Best Cuban: Black Bean Deli

1. Black Bean Deli, 325 S. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, 407-628-0294; also 1835 E. Colonial Drive, 407-203-0922, blackbeandeli.yolasite.com

2. Zaza New Cuban Diner, 3500 Curry Ford Road, 407-228-0060; also 380 S. State Road 434, Altamonte Springs, 407-347-6606, zazacubandiner.com

3. Cuban Sandwiches to Go, 1605 Lee Road, 407-578-8888

Previous Winners

2016

Black Bean Deli

Food & Drink

Best Breakfast: Keke’s Breakfast Café

1. Keke’s Breakfast Café, multiple locations, kekes.com

2. First Watch, multiple locations, firstwatch.com

3. The Briarpatch, 252 N. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-628-8651, thebriarpatchrestaurant.com

Best Brunch: Santiago’s Bodega

1. Santiago’s Bodega, 802 Virginia Drive, 407-412-6979, santiagosbodega.com

2. Dexter’s, multiple locations, dexwine.com

3. White Wolf Café, 1829 N. Orange Ave., 407-895-9911, whitewolfcafe.com

Best Caribbean: Jimmy Hula’s

1. Jimmy Hula’s, multiple locations, jimmyhulas.com

2. Caribbean Sunshine Bakery, multiple locations, caribbeansunshinebakery.net

3. Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery & Grill, multiple locations, orlandogoldenkrust.com

Best Chinese: Hawkers Asian Street Fare

1. Hawkers Asian Street Fare, 1103 N. Mills Ave., 407-237-0606, facebook.com/hawkersstreetfare

2. Tasty Wok, 1246 E. Colonial Drive, 407-896-8988

3. Lam’s Garden, 2505 E. Colonial Drive, 407-896-0370, lamsgardenchineseorlando.com

Best Date Night Dinner for a Vegan and a Carnivore: Soco

Photo by Rob Bartlett

629 E. Central Blvd., 407-849-1800, socothorntonpark.com

When you’re in a “mixed marriage” (meat-eater/meat-shunner), it’s the special event meals that are tough: birthdays, anniversaries and the like. Ever on the lookout for an upscale restaurant with a mix of meaty and meatless on the menu, we’ve found in the last year that Soco fills the bill nicely. While one side of the table feasts on crispy oysters and hanger steak, the other can be just as happy with smoked black-eyed pea tortellini and Southern field pea-and- preserved lemon salad. The chef is often happy to improvise as well, shunning the short-sighted anti-vegan bias of some kitchens.

Best Excuse for a Late Lunch: Grilled cheese happy hour at La Femme du Fromage

3201 Corrine Drive, 407-571-9947, lafemmedufromage.com

Blessed are the cheesemakers, for they provide us with the vital ingredient of Earth’s most comforting sandwich: the grilled cheese. And blessed also is Tonda Corrente, aka La Femme du Fromage, whose cheese stall at East End Market is not only capable of launching a killer cheese plate, but also serves up a dreamy grilled cheese sandwich – we’re talking a serious four-cheese blend on Olde Hearth bread, not some Kraft Singles-on-Wonder mess – and from 3-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, they’re $2 off. Go on, ruin your dinner.