The results are in for the 2019 Best of Orlando reader’s poll and you, the readers, didn’t hold back from letting us know where you to eat. Here you’ll find Orlando’s best restaurants, coffee shops, food trucks, sushi spots and more, all determined by you and your friends and neighbors. If you don’t see your personal favorites here, maybe this will lead you to a few new places to try!

Best Breakfast Winner: Se7en Bites, se7enbites.com Second Place: Keke’s Breakfast Cafe, kekes.com Runner Up: First Watch, firstwatch.com Photo via
Best Cheap Eats (Staff Pick) Winner: Gringos Locos, gringoslocos.com Second Place: Tijuana Flats, tijuanaflats.com Runner Up: Beefy King, beefyking.com Photo via
Best Chinese Restaurant Winner: Hawkers Asian Street Fare, eathawkers.com Second Place: Chuan Lu Garden, chuanluorlando.com Runner Up: Peter’s Kitchen China Bistro, peterskitchencb.business.site Photo via eathawkers.com
Best Barbecue Restaurant Winner: 4 Rivers Smokehouse, 4rsmokehouse.com Second Place: Pig Floyd’s Urban Barbakoa, pigfloyds.com Runner Up: Bubbalou’s Bodacious BBQ, bubbalous.com Photo via 4 Rivers Smokehouse/Facebook
Best Blink-and-You-Missed-It Pizza Joint (Staff Pick) Recess Pizza recesspizza.com The ill-fated oven in the back corner of Orange County Brewers chewed up and spat out more than a couple of munchie-vending contenders, but the last one standing barely had time to get its feet under it before the brewery closed and moved to Lake Mary. Recess Pizza was a venture by Eliot Hillis of Orlando Meats with a brawny and bravura menu to match our meaty expectations. In fact, pies like the Kya (pork belly, Greek cheese, corn, chimichurri, crema), the Hayley (Flamin’ Hot Cheetos sausage, cheddar, lime relish, blue cheese) and the Brekkie Za (red sauce, mozzarella, sausage, bacon, pickled onion, egg) didn’t just meet expectations, high as they were – they smashed any kind of beliefs we had about pizza. If there’s any justice (and there is), they’ll be back (and they will). Photo via Recess Pizza
Best Bakery Winner: Valhalla Bakery, valhallabakery.com Second Place: Se7en Bites, se7enbites.com Runner Up: The Glass Knife, theglassknife.com Photo via Valhalla Bakery/Facebook
Best Bloody Mary Winner: The Hammered Lamb, thehammeredlamb.com Second Place: Maxine’s on Shine, maxinesonshine.com Runner Up: Dexter’s Thornton Park, dextersthorntonpark.com Photo via The Hammered Lamb/Facebook
Best Brunch Winner: Santiago’s Bodega, santiagosbodega.com Second Place: Se7en Bites, se7enbites.com Runner Up: (tie) Maxine’s on Shine, maxinesonshine.com Runner Up: (tie) Briarpatch Restaurant, thebriarpatchrestaurant.com Photo via Santiago’s Bodega / Facebook
Best Caribbean Restaurant Winner: Zaza New Cuban Diner, zazacubandiner.com Second Place: DaJen Eats, dajeneats.com Runner Up: Mango’s Tropical Café, mangos.com Photo via Zaza New Cuban Diner / Facebook
Best Cheesy Beverage (Staff Pick) Royal Tea’s cheese tea 714 N. Mills Ave., facebook.com/royalteaorlando It’s a beverage worthy of delectation by Wallace & Gromit, and we can’t seem to get enough of it ourselves. It’s cheeeeeeese tea, a combination of cold black (or green) tea topped with a moussey foam fashioned from milk, cream cheese and whipping cream. Tilt the cup back 45 degrees to enjoy it in all its sweet, salty and utterly luscious glory. Oh, and enjoy flaunting your new #MousseStache. Photo by Melissa McHenry
Best Cocktails for Foodies (Staff Pick) The Robinson Cocktail Room 63 E. Pine St., therobinsonroom.com Nightspots come and go downtown, but this latest romper room from the Team Market Group (also behind Celine and Mathers Social Gathering) – let’s just say it lives fast, and if it dies young, it’ll leave a very pretty corpse. A pre-opening Instagram mood board dished out plenty of Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and that Jean-Paul Goude photo, so the OTT design flourishes were no surprise when doors were finally unlocked. What was a surprise was the intense attention paid to the ingredients used to build the drinks on the delightful menu: the clarified strawberry and lime in the Just to Be Clear, the sous-vide Fresno chiles in the Mr. Fresident, the grapefruit oil and peppercorn tincture in the Fever Dream; all are produced in-house in “the lab.” Foodies not inclined to party with the beautiful people would do well to hit the cocktail hour between 5 and 8 p.m. and savor the flavors.
