Dining Out in Orlando: From Budget to Fine Dining
Posted: Wednesday, April 08, 2009
by Mark Whichard
Orlando's Finest Vacation Homes
One of the pleasures of any vacation is trying out the cuisine of a particular locality. If Orlando is your vacation destination then you will have a wide choice of restaurants to choose from. It would never be possible to give a complete survey of the dining possibilities in Orlando or any city in only one article but here is a sampling of low budget and high budget restaurants that have proven popular with visitors to Orlando.
Bubbalou's Bodacious Bar-B-Cue Ribs
Bubbalou's Bodacious Bar-B-Cue Ribs are the main dish here, and this restaurant has been voted as Central Florida's best barbecue restaurant by readers of the Orlando Sentinel. The food is cooked on an open pit and there is more than just spare ribs on the menu. You can also get barbecued chicken, lamb and smoked turkey. Beware of the special hot sauce that is served here, it is really hot! You can find this barbecue restaurant at: 5818 Conroy Rd., Orlando, FL 32819
Thai Thani
The food here is not native to Central Florida, but it is authentic Thai food served up in an atmosphere that will transport you to Thailand. If you are already a fan of Thai food then you will want to dine at this restaurant, and if you would like to try out Thai food to see what it is all about, then this is a great place to do it.
Hard Rock Cafe Orlando
If you have been to the other Hard Rock Cafes around the world then you will know what to expect here, reasonably priced food in a rock 'n' roll themed environment. Orlando's Hard Rock Caf is located in the Universal Studios CityWalk area and it is the biggest caf of this worldwide chain and also has the largest collection of rock memorabilia in the entire chain. If you like munching on a hamburger and gazing at an original guitar from one of your rock heroes, then be sure to visit Orlando's Hard Rock Caf.
Now let's look at some of the higher-end restaurants that are popular with local residents and visitors alike.
Hemingways
As long as you are in Florida then you might as well get into the magic of one of Key West's most famous residents, the writer Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway's is decorated with the rods and reels, stuffed trophy fish and nautical trinkets of the writer who gave us the classic "The Old Man and the Sea." The cuisine is regional and includes coconut shrimp and paella. A typical meal will cost you about $40. The restaurant is located at Lake Buena Vista 1 Grand Cypress Blvd
California Grill
If you want to go to a restaurant voted as Orlando's most popular, then this is the place for you. You can find it on the 15th floor of Disney's Contemporary Resort. The cuisine is supervised by a famous chef, Cliffor Pleau, who is constantly at work creating new dishes. In addition to fine dining you also get a bird's eye view of the entire Disney theme park. The attire is strictly informal and you can dine in your shorts and Disney tee shirts. The price of a typical meal is $40.
Christini's
As long as we are talking about high-end dining let's finish with a restaurant where the prices are high even by expense-account standards. This restaurant is known for elaborate meals and its huge wine list. The dining takes place in an extremely romantic setting with musicians strolling about. You will think that you having a night out in Italy. If you want to impress someone and can afford to spend around $50 for a meal, then head on out to South Orlando 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd.
Take note of these restaurants and give them a try when you visit Orlando, choosing according to the ones that best fit your taste and your budget
--------
Mark Whichard is an Orlando tourism expert and writes frequently about attractions in and around Orlando. He is the proprietor of Quality Villa Rentals and you can get great deals on Orlando Vacation Homes and villa rentals at this website http://www.qualityvillarentals.com
This Article has been viewed 277 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)I'm adding this to the other good info. you've published. It's going to help on our next visit. Thanks.
Great article.When I go to Orlando shall print out this and some of your other articles and put them in my case.
Great information Mark. Especially since I'm on my way to Florida for the weekend. Have any tips for anything close to Amelia Island?
Ho Mark, thanks for all the tips. I would go to Bubbalou's just because of the name :-) Blessings to you! Teresa
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.