Food · Orlando · United States
What to eat in Orlando
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Orlando, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Quick answer
Start with Dole Whip, Butterbeer and Smoked turkey leg. Graze through the country pavilions — Mexico, Norway, Japan, Morocco, France and more — and, during festivals, try small plates from extra booths around the lake. Disney restaurant reservations open well in advance, and popular table-service and character meals fill quickly; book as soon as your dates are set.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Dole Whip
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 5
- Tipping
- Tipping is expected: about 18–22% at table-service restaurants (including in the parks)…
- Food experiences
- 4
10 foods to try
Dessert · Vegetarian
1.Dole Whip
Pineapple soft-serve, often served as a float in pineapple juice, has a cult following at Disney; Aloha Isle in Magic Kingdom's Adventureland is the classic place to try it.
Where: Aloha Isle in Magic Kingdom and Disney's Polynesian Village Resort.
Drink · Vegetarian
2.Butterbeer
The sweet, butterscotch-flavoured drink from the Harry Potter books, served cold, frozen or hot under a creamy topping. It contains no alcohol.
Where: Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley and Epic Universe's Ministry of Magic land at Universal.
Snack
3.Smoked turkey leg
A huge, smoky, salty turkey leg eaten by hand while walking is a theme-park tradition.
Where: Snack carts in Magic Kingdom's Frontierland, EPCOT and other parks.
Dessert · Vegetarian
4.Mickey ice cream bar
A Mickey-shaped vanilla ice-cream bar coated in chocolate, sold from carts across the Disney parks and a classic photo prop.
Where: Snack carts in all four Disney parks.
Snack
5.Fried alligator bites
Chunks of alligator tail, battered and fried, with a mild, chicken-like taste and a chewy texture; an old-Florida novelty.
Where: Gatorland, fish camps and old-Florida restaurants around the region.
Dish
6.Cuban sandwich
Florida's signature pressed sandwich of roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard on Cuban bread, a fixture of Central Florida's Latin cafés.
Where: Cuban and Latin cafés across Orlando and Kissimmee.
Dish
7.Mofongo
A Puerto Rican dish of mashed fried green plantains with garlic and pork crackling, often filled or topped with meat or shrimp. Orlando and Kissimmee have a large Puerto Rican community.
Where: Puerto Rican restaurants in Kissimmee and east Orlando.
Dish
8.Pho and banh mi
Mills 50's Vietnamese restaurants serve beef pho, broken-rice plates and crusty banh mi sandwiches, a welcome change from theme-park food.
Where: Mills Avenue and Colonial Drive in the Mills 50 district.
Dessert · Vegetarian
9.Key lime pie
Tart custard made with Key limes and condensed milk in a graham-cracker crust; a Florida classic on many dessert menus.
Where: Restaurants and bakeries across Orlando, including in the parks.
Drink · Vegetarian
10.Fresh Florida orange juice
Central Florida was once covered in citrus groves, and fresh-squeezed orange juice, with grapefruit and tangerines in winter, is still a local staple.
Where: Hotel breakfasts, farmers markets and roadside fruit stands, especially in winter.
Food experiences
EPCOT World Showcase
Graze through the country pavilions — Mexico, Norway, Japan, Morocco, France and more — and, during festivals, try small plates from extra booths around the lake.
Character dining
Disney restaurants where costumed characters visit each table are popular with young children; book these meals as early as possible.
Mills 50 and East End Market
Eat Vietnamese food in Mills 50, then visit East End Market in nearby Audubon Park, a food hall of local producers and small restaurants.
Sunday at Lake Eola
The Sunday farmers market around Lake Eola has produce, food stalls and crafts, an easy break from theme-park dining.
Quick bites and street food
- Smoked turkey leg — Snack carts in Magic Kingdom's Frontierland, EPCOT and other parks.
- Fried alligator bites — Gatorland, fish camps and old-Florida restaurants around the region.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 5 are usually vegetarian: Dole Whip, Butterbeer, Mickey ice cream bar, Key lime pie and Fresh Florida orange juice. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Disney restaurant reservations open well in advance, and popular table-service and character meals fill quickly; book as soon as your dates are set.
- Use mobile ordering in the Disney and Universal apps to skip quick-service queues at lunchtime.
- Disney quick-service counters give free cups of ice water on request.
- Eat off-site on International Drive, in Mills 50 or in Winter Park for better value and more variety than park food.
- Check each park's rules on bags and outside food before packing snacks and refillable bottles.
Tipping
Tipping is expected: about 18–22% at table-service restaurants (including in the parks), a dollar or two per drink at bars, 15–20% for taxis and rideshares, a few dollars per bag for porters, and a few dollars a day for housekeeping.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Lightning Lane | Disney's paid queue-skipping system |
| Express Pass | Universal's paid queue-skipping system |
| Rope drop | Arriving for park opening |
| I-Drive | International Drive |
| Virtual queue | An app-based queue for some rides |
| Park hopping | Visiting more than one park in a day |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Orlando famous for?
Dole Whip, Butterbeer, Smoked turkey leg and Mickey ice cream bar. Pineapple soft-serve, often served as a float in pineapple juice, has a cult following at Disney; Aloha Isle in Magic Kingdom's Adventureland is the classic place to try it.
+Is Orlando good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Dole Whip, Butterbeer and Mickey ice cream bar.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Orlando?
Tipping is expected: about 18–22% at table-service restaurants (including in the parks), a dollar or two per drink at bars, 15–20% for taxis and rideshares, a few dollars per bag for porters, and a few dollars a day for housekeeping.