Best Coffee Winner: Foxtail Coffee Co., foxtailcoffee.com Second Place: Drunken Monkey Coffee Bar, drunkenmonkeycoffee.com Runner Up: Lineage Coffee Roasting, lineageroasting.com Photo via TEXT Best Cuban Sandwich Winner: Black Bean Deli, blackbeandeli.com Second Place: Zaza New Cuban Diner, zazacubandiner.com Runner Up: Cubans on the Run, cubansontherun.com Photo via foxtailcoffee.com
Best Desserts Winner: Better Than Sex, betterthansexdesserts.com Second Place: The Glass Knife, theglassknife.com Runner Up: Valhalla Bakery, valhallabakery.com Photo via betterthansexdesserts.com
Best Diner Winner: Christo’s Cafe, facebook.com/christoscafeorlando Second Place: Daybreak Diner, daybreakdiner.org Runner Up: Shakers American Café, shakerscafe.com Photo via facebook.com/christoscafeorlando
Best Doughnut Winner: Donut King, thedonutking.com Second Place: Valkyrie Doughnuts, valkyriedoughnuts.com Runner Up: The Glass Knife, theglassknife.com Photo via thedonutking.com Credit: Photo courtesy of Donut King
Best Place to Get an Exacting Cup of Coffee (Staff Pick) La Kuma Coffee 840 E. State Road 434, Longwood, facebook.com/lakumacoffee The fastidious baristas behind the bean counter at this relaxing Japanese coffee house in Longwood aren’t much for pouring you a quick cup of mud in a to-go cup. But if you’re the sort to enjoy watching coffee geeks hand-grind, calculate gram weight, sift, pour water of a specific temperature in a very particular pattern over the grounds in a carefully curated vessel, then this is the place for you. And La Kuma’s austere, light-wood interior goes beyond aesthetic intent – owner Justin Xiong keeps visual distractions to a minimum so attention can focus on perfectly crafted brews. Photo by Rob Bartlett
Best Food Truck Winner: La Empanada, laempanadatruck.com Second Place: Tamale Co., tamaleco.com Runner Up: Jacked Up Tacos, facebook.com/jackedupvegan Photo via
Best French Restaurant Winner: Le Coq au Vin, lecoqauvinrestaurant.com Second Place: DoveCote Brasserie, dovecoteorlando.com Runner Up: Chez Vincent, chezvincent.com Photo via lecoqauvinrestaurant.com
Best Fried Chicken Winner: Publix, publix.com Second Place: The Coop, asouthernaffair.com Runner Up: Domu, domufl.com Photo via publix.com
Best Greek Restaurant Winner: The Greek Corner, thegreekcorner.net Second Place: Mediterranean Blue, mediterraneanblue.net Runner Up: Little Greek Restaurant, littlegreekrestaurant.com Photo via thegreekcorner.net
Best Ice Cream Winner: Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream, kellyshomemadeicecream.com Second Place: Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, jeremiahsice.com Runner Up: Twistee Treat, twisteetreat.com Photo via kellyshomemadeicecream.com
Best Indian Restaurant Winner: Tamarind Indian Cuisine, tamarindfl.com Second Place: Mynt, myntorlando.com Runner Up: Saffron, saffronorlando.com Photo via tamarindfl.com
Best Italian Restaurant Winner: Prato, prato-wp.com Second Place: Enzo’s on the Lake, enzos.com Runner Up: Antonio’s Maitland, antoniosonline.com Photo via prato-wp.com
Best Juice/Smoothies Winner: Soho Juice Co., sohojuiceco.com Second Place: Juice Bar, juicebarorlando.com Runner Up: Skyebird Juice Bar & Experimental Kitchen, facebook.com/skyebirdorganic Photo via http://sohojuiceco.com
Best Korean Restaurant Winner: Izziban Sushi & BBQ, facebook.com/izzibansushibbq Second Place: Korea House, koreahouseorlando.com Runner Up: Shinjung Korean Restaurant, facebook.com/shinjungkorean (temporarily closed) Photo via facebook.com/izzibansushibbq
Best Late-night Restaurant Winner: Gringos Locos, gringoslocos.com Second Place: Pom Pom’s Teahouse & Sandwicheria, pompomsteahouse.com Runner Up: Tako Cheena, mytakocheena.com Photo via gringoslocos.com
Best Latin Restaurant Winner: Black Bean Deli, blackbeandeli.com Second Place: Santiago’s Bodega, santiagosbodega.com Runner Up: Zaza New Cuban Diner, zazacubandiner.com Photo via blackbeandeli.com
Best Local Brewery Winner: Crooked Can Brewing Co., crookedcan.com Second Place: Hourglass Brewing, hourglassbrewing.com Runner Up: Orlando Brewing, orlandobrewing.com Photo via crookedcan.com
