In a city known for its theme parks, visitors can enjoy a variety of exciting rides-simply by picking up a menu.
The adventure begins in Orlando, where diners can dig in and dine out on the magic of Central Florida with celebrity chef-studded eateries, award-winning establishments, uniquely themed environments, as well as a wide variety of international cuisine and trendy dining experiences.
• Celebrity chefs are bringing a new culinary focus and notoriety to the city while celebrity owners share their personalities and memorabilia with restaurant patrons. The area's noted restaurateurs include Wolfgang Puck, Emeril Lagasse, Todd English, Norman Van Aken, Melissa Kelly and Roy Yamaguchi. New in town is Neil Connolly, former private chef to the Kennedy family. Connolly recently opened Doc's Restaurant, which has earned rave reviews for its New England-inspired cuisine.
• A number of Orlando eateries have earned top marks from AAA. The five-diamond rating bestowed upon Victoria & Albert's indicates a world-class, opulent, adult-oriented experience. Among the city's many four-diamond restaurants-which provide consistently fine dining with creative menus and a highly proficient staff-are Dux, Jiko, Primo, The Venetian Room and Todd English's bluezoo.
• The Central Florida dining scene offers visitors a culinary journey around the world with tastes from Africa, Asia, South America, Europe and the islands of the Caribbean. So whether visitors are looking for the familiar tastes of home or exotic samplings from afar, they will find just what their palate is craving.
• For a themed dining experience, Orlando is the signature place, with plenty of favorite cartoon and movie characters on hand. For more exotic adventures, there are jungles to explore (Rainforest Cafe) and races to run (NASCAR Sports Grille), as well as luaus, medieval feasts and other themed dinner shows.
• Dining in downtown Orlando's trendy Thornton Park-one of the city's most popular historic neighborhoods-offers some of the best-known eateries in town, from casual, outdoor dining to intimate bistros. Historic Winter Park is comprised of charming European-style sidewalk cafes and wine bars that line chic Park Avenue.
The Central Florida dining universe continues to expand so that visitors can ride out new culinary experiences with each visit.
By: Stacey Moore