Vol. 36, No. 39
Welcome to the Best of Orlando® 2020
The only number more depressing than Florida's 10,000 COVID dead is the number of commenters who think it's 'all a lie'
Letters to the editor
By Orlando Weekly readers
Best of Orlando 2020: Food + Drink
By Orlando Weekly Editors
Orange County Has ‘Got You Covered’ during COVID-19 Pandemic
By Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings
Famed headbanging 'Florida Man' in Louisiana for Hurricane Laura
By Colin Wolf
Friday evening, Aug. 28: Coronavirus by the numbers in Florida
By News Service of Florida
Almost half of COVID-19 workers' comp claims filed by 'essential workers' have been denied by insurers
By Christine Sexton, News Service of Florida
Coronavirus in Florida by the numbers: Sunday, Aug. 30
Florida teachers union and DeSantis administration legal slugfest over Florida schools reopening continues
By Dara Kam, NSF
Publix is removing one-way aisles from locations as local ordinances change
Ken Lawson, embattled head of Florida's horribly broken unemployment system, is out
By Jim Turner, NSF
Gov. DeSantis extends Florida eviction moratorium for another month late Monday night
By Matthew Moyer
Federal lost wages assistance approved for Florida's unemployed
Savage Love: Tall order
By Dan Savage
DeSantis thinks Orlando's theme parks should allow more people in, because why not
Indie Bookstore Day returns this weekend both in Orlando and online
Orlando fun-seekers can check out new apps that function like Airbnb for boats and campers
Orlando-based SeaWorld, the latest park chain to see the benefits of year-round operations, removes off-season for San Antonio park
By Ken Storey
The recent NBA player protests at WDW are just the latest history-making events at the resort
Busch Gardens will bring back Bier Fest in September with new safety measures
SeaWorld to bring back Spooktacular and Christmas Celebration events, though with limited capacity
Central Florida artist Haley McCormick's 'Felt' fiber art exhibition to finally open this weekend
As Disney works to address racism in park properties, fans speak up about the lack of diversity in company leadership
Video footage released of hunt for man camping at abandoned Disney theme park
Orlando Taco Week and Orlando Burger Week are back this fall
By Orlando Weekly Staff
In big bid for survival, Will's Pub will become an eatery with the help of Swine & Sons
By Bao Le-Huu
Weed edibles finally get the green light from the Florida Department of Health
Orlando boy-band alumnus AJ McLean named as contestant on new season of 'Dancing With the Stars'
Watch the premiere of Orlando rapper Sean Mingo's music video for 'Flyby'
EDC Orlando officially canceled until 2021
Orlando event spaces to be lit red on Tuesday to highlight their economic plight
Meet Lego Explore Orlando, the dynamic duo of artists who make finding fun in your city look like a snap
By OW Staff
Music & Nightlife: Best of Orlando 2020
Best Bar
Will's Pub
Best Bar Patio
Eden Bar
Best Bartender
Robbie Kennerney, Throwbacks Sanford
Best Club DJ
Angel of Boom
Best Club Night
'80s New Wave Night at Independent Bar
Best Cocktail Bar
Lil Indie's
Best Craft Beer Bar
Crooked Can Brewing Company
Best Dance Club
Independent Bar
Best Dive Bar
Best Drag Night
Hamburger Mary's
Best Gay Bar
Southern Nights Orlando
Best Happy Hour
Santiago's Bodega
Best Live Music Club
Best Local Music Festival or Music Series
WJRR's Earthday Birthday
Best Open Mic
Throwbacks Sanford
Best Pub
Fiddler's Green Irish Pub
Best Sports Bar
Miller's Ale House
Best Theme Park Bar
Finnegan's Bar & Grill
Best Bar to Play Videogames
Best Wine Bar
The Wine Room on Park Avenue
Best Country Act
The Bloody Jug Band
Best Cover Band
Hayfire
Best Electronic Act
MissFit Toys
Best Experimental Act
Modal Plane
Best Folk Act
Thomas Wynn & the Believers
Best Hip-Hop Act
E-Turn
Best Jazz Act
Leisure Chief
Best Metal Act
The Sinema
Best Punk Act
Call In Dead
Best Reggae Act
Florida Man
Best Rock Act
The DEV
Best Singer-Songwriter
Kaleigh Baker
Best Soul Act
Eugene Snowden
