These 2 Hotels Are Elevating Orlando's Growing Food Scene

There's more to Orlando than theme parks.

When people think of Orlando they usually think of theme parks, rides, and their favorite characters. However the dining scene in Orlando is growing fast and visitors can indulge in impeccable cuisine from around the world — and I don’t just mean in Epcot. The city's culinary offerings include a variety of options and price points from neighborhood joints like Shiraz Market, where you can find amazing kebabs, to the Southern-inspired fare at The Ravenous Pig, which arguably first brought eyes to Orlando’s dining scene. But nothing quite marks this growth more than the Michelin Guide reviewing Orlando for the first time in 2022: It recognized 47 restaurants and awarded four establishments a Michelin star.

You don’t have to leave your hotel to get a top-rated meal in Orlando. In fact, hotels often offer some of the most compelling menus and the largest variety of cuisine within walking distance of your room.

JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa is a great place to start. This hotel, which opened in 2020 amid much bigger world news, offers luxurious comfort with several refined dining experiences that help it stand out in the resort-packed Bonnet Creek area.

Upon entering guests are met with the Activity Desk which hosts weekly wine and bourbon tastings. There's also the daily afternoon gin cart that travels around the lobby every day from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Guests are offered unique made-to-order gin and tonics featuring a rotating selection from the hotel’s 150 gin bottle selection (including four non-alcoholic gins) as well as herbs from the hotel’s own garden.

Most notable is their Michelin-recommended restaurant Sear + Sea. The menu features traditional surf and turf offerings like incredible cuts of Wagyu beef and the freshest caught branzino or salmon. Not to mention its wine collection that boasts 350 bottles. If you can’t snag a reservation you could still be in luck! Sear + Sea also serves the opulent lobby bar — it doesn’t feature the full menu but still offers plenty of options. (The brussell sprouts are incredible and make for an excellent bar snack.)

Sear + Sea isn’t alone in its stand-out cuisine. Rooftop restaurant Illume cooks up a modern take on traditional Japanese dishes like perfectly cooked pork belly bao buns topped with yuzu mustard aioli or the Japanese whisky liquid nitrogen ice cream available at brunch. The creativity expands to the cocktail menu where patrons will find a decent Japanese whisky collection alongside what are sure to be new favorites like the Firebird combining Japanese vodka, sake, cantaloupe, and green tea. All this is paired with a patio balcony popular with locals, as it has a perfect view of the nightly firework show at nearby Disney.

Last, but certainly not least, is the Unreserved Food Bazaar and Beer Garden. The main restaurant—open to guests for all three meals—has recently seen a reimagining which offers guests a wide variety of different cuisines with fantastic attention to detail from ceviche to pizza to the josper—a custom-built charcoal oven for perfectly grilled meats.

Start with the house-made meatballs (vegan options available) and follow it up with a classic like a handmade pizza or try a unique dish you can't get anywhere else like Hibiscus flower-rubbed snapper from the josper. You can’t go wrong with any of their beverage selections but the tabletop sangria is highly recommended with Constellation Sangria being a personal favorite.

In contrast, Caribe Royale Orlando is not new. In fact, it’s been a mainstay in Orlando for decades. Its pink art deco facade alludes to a vintage tropical Florida vacation. The resort recently underwent a $140 million renovation that not only refreshed the interior design with modern updated art deco stylings but completely reinvigorated its food and beverage program, taking inspiration from around the world.

The Venetian Chop House transports guests to a different time with a traditional Italian menu complete with impeccable service. Classics like tagliatelle bolognese and wild mushroom risotto meet inspired daily specials like seafood wellington.

The recently opened Rum Bar featuring BACARDI® Rumcreates a mini Havana complete with domino tables and a connecting Cigar Patio. The menu features an extensive Bacardi Rum collection and classic Cuban fare with the stand-out dessert of Abuela Cruzita’s Flan. (This a recipe that chef Chris Martinez borrowed from his grandmother and does not share with anyone so he personally makes the flan from scratch every day.)

The Calypso’s Pool Bar & Grille also features an updated menu with refreshing cocktails served in coconuts and delicious poke and ceviche options that are perfect for a summer day by the pool.

Arguably the most unique offering is Caribe Royale’s chocolate and pastry program. Head pastry chef Josh Cain has hand-picked a dedicated team that creates delicious chocolate creations that are only available at the resort. There is no item too small or big that the team won’t tackle from oranges made out of chocolate to larger-than-life creations like a 32-foot-long train during Christmas that consisted of 1,600 pounds of chocolate.

Cain also recently ventured to France to create a proprietary milk and dark chocolate recipe for Caribe Royale, a recipe that won’t be available anywhere else in the world. I was lucky enough to get a taste of the milk chocolate samples and can vouch that it has hints of honey and is incredibly delicious.

Currently, the treats are available at the Tropicale Cafe, which acts as the hotel’s breakfast restaurant, but soon the pastries, chocolate bon-bons, and more will be available for purchase at any time in their all-day Cafe 24. With further plans to expand into chocolate-making classes as well as chocolate and wine pairing sessions for guests beginning later this summer.