Orlando is home to some of the country’s biggest, most over-the-top places to eat. However, we also have quite a few small, under-the-radar restaurants serving some incredible dishes. What we’re talking about here is Orlando’s best tiny restaurants, where you can feel the heat from the kitchen, the tables are crammed too close together, and you can overhear every conversation from nearby tables. These Orlando restaurants may be small, but the flavor they serve on a daily basis is anything but.
Mynt
535 W New England Ave, Winter Park, (407)-636-7055
Mynt may be small, but it is far from any “hole-in-the-wall joint.” This Indian restaurant offers the pleasures of a more upscale aesthetic without the loud, intruding and impersonal vibes of a larger space. The plates are pretty and the food is unique, a good place to be if you want to try Indian food in a nicer setting.
Photo via Mynt/InstagramThe Donut King
3716 Howell Branch Ct, Winter Park, (407)-316-4817
Make your Instagram donut dreams a reality with a half dozen, (or dozen, we don’t judge) of Donut King’s airy, frosty donuts with all the toppings.
Photo via Donut King/FacebookThe Soda Fountain
2525 Edgewater Dr, Orlando, (407)-540-1006
This cute little ice cream joint has that 50’s soda shop vibe that makes it the perfect oasis during a warm afternoon in Winter Park. They’ve even got a nutella milkshake called “The Elvis,” so feel free to wear your best greaser jacket when you go.
Photo via The Soda Foundation/Facebook The Soda Fountain
2525 Edgewater Dr, Orlando, (407)-540-1006
This cute little ice cream joint has that 50’s soda shop vibe that makes it the perfect oasis during a warm afternoon in Winter Park. They’ve even got a nutella milkshake called “The Elvis,” so feel free to wear your best greaser jacket when you go.
Photo via The Soda Foundation/FacebookTrevi Pasta
2120 Edgewater Dr, Orlando, (407)-985-2577
If you’re tired of Italian restaurants over-charging you for pasta straight from a box then make your way to Trevi Pasta, where they literally cut the fresh pasta right in front of you when you order. Don’t fall too hard for one dish though, Trevi Pasta updates their menu daily.
Photo via goepicurista/InstagramMediterranean Deli
981 W Fairbanks Ave, Orlando, (407)-539-2650
Mediterranean Deli is a lunch time favorite among many Orlandoans. This is your place if you’re looking for cheap that doesn’t taste cheap. The hummus is made fresh daily and the gyro sandwich is a must try.
Photo via Mediterranean Delli/FacebookKing Bao
710 N Mills Ave, Orlando, (407)-237-0013
This tiny restaurant packs a big taste and is the ideal lunch special for hungry customers ballin’ on a budget. If the variety of steamy, soft bun baos isn’t enough to satisfy you, the truffle tots definitely will.
Photo via kokocooks/InstagramLatin Square
250 S Orange Ave, Orlando, (407)-608-4181
If you’re looking to start off your day with a little spice, this tiny Latin restaurant located in the heart of Downtown Orlando will help you kick up the heat with some breakfast burritos and homemade chimichurri sauce.
Photo via Latin Square/FacebookBlack Bean Deli
325 S Orlando Ave #1-1, Winter Park, (407)-628-0294
Black Bean Deli is perfect for the get in, get out quickly lunch customer, especially if you’re in the mood for some authentic Cuban food. There is small bar seating if you’re looking to stay out of the office for lunch, but Black Bean is definitely more of a takeout joint.
Photo via Black Bean Deli/InstagramBikkuri Sushi
1915 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, (407)-894-4494
Sushi and takeout might not always sound great together, but this little restaurant on Colonial specializes in sushi on the go, offering up fresh fish in place of settling for a microwave meal or monotonous salad for dinner.
Photo via thenorthernlord/InstagramBlue Bird Bake Shop
3122 Corrine Dr, Orlando, (407)-228-3822
This cute little bakery in Winter Park will bring some sweetness to your day with its array of cupcakes and pastries to choose from. The comfy-chic atmosphere and adorable painted plates will make you feel more like you’re having afternoon tea time than a Monday afternoon coffee break.
