**** (4 stars)
This Flipper’s is a bit nicer than some of the others, and the food is identical. Pizza and salads are good, but my favorites are the calzones. Try them with extra ricotta. Service is prompt, although the kitchen can be slow at lunch time. The lunch prices are incredibly low for a complete meal with a drink.
Flippers Pizzeria
7339 W Sand Lake Rd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 352-2213
http://www.yelp.com/biz/flippers-pizzeria-orlando-11
**** (4 stars)
Lunch here is a great deal, especially if you go with the slice of the day. Salads are good, and there’s tea in the iced tea, so you can taste it. There’s a large outside dining area in front that is quite pleasant. Service seems uneven, but not a show-stopper.
NYPD Pizza
2589 S Hiawassee Rd
Orlando, FL 32835
(407) 293-8880
http://www.yelp.com/biz/nypd-pizza-orlando-3
**** (4 stars)
This is the third location for this long-time favorite, and the first time they haven’t been in a dying mall. Although the space is fairly new, the decor already looks a hundred year old, complete with dust and cobwebs. But for an English pub I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. The food and drink are quite authentic, and in fact the fish and chips are better than any I’ve ever gotten in London. A good choice for lunch, or for hanging out and doing those things one does in a pub.
Cricketer’s Pub & Eatery
7563 W Sand Lake Rd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 730-2111
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cricketers-pub-and-eatery-orlando
**** (4 stars)
Lovely hotel, built on a Vegas scale, with superb convention facilities, and an interesting collection of small cafes.
Unfortunately on our first visit the Italian restaurant, Cala Bella, was disappointing in both food and service. The oddly named steakhouse, A Land Remembered, was a better bet.
For kids who want to spend the vacation in the pool, this is a great choice, because there are plenty to choose from. And if golf is your thing, it’s right outside.
I love the secluded feel of the property, with the long entry way and manicured grounds, yet it’s really conveniently located near attractions and I-Drive.
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Update, one year later:
On a busy convention night, we were only able to get into Cala Bella. We sat at the “Presentation Bar” which faces directly into the kitchen, and it was, ironically, the quietest spot in the house. Service was attentive and knowledgeable, and the food was excellent. Unlike the bland cioppino of our first visit, the flatbread was bursting with fresh flavors and tasted just like the sidewalk pizzas in Italy. Chilean sea bass was perfectly cooked, and the mushroom side dish with our entrees was another standout. A completely different experience from our first visit, and I’ll happily return.
Rosen Shingle Creek
9939 Universal Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 996-9939
http://www.yelp.com/biz/rosen-shingle-creek-orlando-2
*** (3 stars)
Bravo offers the standard Italian restaurant chain fare, but it has one of the best outside dining venues in the city, a large patio high above Sand Lake Road, Orlando’s restaurant row. Since there isn’t really any great Italian food in the area, it’s as good a choice as any, and if you want to dine outdoors, this is an excellent choice.
BRAVO! Cucina Italiana
7924 Via Dellagio Way
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 351-5880
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bravo-cucina-italiana-orlando
**** (4 stars)
This is a good place that is unfortunately too expensive for lunch. The big puffy bread is the highlight, and all the dishes we enjoy at the Winter Park location, such as the kebabs and vegetarian items are just as good here. This would be a good choice for dinner, particularly on a nice night eating at the sidewalk tables. However for lunch we go across the street to Cedars.
Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine
7600 Doctor Phillips Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 352-6766
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bosphorous-turkish-cuisine-orlando
*** (3 stars)
I find the sushi here quite expensive compared to other choices nearby, and not really any better. Amura seems like it’s aimed more at the tourist market, with its proximity to I-Drive and the convention center. It’s okay, but not worth the premium.
Amura Japanese Restaurant
7786 W Sand Lake Rd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 370-0007
http://www.yelp.com/biz/amura-japanese-restaurant-orlando-2
*** (3 stars)
This little end spot on a strip mall used to be a counter service Indian Place, but now it’s Middle Eastern, and offers table service. There’s a lot of nearby competition, from Bosporous and Cedar’s, so I’m not sure what differentiates it, other than they have a few outside tables that are pleasant. Lunch service is “leisurely” to put it in the best light.
Flame Kabob
7536 Dr Phillips Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 248-2280
http://www.yelp.com/biz/flame-kabob-orlando
**** (4 stars)
Good sushi in a trendy upscale environment that seems more like LA than Orlando. I’ve had better robata in Tokyo, but the sauces served with it here are fantastic. We like to sit in the bar, which is a bit more intimate than the bustling restaurant, and still offers the full menu.
Dragonfly Robata Grill & Sushi
7972 Via Dellagio Way
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 370-3359
http://www.yelp.com/biz/dragonfly-robata-grill-and-sushi-orlando
*** (3 stars)
Morton’s is the oldest steakhouse on restaurant row. In fact, they basically invented the chain steakhouse concept. It’s much imitated now, so there isn’t a lot to differentiate it from the copiers. And it’s the noisiest dining room on Sand Lake Road (which is saying something). I had a business dinner here once and literally couldn’t communicate with the client! However there is one great thing about Mortons, and that’s the bar. It’s cozy, and there’s an amazing happy hour menu at great prices. Moreover, smart locals know that the bar is the place to have dinner. You can get the full deal, in a relaxed environment where you can talk. If I have to have steak on restaurant row, that’s where I go.
Morton’s The Steakhouse
7600 Dr. Phillips Boulevard
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 248-3485
http://www.yelp.com/biz/mortons-the-steakhouse-orlando-2