Photo by Roberto Gonzalez
Best Craft Cocktail Program: OTTO’S HIGH DIVE
ORLANDO
I think I’m in love … with Otto’s High Dive. Most recently, we celebrated Father’s Day at Otto’s High Dive, and they got me again with their sensational cocktails and zero proof options. Let’s start with the mocktails, because why not? Coco Loso, get out of here with your fabulousity, created with coconut milk, maduro cordial, pineapple, coconut balsamic, and cinnamon. Do you like cream cheese? Who doesn’t? Try the Todi Bird Cake cocktail with Panamanian & Jamaican rums, caramelized banana, walnut, pineapple, piloncillo, and cream cheese. ottoshd.com
Photo by Roberto Gonzalez
Best German: HOLLERBACH’S GERMAN RESTAURANT
DOWNTOWN SANFORD
Herzlich willkommen is what you’ll get when you step inside Hollerbach’s German Restaurant in downtown Sanford. Hollerbach’s is THE German restaurant in Orlando. There is no close second. Founded by Theo and Linda Hollerbach in 2001, Hollerbach’s German Restaurant has become a Downtown Sanford landmark known for authentic cuisine, live entertainment and traditional celebrations. Its flagship restaurant, German market, Outfitters shop and Burgerbach’s concept offer food, gifts and cultural experiences rooted in Theo Hollerbach’s German heritage. The brand is now expanding to Orlando Sanford International Airport, bringing its signature spirit of Gemütlichkeit to travelers while encouraging them to visit its downtown locations. More recently run by their incredible daughter, Christina Hollerbach (now incoming Mayor for the City of Sanford), Hollerbach’s is still slinging schnitzel, bratwurst, and pretzels by the tableful. hollerbachs.com
Photo by Roberto Gonzalez
Best Happy Hour: CORNER CHOPHOUSE
WINTER PARK
Corner Chophouse is just wrapping up their first anniversary with an impressive run and a bright future. Their happy hour, or as they call it, their social hour because they’re fancy like that, is a great way to experience this steakhouse without figuratively breaking the bank. Here, you can feel like Don Draper, grabbing a Manhattan before an important pitch, or drowning your sorrows from the creep of your secret lifestyle. Available Monday – Saturday from 4 – 6 PM and Sunday from 2:30 – 4 PM includes four classic cocktails because this is a classy cocktail spot, like their Martini, Manhattan, Old Fashioned and Lemon Drop. All $10. cornerchophouse.com
Photo courtesy Korea House
Best Korean: KOREA HOUSE
LONGWOOD
I like an activity when I eat, and Korea House provides that in spades. If you haven’t been to a Korean BBQ and Grill, you are in for a real treat. Korea House offers both a-la-carte menu and an all-you-can-eat buffet ($39 for adults / $14.99 ages 6 – 10). How does it work? It’s kind of like fondue, where your meat comes raw and you cook it on the table. Founded in 1982, this was Florida’s first Korean restaurant and continues to serve traditional Korean cuisine near Orlando. The menu features distinctive, healthy flavors and favorites such as bulgogi, kalbi, bibimbap and Korean pancakes. Its authentic cooking has earned recognition from the Orlando Sentinel, Orlando Weekly, Zagat Survey and other publications. koreahouseorlando.com
Photo courtesy Cedar’s Restaurant
Best Middle Eastern: CEDAR’S RESTAURANT
RESTAURANT ROW
Orlando has no shortage of incredible international cuisines represented through their many restaurants, and that includes Cedar’s Restaurant, bringing the soul of Lebanon to Orlando through its flavors, music and the warm of its people. They also add in a few Mediterranean inspired dishes on their menu. I lean into the chef’s picks at Cedar’s: Tabbouleh ($11) or Moussaka ($12) to start, with a Paloma ($15), and the Shish Tawook ($29), three skewers of marinated chicken breast, to round out my meal. cedarsorlando.com
Courtesy of Christner’s Prime Steak & Lobster
Best Place To Do Business: CHRISTNER’S PRIME STEAK & LOBSTER
ORLANDO
If I had to close a deal, I’d do it at Christner’s Prime Steak & Lobster, preferably over a cooked steak and a slice of its famous orange cake. Named Orlando’s Best Place to Do Business, Christner’s has everything a serious dinner requires: white-tablecloth polish, attentive service and a convenient location just off I-4. It also offers something rare in Orlando dining: a reasonable chance of finishing a sentence without a toddler launching a crayon into your wine glass or a birthday party singing three tables away. The atmosphere is refined without feeling stiff, making it equally suited for signing contracts, impressing clients or gently explaining why the budget has “evolved.” And if negotiations stall, order another round, add lobster and bring out the orange cake. At Christner’s, even a complicated business discussion feels more agreeable when everyone is well-fed and nobody has to assemble their own dessert. christnersprimesteakandlobster.com
