2014 Dining Awards

Our annual readers’ survey names the top restaurants in 61 categories.

Best Restaurant: Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant

A Road Best Traveled

Charismatic chef Kevin Dundon, Ireland's answer to Emeril Lagasse, takes time from his TV and book tour schedule to visit Orlando several times a year for high-energy special event dinners, but his influence on the Raglan Road menu can be seen—and tasted—every day. The restaurant, a series of faithfully restored bars and furnishings from ancient Old Country pubs, has the feel of a genuine family-run restaurant (which it is). It gives Dundon a place to use traditional recipes and farm-fresh ingredients as a leaping point for new, satisfying and occasionally surprising ideas, such as a killer twist on smoked haddock & Dubliner cheese dip, or a wine-infused broth and seafood he calls “It's not bleedin' Chowder!’’ The combination of New Irish cuisine, a pint of ale and a wink from a high-stepping Irish lass is hard to beat.



BEST RESTAURANT 1 Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant

raglanroad.com

1640 E. Buena Vista Drive

Lake Buena Vista

407.938.0300 2 (3) Chef’s Table at the Edgewater

chefstableattheedgewater.com

99 W. Plant St.

Winter Garden

407.230.4837 3 (2) deep blu seafood grille

deepbluorlando.com

Wyndham Grand Orlando, Bonnet Creek

14651 Chelonia Parkway Orlando

407.390.2420 BEST NEW RESTAURANT 1 Eddie V’s

eddiev.com

7488 W. Sand Lake Road

Orlando

407.355.3011 2 Yuki Hana

sushioviedo.com

3635 Aloma Ave.

Oviedo

407.695.8808 3 Nona Blue Modern Tavern

nonablue.com

9685 Lake Nona Village Place

Orlando

407.313.0027 BEST SERVICE 1 The Venetian Room

thevenetianroom.com

Caribe Royale Orlando

8101 World Center Drive

Orlando

407.238.8060 2 (1) deep blu seafood grille

deepbluorlando.com

Wyndham Grand Orlando, Bonnet Creek

14651 Chelonia Parkway

Orlando

407.390.2420 3 Victoria & Albert’s

victoria-alberts.com

Grand Floridian Resort

Walt Disney World Resort

407.939.3862 BEST CHEF 1 (1) Cory York

deep blu seafood grille deepbluorlando.com

14651 Chelonia Parkway

Orlando

407.390.2420 2 Kevin Tarter

Chef’s Table at the Edgewater

chefstableattheedgewater.com

99 W. Plant St.

Winter Garden

407.230.4837 3 Khalid Benghallem

The Venetian Room

thevenetianroom.com

8101 World Center Drive

Orlando

407.238.8060 BEST OUTDOOR DINING 1 (1) Hillstone

hillstone.com

215 S. Orlando Ave.

Winter Park

407.740.4005 2 (3) FishBones

fishbonesrestaurants.com

7005 County Road 46A

Lake Mary

407.581.2399 3 Bahama Breeze

bahamabreeze.com

Five Orlando-area locations BEST HOTEL RESTAURANT 1 (1) deep blu seafood grille

deepbluorlando.com

Wyndham Grand Orlando, Bonnet Creek

14651 Chelonia Parkway

Orlando

407.390.2420 2 The Venetian Room

thevenetianroom.com

Caribe Royale Orlando

8101 World Center Drive

Orlando

407.238.8060 3 Victoria & Albert’s

victoria-alberts.com

Grand Floridian Resort

Walt Disney World Resort

