Last night we feasted on some of Orlando’s best eats during the annual Winter Park Wine & Dine event. Located in the Winter Park Farmers’ Market, this sampling of 30 plus restaurants and businesses proves that Orlando is undoubtedly full of culinary talent. The event was full of old favorites and new finds, here’s some of our top picks from the evening.
- Sushi Pop: Lil’ Kim-chi Roll with spicy tuna, avocado, tempura, shallots and topped with salmon, pickled cucumbers and thai basil. Sushi Pop’s rolls are worth trip to Oviedo and a strong contender for Orlando’s No. 1 sushi place.
- K Restaurant: Roast elk loin, red cabbage and roasted root veggies. The elk was tender and juicy while the diced vegetables were brimming with fall flavor.
- Mellow Mushroom: Cheese pizza, sounds simple enough, but the seasoning on the crust is addictive. Their gluten free pizza is pretty darn tasty too, if only Mellow Mushroom delivered, they’d be on my speed dial.
- The Coop: Mom’s Meatloaf, I thought I hated meatloaf until trying this gem! Their version is wrapped in bacon and packed with exceptional flavor. So good you’ll forget it’s meatloaf.
- Rex Goliath: Red Wine Sangria, hard to believe it’s from a bottle! We will be searching for this during our next Publix run.
- Houndstooth Sauce Company: Under the direction of Chef David Bressler, this East End Market shop serves up handcrafted sauces, homemade soups, salads and sandwiches daily. After sampling their pimento cheese and chicken salad it’s clear Chef David knows how to cook the Southern way.
- Brio: Two words, pumpkin ravioli. In the midst of pumpkin season, this pasta dish serves up fall flavor in an unexpected and delicious manner.
- Cooper’s Hawk: For our original post on I-Drive’s newest restaurant, click here. Last night we sampled their Almond Sparkling wine which was full of almond cookie, maraschino cherry and nutmeg aromas.
- Lineage Roasting: You’ll never crave Starbucks again after tasting Lineage ridiculously good Cold White Brew. Strong and smooth, Lineage knows how to serve the perfect bottle of coffee.
- Shake Shack: Burgers and vanilla custard, simple tastes crafted to perfection. Click here for more on Shake Shack.
- P is for Pie: Mini pumpkin pie, oh my.
- Yogurtland:Fro yo never gets old, all the satisfaction of ice cream, zero guilt. Their Pink Lemonade Sorbet was tangy, sweet and will remind you of the perfect summer day.
Winter Park Annual hosts three events each year, next up is The Chowder Festival featuring some of Orlando’s finest restaurants and local businesses competing to take home the prestigious Chowder Cup. Grab your tickets here for the January 24 event in Winter Park.
All images belong to each business respectively, Sushi Pop image taken by Spork.