Best Final Live Music Fix
TIE: Billie Eilish at Amway Center, and C0mputer at Will's Pub
Best Music With Meaning
Re:Charge
Best Local Hot 100 Charting Producer
Ayo
Best Local Livestream
TIE! StayHome Fest and Accidental Music Festival
Best Local Quarantine Song
"Payment Status Unavailable" by Future Bartenderz
Best Local Plantasia
Circuit Church at Mead Botanical Garden
Best Local Album Recorded During Quarantine
TIE! The Pauses' 'Quarantunes' and Soulbase's 'Songs to Quarantine To'
Best Underground Family Reunion
Pre-INC Orlando
Best Local Band That Could Make Tony Allen Proud
Bengali 600
Best Local George Martin
Chris Baranyi
Best Archival Releases
Sam Rivers Rarities on NoBusiness
Arts & Culture: Best of Orlando 2020
Best Arts Event or Art Festival
1st: Epcot International Festival of the Arts
Best Burlesque Troupe
1st: Corsets & Cuties, a Burlesque Cabaret
Best Comedy Club or Night
SAK Comedy Lab
Best Dance Company
Best Film Fest or Series
1st: Florida Film Festival
Best Gallery
CityArts
Best Literary Reading Series
Orlando Story Club&
Best Local Actor
Carlos Navarro
Best Local Author
James Holmes
Best Local Comedian
Rauce Padgett
Best Local Visual Artist
Synthestruct
Best Movie Theater
Enzian Theater
Best Museum
Orlando Science Center
Best Recurring Arts Nights
Thornton 2nd Thursday Wine & Art Walk
Best Theater Company
Orlando Shakes
Best Theater Space
Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
Best Porchraits
Matt Keller Lehman's 'Social Distancing at 85mm' series
Best COVID-Related Art Show
Redefine Gallery, 'Stay Home Make Art'
Best Book by a Local
'Lake Life,' by David James Poissant
Best Book by One of Our Former Interns
'In the Land of Good Living,' by Kent Russell
Best History Lessons
'Wait Five Minutes: The Floridian Podcast'
Best Performing Arts Pivot
Orlando Fringe's virtual 'Fringe Today'
Best Artful Adaptation to the Pandemic
Brian Feldman's '#txtshow' goes global
Best New Visions
Kieran Castaño's 'A Certain Kind of Light'
Best Overdue Conversation
Black Artists for Black Lives and Central Florida Entertainment Advocacy Forum
Best Emergency Arts Patronage
Feed the Need Florida
Local Color: Best of Orlando 2020
Best of Orlando 2020: Local Color
Best Kept Secret
Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour
Best Local Activist Group
The Center
Best Local Big Shot Who's Not an Elected Official
Savannah Boan
Best Local Charitable Group
Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida
Best Local Leader During the Pandemic
State Rep. Anna Eskamani
Best Local Podcast
'A Mediocre Time With Tom & Dan'
Best Local Politician
Best Local Publication
Orlando Weekly
Best Local Radio Show
'Monsters in the Morning' Real Radio 104.1-FM
Best Local Radio Station
WTKS Real Radio 104.1-FM
Best Local TV Newsperson
Eric Burris, WESH 2
Best Neighborhood to Drink In
Historic Downtown Sanford
Best Neighborhood to Eat In
Winter Park
Best Neighborhood to Live In
Best Neighborhood to Shop In
Best New Thing in Orlando
Hourglass Brewing
Best Orlando Weekly Event
Best of Orlando Party
Best Place to Show People the Real Orlando
Gatorland
Best Reason to Live in Orlando
Theme parks
Best Use of Public Money
Bike lanes and walking paths
Best First Step
BLM mural painted on Rosalind Avenue
Best 'Good Trouble'
Black Lives Matter Protests in Orlando
Best Unwitting Predictor of the Year We'd Have
An enormous poo in Lake Eola Park
Best Picket Line
Unite Here Local 362
Best Noise Cancellation
Orlando Protesters Drowning out Ron DeSantis
Most Embarrassing State to Live In
Florida during coronavirus
Best Pilgrimage
Visiting Queen Weltin's annual superbloom
Best Blue Checkmark
Woke Stan Van Gundy
Food & Drink: Best of Orlando 2020
Best Bakery
Gideon's Bakehouse
Best Barbecue Restaurant
4 Rivers Smokehouse
Best Bloody Mary
The Hammered Lamb
Best Breakfast
Se7en Bites
Best Brunch
Best Burger
Teak Neighborhood Grill
Best Caribbean Restaurant
DaJen Eats
Best Cheap Eats
Beefy King
Best Cheesesteak
LaSpada's Original Cheesesteaks & Hoagies
Best Chinese Restaurant
Hawkers
Best Coffee Bar
Foxtail Coffee Co.