407.939.3862 BEST BREAKFAST 1 (1) First Watch

firstwatch.com

Seven Orlando-area locations 2 (2) Keke’s

kekesbreakfastcafe.com

Six Orlando-area locations 3 Briarpatch

facebook.com/thebriarpatchrestaurant

252 N. Park Ave.

Winter Park

407.628.8651 BEST SUNDAY BRUNCH 1 (1) Dexter’s

dexwine.com

Three Orlando-area locations 2 The Boheme

grandbohemianhotel.com

325 S. Orange Ave.

Orlando

407.313.9000 3 Maxine’s on Shine

maxinesonshine.com

337 N. Shine Ave.

Orlando

407.674.6841 BEST POWER LUNCH 1 (1) Citrus Restaurant

citrusorlando.com

821 N. Orange Ave.

Orlando

407.373.0622 2 (2) Hillstone

hillstone.com

215 S. Orlando Ave.

Winter Park

407.740.4005 3 The Capital Grille

thecapitalgrille.com

Pointe Orlando

9101 International Drive

Orlando

407.370.4392

The Mall at Millenia

4200 Conroy Road

Orlando

407.351.2210 BEST FOR A BUSINESS DINNER 1 (2) Christner’s Prime

Steak & Lobster

christnersprimesteakand

lobster.com

729 Lee Road

Orlando

407.645.4443 2 (1) Seasons 52

seasons52.com

7700 Sand Lake Road

Orlando

407.354.5212

463 E. Altamonte Drive Altamonte Springs

407.767.1252 3 (3) The Capital Grille

thecapitalgrille.com

Pointe Orlando

9101 International Drive

Orlando

407.370.4392

The Mall at Millenia

4200 Conroy Road

Orlando

407.351.2210 BEST LATE-NIGHT DINING 1 (2) Pom Pom’s Teahouse and Sandwicheria

pompomsteahouse.com

67 N. Bumby Ave.

Orlando

407.894.0865 2 (1) Bananas

bananasdiner.com

924 N. Mills Ave.

Orlando

407.480.2200 3 (3) Gringos Locos

eatgringos.com

20 E. Washington St.

Orlando

407.841.5626 BEST TAKE-OUT 1 (1) That Deli

thatdelifl.com

3801 W. Lake Mary Blvd.

Suite 131

Lake Mary

321.363.1394 2 (2) 4Rivers Smokehouse

4rbbq.com

Four Orlando-area locations 3 (3) Black Bean Deli

blackbeandeli.yolasite.com

325 S. Orlando Ave.

Suite 1-1

Winter Park

407.628.0294

1835 E. Colonial Drive

Orlando

407.203.0922 BEST CARIBBEAN 1 (1) Bahama Breeze

bahamabreeze.com

Five Orlando-area locations 2 Golden Krust

orlandogoldenkrust.com

5510 W. Colonial Drive

Orlando

407.298.0543

318 N. Alafaya Trail

Orlando

407.745.4744 3 (2) Mark’s Caribbean Cuisine

healthyjamaicanfood.com

10034 University Blvd.

Orlando

407.699.8800 BEST CHINESE 1 (1) P.F. Chang’s China Bistro

pfchangs.com

The Mall at Millenia

4200 Conroy Road

Orlando

407.345.2888

Winter Park Village

436 N. Orlando Ave.

Winter Park

407.622.0188 2 (2) Hawkers Asian Street Fare

facebook.com/hawkersstreetfare

1103 N. Mills Ave.

Orlando

407.237.0606 3 Imperial Dynasty

imperialdynasty.com

2045 W. State Road 434

Longwood

407.786.2266 BEST DELI 1 (1) TooJay’s

toojays.com

Six Orlando-area locations 2 (2) That Deli

thatdelifl.com

3801 W. Lake Mary Blvd.

Suite 131

Lake Mary

321.363.1394 3 Jason’s Deli

jasonsdeli.com

Three Orlando-area locations BEST FRENCH 1 (1) Le Coq au Vin

lecoqauvinrestaurant.com

4800 S. Orange Ave.

Orlando

407.851.6980 2 (2) Chez Vincent

chezvincent.com

533 W. New England Ave.

