According to a recent study by WalletHub, Orlando ranked as the number two foodie city in America. The city might be known for its theme parks and entertainment, but its culinary scene is becoming increasingly popular among food lovers due to the quality, diversity, and affordability of its dishes.
Many must-visit restaurants are springing up across the city thick and fast, and they’re not all restricted to the likes of Disney Springs and International Drive. It might surprise you that some of the finest venues are set inside O-Town’s resorts and hotels.
Ensure the latest dining experiences are on your doorstep during a visit to Orlando and check out the best new resort restaurants in Orlando.
Los Amigos Mexican Grill & Tequila Bar at Westgate Town Center Resort
The flavors of Mexico will linger on your tongue and embed in your mind after dinner at Los Amigos Mexican & Tequila Bar. The new restaurant at Westgate Town Center provides a stylish backdrop complemented by a delicious menu and exceptional hospitality.
Westgate Resorts has developed a reputation for providing its guests with spacious accommodations and exceptional amenities, such as impressive water parks and serene spas. Tourists might visit for the fun-filled activities and stylish backdrop, but they’ll want to stay forever due to the exceptional dining experiences at the Orlando resorts.
If you’re torn between its many accommodation options in the city, Westgate Town Center Resort is a great choice for foodies thanks to its new Los Amigos Mexican Grill & Tequila Bar. Guests can sample authentic Mexican cuisine in a vibrant, sophisticated backdrop.
The exceptional hospitality works in harmony with the restaurant’s generous portions of delicious tacos, enchiladas, sizzling fajitas, and more. Offering fresh ingredients, house-made tortillas and tostadas, and a choice of dishes that are bursting with flavor, you will feel spoilt for options when dining with your partner, friends, or family.
Orchid Court Lounge & Sushi Bar at Loews Royal Pacific Resort
Sushi fans should look no further than the brand-new Orchid Court Lounge & Sushi Bar at Loews Royal Pacific. It will transport you to the South Seas, as you can sample many sushi, sashimi, and sake options that will excite your tastebuds.
There isn’t a bad seat in the house at the new Orchid Court Lounge & Sushi Bar thanks to its breath-taking views and theatre-in-round design. Featuring dishes inspired by the South Pacific, your tastebuds will not get enough of the exotic, inventive flavors that will become a highlight of their trip.
The tropical venue inside Loews Royal Pacific Resort has a vibrant, diverse menu to cater to different tastes. Choose from sushi, sashimi, appetizers, and salads, which you can match with Japanese whiskeys, beer, or sake.
Four Flamingos, a Richard Blais Florida Kitchen at Hyatt Regency Cypress Point
Fans of celebrity chef Richard Blais will want to visit his latest restaurant at Hyatt Regency Cypress Point, as it serves unique seafood and steak dishes you’re unlikely to forget. Style, flavor, and imagination come together at Four Flamingos, a Richard Blais Florida Kitchen, which provides a calming, coastal atmosphere.
The serene restaurant is a fusion of contemporary Americana with the tropics, offering seasonal, bold, and beautiful dishes. There are plenty of showstoppers on the menu, too, such as the Whole Red Snapper with crisp turmeric-rubbed skin complemented by a cha cha chimi sauce and a papaya salad and coconut-flavored grits cooked inside a banana leaf. Don’t forget to try the restaurant’s many carefully curated cocktails, which are as impressive and imaginative as its thoughtfully crafted dishes.
Amare at Walt Disney World’s Swan Reserve Hotel
Amare is one of the hottest new restaurants to arrive in Orlando. The menu is a celebration of Mediterranean flavors and culture, offering dishes and wines from the region that will explode on your tongue.
Amare is the newest and most exciting restaurant at Walt Disney World’s Swan Reserve Hotel right now. The upscale yet laidback venue offers a Mediterranean region-inspired menu from Chef Mauricio, which celebrates fresh, premium ingredients from the area, such as pasta, olive oils, citrus, seafood, and pitas.