Best Cuban Sandwich
Black Bean Deli
Best Curbside Service
Best Desserts
Best Diner
Christo's Café
Best Doughnut
Donut King
Best Food Truck
Chicken Fire
Best French Restaurant
Le Coq Au Vin
Best Fried Chicken
Publix
Best Greek Restaurant
Little Greek Fresh Grill
Best Ice Cream
Kelly's Homemade Ice Cream
Best Indian Restaurant
Tamarind Indian Cuisine
Best Italian Restaurant
Prato
Best Juice/Smoothies
SOHO Juice Co.
Best Korean Restaurant
Izziban
Best Late-Night Restaurant (serving after 11 p.m.)
Gringos Locos
Best Latin Restaurant
Best Local Brewery
Best Local Chef
Wendy Lopez
Best Locally Made Hot Sauce
Tijuana Flats
Best Lunch
Best Mexican Restaurant
Agave Azul Cocina Mexicana
Best Middle Eastern Restaurant
Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine
Best Nachos
Best Outdoor Dining
Yellow Dog Eats
Best Pho
Pho 88
Best Pizza
Lazy Moon
Best Place to Buy Meat
Petty's Meats
Best Place to Buy Produce
Freshfields Farm
Best Place to Eat Gluten-free
Dandelion Community Café
Best Poke
Da Kine Poke
Best Pub Grub/Bar Food
Best Ramen
Domu
Best Restaurant for a Date
Better Than Sex — A Dessert Restaurant
Best Sandwiches/Subs
Best Seafood Restaurant
Winter Park Fish Co.
Best Splurge Restaurant
Victoria & Albert's
Best Steakhouse
Linda's La Cantina
Best Sushi
Seito Sushi & New Japanese
Best Tacos
Best Teahouse
Pom Pom's Teahouse & Sandwicheria
Best Thai Restaurant
SEA Thai
Best Theme Park Restaurant
The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar
Best Thing to Eat at a Theme Park
Best Vegan or Vegetarian Restaurant
Ethos Vegan Kitchen
Best Vietnamese Restaurant
Little Saigon
Best Wings
Best Reason to Live in Your Pandemic Sweatpants All Summer
Sunday Sauce at Stasio's Italian Deli
Best Short-Lived Loophole
Best Buzzworthy Bite
Birria Machete at Hunger Street Tacos
Best Old New Dessert
Baked Alaska at the Osprey
Best Oral Conflagration
Nashville Hot Chicken at Chicken Fire
Best Vegan Soup
Bun Bo Hue at Z Asian Vietnamese Kitchen
Best Supermarket Eats
Taglish
Best Locally Made Coffee Indulgence
Iced Coffee, Los Autenticos Cuban Café
Best Summer Sweet
Maracujá Cake at Brazil Food Mart
Goods & Services: Best of Orlando 2020
Best Antique Store
Adjectives Market
Best Apartment Building or Complex
Maitland City Centre
Best Bicycle Shop
Orange Cycle
Best Cannabis Dispensary
Trulieve
Best Comic Book Shop
Gods & Monsters
Best Doggy Daycare
Miss Emily's Bed and Biscuit
Best Farmers Market
Winter Park Farmers Market
Best Furniture Store
Washburn Imports
Best Hair Salon
Alchemy
Best Bookstore
Park Ave CDs
Best Liquor Store
Total Wine & More
Best Local Barbershop
Floyd's 99 Barbershop
Best Local CBD Products
The Hemp Depot
Best Pet Groomer
Woof Gang Bakery Winter Park
Best Place to Adopt a Pet
Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando
Best Realtor
Beth Hobart
Best Record Store
Best Roofer
Carroll Bradford Roofing
Best Smoke Shop
Climax Smoke Shop
Best Spa Services
VitaLounge
