The 2024 Orlando Dining Awards: Brendan’s Picks Part 2
Now that you've read Part 1, it's on to Part 2 of the Orlando Dining Award winner breakouts.
Principal Photography by Roberto Gonzalez
Back to the 2024 Dining Awards 
CHIMA STEAKHOUSE | RESTAURANT ROW
Best Buffet: Brendan’s Choice
The former home of Bonefish Grill on Sand Lake Road is where you’ll find my favorite new Brazilian steakhouse. Chima Steakhouse combines the traditional Brazilian rodizio with more fancy touches and amazing customer service. The restaurant itself is stunning, with a pretty buffet area and lots of art lining the walls that bring home that Brazilian narrative. Gauchos stroll about the dining room with skewers of meat that they artfully slip onto your plate, while, if you’re anything like me, you try to avoid eye contact and falling in love. I actually found myself not eating as much, because I didn’t want our super gorgeous meat men to think I was an animal. Don’t sleep on the ribeye. chimasteakhouse.com/orlando-steakhouse
©Chima Steakhouse
Runners Up: Boma At Disney’s Animal Kingdom // Royal Southern Kitchen
BANH MI BOY | MILLS 50
Best Cheap Eats: Brendan’s Choice
The old banh mi counter in Tien Hung Market Oriental Foods went through a pretty ambitious makeover back in 2019, transforming it into a more trendy version of itself complete with a new name. Banh Mi Boy never looked back. Tien Hung is currently undergoing a metamorphosis of its own, into Mills Market and will soon house a number of fresh concepts by local restaurateurs, Jimmy and Johnny Tung, including the new Michelin-recognized gyoza and udon shop, Zaru, and onigiri vendor UniGirl, right next door. But Banh Mi Boy seems to be the star of the market, with large groups of hungry customers happily waiting for their affordable, warm, Vietnamese sandwiches. Their product is simple, incredibly tasty and I think one of your best bets for a meal that won’t break your bank. Park in the back. instagram.com/banhmiboycafe
Runners Up: Sticky Rice // Unigirl
CHARLIE’S BAKERY AND CREAMERY | CURRY FORD WEST
Best Desserts: Brendan’s Choice
I’ve been expounding the joys and delights of Charlie’s Bakery and Creamery since they reopened under new owners in March 2022, and they’re always at the top of my dessert roundups. So it should come as no surprise when I bestow up on them the honor of Best Desserts this year. The family-owned shop successfully won over a notoriously hard-to-please locals-only part of town with their great customer service and decadent desserts. And their ice cream is edging up on a hard custard, due to the high amount of premium cream used in the recipe. It’s rich. It’s unapologetic, and it’s delicious. They recently added a sit-down dining space in the restaurant too, which lets me know they’re doing well, they’re reinvesting in the business, and they care about how you engage with their product. charliesbakery.com
Runners Up: Gideon’s Bakehouse // Kori Bakery & Dessert
ART’S SANDWICH SHOP | HOLDEN HEIGHTS
Best Old Faithful: Brendan’s Choice
Art’s Sandwich Shop is more than 50 years old, but not enough people in Orlando give it the credit it’s due. I think the biggest reason for that is because it’s located on Orange Blossom Trail. And people are boring. Art Adkins opened the shop in 1972 with his wife Sybil, and it has been family-owned and operated ever since. The interior is a time capsule and its retro wood-paneled walls and faded family/celebrity photos have been mostly unchanged since it opened. They serve a variety of subs at Art’s but the one most people come for is the cheesesteak. It’s simple and effective, and the recipe has stayed the same all these years, just like the vinyl booths and your grandfather’s voting habits. artssandwichshop.com
Runners Up: Beefy King // Bagel King
ÔMO BY JÔNT | WINTER PARK
Best Chef’s Table: Brendan’s Choice
As someone who is turned off by weird spellings and capitalizations in a restaurant name, ÔMO by JÔNT had an uphill battle with me from the word “go.” But under the command of award-winning chef, Ryan Ratino, who was behind the Michelin-starred Bresca restaurant and two-star concept, JÔnt, this new 15-seat restaurant in Winter Park schooled me on judging a book by its fancy foreign cover. It features three dining areas that guests are ushered through as their dining experience progresses. The name is a derivative of “omotenashi,” the Japanese word for “hospitality,” that goes beyond simply being helpful, but rather providing more care than is expected, which became clear when an off-hand conversation I had with a dining mate resulted in an extremely personalized thank you card at the end of my meal. It was like a magic moment, without any kids around eating mouse-shaped ice cream. This chef’s table experience was absolutely perfect, and I hope we’re worthy enough to keep them around for years to come. omobyjont.com
Runners Up: Camille // Foreigner
WINTER PARK BISCUIT COMPANY | AUDUBON PARK (Inside East End Market)
Best Veggie-Forward Eats: Brendan’s Choice
As a non-vegan fan of meatless dishes, I’m just really thankful for restaurateurs who abandon the healthy ethos most vegetarian restaurants espouse, to embrace comfort food and fatty livers. Winter Park Biscuit Company is owned by Mary and Neil Westfall, each of whom has a connection to the music industry in their own right (Mary was Blink 182’s former road chef, and Neil is the guitarist from A Day to Remember). The menu is completely vegan, which makes it a real work of science to have biscuits as pillowy and flaky as they do. And their housemade apple butter will have you unashamedly licking the container like you were slamming a Jello shot at a bridal party. winterparkbiscuitco.com