Every dish provides an insight into the Mediterranean flavors and culture, which you can pair with wines from across the region. Guests are free to walk in for breakfast and lunch, but dinner reservations are encouraged to avoid disappointment.
There is something for every palate on the menu, including crispy fried calamari, a mouth-watering Romesco chicken, and handmade Manti dumplings. The open kitchen adds to the atmosphere and will make you feel more excited about your appetizer or entrée.
Knife & Spoon at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando
Respected chef John Tesar, and his team of hand-picked chefs from across the state, take steak and seafood to a whole new level at Knife & Spoon. Serving dry-aged steaks, unique seafood dishes, and generous sides, you’ll leave the restaurant feeling 100 percent satisfied with the dining experience.
The Ritz-Carlton Orlando is one of the most opulent resorts in the city, which is why you can expect great things when dining at its brand-new Knife & Spoon restaurant. The menu has been lovingly created by none other than award-winning chef John Tesar, who was a two-time contestant on Top Chef and earned much acclaim from Anthony Bourdain, The New York Times, and Food & Wine.
The interior will impress once you arrive, featuring weathered wood, a beach-inspired color palette, and an open kitchen. Yet, choosing a dish from the menu might prove a challenge due to the exceptional options available.
Knife & Spoon should be the first and only choice for foodies wanting to cut into a big and beautiful dry-aged steak, authentic house-made pasta, or locally produced crab Creole with seasoned rice. Each dish served is perfectly executed, ensuring you’re not disappointed once dinner is over.
Despite serving marbled USDA prime cuts of grass-fed steak, its seafood mustn’t be overlooked, especially the tuna & foie appetizer. Your tastebuds will be tickled when tasting the big eye tuna on a layer of foie gras drizzled with Ligurian olive oil.
The Hampton Social at Pointe Orlando
Experience a true taste of the sea at The Hampton Social, as the new Pointe Orlando restaurant offers fresh dishes and a nautical-inspired interior design.
The Hampton Social’s nautical interior design provides a relaxed atmosphere, which is the perfect antidote to a busy day at a popular theme park in the city. The seafaring backdrop is matched with a stunning coastal-inspired menu that’s both delicious and well-presented.
Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you’ll want to eat around the clock at this brand-new restaurant at Pointe Orlando. Also, you can choose to eat in the indoor dining room, extensive patio, the private dining lounge, or the Rose All Day Lounge.
Regardless of the option you choose, you will enjoy fresh dishes, yummy cocktails, and live music. The Bang Bang Chicken packs a punch, and the coastal crab cakes will melt on your tongue. However, if you’re looking for a fresh, salty taste of the sea, you’d be wise to order Today’s Oysters, which you’ll want to eat again and again.
Yet, there is more to the casual restaurant than seafood dishes, as it serves a variety of scrumptious pizzas, great-tasting soups and salads, and shareable large plates. However, you’d be wise to save room for dessert, especially the doughnut drops drizzled with honey and chocolate sauce and accompanied by vanilla gelato.
Bacán at Lake Nona Wave Hotel
Experience a tropical taste of the Americas at Bacán, Lake Nona Wave Hotel’s newest restaurant. Order small plates, large dishes, or shareable signatures that will make you want to spend every night at the elegant yet energetic restaurant.
Bacán at Lake Nona Wave Hotel is unlike any other restaurant you’ll find in Orlando. The energetic interior design features vivid artworks, impressive high ceilings, and warm woods that ground the space. It serves as an ideal backdrop to its colorful Central and South American menu with a tropical influence.
Once you can take your eyes off the dramatic open theater kitchen, you can browse the well-crafted menu that features many small plates, such as lobster tacos or pork belly. Alternatively, you can choose large plates, such as the market fish with a grapefruit mojo. Although, you shouldn’t fill up too much on small plates and entrees, as you must leave room for dessert. You’ll not forget the banana tart finished with gold leaf or the melt-in-your-mouth chocolate cake inside a meltable chocolate sphere.
