A Brief Orlando Dining Guide

If you are coming to Orlando Florida and want to know the top three places to go and dine at, where you will receive only the best cuisine and top quality service then you have come to the right place. Below you will find a brief Orlando dining guide highlighting the best gourmet dining Orlando options:

Chatham's Place

This restaurant was voted one of the top 10 in central Florida with a gourmet cuisine focusing on continental foods and fine wines. The menu from Chef Tony Lopez includes Filet Mignon, Breast of Duck, Florida Black Grouper, or the Rack of Lamb (which was rated the best in the country) and the desserts consist of mouth watering Zuccoto cake, key lime pie, and crème brulee. Chatham's Place opened in 1988 and has since then been included in every Orlando dining guide, with their high quality cuisine and an array of impressive liqueurs and wines including imported beer. They offer a full sound system with live music every night to entertain guests. This first restaurant on our Orlando dining guide is located on Dr. Phillips Boulevard.

Cedars of Orlando

The next top restaurant on our Orlando dining guide is the Lebanese themed Cedars also located on Dr. Phillips Boulevard and Sand Lake Road and offers a distinctly eastern fine dining experience. With stylish interior and top quality service, Cedars of Orlando provides an ideal culinary sensation. This was voted the Best Middle Eastern Restaurant in 2007 by the people of Orlando, making it a must for any dinner or lunch. Their menu specialties include the Kibbeh Bilsanieh, Kibbeh Bi Laban, Moloukhieh, and the Bemieh. For entertainment, Cedars offers belly dancing every Saturday night.

Maison et Jardin

Next on the Orlando dining guide is an elegant French restaurant that has been around since 1958 and known as one of the premier dining establishments in central Florida. With tons of awards to its name, Maison et Jardin is founded on the strong principals of French cuisine served in a traditional neoclassical setting. This restaurant is perfect for events such as weddings as they offer a state of the art dining room as well as outdoor venues. The menu is seasonal and the impressive villa also contains a wine cellar boasting over 1200 wines to choose from to have with your meal.

Christini's Ristorante Italiano

For a relaxed, yet stylish dining experience that might leave you a bit star struck, the last and most famous restaurant on our Orlando dining guide is none other than Christini's. A throw back to the glamour and charm of old world Italy, Christini's oozes with friendly, caring Italian hospitality that celebrities have come to enjoy. The food is some of the best in the city and the service you receive cannot be beaten. At Christini's, a family run establishment, owned by Chris Christini, there are roaming musicians, and a choice of some of the top wines from all over the world. This is the best Italian restaurant in Florida and definitely a top choice on our Orlando dining guide.

Dining Out in Orlando - From Budget to Fine Dining

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.

Since I am writing this during a time of economic recession let me start with the low budget restaurants. These are places where you can get a good meal but not dent your wallet too much.

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 Café is located in the Universal Studios CityWalk area and it is the biggest café 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 Café.

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