try the Sliced Beef & Ox Tongue with Chili Sauce ($15.99) and the impressive Sweet & Sour Crispy Whole Fish ($49.99). chuanfuwinterpark.com
Photo by Roberto Gonzalez
Best Cocktails: SALT & THE CELLAR
KISSIMMEE
No one puts baby in a corner, and no one puts on a culinary show quite like Salt & The Cellar by Chef Akira Back. Located in Kissimmee’s ette hotel, this is an experience worth dressing up for. With a wide selection of classic cocktails and signature creations, Salt & The Cellar brings their “A” game, every night. Let’s start with their big star, Taurus in Retrograde, available as a cocktail with a bourbon base ($58) and as a mocktail ($46) with Rooibos tea, sarsaparilla shrub (apple cider vinegar), Layers American malt, in house made bitters, and Amarena cherry nectar. Fans of fig will rejoice with the Grandmaster ($26), a whiskey-forward cocktail with figs, dried plums, chocolate bitters, espresso, whisky of course, and caramelized fig signature. Bring your camera; you will not want to forget these editable works of art. saltandthecellar.com
Back to the 2026 Dining Awards 
