Starting today, foodies can begin making reservations for Orlando’s most popular restaurant month: Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining Month, sponsored by American Express. The program returns Aug. 24 – Sept. 30 with several “firsts” including:

  • 19 new participating restaurants including numerous diverse cuisines;
  • vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free menu options

The program was designed by Visit Orlando to showcase the wide variety of upscale and diverse dining throughout the destination, while also helping children in need.

More than 100 restaurants across the destination participate, with each offering a three-course, prix fixe dinner menu for just $35 per person. And, one dollar from every meal served is donated to a local charity.

“Our Magical Dining program has become so popular that we now have visitors and residents wanting to make reservations well over a month in advance, just to ensure they get their top choices,” said Visit Orlando President and CEO George Aguel. “We are delighted to see that people are eager for the program to kick off. That’s good news as it helps spread the word about Orlando’s incredible dining options, and also gives back to children in our local community.”

The updated website OrlandoMagicalDining.com launched earlier this week, which includes the full list of participating restaurants, menus and – for the first time – designated options for vegans, vegetarians and gluten-free diets. OpenTable reservations are also available now.

The wide range of venues spans areas from Disney Springs to Restaurant Row near the convention center, as well as burgeoning neighborhood districts in downtown Orlando, Winter Park and beyond.

New to Magical Dining for 2018

Nineteen new restaurants – including Cuban, Mexican, Italian, Brazilian and multiple Asian restaurants — serve up the widest variety yet, including:

·         Amura Sushi

·         Bongo’s

·         Café Tu Tu Tango

·         Coopers Hawk-Waterford

·         Fig’s

·         Mai Hana Pan Asian

·         Market to Table

·         Maria & Enzo’s

·         Pharmacy

·         Reyes Mezcaleria

 ·         Seito Sushi Baldwin Park

·         Terralina

·         Terramia

·         Texas de Brazil

·         The Strand

·         The Tap Room at Dubsdread

·         Wine Bar George

·         Zen

·         Zeta Asia

Special Diet Options

Orlando’s dining scene has made increasing strides towards catering to all foodies. And for the first time, diners can now easily identify vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options marked on the OrlandoMagicalDining.com website.

Participating restaurants guaranteed to offer one or more of those options include:

·         Artisan’s Table

·         Big Fin Seafood Kitchen

·         Bulla

·         Canvas Restaurant & Market

·         Hemingway’s

·         Kabooki Sushi

·         Ravello

·         The Grill at Grande Vista

 

 ·         Hemingway’s

·         Hemisphere Restaurant

·         Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar (Sand Lake Road & Winter Park)

·         David’s Club-Omni

·         Café d’Antonio

·         Blu on the Avenue

·         Andiamo Italian Bistro & Grille

 

Giving back to children

Through Visit Orlando, one dollar from every meal served during Magical Dining Month is donated to children in need. This year, the program will help children affected by intellectual and developmental disabilities, though donations to Best Buddies and The Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida.

  • Best Buddies creates opportunities for inclusion and one-to-one friendships for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Diners participating in Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining Month will help expand the program, which is most often found in high schools, into middle schools.
  • The Down Syndrome Association offers support for those with Down syndrome and their families. Diners participating in Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining Month will help create funds for families in crisis, medical needs not covered by insurance, and therapy scholarship programs.

For more information, go to OrlandoMagicalDining.com. 

About Orlando Dining

From internationally renowned chefs to home-grown venues, Orlando is a destination where the culinary possibilities are both fresh and seemingly endless. Theme parks restaurants keep Central Florida on the map with award-winning dining, and independent restaurateurs bring fresh concepts to the table. Whether locally owned or part of expanding franchises, many of the destination’s newest restaurants mirror the national trends: American cuisine, farm-friendly menus and simple food with regional accents. Nationally, Orlando has emerged as a prominent dining destination, and continues to grow in both quantity and quality of flavors.

About Visit Orlando

Visit Orlando is the official tourism association for the most visited destination in the United States, with representation in more than a dozen countries around the world. Visit Orlando, together with its 1,200 member organizations, represents the area’s leading industry.

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