Winter Park

407.599.2929 3 (3) Café de France

lecafedefrance.com

526 S. Park Ave.

Winter Park

407.647.1869 BEST MEXICAN/TEX MEX 1 (1) Cocina 214

cocina214.com

151 E. Welbourne Ave.

Winter Park

407.790.7997 2 (2) Agave Azul

agaveazulorlando.com

4750 S. Kirkman Road

Orlando

407.704.6930 3 (3) Tijuana Flats

tijuanaflats.com

Multiple Orlando-area locations BEST ITALIAN 1 (1) Prato

prato-wp.com

124 N. Park Ave.

Winter Park

407.262.0050 2 Bucca di Beppo

buccadibeppo.com

8001 S. Orange Blossom Trail

Orlando

407.859.7844

1351 S. Orange Ave.

Maitland

407.622.7663 3 (2) Antonio’s Ristorante

antoniosonline.com

611 S. Orlando Ave.

Maitland

407.645.1035 BEST GREEK 1 (1) Taverna Opa

opaorlando.com

Pointe Orlando

9101 International Drive

Orlando

407.351.8660 2 Mykonos

mykonoslongwood.com

2401 W. State Road 434

Longwood

407.788.9095 3 (2) Mediterranean Blue

mediterraneanblue.net

35 E. Michigan St.

Orlando

407.422.2583 BEST JAPANESE 1 (1) Kobe Japanese Steakhouse

kobesteakhouse.com

Seven Orlando-area locations 2 Dragonfly Robata Grill & Sushi

dragonflyorlando.com

7972 Via Dellagio Way

Orlando

407.370.3359 3 Yuki Hana

sushioviedo.com

3635 Aloma Ave.

Oviedo

407.695.8808 BEST SOUTHERN 1 (1) Cask & Larder

caskandlarder.com

565 W. Fairbanks Ave.

Winter Park

321.280.4200 2 (3) Cracker Barrel

crackerbarrel.com

Multiple Orlando-area locations 3 (2) 4Rivers Smokehouse

4rbbq.com

Four Orlando-area locations

BEST INDIAN 1 (1) Memories of India

memoriesofindiacuisine.com 7625 Turkey Lake Road

Orlando

407.370.3277

3895 Lake Emma Road

Lake Mary

407.804.0920 2 Saffron

saffronorlando.com

7724 W. Sand Lake Road

Orlando

407.674.8899 3 Woodlands

woodlandsusa.com

6040 S. Orange Blossom Trail

Orlando

407.854.3330 BEST LATIN 1 (2) Black Bean Deli

blackbeandeli.yolasite.com

325 S. Orlando Ave.,

Suite 1-1

Winter Park

407.628.0294

1835 E. Colonial Drive

Orlando

407.203.0922 2 Columbia Restaurant

columbiarestaurant.com

649 Front St.

Celebration

407.566.1505 3 (1) Cuba Libre

cubalibrerestaurant.com

Pointe Orlando

9101 International Drive

Orlando

407.226.1600 BEST SPANISH 1 (3) Columbia Restaurant

columbiarestaurant.com

649 Front St.

Celebration

407.566.1505 2 (2) Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant

ceviche.com

125 W. Church St.

Orlando

321.281.8140 3 El Bodegón Tapas & Wine

bodegonrestaurant.com

400 S. Orlando Ave.

Winter Park

407.628.1078 BEST THAI 1 (2) Thai Blossom

mythaiblossom.com

The Edgewater Hotel

99 W. Plant St.

Winter Garden

407.905.9917 2 (3) Thai Cuisine

thaicuisineorlando.com

5325 Edgewater Drive

Orlando

407.292.9474 3 (1) Sea Thai

seaorlando.com

3812 E. Colonial Drive

Orlando

407.895.0985 BEST VIETNAMESE 1 (1) Pho 88

pho88orlando.com

730 N. Mills Ave.

Orlando

407.897.3488 2 (2) Little Saigon

littlesaigonrestaurant.com

1106 E. Colonial Drive

Orlando

407.423.8539 3 (3) Pho Vinh

phovinhorlando.com

657 N. Primrose Drive

