If there is one thing the University of Central Florida area is known for other than college, it’s food. There are tons of fast food places, restaurants, froyo, sushi, pizza, and more. Most of these places are your typical chain restaurants: TGIFriday’s, Chili’s, Chipotle, Smokey Bones, Wendy’s…You get the picture. But with these generic places come the unique gems from the food Gods that you will find nowhere else but here in Orlando. If you live in the area then I’m sure you will agree with at least most of the following, or if you haven’t been to any of these yet, you will have some new places to try; if you don’t live in the area – be jealous.
Jeremiah’s– With only four locations in the Central Florida area, you won’t get Italian ice like this anywhere else! Jeremiah’s Italian Ice is homemade Italian ice goodness. They have tons of flavors to choose from, too! In addition to Italian ice, they also serve Gelati and Soft Serve ice cream. If you ever find yourself getting sick of the same old froyo, definitely try out Jeremiah’s!
Mama Millie’s– Located right next door, Mama Millie’s is uniqueness that you have probably never experienced before: How many authentic Jamaican food places do you come across on a daily basis? This restaurant serves the best of Jamaican flavors, from chicken to beef, seafood, and even goat! Not into meat? No problem! Mama Millie’s also serves vegan selections.
Ethos– Speaking of vegan, Ethos is an all-vegan restaurant located in Downtown Orlando. Whether you are a practicing vegan or you just want to try some different, delicious food, you must try Ethos! They have a great selection of sandwiches, pizza, salads, and entrees. They even have a bakery! Yes, please!
Lazy Moon– If you love pizza, are very hungry, and want a unique experience, you should definitely go to Lazy Moon. I don’t know if their pizzas are the largest ever, but they sure do seem like it. They sell by the slice, or (if you have like, 50 people to feed) you can buy an entire, gigantic pie. Mind you, each slice is probably equivalent to two or three normal slices all merged into one! You can also customize your slice by ordering it with a variety of fun toppings.
El Cerro– Every area has its own version of amazing Mexican food, and Central Florida’s is El Cerro. Whether it’s for a quick lunch with the girls or date-night dinner with your man, this restaurant is a great place to go to have a great time. Not to mention, they have a “Monster Margarita.” What’s better than that?
Huey Magoo’s– If you’re the easy going, chicken tenders and fries type of gal, then you’ll love Huey Magoo’s. You can choose grilled or fried, in a wrap, on a salad, or tenders by themselves. Personally, even though they are not the healthiest option, the fried chicken tenders are the way to go. If you’re going out of your way to eat at Huey Magoo’s, you might as well splurge and go for the good stuff!
Next time you’re deciding on a place to go for group lunch with your friends, why not check out one (or more) of these amazing places you won’t get the privilege of eating at anywhere else but here in Orlando!