Winter Park is known for its majestic streets, quaint shopping district and extraordinary eats. You’re probably familiar with the mainstays of Park Avenue like Briarpatch or Barnie’s, but there’s a range of hidden gems and culinary finds all over Winter Park. Since it’s January 2014 debut, Orlando Food Tours has set out to showcase some of the area’s finest treasures with the Winter Park Walking Food Tour. Last weekend we ventured off the beaten path to taste some of Winter Park’s finest flavors. While we don’t want to spoil all the tour surprises, we do want to share a few highlights from our experience including our interview with Co-Founder, Kiel Cravatta.
Orlando Foods Tour Highlights:
- Prato Pizza Tasting:Unhealthy as it is, I’ve always had a pizza obsession. There’s something about the cheesy, baked bread goodness that always makes my belly happy. The pizza at Prato is uniquely different as the pizza oven was handcrafted in Italy under the direction of Prato’s Chef! During our tour we sampled three different pizzas, including my personal favorite, the Widowmaker with caciocavallo cheese, romesco sauce, fennel sausage and a farm egg baked into the center. After sampling three pizzas and red wine we were happily full.
- Blood Orange Olive Oil:Our original obsession with The Ancient Olive began with our initial visit. During this tour we sampled the most delicious vanilla ice cream topped with their Blood Orange Olive Oil and a dash of sea salt. These toppings made even the Publix ice cream taste gourmet!
- Scorpion Suckers:Okay, so we don’t quite have the stomach for this craziness, but that’s just one of many finds at Sassafras Sweet Shoppe. Nestled quietly behind Park Avenue, this gourmet vintage candy store will delight kids and adults alike! I’m especially fond of the Cry Baby Gum (I once ate an entire jumbo tub in a single month), so I was quite thrilled with a taste of an old favorite!
In addition to our tour we also recently chatted with Kiel Cravatta, Co-Founder of Orlando Food Tours for more on his new business.
What’s Winter Park’s best kept culinary secret?
I’d have to say The Ancient Olive, they have an expansive variety of olive oils and balsamic vinegars, all hand selected by the owners. Their team is very knowledgeable and helpful with everything from selecting olive oils for your kitchen to incorporating specific flavors into a dinner party with their products.
Besides the food, what can guests expect to experience on the tour?
There are a few historical and cultural architecture stops including Casa Feliz and Morse Museum. Additionally, we stop at the last piece of the original train platform!
What will guests taste on most tours?
There’s a large spectrum of flavors and cuisine, all handpicked by our tour guides and staff. We can also fully support any dietary restrictions as well.
Any plans to expand beyond Winter Park?
Definitely! We are thinking about doing an evening tour and moving to other neighborhoods as well. We do have plans to expand and expect to release more details for 2015 soon. Additionally, we are also starting to accommodate private tours for a minimum of eight guests.
For a unique culinary experience visit OrlandoFoodTours.com and book your tour today. Spork readers will receive a 10% discount using the promo code “spork” at checkout. For more on Orlando Food Tours visit their website and Facebook page.