Orlando

407.228.0043 BEST MIDDLE EASTERN 1 (1) Bosphorous

bosphorousrestaurant.com

108 S. Park Ave.

Winter Park

407.644.8609 2 (2) Cedars Restaurant

cedarsoforlando.com

7732 W. Sand Lake Road

Orlando

407.351.6000 3 Habibi

habibiusa.com

2451 S. Hiawassee Road

Orlando

407.802.4242

6651 S. Semoran Blvd.

Orlando

407.730.3958 BEST STEAK HOUSE 1 (1) Christner’s Prime

Steak & Lobster

christnersprimesteakand

lobster.com

729 Lee Road

Orlando

407.645.4443 2 (2) Ruth’s Chris Steak House

ruthschris.com

Three Orlando-area locations 3 (3) Charley’s Steakhouse

talkofthetownrestaurants.com

Three Orlando-area locations BEST BURGER 1 Margaritaville

margaritavilleorlando.com

6000 Universal Blvd.

Suite 704

Orlando

407.224.2155 2 (1) Five Guys

fiveguys.com

Multiple Orlando-area locations 3 (2) BurgerFi

burgerfi.com

Three Orlando-area locations BEST BARBECUE 1 (1) 4Rivers Smokehouse

4rbbq.com

Four Orlando-area locations 2 (2) Bubbalou’s Bodacious BBQ

bubbalous.com

Five Orlando-area locations 3 (3) Harry and Larry’s Bar-B-Que

harryandlarrys.com

54 W. Plant St.

Winter Garden

407.614.5950 BEST RIBS 1 (1) 4Rivers Smokehouse

4rbbq.com

Four Orlando-area locations 2 Sonny’s BBQ

sonnysbbq.com

Multiple Orlando-area locations 3 Cecil’s Texas Style Bar-B-Q

cecilsbbq.com

2800 S. Orange Ave.

Orlando

407.423.9871 BEST SANDWICHES 1 (1) That Deli

thatdelifl.com

3801 W. Lake Mary Blvd.

Suite 131

Lake Mary

321.363.1394 2 (3) TooJay’s

toojays.com

Six Orlando-area locations 3 Earl of Sandwich

earlofsandwichusa.com

1750 E. Buena Vista Drive

Lake Buena Vista

407.938.1762 BEST SEAFOOD 1 (1) deep blu seafood grille

deepbluorlando.com

Wyndham Grand Orlando, Bonnet Creek

14651 Chelonia Parkway

Orlando

407.390.2420 2 Bonefish Grill

bonefishgrill.com

Six Orlando-area locations 3 Boston’s Fish House

bostonsfishhouse.com

6860 Aloma Ave.

Winter Park

407.678.2107 BEST SUSHI 1 (2) Amura

amura.com

Three Orlando-area locations 2 Dragonfly Robata Grill & Sushi

dragonflyorlando.com

7972 Via Dellagio Way

Orlando

407.370.3359 3 (1) Seito Sushi

seitosushi.com

4898 New Broad St.

Orlando

407.898.8801

8031 Turkey Lake Road

Suite 700

Orlando

407.248.8888 BEST HEALTHY SELECTIONS 1 (1) Seasons 52

seasons52.com

7700 Sand Lake Road

Orlando

407.354.5212

463 E. Altamonte Drive

Altamonte Springs

407.767.1252 2 First Watch

firstwatch.com

Seven Orlando-area locations 3 (3) Dandelion

Communitea Café

dandelioncommunitea.com

618 N. Thornton Ave.

Orlando

407.362.1864 BEST PIZZA 1 (1) Mellow Mushroom

mellowmushroom.com

11680 E. Colonial Drive

Orlando

407.384.4455

2015 Aloma Ave.

Winter Park

407.657.7755 2 (3) Anthony’s Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant

anthonyspizza.com

100 N. Summerlin Ave.

Orlando

407.648.0009 3 Winter Garden Pizza

wintergardenpizza.com

42 W. Plant St.

Winter Garden

407.877.1930 BEST APPETIZERS 1 (1) The Tasting Room

chefstableattheedgewater.com 99 W. Plant St.