Best Local Chef Winner: Sonny Nguyen (Domu) Second Place: Shaun Noonan (Dixie Dharma) Runner Up: Kathleen Blake (The Rusty Spoon) Photo via Sonny Nguyen / Facebook
Best Locally Made Hot Sauce Winner: Tijuana Flats, tijuanaflats.com Second Place: Tako Cheena, mytakocheena.com Runner Up: Jason’s Mom’s Sauce, jasonsmomssauce.com Photo via tijuanaflats.com
Best Lunch Winner: Yellow Dog Eats, yellowdogeats.com Second Place: Black Bean Deli, blackbeandeli.com Runner Up: Pom Pom’s Teahouse & Sandwicheria, pompomsteahouse.com Photo via yellowdogeats.com
Best Mexican Restaurant Winner: Agave Azul, agaveazulcocinamex.com Second Place: Gringos Locos, gringoslocos.com Runner Up: Don Julio Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar, donjuliobarandgrill.com Photo via agaveazulcocinamex.com
Best Middle Eastern Restaurant Winner: Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine, bosphorousrestaurant.com Second Place: Mediterranean Deli Runner Up: Restaurant Marrakesh, disneyworld.disney.go.com Photo via bosphorousrestaurant.com
Best Mini Mexico (Staff Pick) Corner of Bumby and Curry Ford Cilantro’s Taqueria, 1427 S. Bumby Ave.; La Fiesta Mexican Grill, 3000 Curry Ford Road; Los Generales Mexican Restaurant, 2901 Curry Ford Road; Tamale Co., 2411 Curry Ford Road Of the many worthy developments in the budding Hourglass District on Curry Ford, one of the most delicious is the pileup of Mexican dining: Tamale Co., La Fiesta, Los Generales and Cilantro’s Taqueria all withn feet of each other. Having a concentration of restaurants that aren’t just good but each distinctive, with their own qualities and specialties, has been a boon to the ‘hood. Beyond the well-known Mexican and Tex-Mex fare at neighborhood blockbuster La Fiesta, the very underrated Los Generales offers authentic country Mexican cuisine with Mayan flair – while Cilantro’s serves up bright, street-style Mexican specialties and Tamale Co. slings some of the best stuffed masa in the city. All this within steps of each other makes this intersection our best high-value destination for Mexican satisfaction. Photo by Rob Bartlett
Best Nachos Winner: Gringos Locos, gringoslocos.com Second Place: Miller’s Ale House, millersalehouse.com Runner Up: Tijuana Flats, tijuanaflats.com Photo via , gringoslocos.com
Best New Theme Park Treat (Staff Pick) Boozy Dole Whips at Wine Bar George Disney Springs, Lake Buena Vista, winebargeorge.com Last year, rum in your Dole Whip was the level-up no one could stop talking about, but damned if the cult-favorite frozen pineapple dessert didn’t outdo itself this year. In March, Wine Bar George at Disney Springs developed two new boozy versions of the treat: the Dole Whip mimosa and the Dole Whip Frozcato, followed in June by the Dole Whip Frozcato Sugar Cookie Sandwich. The mimosa mixes pineapple juice, Moscato and prosecco; the Frozcato combines Moscato, vodka and pineapple in a frozen slushy; and the Sugar Cookie Sandwich smushes Frozcato between two rosé wine-infused sugar cookies. Word is they’re only available through Labor Day, though, so don’t nap. Photo by Disney
Best Outdoor Dining Winner: Santiago’s Bodega, santiagosbodega.com Second Place: Market on South, marketonsouth.com Runner Up: Vanbarry’s Public House, orlandopublichouses.com Photo via santiagosbodega.com
Best Pho Winner: Pho 88, pho88orlando.com Second Place: Viet-Nomz, vietnomzfl.com Runner Up: Little Saigon, littlesaigonrestaurant.com Photo via pho88orlando.com
Best Pizza Winner: Lazy Moon, lazymoonpizza.com Second Place: Pizza Bruno, pizzabrunofl.com Runner Up: Anthony’s Thornton Park, anthonyspizza.com Photo via lazymoonpizza.com
Best Place to Buy Meat Winner: Petty’s Meats, pettysmeats.com Second Place: Lucky’s Market, luckysmarket.com Runner Up: Freshfields Farm, freshfieldsfarm.com Photo via pettysmeats.com
Best Place to Buy Produce Winner: Freshfields Farm, freshfieldsfarm.com Second Place: Winter Park Farmers Market, cityofwinterpark.org Runner Up: Winter Garden Farmers Market, wintergardenfarmersmarket.com Photo via freshfieldsfarm.com