Photo via Blue Bird/FacebookValhalla Bakery
2603 E South St, Orlando, (407)-613-5968
Located at Market on South, this bakery has got a rebellious, yet magical feel to it (maybe it’s just the donuts talking). Valhalla is small but ever expanding, and will soon be opening up a gourmet donut shop at UCF, too. Yes, Knights, you read that right.
Photo via Valhalla Bakery/FacebookWillie’s Pincho’s Restaurant
1718 N Goldenrod Rd, Orlando, (407)-601-3373
Location can make this Puerto Rican delicacy easy to overlook, but don’t. Burgers, meats and good eats with some Latin flavor sets this lunch and dinner spot apart from the everyday deli sandwich or soup.
Photo via Willie’s Pincho’s/FacebookVietnam Cuisine
1224 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, (407)-228-7053
For less than $10 you can get some authentic Vietnamese food, A LOT of Vietnamese food, at Vietnam Cuisine. It’s an easy spot to miss, but trust us, the U-Turn and confusing parking is worth the turmeric-spiced meals and fiery pho.
Photo via Viet Cuiesine/FacebookArepas & More
207 N Bumby Ave, Orlando, (407)-894-5262
This is the perfect place if you’re looking for speedy takeout with homemade taste. Arepas and More really defines the term “hole in the wall restaurant” with its tiny space, but its food leaves a big impact that will keep you coming back.
Photo via Arepas and More/InstagramGringos Locos on Robinson
2406 E Robinson St, Orlando, (407)-896-5626
For many Downtown Orlando late-night boozers, Gringos Locos is more than just a great neighborhood taco place. Gringos is the savior after a night of drinking, a safe haven filled with guac and cheese while you wait for your Uber, a comfort more satisfying than drunk dialing your ex at the end of the night.
Photo via Gringos/InstagramPom Pom’s Teahouse and Sandwicheria
67 N Bumby Ave, Orlando, (407)-894-0865
This funky little wall-filled space provides sandwiches, pastries and an assortment of loose leaf teas authentic as the art found throughout the space. Pom Pom’s owner is originally from Thailand and has a degree as a pastry chef, so you know her stuff has got to be good.
Photo via maicrowaves/InstagramGitto’s Pizza
120 S Orange Ave, Orlando, (407)-203-8889
Gitto’s is small, but will make a big difference on how you feel at the end of the night, which is full. Gitto’s is one of those shining gems of Orlando that stays open until 5 A.M. for those doing the late night stroll from Wall Street foraging for drunk food. Plus, they put a free garlic knot on your pizza, the work of true angels.
Photo via Gittos/FacebookTako Cheena
932 N Mills Ave, Orlando, (407)-757-0626
Tako Cheena is a combination of “food truck meets restaurant,” according to their Facebook, but the combination that we most notice is the burritos combined with Pan-Asian fillings. There is even a burrito filled with Jambalaya, so yeah, we’ve said all we need to say.
Photo via Tako Cheena/FacebookTeriyaki House
5600 W. Colonial Drive, Orlando, (321)-281-8088
This lively yet unassuming little Teriyaki restaurant offers up truly authentic Taiwanese dishes. Whether you’re looking for a flavorful Hibachi steak or a big bowl or fried rice, Teriyaki House is the place for true Taiwanese food in Orlando.
Photo via Teryaki House/FacebookGoff’s Drive In
212 S Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, (407)-286-3421
Many Orlando residents go to Goff’s not only for the ice cream but for the memories. This little walk-up ice cream stand has been around since 1948, and is still serving up the best sundaes on Sundays to this day.
Photo via Goff’s/FacebookKing Cajun Crawfish
914 N Mills Ave, Orlando, (407) 704-8863
We may be land locked here in Orlando, but King Cajun is all about bringing the freshest seafood with a New Orleans twist to the City Beautiful. The owner is a NOLA native and still insists on flying in crawfish in from Louisiana, picking them up from Orlando International Airport every other day just in time for the lunch time rush.
Photo via ptongkumsai/Instagram