Winter Garden

407.230.4837 2 Bonefish Grill

bonefishgrill.com

Six Orlando-area locations 3 (2) Café Tu Tu Tango

cafetututango.com

8625 International Drive

Orlando

407.248.2222 BEST SALADS 1 (2) Souplantation & Sweet Tomatoes

souplantation.com

Four Orlando-area locations 2 (1) Greens and Grille

greensandgrille.com

4104 Millenia Blvd.

Suite 114

407.770.1407

11325 University Blvd. 407.373.0123 3 Panera Bread

panerabread.com

Multiple Orlando-area locations BEST VEGETARIAN 1 (2) Dandelion

Communitea Café

dandelioncommunitea.com

618 N. Thornton Ave.

Orlando

407.362.1864 2 (1) Ethos Vegan Kitchen

ethosvegankitchen.com

601 S. New York Ave.

Winter Park

407.228.3899 3 (3) Infusion Tea

infusionorlando.com

1600 Edgewater Drive

Orlando

407.999.5255 BEST BEER SELECTION 1 (1) World of Beer

wobusa.com

Four Orlando-area locations 2 (2) Redlight Redlight Beer Parlour

redlightredlightbeerparlour.com

2810 Corrine Drive

Orlando

407.893.9832 3 Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant

raglanroad.com

1640 E. Buena Vista Drive

Lake Buena Vista

407.938.0300 BEST PLACE FOR COCKTAILS 1 (2) Blue Martini

bluemartinilounge.com

The Mall at Millenia

4200 Conroy Road

Orlando

407.447.2583 2 Pilars Martini Bar

pilarsmartini.com

146 W. Plant St.

Winter Garden

407.369.8900 3 The Woods

thewoodsorlando.com

49 N. Orange Ave.

Orlando

407.203.1114 BEST WINE BAR 1 (1) The Wine Room

thewineroomonline.com

270 S. Park Ave.

Winter Park

407.696.9463 2 (2) Eola Wine Company

eolawinecompany.com

500 E. Central Blvd.

Orlando

407.481.9100

136 Park Ave.

Winter Park

407.647.9103 3 Attic Door

jrsatticdoor.com

28 W. Plant St.

Winter Garden

407.877.0266

BEST WINE LIST 1 (1) Luma on Park

lumaonpark.com

290 S. Park Ave.

Winter Park

407.599.4111 2 The Capital Grille

thecapitalgrille.com

Pointe Orlando

9101 International Drive

Orlando

407.370.4392

The Mall at Millenia

4200 Conroy Road

Orlando

407.351.2210 3 Jiko-The Cooking Place

disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining

2901 Osceola Pkwy

Lake Buena Vista

407.938.4733 BEST HAPPY HOUR 1 (2) FishBones

fishbonesrestaurants.com

7005 County Road 46A

Lake Mary

407.581.2399 2 Dragonfly Robata Grill & Sushi

dragonflyorlando.com

7972 Via Dellagio Way

Orlando

407.370.3359 3 (3) Cocina 214

cocina214.com

151 E. Welbourne Ave.

Winter Park

407.790.7997 BEST FOOD TRUCK 1 (2) Yum Yum Cupcake Truck

theyumyumcupcaketruck.com

407.494.9336 2 Monsta Lobsta

monstalobsta.net

407.492.0350 3 Treehouse Truck

treehousetruck.com

407.346.7670 BEST DESSERTS 1 (3) Cheesecake Factory

thecheesecakefactory.com

520 N. Orlando Ave.

Winter Park

407.644.4220

4200 Conroy Road

Orlando

407.226.0333 2 Chef Henry’s

chef-henrys.com

1831 W. State Road 434

Longwood

407.331.4836 3 (2) The Dessert Lady

dessertlady.com

7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd.

Orlando

407.999.5696 BEST PLACE TO CELEBRATE 1 Chef’s Table at the Edgewater

chefstableattheedgewater.com 99 W. Plant St.

Winter Garden

407.230.4837 2 (3) Taverna Opa

opaorlando.com

Pointe Orlando

9101 International Drive

Orlando

407.351.8660 3 (2) Christner’s Prime

Steak & Lobster

christnersprimesteakand

lobster.com

729 Lee Road

Orlando

407.645.4443 BEST PLACE TO TAKE COMPANY 1 Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant

raglanroad.com

1640 E. Buena Vista Drive

Lake Buena Vista

407.938.0300 2 (1) Seasons 52

seasons52.com

7700 Sand Lake Road

Orlando

407.354.5212

463 E. Altamonte Drive Altamonte Springs

407.767.1252 3 (2) Hillstone

hillstone.com

215 S. Orlando Ave.

Winter Park

407.740.4005 BEST BAKERY 1 (1) Blue Bird Bake Shop

bluebirdbakeshop.com

3122 Corrine Drive

Orlando

407.228.3822 2 (3) Charlie’s Gourmet Pastries

charliesgourmetpastries.com

3213 Curry Ford Road

Orlando

407.898.9561 3 (2) Yalaha Bakery

yalahabakery.com

8210 County Road 48

Yalaha

352.324.3366 BEST NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANT 1 That Deli

thatdelifl.com

3801 W. Lake Mary Blvd.

Suite 131

Lake Mary

321.363.1394 2 (2) Maxine’s on Shine

maxinesonshine.com

337 N. Shine Ave.

Orlando

407.674.6841 3 Teak Neighborhood Grill

teakorlando.com

6400 Times Square Ave.

Orlando

407.313.5111 RESTAURANT MOST WORTH THE WAIT 1 California Grill

disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/

Contemporary Resort

Walt Disney World Resort

407.939.3463 2 Victoria & Albert’s

victoria-alberts.com

Grand Floridian Resort

Walt Disney World Resort

407.939.3862 3 (2) 4Rivers Smokehouse

4rbbq.com

Four Orlando-area locations BEST VIEW 1 (2) California Grill

disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining

Contemporary Resort

Walt Disney World Resort 407.939.3463 2 (1) Hillstone

hillstone.com

215 S. Orlando Ave.

Winter Park

407.740.4005 3 Citrus Club (members only)