Photo Fitlife Foods And Diane Fields Photography
Best Prepared Foods: FITLIFE FOODS
WINTER PARK
“We can’t eat out all the time,” is what I tell myself each night as I go to bed. But there are times we need to stay home and eat. If you are too busy to cook, or prefer balanced meals prepared by a chef, Winter Park’s FitLife Foods offers just that. Since 2011, their mission has been simple: to create delicious, satisfying, crave-worthy meal prep and snacks that feed a journey to a healthier, happier you. They offer home delivery subscriptions, but you can also pop into their brick-and-mortar location across from Trader Joe’s on 17-92. Meals also come in different portion sizes, easy to adapt to any size family. I’m a big fan of the queso chicken burrito bowl and butter chicken. eatfitlifefoods.com
Photo by Roberto Gonzalez
Best Seafood: REEL FISH COASTAL KITCHEN + BAR
WINTER PARK
Local favorite Reel Fish Coastal Kitchen + Bar has been serving exceptional seafood sourced from Florida waters in Winter Park for more than nine years. Owner Fred Thimm’s commitment to quality, fresh ingredients and happy customers is on display in both the front and back of the house. Guests can expect bold flavors, traditional dishes with a fresh twist and generous helpings of laid-back Southern hospitality. I love brunch at Reel Fish, where the Florida Shrimp & Grits ($25) combines wild-caught shrimp, cheesy grits, Tasso ham gravy and a poached egg. If I arrive especially hungry, the Lobster Benedict Royale ($38), served over fried green tomatoes and house-baked buttermilk biscuits, makes a convincing argument for abandoning all afternoon plans. Add a buy-one, get-one brunch cocktail, and the argument is over. reelfishcoastal.com
Photo by Roberto Gonzalez
Best Sushi: SEITO SUSHI
BALDWIN PARK
Consistency is everything when it comes to sushi. I want the fish impeccably fresh, the rice just right and my favorite roll every bit as good as I remember it. Seito Sushi in Baldwin Park has delivered that kind of reliability for more than two decades, which makes another Best Sushi win feel almost inevitable. Chef-partner Huy Tin’s menu moves confidently from classic nigiri and sashimi to imaginative sushi and contemporary Japanese dishes, even making room for Japanese A5 wagyu. Jason and Sue Chin have built a restaurant group known for genuine hospitality, and Seito remains one of its defining successes. With several of their restaurants appearing among this year’s winners, consistency may be the Chins’ most impressive specialty. seitosushi.com
Photo by Roberto Gonzalez
Best Theme Park Restaurant: BLUE DRAGON
EPIC UNIVERSE
This vibrant spot leans into its Pan-Asian fusion roots with zero apologies—and I loved it. Tucked inside Epic Universe, but right outside the Helios, The Blue Dragon is one of two full-service restaurants in the park. The theme is a night in Tokyo, with star-filled night skies and flowing lanterns setting the mood. Food is served family style, and comes out as it is ready, so be prepared to share. universalorlando.com
Photo by Roberto Gonzalez
Best Veggie-Forward Eats: WINTER PARK BISCUIT CO.
WINTER PARK
It’s not the real thing; it might be better. Winter Park Biscuit Co., housed inside East End Market in Audubon Park, is a vegan-forward restaurant stall that celebrates classic Southern flavors reimagined through a fully plant-based kitchen. Here’s the catch; you’d never know it when you take a bite of this incredible sandwich (or anything on their menu; it’s all stellar). My boys love the WPBC Box ($13) filled with three chik strips, an oat butter biscuit, French fries and your choice of housemade sauce. I’m a creature of habit at WPBC, typically going for the Crispy Chik Sandwich ($13) a crispy chik cutlet with lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayo on a toasted brioche bun. winterparkbiscuitco.com
Courtesy JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek
Best View: ILLUME
LAKE BUENA VISTA
At illume, the view arrives before the first cocktail. Perched on the ninth floor of the JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek, this rooftop restaurant looks out across the preserve and Walt Disney World, offering sunsets that melt into nightly fireworks. The chic indoor-outdoor terrace and wraparound bar make every seat feel like the best one in the house. Of course, the scenery is only part of the experience. A contemporary Japanese-inspired menu brings fresh sushi, inventive small plates and craft cocktails to the table, giving diners plenty to enjoy between bursts of color in the sky. After 9 p.m., the space becomes adults-only, creating a sophisticated perch for date nights, celebrations or simply raising a glass to Orlando from above. marriott.com
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