22 hard-to-get restaurant tables in Orlando that are always worth the wait

Cafe Tu Tu Tango

8625 International Drive, Orlando
The funky tapas spot offers creative food and drink specials every weekday, plus live music and relaxed patio seating, too. With tons of shareable plates to choose from, signature cocktails and artists who paint while you eat, Cafe Tu Tu Tango garners some well-deserved crowds.

Black Rooster Taqueria

1323 N. Mills Ave., Orlando
This taqueria offers a modern twist on authentic Mexican cuisine — and it's delicious, so you can probably expect some lines. But with options like the shrimp and chorizo tacos, pozole verde bowl and classic tres leches cake and flan, it's most definitely worth the wait.

Pizza Bruno

3990 Curry Ford Road, Orlando
The line is usually out the door at this pizza establishment known for its legendary garlic knots and scrumptious pizza. Get a glass of beer or wine, because there will probably be a wait — but it’s totally worth it. Cooked in a wood-fired oven for 90 seconds at 1,000 degrees, Pizza Bruno’s notorious char-spotted pizza represents true Neapolitan-style pie-fection.

Kadence

1809 Winter Park Road, Orlando
With a Michelin star, a reservation required for dinner, and a secret menu, this sushi and sake bar is a hot commodity. There are only nine seats and tickets range from $155-$175 for one meal, so this may not be your go-to for a casual night out. But if you're in the mood to splurge on some to-die-for sushi, Kadence might be calling your name.

Se7en Bites

617 N. Primrose Drive, Orlando
Known for Southern-style food and incredible baked goods, the line at Se7en Bites is always out the door on weekends. It’s for a good reason, too. The spot is perfect for brunch, with its menu of tasty pastries, biscuits and gravy, primavera Benedict and meatloaf sandwiches.

Morimoto Asia

1600 E. Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista
This upscale restaurant brings innovative Pan-Asian cuisine to Disney Springs. With a menu from Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, the glitzy spot offers dishes ranging from ribs to sushi to Peking duck and plenty more.

Pig Floyd’s Urban Barbakoa

1326 N. Mills Ave., Orlando
The rustic counter-serve joint is no secret to adoring Orlando foodies. Innovative flavors and traditional fire, smoke and pit BBQ methods combine to make this spot the BBQ landmark it is.

The Polite Pig

1536 Buena Vista Drive, Orlando
This indoor and outdoor counter-serve spot from the team behind the Ravenous Pig features smoked meats, Southern specialties and cocktails on tap at Disney Springs. The spot takes a modern approach to classic savory wood-fired flavors, garnering it the attention it absolutely deserves.

The Ravenous Pig

565 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park
Using sustainable food methods and cooking with ingredients sourced close to home, The Ravenous Pig asks that you make reservations because there’s often a wait to get into this foodie heaven. The stylish gastropub and beer garden offers inventive New American eats, an in-house taproom and hand-crafted cocktails, all definitely worth the splurge.

The Stubborn Mule

100 S. Eola Drive, Unit 103, Orlando
This restaurant is in high demand for its new twist on American cuisine. Locally sourced food options and craft cocktails, beer and wine makes this eatery a popular stop for locals and tourists alike.

The Strand

807 N. Mills Ave., Orlando
The Strand has embedded itself into Orlando’s restaurant scene with dishes made from scratch and daily specials using fresh, seasonal ingredients. This popular joint also keeps a rotating inventory of craft beers and wine.

Voodoo Doughnut

6000 Universal Blvd., Orlando
"The Magic Is in the Hole" is Voodoo Doughnut's credo, and the pair behind the cult fave – Kenneth "Cat Daddy" Pogson and Tres Shannon – are set to penetrate the very penetrable market of Orlando. They set up shop in family-friendly Universal CityWalk so expect to see their less risqué-named, yet still thoroughly sinful, creations such as the "Dirt Doughnut" and "Bacon Maple Bar."

Gideon’s Bakehouse

3201 Corrine Drive, Orlando
This small local cookie bakery serves up big flavors and over-the-top creations. Known for from-scratch recipes and almost half-pound cookies and cake slices, as well as a certain whimsical dark humor, it's not a spot any Orlando sweet tooth should pass up.

Better Than Sex

1905 N. Orange Ave., Orlando
Better Than Sex is a full-service adults-only dessert restaurant with some very, uh, debauched dishes — all wrapped in a speakeasy-like setting. Enjoy their array of sweet creations and grab a cocktail or two to wash them down.

Prato

124 N. Park Ave., Winter Park
Orlando Weekly readers' "best Italian restaurant" three years in a row, Prato scores huge with Orlandoans for its authentic Italian dishes. You’ll battle crowds to get a seat at this loud Park Avenue “it spot,” but once inside, the rustic Italian creations will justify the body-checking. As you can read in our 2020 Prato review, "You'd be hard-pressed to find better meatballs in the city, seriously."

Domu

3201 Corrine Drive, Orlando, and 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd., Orlando
This ramen bar gets packed! Domu makes their noodles in-house and have tweaked their broth recipes to mouthwatering perfection. Because of this, and the fact that they don’t take reservations, ensuring a table at Domu is a challenge. The wait might be long, but it is so worth it.

Briarpatch

252 N. Park Ave., Winter Park
One of Winter Park's most iconic and long-standing breakfast joints serves up contemporary American cuisine and brunch daily. With breakfast goodies like blueberry stuffed pancakes and raspberry-and-brie stuffed brioche french toast, it’s not hard to find a reason to wait in line here.

AVA MediterrAegean

290 S. Park Ave., Winter Park
The trendy Mediterranean hotspot in the heart of Park Avenue may be saturated in South Beach swank, but its menu packs real substance. That only makes people-watching at Ava all the more enjoyable.

310 Lakeside

301 E. Pine St., Orlando
This well-loved downtown New American cafe offers a view of Lake Eola, and features a wine bar, live music, both indoor and outdoor dining, and popular weekend brunch.

Buttermilk Bakery

1198 Orange Ave., Winter Park
You’ll have to come in early if you want to snag one of the many made-from-scratch pastries at this bakery. Not only will there be a polite line of sweet-seekers, the shop closes in the afternoon, so plan your time accordingly.