clubcorp.com/Clubs/

Citrus-Club

255 S. Orange Ave.

Suite 1800

Orlando

407.843.1080 BEST KEPT SECRET 1 Chef Henry’s

chef-henrys.com

1831 W. State Road 434

Longwood

407.331.4836 2 (3) Yellow Dog Eats

yellowdogeats.com

1236 Hempel Ave.

Windermere

407.296.0609 3 (2) Maxine’s on Shine

maxinesonshine.com

337 N. Shine Ave.

Orlando

407.674.6841 BEST PLACE TO TAKE

THE KIDS 1 (2) Rainforest Café

rainforestcafe.com

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

505 N. Rainforest Road

Lake Buena Vista

407.938.9100

Downtown Disney

1800 E. Buena Vista Drive

Lake Buena Vista

407.827.8500 2 Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant

raglanroad.com

1640 E. Buena Vista Drive

Lake Buena Vista

407.938.0300 3 Margaritaville

margaritavilleorlando.com

6000 Universal Blvd.

Suite 704

Orlando

407.224.2155 MOST ROMANTIC 1 (1) Chef’s Table at the Edgewater

chefstableattheedgewater.com

99 W. Plant St.

Winter Garden

407.230.4837 2 (2) The Venetian Room

thevenetianroom.com

Caribe Royale Orlando

8101 World Center Drive Orlando

407.238.8060 3 (3) Victoria & Albert’s

victoria-alberts.com

Grand Floridian Resort

Walt Disney World Resort 407.939.3862 BEST CELEBRITY SPOTTING 1 (1) Luma on Park

lumaonpark.com

290 S. Park Ave.

Winter Park

407.599.4111 2 (2) Kres Chophouse

kresrestaurant.com

17 W. Church St.

Orlando

407.447.7950 3 Blue Martini

bluemartinilounge.com

The Mall at Millenia

4200 Conroy Road

Orlando

407.447.2583 RESTAURANT YOU ARE DYING TO VISIT 1 (2) Victoria & Albert’s

victoria-alberts.com

Grand Floridian Resort

Walt Disney World Resort 407.939.3862 2 (1) Cask & Larder

caskandlarder.com

565 W. Fairbanks Ave.

Winter Park

321.280.4200 3 Eddie V’s

eddiev.com

7488 W. Sand Lake Road

Orlando

407.355.3011 BEST OLD FAVORITE 1 (1) Linda’s La Cantina

lindaslacantinasteakhouse.com

4721 E. Colonial Drive

Orlando

407.894.4491 2 Christner’s Prime

Steak & Lobster

christnersprimesteakand

lobster.com

729 Lee Road

Orlando

407.645.4443 3 (3) Le Coq au Vin

lecoqauvinrestaurant.com

4800 S. Orange Ave.

Orlando

407.851.6980 BEST CHEF’S TABLE 1 (1) Chef’s Table at the Edgewater

chefstableattheedgewater.com 99 W. Plant St.

Winter Garden

407.230.4837 2 (3) deep blu seafood grille

deepbluorlando.com

Wyndham Grand Orlando, Bonnet Creek

14651 Chelonia Parkway

Orlando

407.390.2420 3 Victoria & Albert’s

victoria-alberts.com

Grand Floridian Resort

Walt Disney World Resort

407.939.3862 BEST LIVE MUSIC/ ENTERTAINMENT 1 Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant

raglanroad.com

1640 E. Buena Vista Drive

Lake Buena Vista

407.938.0300 2 (3) House of Blues

houseofblues.com

Downtown Disney

1490 E. Buena Vista Drive

Lake Buena Vista

407.934.2583 3 (1) Dexter’s

dexwine.com

Three Orlando-area locations RESTAURANT THAT SAYS ORLANDO AREA BEST 1 (1) The Ravenous Pig

theravenouspig.com

1234 N. Orange Ave.

Winter Park

407.628.2333 2 (2) Citrus Restaurant

citrusorlando.com

821 N. Orange Ave.

Orlando

407.373.0622 3 (3) deep blu seafood grille

deepbluorlando.com

Wyndham Grand Orlando, Bonnet Creek

14651 Chelonia Parkway

Orlando

407.390.2420



5 New Inductees into our Dining Hall of Fame.

Fred Vlachos

The architect of Vine & Dine—and oh so fine cuisine.

It takes a chef with a large personality to have run the busy Everglades restaurant for the past 8 years, and to have done it successfully. Head Chef Fred Vlachos is a big man with a winning disposition, and when he walks through the dining room, shaking hands and laughing, everybody knows it.

"I enjoy what I do," the 52-year-old Vlachos says. "I like hustle and bustle, the on-the-spot thinking." Chef Fred crafts an eclectic nightly menu for the Rosen Centre Hotel restaurant, changing dishes seasonally to reflect what catches his fancy. He juggles flavors—smoking salmon with tea leaves, or serving filet of buffalo with a blueberry onion jam.

Vlachos, who hotelier Harris Rosen calls "an amazing culinary artist," is the impetus behind the popular Vine & Dine wine-pairing dinners that have been ongoing four evenings a year since 2006. Some of his five-course menus (the themes change every year) have centered around "Hollywood and Vine" (accompanied by Coppola wines), New Orleans, Robert Mondavi's 100th birthday and an "Homage to Fromage" featuring a blue cheese-encrusted filet. He creates items like roasted onion soup with smoked salmon sausage, or sweet potato risotto and fiddlehead ferns. "I like to play with a theme," he says, planning a "Southern Comfort" night that will include far more than a shot of alcohol. By bringing in new wines and fun, show-biz ideas, Vlachos attracts that rarest of breeds in hotel restaurants: a solid core of local diners who come to just about every event.