Best Tattoo Studio
Built 4 Speed Tattoo
Best Veterinarian/Veterinary Clinic
Winter Park Veterinary Hospital
Best Vintage or Used Clothing Store
Plato's Closet
Best Wine Shop
Best Stimulus Shopping
USPS Postal Store catalog
Best Non-Essential And Yet Essential Curbside
Best Way to Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve
Orlando Merch Store
Best Bottled Cocktails
Sunroom
Best Truly Safe Cinema
Drive-in movies
Best Socially Conscious Swag
BLM earrings by Jessica Becker
Best Local Palate Expander
Bandcamp No-Fee Fridays
Best Underground Couture
Uncle Lou's T-shirt
Best Plant Dad
Cecil at Planted Perfectly
Sports & Recreation: Best of Orlando 2020
Best Attraction That's Not a Theme Park
Best Beach
New Smyrna Beach
Best Bowling Alley
Splitsville Luxury Lanes
Best Canoeing/Kayaking
Wekiwa Springs State Park
Best City Park
Lake Eola Park
Best Group Fitness
Camp Gladiator
Best Gym
House of Sweat Orlando
Best Local Pro Athlete
Alex Morgan, Orlando Pride
Best Local Sports Team
UCF Knights Football
Best Place to Bike
West Orange Trail
Best Place to Take Your Dog to Play
Lake Baldwin Dog Park
Best Springs
Best Theme Park
Epcot
Best Theme Park Ride
Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, Universal's Islands of Adventure
Best Water Park
Universal's Volcano Bay
Best Yoga Studio
Orlando Power Yoga
Best Zipline or Ropes Course
Screamin' Gator Zip Line, Gatorland
Best Reawakening to the Joys of the Outdoors
Every Public Park in Orlando
Best Local Pride
Orlando City SC at the MLS Is Back tournament
Best Must-Have Sports Gear
Joel Embiid arriving at MCO in a hazmat suit
Best New Theme Park Attraction
Social Distancing Skunk Ape
Best Silver Lining to Social Distancing
Historically Short Theme Park Wait Times
Best Escape Room You Won't Want to Escape
The Bureau
Best Zoo Comes to You
Wild Florida Safari Park drive-through
Legal Public Notices 9/2 issue
By Jerrica Schwartz
Tuscan Date Night: An Evening with Banfi Wines
@ The Good Pour
Sat., April 20, 3 p.m.
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Phone conversations with law enforcement can be recorded without their consent, court says
By Vivienne Serret, Fresh Take Florida
Open House and Oh Hey Cafe open on Lee Road, Bar Kada opens next to Soseki in Winter Park, and Kōri opens soon in Mills 50
By Faiyaz Kara
Central Florida Earth Day goes big in Lake Eola Park this weekend
By Alexandra Sullivan
Atmospheric indie-rockers Beach Fossils enthralled a loyal crowd at the House of Blues in Orlando. [content-1]
By Grayson Keglovic
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It was a gorgeous day of "music, art and freedom" when the Florida Groves Festival returned to the Orlando Amphitheater at the…
By Matt Keller Lehman
A mid-century modern gem has just hit the market in Orlando. The residence, located at 1928 Monterey Ave. near the Country Club of…
By Chloe Greenberg
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