Welp. It’s been a long, long time since we wrote anything. While you may have seen sporadic posts on Instagram, this year we’ve been pretty quiet on the blog. Between a new job and daily life we decided to slow down on Spork this year. Meanwhile Orlando’s culinary scene has continued to grow with countless openings and continued excellence at existing restaurants. Here’s some of our highlights of both new and existing places!
Hawkers: with a new location in Windermere and the same fabulous pad thai (which we order all too often from UberEats) this spot continues to deliver quality street fare.
K Restaurant: under new ownership they’ve added brunch, and between their killer bacon and s’mores waffles (which I hope they still have on the menu) this College Park spot remains as a great option in this neighborhood.
Digress: one of my favorite new wine shops, and also under new ownership, this College Park store has a stellar collection of wine and educational classes almost weekly. Plus, in the mornings you can stop by Gratitude Coffee outside and order a lavender latte.
Gideon’s: if you haven’t heard of or been here you are missing out on Earth’s best cookies. Find them at East End Market or Polite Pig at Disney Springs.
Polite Pig: speaking of Polite Pig, they have some of my favorite modern Southern dishes in town. The Baby Back Ribs are addicting and The Southern Pig sandwich is always a tasty option. Perhaps the most surprising items on the menu are the sides. You can make a whole meal out of their veggie options. Try the BBQ cauliflower, it will change the way you think about this vegetable. For a beverage, order one of their cocktails on tap like their seasonal slushie or grapefruit margarita.
Sonny’s: recently unveiled priceless 24k ribs in celebration of their 50th anniversary. They are commemorating the occasion with a national sweepstakes giveaway and giving back through social media to donate 100,000 meals. For every retweet, 20 meals will be donated, and for every favorite, 10 meals will be donated. Click here to tweet!
Lion’s Pride: one of the few bars downtown that serves enjoyable food and Minuty Rosé! You can also watch every single World Cup match on their ginormous screens! This place is clean, the people are friendly and the rosé is pretty darn tasty. Whether you are a soccer fan or not put Lion’s Pride on your list for downtown bar stops.
Around the World: we’ve also done some traveling lately and if you are looking to book a trip somewhere we’d highly recommend Napa and Provence. I mean what’s not to like, right? In Napa there’s of course fabulous food and wine, so put Press, Bouchon and the new Culinary Institute of America of your list of places to dine. In France you’ll find all the pastries, culture and rosé you’ll ever need. If you’ve never been to either place it’s time to go, and if you haven’t been lately it’s time to return.
Wine Bar George: And now for Orlando’s best new addition…a wine bar at Disney Springs! I am biased, as this is where my new aforementioned new job is, but this is a must visit place. More than 140 wines all available by the glass, bottle and ounce from Master Sommelier George Miliotes and a full menu of deliciousness from Executive Chef Ron Rupert. So as we say, join us for masterfully paired wine and food.