He is proud of his Greek roots. "Yes, my grandfather worked in diners," he laughs. Vlachos began his career as a short-order cook while attending C.W. Post College on New York's Long Island. His father was a high school math and Spanish teacher who made pastries in his spare time, his mother a nurse. After graduating from Johnson & Wales culinary school, Vlachos moved to Florida and worked the kitchen at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress.

As many as 200 people benefit from Chef Fred's talents each night at Everglades; he also manages the à la carte kitchen next door at Café Gauguin, and room service in the 1334-room hotel. A busy man, and a happy one.

» Everglades, 9840 International Drive, Orlando. evergladesrestaurant.com

Bún Thịt Nướng Chả Giò

The Usual, by the numbers.

At Pho 88, it is number 83 on the menu; 34 at Little Saigon; 54 at Ha Long Bistro; 47 at Viet Garden; and 76 at Anh Hong. It is the kind of dish that elicits fervor from locals and visitors alike, and has become one of those habitual standards. Diners glance at the menu, but after a couple of minutes, it’s typically, “Just give me the usual—#115." At Phớ Vinh, that’s the number that will get this star dish delivered to your table. “Very traditional,” owner Phan Truong calls it. “People order a lot of this dish.”

Menu items served by our European cousins can be perplexing. What exactly goes into a tapenade? Can the ingredients of bubble and squeak be found in the fridge or a cartoon? Vietnamese dishes lean toward the literally descriptive—if you know the translation. The parts of this outstanding bowl of bún thịt nướng chả giò, diacritical marks and all, make it as clear as the bowl of sauce beside it.

The word we think of for Vietnamese soup, phở (pronounced “fu”), actually means the rice noodles in the bowl; likewise, bún (or buun, said as “boon”) means thin rice vermicelli. Thịt nướng is barbecued or grilled pork. And while gỏi cuốn (“salad rolls”) means artful, transparent summer rolls, chả giò (“minced pork”) are luscious, ground sausage-filled fried spring rolls.

So… noodles, pork, sliced rolls. Seems simple enough. But the flavor combination of smoky marinated pork with its charred edges, crunchy sliced rolls and silky noodle, mixed with a salad bowl's worth of basil, fresh cucumber, tart pickled daikon radish, bean sprouts, shredded carrots and flat leaf parsley, splashed with a savory accompaniment of fish sauce, vinegar and red pepper flakes, make every bite a new experience.

Typically ordered with an eye-opening glass of condensed milk-laced iced cà phê, this one generous bún bowl provides several courses at once. In a word (or two), tho'm ngon: delicious!

Joe Hardiman

Cheerfully crafting the building blocks of fine dining.

Wearing a lanyard full of culinary association and Disney pins, a bowtie and a smile, Joe Hardiman cuts a lively figure as president of one of the most prestigious hospitality schools in the country.

Halls and classrooms at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts are a parade of white jackets and high pleated toques. Hardiman hails each person he passes in the halls with a hearty “Hey, how are you?” and knows the name of most of his 800 students. (“Joe Hardiman, I’m from upstate New York,” is his usual greeting to strangers.)

“There are some amazing similarities between culinary school and martial arts,” the one-time accountant, restaurant manager and Taekwondo instructor says. “Repetition, practice, increased complexity. Impeccable uniforms. Good behavior, students and teachers. Everyone has dignity and gets respect… and smiling, I insist on smiling. I don’t hire crabby people.”

Hardiman, president of Le Cordon Bleu for the past 10 years, is one of those non-crabby people. Celebrating the creativity in culinary, he arranges “funky chef pant Fridays” for students. His idea for a 1,599-pound crème brûlée won a Guinness World Record in February 2005. “And it was a well made one, too. Very delicious.”

Some have said the institution is more a technical school than a culinary academy, to which Hardiman says, “Guess what… we are a technical school. But very technical.” Successful faculty and alumni during his tenure have included Tyler Brassil and Loren Falsone (The Table and Pharmacy); multiple James Beard Award nominee Hari Pulapaka (Cress); food truck pioneer Tony Adams; and certified master chef and Orlando magazine Hall of Famer Klaus Friedenreich.

