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Old 01-30-2015, 01:17 PM
 
Location: Greater Orlampa CSA
5,005 posts, read 5,609,739 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brinkofsunshine View Post
I tend to like the artsy, hipster places around town. So here's my list of good local eats:

Coffee- Achilles Art Cafe, Drunken Monkey, Austin's, Downtown Credo, Lineage Coffee
Casual- Yellow Dog Eats, Pom Pom's Teahouse and Sandwicheria, Tako Cheena, Dandelion Communitea Cafe, Le Cafe de Paris, Beefy King, Black Bean Deli, Hot Krust, 4Rivers, Border Grill, The Strand
Dessert- Yum Yum Cupcakes, P is for Pie, Blue Bird Bakeshop

If you haven't checked out East End Market, I highly recommend it. Good food and great little shops.
Good list of places I've been looking to try for a while.
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Old 01-30-2015, 03:01 PM
 
26,585 posts, read 61,878,804 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by clevelander1991 View Post
Yeah I guess it is sort of tough with Orlando, Cleveland has distinct ethnic identities, all cornered in specific spots of town, just as many as Orlando has. The difference seems to be that because it's the second place many of those people are moving as Americans, which likely means they to some degree shed those roots. And so that and the way Orlando is set up leads to more of a hodge podge. As you mentioned.

As far as the list, I wasn't even necessarily looking for the 'best' places, but the ones that have the biggest cult following among Orlandoans (not tourists). So to me I guess I was just looking at either chains that have roots in Orlando, and/or are consumed by Orlandoans out of proportion with the rest of the country, and then mom/pops that have a cult like following, of various types.
Chains with roots in Orlando--I think you'd have to include Tijuana Flats.
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Old 01-30-2015, 03:13 PM
 
Location: West Florida
16,826 posts, read 15,070,809 times
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I guess Talk-of-the-Town could be considered a chain? Their restaurants are all very similar -- Just with different names.
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Old 01-30-2015, 04:27 PM
 
Location: Durham, NC
2,024 posts, read 5,902,688 times
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Ah, my hometown.

Fine dining, sorry to say, is NOT something Orlando is known for.

TBH, if you really are talking about restaurants that REPRESENT Orlando -- you need to go with, I'm sorry to say, the chains that vomited their way out of the legacy of Gary's Duck Inn (AKA, the precursor to Red Lobster and the Darden ilk)--

Red Lobster
Olive Garden
Bahama Breeze

Let's put Smokey Bones on the list -- ex-Darden, originated here.

Tijuana Flats originated here, check.

Barnie's Coffee originated in O'do, check. That get us to six generally lousy places for foodstuffs. But they're sadly all too authentic of Orlando.

-----

If we're talking about restaurants we WISH were still around that reflected the region and its history, I'd put down Ronnie's (of course), Le Cordon Bleu, the Empress Lilly, and, although by no means fine dining, the Holiday House.
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Old 01-30-2015, 05:07 PM
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11,395 posts, read 13,358,349 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bull City Rising View Post
Ah, my hometown.

Fine dining, sorry to say, is NOT something Orlando is known for.

TBH, if you really are talking about restaurants that REPRESENT Orlando -- you need to go with, I'm sorry to say, the chains that vomited their way out of the legacy of Gary's Duck Inn (AKA, the precursor to Red Lobster and the Darden ilk)--

Red Lobster
Olive Garden
Bahama Breeze

Let's put Smokey Bones on the list -- ex-Darden, originated here.

Tijuana Flats originated here, check.

Barnie's Coffee originated in O'do, check. That get us to six generally lousy places for foodstuffs. But they're sadly all too authentic of Orlando.

-----

If we're talking about restaurants we WISH were still around that reflected the region and its history, I'd put down Ronnie's (of course), Le Cordon Bleu, the Empress Lilly, and, although by no means fine dining, the Holiday House.
What's wrong with all the "restaurants" that were mentioned in this thread? There's a huge line between being fine dining and being a chain.
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Old 01-30-2015, 05:21 PM
 
Location: Oregon
1,035 posts, read 1,702,028 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bull City Rising View Post
Let's put Smokey Bones on the list -- ex-Darden, originated here.
How does Smokey Bones compare to 4 Rivers? I though 4 rivers was pretty good.
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Old 01-30-2015, 07:01 PM
 
12,017 posts, read 14,249,529 times
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No Dr Phillips love?

Chathams place, the pharmacy/the table, big fin seafood kitchen, amura
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Old 01-30-2015, 07:12 PM
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11,395 posts, read 13,358,349 times
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I'll add that I really love Giordano's. Sure it's not something that started in Orlando, but I've driven to Orlando many times just to eat there. Same deal with Shake Shack.

Very interested in trying Prato, I love my Neapolitan pizza.
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Old 01-30-2015, 09:26 PM
 
Location: Atlanta
9,818 posts, read 7,852,464 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bull City Rising View Post
If we're talking about restaurants we WISH were still around that reflected the region and its history, I'd put down Ronnie's (of course), Le Cordon Bleu, the Empress Lilly, and, although by no means fine dining, the Holiday House.
My Grandmother introduced me to roasted lamb at the Holiday House, and used to live on the other side of the lake from the owners in DeLand.

I would add Townsend's to your list. Not sure if anyone remembers them....
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Old 01-31-2015, 05:07 AM
 
2,580 posts, read 3,728,356 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scottinpdx View Post
How does Smokey Bones compare to 4 Rivers? I though 4 rivers was pretty good.
Though Smokey Bones has improved since Darden dumped them, chain BBQ will never compare to local BBQ.

Cecil's BBQ doesn't get a lot of credit because of the popularity of 4Rivers, but it's great!
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