Best Place to Eat Gluten-free Winner: Dandelion Communitea Cafe, dandelioncommunitea.com Second Place: Market on South, marketonsouth.com Runner Up: Fresh Kitchen, eatfreshkitchen.com Photo via dandelioncommunitea.com
Best Poke Winner: Da Kine Poke Bowls, dakinepoke.com Second Place: Poke Hana, poke-hana.com Runner Up: Sus Hi Eatstation, sushieatstation.com Photo via dakinepoke.com
Best Place for a Godzilla Sighting (Staff Pick) Susuru 8548 Palm Parkway, susuruorl.com Stomp one foot inside Susuru and you’ll come to realize that there’s really no eatery quite like it anywhere in the city. The movie-set decor is steeped in postwar/midcentury Japanese nostalgia, and it’s hard not to be dazzled by it all. It’s a manga comic book come to life, so much so that witnessing giant scaly soles wreaking havoc on the restaurant would hardly seem unexpected. That said, sightings of the tetchy reptilian seem to spike whenever a Godzilla cocktail is ordered. Photo courtesy Susuru
Best Pub Grub/Bar Food Winner: Throwbacks Sanford, throwbackssanford.business.site Second Place: The Porch, theporchwinterpark.com Runner Up: Johnny’s Fillin’ Station, johnnysfillinstation.com Photo via throwbackssanford.business.site
Best Ramen Winner: Domu, domufl.com Second Place: Sapporo Ramen Runner Up: Seito Sushi, seitosushi.com Photo via domufl.com
Best Restaurant To Take a Date Winner: Santiago’s Bodega, santiagosbodega.com Second Place: Prato, prato-wp.com Runner Up: Domu, domufl.com Photo via santiagosbodega.com
Best Sandwiches/Subs Winner: Publix Deli, publix.com Second Place: Pom Pom’s Teahouse & Sandwicheria, pompomsteahouse.com Runner Up: Bad As’s Sandwich, badasssandwiches.com Photo via publix.com
Best Seafood Restaurant Winner: Winter Park Fish Co., thewinterparkfishcompany.com Second Place: Lombardi’s, lombardis.com Runner Up: The Boathouse, theboathouseorlando.com Photo via thewinterparkfishcompany.com
Best Splurge Restaurant Winner: Linda’s La Cantina, lindaslacantina.com Second Place: Christner’s Prime Steak & Lobster, christnersprimesteakandlobster.com Runner Up: Kres Chophouse, kresrestaurant.com Photo via lindaslacantina.com
Best Steakhouse Winner: Linda’s La Cantina, lindaslacantina.com Second Place: Christner’s Prime Steak & Lobster, christnersprimesteakandlobster.com Runner Up: Kres Chophouse, kresrestaurant.com Photo via , lindaslacantina.com
Best Sushi Winner: Seito Sushi, seitosushi.com Second Place: Kabooki Sushi, kabookisushi.com Runner Up: Bento Asian Kitchen & Sushi, eatatbento.com Photo via seitosushi.com
Best Tacos Winner: Gringos Locos, gringoslocos.com Second Place: Black Rooster Taquería, blackroostertaqueria.com Runner Up: Tin & Taco, tinandtaco.com Photo via gringoslocos.com
Best Teahouse Winner: Pom Pom’s Teahouse & Sandwicheria, pompomsteahouse.com Second Place: Dandelion Communitea Café, dandelioncommunitea.com Runner Up: Infusion Tea, infusionorlando.com Photo via pompomsteahouse.com
Best Thai Restaurant Winner: Thai House, thaihouseoforlando.net Second Place: SEA Thai, seathaiorlando.com Runner Up: Orchid Thai, enjoyorchidthai.com Photo via Shaheen Wazir / Facebook
Best Theme Park Restaurant Winner: The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar, universalorlando.com Second Place: ‘Ohana, disneyworld.disney.go.com Runner Up: Hard Rock Café Orlando, hardrockcafe.com Photo via Cowfish / Facebook
Best Place to Buy Us a Gift (Staff Pick) Echo Base Collectibles 2422A E. Robinson St., echobasecollectibles.com Look, we don’t take bribes, and it really irritates us when people think we do. That being said, if you ever wanted to get a gift for your Friendly Neighborhood Editorial Team, you could probably pick up something for everyone from the Milk District’s Echo Base Collectibles. It’s a side hustle of local printing company Rebel Reprints that sells all of our favorite stuff. For the discerning local pop art fan, there are a selection of pins from both Rebel Reprints and Secret Society Goods. For the wrestling aficionado, why not a pack of vintage rubber M.U.S.C.L.E. figures? And a vintage Star Wars or Simpsons toy has never been turned down by anyone in the office. We’re not saying you’ll get anything out of it, other than our thanks, but if you wanted to do something nice … ?
