Ah, Orlando. The city of lights. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more romantic city on God’s green Earth.
Okay, we’re being a bit sarcastic, but the City Beautiful knows from beauty. And where there’s beauty, romance isn’t far behind. Orlando’s exploding culinary scene has left us with plenty of romantic spots to take a date, whether they go for ambiance, excellent food or incredible views. (Heck, some places have all three!)
With so many spots to choose from, we left it up to the amateur critics at Yelp to help us pick the best eateries for folks with nothing but butterflies in their stomachs.
Best Italian Restaurant
First: Prato, prato-wp.com
Second: Antonio’s, antoniosonline.com
Third: Enzo’s on the Lake, enzos.com
Photo via Prato/Facebook Credit: Photo via Prato/FacebookMaxine’s on Shine
337 N Shine Ave., 407-674-6841
”This is a great neighborhood place, with artisanal food and live music. Sunday Brunch is definitely bustling, and is not a place for intimate conversation! The cheese plate offers a nice selection with appropriate accompaniments. Deviled eggs were also nicely done, with some exotic spices. Hot chicken and waffles relied on a spicy barbeque sauce rather than a Nashville preparation. Service was attentive, and the music was good.” – Steve A.
Photo via Jyl C./YelpThe Waterfront
4201 S Orange Ave., (407) 866-0468
” Food was fresh and great tasting. There is outdoor area w a view of the lake. The inside was comfortable. The inside features wooden planks everywhere and filled w surf decor. Good for dates, friends and families.” – Ian V.
Photo via D.A. V./YelpRusTeak
101 S Eola Drive, 407-601-5219
”I ordered the pan seared mussels my mate ordered KFC chicken and the tomato jam jar. The chicken came first fresh out the oil fried perfectly, the Korean bbq sauce wasn’t overbearing and let the chicken flavor shine through. I was Particularly taken aback by the tomato jam jar… the sweetness of the tomato is something I haven’t ever experienced before and married nicely with the ricotta cheese. The mussels came in a huge bowl heavily flavored by the sautéed garlic and herbs, the white wine and tomatoes tempering the sharpness of those flavors perfectly. I am impressed… I’m writing this review as I wait for my check, I cannot wait to bring my foodie friends to experience this food. Good job RusTeak!” – Gabryel C.
Photo via Mich V./Yelp
448 N. Terry Ave., Orlando The Monroe is a swanky restaurant located in Orlando’s Creative Village, offering up cozy vibes, tasty small plates and entrees, coffee and cocktails. Credit:Photo by Rob BartlettThe Ravenous Pig
565 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park, 407-628-2333
“The Ravenous Pig is hands down one of the best restaurants in Orlando. Their ever-changing menu is consistently exciting and delicious. Both brunch and dinner are amazing. Favorite dinner dishes that I’ve had include Ricotta Agnolloti, the Cheese & Charcuterie Boards (ALWAYS good), and Crab Tortellini (incredible). Awesome brunch dishes I’ve had include Elvis French Toast (heavenly), Loaded Hash Browns, Biscuits & Gravy, and Chicken & Waffles. Their ingredients are top-notch and so much love & attention to detail goes into every dish. Cannot rave about this place enough.” – Ash W.
Photo via Michael C./YelpCapa Steakhouse & Bar
10100 Dream Tree Blvd, Disney World, 407-313-6840
”All if the great stories you’ve heard about Capa are true! This steakhouse doesn’t just put quality in their food, but also in their service! I came in in steak! However we received much more! We started with drinks as I ordered the “In Spanish Fashion” which started as a drink similar to an old fashioned, but it slowly turned into a Manhattan. This information was provided by our awesome server, Michael who also recommended the beverage for my taste. There are also some mocktails in the menu, for children or anyone who doesn’t want alcohol, but the feel of a cocktail.” – Travis J.
Photo via Jeff H./YelpEnzo’s On The Lake
1130 S US Hwy 17 92, Longwood, (407) 834-9872
”Oh what a place. The atmosphere as well as the food was top notch. Servings were well proportioned. Great for a romantic dinner. Definitely will be going back.” -Anthony D.
Photo via Michelle S./YelpOudom Thai & Sushi
100 S Eola Dr., 407-849-3739
”Oudom is one of my favorite Thai/sushi restaurants in all of Orlando. Their sushi is super fresh, so many options, and happy hour is great too! The real winner for me is their Thai food. My husband and I traveled to Thailand in 2017 and fell in love with spicy green curry. Since then, we’ve search high and low throughout Orlando to find a restaurant that makes curry like they do in Thailand, and Oudum is the winner! They use Thai eggplant, keffir limes, and all of the same ingredients in true Thai curries. It’s so delicious and we only come to Oudum for Thai food now. Always great service too.” – Jenna L.
Photo via Lyndsey R./YelpKres Chophouse
17 W Church St., 407-447-7950
”Fantastic date night experience in the heart of downtown Orlando! We were seated right away for our dinner reservation and told the menu changes daily. We opted for the warm spinach and bacon salad because well, bacon, and heirloom tomatoes are never a bad start. I opted for the ribeye while hubs went for the New York strip. Both came out quickly and were great cuts. Truly a great dinner that will be remembered!” – Holly F.
