DINING

Restaurants to Try in Orlando in 20233

If you haven’t done so by now, take a leap of faith and visit these places for a fun and fulfilling dining experience.

By Erica Rudnick Macalintal

The new year has arrived, and with it, the possibilities of trying new cuisines! There are plenty of opportunities to do so in Orlando, and these new restaurants serve up great variety and fun.

Edoboy

728 N. Thornton Ave. Orlando, FL 32803

Edoboy opened in late 2022 and has garnered praise for its standup, low-pretense, super-high-quality sushi. Located off Mills / 50 right behind Lazy Moon pizza, it was inspired by the owner’s travels throughout Japan. The sushi bar serves eight standing patrons at a time and offers a rotating beer and sake menu. Once arrived, you are served sushi prepared right in front of you by your own personal chef. One can appreciate the freshness of the daily catch and the quality of the rice, all made by professionals who know their craft very well. Delicious miso soup is also made in-house from the bones of the fish used in sushi preparation. Make sure you book a reservation time slot, since walk-ins are not accepted.

Juju

700 Maguire Blvd. Orlando, FL 32803

JuJu is another restaurant with great things happening. Recently opened by the same team that brought you Susuru on Palm Parkway, the new restaurant took the spot of an old Pizza Hut on Maguire Blvd just north of the Milk District. Boasting both a kappo bar and an izakaya dining room, the location has become a quiet sensation with patrons lining up outside for a chance to try the cuisine.

Decor is vivid and authentic, including Japanese street signs and vintage Astro-boy figurines. Kappo restaurants offer a very specific dining experience, in which the term “omakase” or “I leave it up to you” denotes that the diner trusts the chef’s expertise to serve them the best food in the house, and so these seats require reservations. The izakaya dining room serves small plates to accompany fantastic in-house cocktails (including one served in a vintage Pizza Hut cup) and accepts walk-ins at varying hours Wednesday through Sunday.

Bad As’s Burgers

4205-B Curry Ford Rd. Orlando, FL 32806

Once you’ve had your sushi fix, try Bad As’s Burgers, which recently opened in Curry Ford West just south of the Milk District. Specializing in Wagyu beef from Australia for the ultimate comfort food, the restaurant is run by the same owner as the wildly popular Bad As’s Sandwiches on Primrose Drive, which has been an Orlando staple for some time. Huge portions are hidden inside the small space, and in addition to burgers the restaurant offers French fries cooked in beef tallow, which create a superior flavor to accompany the burgers. Although the fries are perfectly addicting on their own, there is a wide variety of house-made sauces for dipping, and dessert milkshakes make the experience even more satisfying. The location on Curry Ford Road is open seven days a week, requires no reservations and offers exceptional service.