Best Thing to Eat at a Theme Park Winner: Dole Whip Second Place: Turkey leg Runner Up: Butterbeer ice cream Photo via Disney
Best Thing You’ll Put in Your Mouth This Year (Staff Pick) Okayama hotate at Kabooki Sushi Sand Lake 7705 Turkey Lake Road, kabookisushi.com It’s no secret Kabooki Sushi’s Henry Moso has mad omakase game, and over at his new Sand Lake stunner, he’s offering a dish that’s – seriously – borderline orgasmic. If the image of a sweet Okayama hotate (scallop) floating in a green-apple aguachile, capped with watermelon pearls and beatified with a yuzu sunomono salad, gets your senses racing, eating it will leave you shaken, stirred and begging for more. It’s offered in the opening rounds of an omakase, but Moso will serve it as a special menu item on occasion.
Best Transition From Food Truck to Brick and Mortar (Staff Pick) Bem Bom on Corrine 3101 Corrine Drive, bembomfood.com It took a little while to open its doors, but Bem Bom’s transformation from mobile Brazilian eatery to Audubon Park hotspot is complete. We love sitting outside on the spacious patio with a beer and pasteis de bacalao – salt cod fritters – and lingering over fish tacos and bife a portuguesa (filet mignon with fried egg, prosciutto, garlic, mustard and a beer demi-glace). The line that used to steadily queue outside the truck window has transferred to the host stand, but we’re still happy to stand in it all the same.
Best Unexpected Algorithm Result (Staff Pick) Little-known Mee Thai named one of Yelp’s “Best 100 Places to Eat in the U.S.” Mee Thai, 1200 Lee Road, facebook.com/meethaiorlando The internet is weird. Sometimes it gives us snort-laugh-inducing memes like those 30-50 feral hogs running into our yard within 3-5 minutes while our small kids play; sometimes it gives us the alt-right and incels. But sometimes its algorithms open our eyes to things we’ve missed, like the hole-in-the-wall Thai restaurant Mee Thai on Lee Road. Despite being overlooked by most foodies in the area – we get it; Lee Road is not exactly known for being a culinary hotspot (especially now that the Taco Bell is no longer partnered with Long John Silver’s) – enough people had enough good things to say about the place on Yelp that it earned the No. 24 spot on the website’s national list of the best places to eat in 2019. We’ve since taken their advice, and we can tell you that the laab and papaya salad are no joke.
Best Vegan or Vegetarian Restaurant Winner: Ethos Vegan Kitchen, ethosvegankitchen.com Second Place: Dandelion Communitea Café, dandelioncommunitea.com Runner Up: Dixie Dharma at Market on South, marketonsouth.com Photo via ethosvegankitchen.com
Best Vietnamese Restaurant Winner: Little Saigon, littlesaigonrestaurant.com Second Place: Viet-Nomz, vietnomzfl.com Runner Up: Pho 88, pho88orlando.com Photo via littlesaigonrestaurant.com
Best Welcome Back (Staff Pick) Cress Restaurant returns to regular service 103 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand, cressrestaurant.com But don’t call it a comeback! Like LL Cool J, Hari and Jenneffer Pulapaka have been there for years, rocking their peers. But now (after 24 long months) their DeLand boîte Cress has moved away from ticketed event-based dinners and back to full-time dinner service as of mid-August. Hari is one of the best chefs on the local scene and his wife’s wine program is just as inventive and bold; we’re glad to know they’re back.
Best Wings Winner: Gator’s Dockside, gatorsdockside.com Second Place: Domu, domufl.com Runner Up: Papa Bees, papabees.com Photo via gatorsdockside.com