Embark on a culinary adventure at these restaurants

When you think of the Central Florida area, the first thing that comes to mind is theme parks and tourist attractions. However, little do people know that the restaurants are top tier. From fancy, homemade bakeries to inexpensive hand-tossed pizza, there are many mouth-watering options to choose from. 

With Central Florida having such a diverse community in areas like Ocoee, Winter Garden and Windermere, the amount of appetizing food truly makes this area stand out. From my experience of traveling across Florida, I have had my fair share of restaurants that I love.

NAAN STOPP

With the closing of the restaurant HUMBL, which shuttered its doors in November 2021, the modern Indian restaurant, Naan Stopp, is an excellent replacement. 

Naan Stopp serves delicious and value-based meals from scratch and customizes the spice levels of the dishes based on the palate of the customer. 

Some of its dishes include chicken saag, lamb madras and the infamous cheese naan. 

My personal favorite meal from the restaurant is the butter chicken with cheese naan, but it could cost you upward of around $25 per person. If you’re looking for a meal to fill you up, Naan Stopp, 5845 Winter Garden-Vineland Road, Suite 130, Windermere, is perfect for that.

BUTTERCRUST PIZZA

From barbecue chicken pizza to meatball parmesan hot subs, Buttercrust Pizza, at 4781 Orange Ave., Orlando, serves it all. Most pizzas are around $15 and up, with some exclusions, but I highly recommend the buffalo chicken pizza. 

It isn’t just a regular pizza joint, though. It also serve wings, caramel brookie bites, cannoli cookie sandwiches and pinwheels. 

If you’re in the mood for affordable pizza that will have you coming back for seconds, Buttercrust is just the right place.

TOKYO RAMEN

Hiding in Orlando Chinatown at 5076 W. Colonial Drive, Tokyo Ramen is a small restaurant that serves ramen as well as other delectable meals like poke bowls, soups and gyoza. The convenient and affordable prices make the restaurant a natural choice for dine-ins or take-outs. 

With the ramen coming fresh straight to the customer and in a timely manner, this place makes the perfect spot for an affordable and fast meal. If you’re stopping by for a bite, I recommend the tonkatsu ramen with a side of gyoza.

EGGS UP GRILL

With such classic breakfast dishes available, Eggs Up Grill on 13750 W. Colonial Drive, Winter Garden, is a must when craving a meal to start your day off right. Not only does the restaurant serve breakfast, but also it offers lunch with tasty dishes such as the triple stack burger, until 2:30 p.m. 

With a hefty platter of food served, the prices fit the plates perfectly, which is why it starts your day off right. 

Some of my favorite dishes include the carne asada breakfast burrito, caramel apple crisp pancakes and the eggs Benedict.

JAZTRO BY CHEF D.O.C.

Looking for flavorful multicultural-fusion cuisine that will have you back every day? Look no further than JazTro By Chef D.O.C. at 829 Good Homes Road, Orlando. JazTro recently opened in the Ocoee area, but the owner and chef have been in the culinary world for quite some time. With more than 24 years of experience, chef Juan “Danny” Otero serves a variety of amazing dishes like pasta and picadillo, grilled chicken skewers, and Puerto Rican stir fry. 

With so much to choose from, you can’t go wrong with anything. Chef Danny has brought talent to the Central Florida area, so if you’re ready to benefit from his years of experience, expect to spend around $15 on quality food.