Dive Into Orlando’s Magical Dining

It starts on August 16 and runs through until September 30, and it is a bonanza opportunity to sample the very best of Orlando’s dining in a concentrated six-week spell.

We are, of course, talking about this year’s Magical Dining season, the annual restaurant extravaganza that offers a chance to dine out at a wide range of venues at a tempting fixed price that represents excellent value for dinner and/or lunch.

Now in its 19th year, Magical Dining, which is the creation of the Visit Orlando tourist organisation, has become the essential dining out offer in Central Florida, and this year’s programme includes 25 new restaurants that take the total to a record 150 venues in 2024, nine of them recognised by the prestigious Michelin Guide.

That’s a mind-boggling amount of food on offer, and the outlook is completely mouthwatering. From Winter Park to Walt Disney World and International Drive to downtown Orlando, there are fabulous choices for a memorable meal.

What is Orlando’s Magical Dining all about?

If you’ve never been to Orlando at this time of year, you might wonder what all the fuss is about, especially as the locals tend to get more excited about it than our visitors. But make no mistake – this is a bona fide invitation to dine in high style and sample a range of options that might otherwise be out of range.

Every restaurant in the programme sets a three-course prix fixe menu highlighting some of their most popular dishes. And, like last year, there will again be a two-tiered system of restaurant choice, with the regular menus coming in at $40 per person and the “deluxe level” options priced at $60 a head.

Either price usually represents a major saving on selecting a three-course a la carte meal, hence it opens a wider range of dining delectation for the typical tourist budget. And, if you’ve ever wanted to dine in Michelin-recognised fashion, this is definitely the time of year to fulfil that ambition at places such as Bacán (inside The Wave Hotel in Lake Nona) and Four Flamingos at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress near Disney.

Better still, Magical Dining is a huge supporter of local charities, selecting a different nonprofit organisation each year to be the recipient of the built-in charity donation ($1 for each $40 meal and $2 for each one at $60). Last year, the programme raised $269,272 for charities supporting survivors of abuse in Central Florida, including organisations addressing human trafficking.

So, what should we do first?

The key fact is that all the menus are live on the OrlandoMagicalDining.com website, allowing diners to look ahead and dream of all the delicious dishes in store. You can book reservations, filter by specific areas, menu tiers and even vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dietary preferences.

A new feature this year is a series of arts and cultural events curated by United Arts of Central Florida for a well-rounded night out. You can also pair Magical Dining with a range of concerts at the fab Kia Center in downtown Orlando’s Parramore District, including the likes of Grupo Frontera and Jelly Roll.

Once you have decided which restaurant (or restaurants) you’re keen to try, just book them online and then be sure to ask for the Magical Dining menu when you are seated. If you have looked up the menu in advance, you can make your choice straight away, or just take some time to look at the choices on offer. Just remember that drinks are extra, and they will take your final total to more than the standard $40 or $60 set price.

What charity benefits this year?

This year’s beneficiary is The Mustard Seed of Central Florida, focused on helping residents and families recover from hardships while minimizing environmental impact. In addition to providing household items for reuse, The Mustard Seed recycles unusable items to create a more sustainable community.

“We are excited to be the beneficiary of Visit Orlando's Magical Dining program,” says executive director Kathy Baldwin. “These funds will help us serve more clients in need of basic furniture for stability. Thank you for supporting a sustainable future for Florida.”

Orlando Health will serve as Magical Dining’s sponsor, building on its current health and wellness partnership with Visit Orlando, which commits to healthy travel and offers high-quality, health-related options and medical services for our visitors. It has 12 walk-in Urgent Care facilities throughout the area, as well as 14 Emergency Care hospitals that can cater to visitors, many of which are open 24 hours.

What about the food?!

Seeing as this is a dining programme, the key element is the restaurant choice, of course, and this year there is PLENTY in store from those 150 restaurant menus. As well as returning $40 favourites such as Café Tu Tu Tango, The Oceanaire Seafood Room, Mia’s Italian Kitchen and The Hampton Social (all on International Drive), and Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, The Edison and Jaleo (all at Disney Springs), there are those 25 new-for-2024 choices that are all highly worthwhile.

Among the ones that really stand out are the new Norman’s of Orlando, in the Dellagio complex on Sand Lake Road west, and Summer House on the Lake, another Disney Springs offering. Norman’s is a $60 tier choice but you could easily spend $80 or more on the regular menu (and you will definitely want to try their Blue Crab Beignets and Petite Filet Mignon), while Summer House on the Lake boasts fab California cuisine and is full of summer flavours. Their Herbed Chicken Breast Paillard is worth coming in for on its own.

We’re also eager to try the new Helena Modern Riviera at I-Drive’s ICON Park, with a modern take on Mediterranean cuisine and a coastal chic outdoor vibe, and the Italian style of Braccia in Winter Park, which has already got the locals raving about it, notably their Shrimp Risotto and Braccia Special Dessert, which is a heavenly concoction of home-made soft cheese ice cream with guava syrup and chestnut. Just yummy!

Some of our must-try choices

When it comes to our perennial faves, there are a lot on the Magical Dining list and any of these would be well worth your holiday dollar. All feature in the Florida Michelin Guide and possibly represent the best value for money of the whole dining programme.

Our brunch go-to of Maxine’s on Shine is among them (don’t miss their lobster ravioli!), as is the upscale choice of Four Flamingos: A Richard Blais Florida Kitchen at the superb Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort, which is ideal for a special night out at any time of the year. Then there is the Winter Park standout of The Ravenous Pig (another steal in the $40 category) or the outstandingly stylish BACAN inside the high-tech Wave Hotel in Lake Nona.

But whatever you try, make sure you give Magical Dining a good test-drive. You will be among the hip crowd who look forward to this all year, and your tastebuds will thank you!

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