Orlando rises as a top foodie destination with Michelin Guide restaurants

ORLANDO, Fla. - Orlando may be best known as a travel hotspot and for its world-famous theme parks, but the city is quickly gaining recognition as a top-tier foodie destination. 

What is the Michelin Guide?

The Michelin Guide recently recognized four new local restaurants: Coro, Sorekara, UniGirl, and Ômo by Jônt. It’s another sign that Orlando’s food scene is leveling up.

Being included in the guide means the restaurants could be eligible for a Michelin star, which is awarded to restaurants that offer outstanding cooking.

What they're saying:

"I think it's really cool, obviously growing up as a young cook, you look up to all these chefs that are in the guide, and then you dream of being there one day with them and when that happens, it is surreal," William Shen, , head chef of Unigirl/Sorekara, said.

"It was fantastic news. I mean I have an amazing team. I'm grateful to do what I love to do with really talented people, so living the dream," said Tim Lovero, chef and owner of Coro.

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"All of the top 50 restaurants now have some kind of recognition with Michelin, and it’s really no surprise. With over 70 million visitors a year, dining is a huge part of the Orlando experience," Dr. Kevin Murphy, of UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management, said.

Local perspective:

But it’s not just tourists driving the demand for high-quality food.

"You have high-spending convention-goers, theme park visitors, and a growing base of affluent residents looking for quality dining," Murphy said.

That demand has given talented chefs the opportunity to showcase their creativity. 

William Shen, head chef at both UniGirl and Sorekara, said it’s a dream come true to be recognized.

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"It was unbelievable, especially all of them, but definitely very, very honored and thankful because it is a lot of hard work and it's definitely nice to be recognized this way," said Shen.

At his restaurants, Shen takes pride in using high-quality ingredients to bring authentic Japanese flavors to Orlando.

"All of our restaurants are different cuisines, but we never compromise on quality. The people behind them are truly passionate about hospitality," said Shen.

Lovero has seen Orlando’s food scene evolve since he moved here in 2008.

"When I first moved here, it was just Luma, Ravenous Pig, and Disney. Now you’ve got sub-pockets everywhere: Audubon Park, Milk District. New restaurants are popping up all over. It’s been great to see," said Lovero.

Big picture view:

And it’s not just about competition – it’s about community. Food blogger Ricky Ly, founder of Tasty Chomps, said Orlando’s collaborative spirit is what makes the scene so unique.

"We’re not trying to outdo each other. We’re working together to push the food scene forward and make it better every time," said Ly.

With its diverse flavors, top-tier talent, and now Michelin recognition, Orlando is proving its more than just a theme park town – it’s a bona fide foodie city.

What's next:

"We’re just going to keep pushing each other to bring the flavor and experience to the next level for Orlando," said Ly.