Hardiman enjoys pointing out plaques, coats signed by renowned chefs, and honors earned by the school. While walking down a hallway lined with kitchens, he sticks his head into a chocolate decoration class (“They’re all so serious!”), and reads aloud a David Mamet saying inscribed on the wall (“We must have pie. Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie.”). “This should all be emotionally satisfying,” he says. “We’re teaching hospitality.”

» Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. chefs.edu/Orlando

Dandelion Communitea Café

Assembling an enduring circle of friends.

“There’s something really special about this intersection,” says Julie Norris. Co-founded by Norris and Chris Blanc, Dandelion Communitea Café, the mostly organic, gluten-free and vegan café perched near the corner of Thornton Avenue and East Colonial Drive, turned 8 years old in March. Offering food made from scratch in the tiny kitchen of a 1920s cheery green house, the goal at Dandelion is to “help create community in a transient town,” says Norris, and channel the cross-cultural, multi-generational atmosphere of the Mills 50 area.

Dandelion’s watchword is “flexitarian,” a semi-vegetarian lifestyle that includes the occasional meat course. People sit in one of several rooms or out in the garden, eating salad bowls or wraps like the popular “Giddyup,” a chili made with tempeh, blue corn chips, vegetables and non-dairy or organic cheddar cheese that accounts for 20 percent of Dandelion’s sales.

Norris handles the creative side of the café while Blanc, who was previously operations manager at the Enzian Theater, runs day-to-day operations. The energy generated by Dandelion has helped incubate several local businesses and ideas. OurLando, one of the earliest local business/community movements, began here, as did Emily Rankin’s Local Roots produce distribution company and Henry Melendy’s My Yard Farm edible landscapers (My Yard Farm supplies the vegan chili). John Rife, the force behind East End Market, could be found at Dandelion planning his food hub over tea.

If a really good song comes on the radio, sing-alongs and dance-offs have been known to break out. Daytime brings moms, bearded Web designers and men in suits for portobello mushroom sandwiches and a beer from Orlando Brewing. Expensive cars park next to the bike rack, lawyers and doctors sit next to modern-day hippies. At night, new talent is spotlighted during a monthly art show, while Di-verse Word presents spoken-word poetry every Tuesday.

“We’ve had two weddings, many engagements,” says Norris. “Every full and new moon there’s a Moon Circle, with drummers, dancers, vendors selling teas and crystals; the back room couches are usually full of people meeting new people, overhearing conversations, sharing seats, having meals together…” “We lure people into community with good food and healthy beverages,” Norris says. “It’s very sneaky.”

» 618 N. Thornton Ave., Orlando. dandelioncommunitea.com

Sherry and Jack Cremin

At Victoria & Albert’s, one team of servers holds the crown.

An evening at Victoria & Albert's, the superb restaurant at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort, will seem remarkably familiar to fans of Downton Abbey: Live harp music, fine crystal and silverware, and candlelight. A pair of servers, dressed in Victorian garb, tend to your every need, eager and able to explain each of your seven (or more) courses and wines during the three-hour experience.

They can, like the staff at Downton, feel like members of your family. And if you’re a regular, your favorite relatives are probably Sherry and Jack Cremin, who, according to Maître d’Hôtel Israel Pérez, are the most requested servers at V&A.

Jack, 59, has been at the restaurant for 10 years; Sherry, 49, for eight. Both veterans of Disney for decades, they met in 1987 while working at Epcot's Coral Reef Restaurant. Jack trained as a chef at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (Anthony Bourdain was a classmate).

The job has a positively Victorian attention to detail. Each afternoon (the day starts at 3:45 p.m.—promptly), the couple gather with the rest of the staff to review

that day's guest list. Birthdays are noted, and food allergies highlighted.

Up until 10 years ago, servers were called Victoria or Albert. They even had nametags as such (Jack still has his while Sherry came on board after the practice was discontinued); the servers still use those titles among themselves.

With two seatings per night, dinner is a long affair; Jack and Sherry usually have their own supper at home sometime after 1 a.m. Sherry, as a "Victoria," handles the presentation, from polishing silver and pouring wine to reviewing the menu with diners. "I'm the talker," Sherry says. "I tell the stories."

Jack, dressed in tails and waistcoat as befits an "Albert," performs every duty from footman to butler. "We stick very closely to British butlering techniques," Jack says, down to when to clear plates and the use for each piece of the remarkably extensive silverware. Both of them are certified sommeliers. "This is where we wanted to end up," Jack says proudly. "The expectation is perfection."

» 4401 Disney's Grand Floridian Resort, Lake Buena Vista. victoria-alberts.com