Photo via John F./YelpVeranda
1700 W Sand Lake Rd
, (407) 730-9190
”My wife and I wanted to try this place for a while, finally made it here in after new years. My beautiful wife is Romanian so it’s always good to find a place to dine with good mititei and samarle. Is the food good? Well, my wife makes the best, but this would come close to second” -Derek C.
Photo via Veranda/YelpPrato
124 N. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-262-0050
”Prato is a gem on Park Avenue. It’s a great area to walk or have some wine or brunch. Today it’s the Italian red Sangiovese, a light lunch red wine that’s delicious to the palette. Followed by the sweet potato ravioli. A light dish, considered to be vegetarian but I love ravioli. The atmosphere is fun, a lot of young adults. This is a great happy house spot or lunch or dinner.” – Maritza S.
Photo via Nick M./YelpSantiago’s Bodega
802 Virginia Dr., 407-412-6979
This place is the best place I’ve ever been for brunch. It’s all you can eat and drink. They have so many good items. I love the crab legs and you MUST try the croissant French toast. I love sitting outside. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. I can’t say enough about the service too. Everyone is nice and friendly. I’ve been here probably 20 times and always have a good experience. I would say this is the best brunch in Orlando” – Eddie P.
Photo via Donna C./YelpCafé Tu Tu Tango
8625 International Dr., 407-248-2222
”We went all in and had the jalepeno mac & cheese, deep fried alligator, street corn, hanger steak skewers, pickled shrimp toast, banana caramel pizza and tres leches cake, along with a carafe of sangria and a cappuccino to close the meal. Everything was very well prepared and super tasty. We loved the decor and ambiance and it was just a super fun place to be. Next time we are in Orlando we will definitely be stopping here for a meal!” – Kristi H.
Photo via Café Tu Tu Tango/YelpChatham’s Place
7575 Dr Phillips Blvd, 407-345-2992
”Our sommelier was so well versed in wines and helped with our selections. He was very proper and his suggestions were spot on to make the evening perfect. Actually, one guest brought a wonderful red from his own collection of fine wines, and I brought an excellent bottle of champagne from my collection. Our guests were so delighted with the champagne, I asked the sommelier to try a taste, and he loved it so that he took a picture of the label! From start to finish, our meal was phenomenal. Nothing was overlooked, not one detail missed; in other words: PERFECTION. This service team made sure our table was always swept clean of bread crumbs and such. That may be a small detail, but to me it is a sign of a classy and upscale dinner. The food was heavenly and the taste of each course was brilliant and well thought out by the chef.” – Cathy Sue E.
Photo via Todd D./YelpMama Della’s Ristorante
5601 Universal Blvd, 407) 503-3463
“Honestly, it was like stepping into another world in Mama Dellas. The ambiance is just gorgeous and so authentic. The wait staff all have accents. It’s so fancy I felt a little under dressed but nobody said anything. They were so sweet with my kids. They didn’t have cherry pepsi but made it homemade at the bar. The food is great. Vegetarian options and romantic live music comes to your table. Mwah!” – Brandellan A.
Photo via Mama Della’s Ristorante/YelpArtisan’s Table
55 W. Church St., 407-730-7499
The beloved downtown Orlando restaurant moved a block down into a bigger, more open space with a lot more lighting in February. The flavor remains just as good as ever, though – especially in their famous Japanese bowl (two eggs, japanese sticky rice, scallion, togarashi, sweet chili sauce and a whole lot of bacon).
Photo via Artisan’s Table/FacebookThe Boathouse
1620 E Buena Vista Dr, Disney World, 407-939-2628
”I found out Gibson’s owns The Boathouse so my expectations were high. I was not disappointed. The burger tasted straight from Gibson’s all-around perfect burger. Seafood was top notch! Service was great and even offered local advice to us while we were traveling. Kids menu was perfect for our littles and the quality for them was above average for their meals as well. When visiting Disney Springs, this is the place to go!” – Katie D.
Photo via Amanda C./YelpHillstone Restaurant
215 S Orlando Ave, Winter Park, 407-740-4005
”One of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to. Perfect for a date night or to celebrate a special occasion. Services was really good and the food was incredible. The only bad thing was the acoustics in some areas. When you’re waiting to be seated or if you’re near the bar area is very loud. Other than that everything was perfect.” – Stephanie F.
Photo via Hillstone Restaurant/YelpOsphere Neighborhood Grill and Bar
407 E Central Blvd, (407) 203-4527
”Definitely would recommend this place! Excellent service, Staff was very friendly, The food is Delicious! Perfectly cooked steak it was mouth watering, A very Beautiful romantic Atmosphere perfect for couples and families plus get the best view of lake eola! Will be coming back” – Angie S.
Photo via Samantha D./YelpColibri Mexican Cuisine
407 E Central Blvd, (407) 203-4527
”Had my husband meet me here for a midweek lunch date and I was extremely impressed. We were quickly seated at a table overlooking beautiful Lake Baldwin. Our server was very attentive, promptly brought us chips, salsa and our drinks then took our orders and within 10 minutes our freshly prepared food came out.
I ordered the enchiladas lunch special and my husband had the Birria tacos. Both totally hit the spot. Can’t wait to return when I can actually order and enjoy margarita as they look delicious!!” – Sharon S.
Photo via Ljubica M./Yelp
