4-5-6
657 North Primrose Dr.
407-898-1899
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Moderate
Cuisine type: : Chinese
The chef at 4-5-6 has been serving high-quality Chinese food here for more than 15 years. Vegetarians will enjoy the dish called Buddha's Delight. Another house specialty is the Seven Seas Casserole, which features various kinds of seafood and vegetables served in a crock. The decor is also finer than in many Chinese restaurants, with white linen, flowers, and candles on the tables.

Arthur's 27
Disney's Buena Vista Palace Hotel
1900 Buena Vista Blvd
407-827-3450
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Expensive
Cuisine type: : French, International
The 27th-floor views and fine dining make this five-star restaurant one of the more elite restaurants in Orlando. Though the setting is formal, it is not over the top. Dinners can be ordered at regular pricing or prix-fixe. At night there is a spectacular view of the Disney fireworks displays. Jackets are recommended for men, and reservations are taken up to 30 days in advance.

Atlantis
Renaissance Orlando Resort
6677 Sea Harbor Dr.
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Expensive
Cuisine type: : Seafood
After visiting the inhabitants of SeaWorld, it seems a bit odd to head across the street for a seafood dinner, but Atlantis is one of the best seafood spots in Orlando. The delicacies featured include Maine lobster and red snapper covered with sweet pina coloda butter and frilled with tropical fruit. While this upscale restaurant does not require jackets, theme-park wear is not appropriate so dress accordingly.

B-Line Diner
Peabody Hotel Orlando
9801 International Dr.
407-352-4000
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Carte Blanche, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Inexpensive/Moderate
Cuisine type: : Diner
Modeled after 1950s-era roadside diners, the B-Line sparkles with its chrome and pink Formica. The food options are surprisingly extensive, including the usual burgers, as well as everything from filet mignon to falafel sandwiches. Between the jukebox and the kids, this 24-hour diner can get quite noisy.

Blazing Pianos
8445 International Dr.
407-363-1504
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Inexpensive
Cuisine type: : American
Blazing Pianos is more a full-service restaurant than the other dinner theater venues in Orlando. The atmosphere is like an old-style saloon, with musical entertainment while you eat and the band inviting customers to sing along (between bites!). The food is basic tavern-style fare, but the menu is varied enough for nearly everyone to find something.

Bongos Cuban Cafe
Downtown Disney West Side
1498 East Buena Vista Dr.
407-828-0999
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Moderate
Cuisine type: : Cuban
Bongos was started by Cuban-American singer Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio. Food choices, including Cuban steak and seafood paella, reflect the Cuban palette. The decor conjures up the world of old Havana, featuring stools shaped like bongo drums. The restaurant is generally full, so prepared to wait, especially during high tourist season. Reservations are only accepted for parties of seven or more.

Dan Marino's Town Tavern
9101 International Dr., Suite 1300
407-363-1013
Credit cards accepted: American Express, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Moderate/Expensive
Cuisine type: : American
Though this restaurant doesn't have quite as much finesse as Dan Marino showed in his heyday as quarterback of the Miami Dolphins, the upscale tavern offers excellent basic fare like pasta and salads, and some unusual surprises. The signature dish is salmon on the cob: a filet of salmon stuffed in a cornhusk, and cooked with shrimp and scallions, then served with rice. Not too surprisingly, the bar is shaped like a football.

Dexter's of Thorton Park
808 East Washington St.
407-648-2777
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Moderate
Cuisine type: : Wine Bar, Cafe
This casual and airy indoor/outdoor cafe is one of the most popular eateries for local business folk in Orlando, and for good reason. The selection of entrees is highly inventive, featuring such delicacies as Black and Blue Tortilla Pie (beef, roasted red peppers, sauteed red onions, and spicy Cajun etouffee sauce stacked on crispy blue corn tortillas with melted pepper jack and sour cream) and Wild Mushroom Napoleon, though the menu changes monthly. Appetizers such as sun-dried tomato risotto cake are equally creative. Dexter's is also famed for its vast selection of fine wines. The crowds can get a bit noisy in here, especially during the after-work happy hour during the week. Open until midnight, the restaurant is also a good late-night choice. There is a second location at 200 West Fairbanks Ave. in Winter Park (407-629-1150). There are live music performances at the Winter Park location and gallery-style art shows at the Thornton Park locale.

Dux
Peabody Orlando Hotel
9801 International Dr.
407-345-4550
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Expensive
Cuisine type: : International
Named after the Peabody ducks that walk through the hotel lobby every morning, the hotel's premier restaurant is nearly as creative with its cuisine. Appetizers include pot stickers stuffed with portobello mushrooms and entrees choices range from organic beef tenderloin with vegetables to lamb chops. Jackets and reservations recommended

Fulton's Crab House
1670 Buena Vista Dr.
407-934-2628
Credit cards accepted: American Express, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Moderate/Expensive
Cuisine type: : Seafood
Seafood lovers will find an ocean-full of delights at Fulton's Crab House, located in a replica of an early 20th century riverboat. The fish and the oyster bar are extremely fresh. Crab mavens will find nearly every variety of crab in the "Fulton's Crab Experience for Two," including Alaskan king, dungeness, and Florida white. There are also surf and turf options. Tasty desserts and a fairly extensive wine list round things out. Reservations are recommended, particularly during the high tourist season.

Hard Rock Cafe
Universal CityWalk
6050 Universal Blvd.
Credit cards accepted: American Express, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Moderate
Cuisine type: : American
Located in a massive coliseum-style building and decorated with the usual autographed rock star paraphernalia and stage outfits, this is the world's largest Hard Rock Cafe. Elvis' pink Cadillac rotates on a pedestal in the center. The food is standard HR, but the portions are generous.

Harvey's Bistro
390 North Orange Ave.
407-246-6560
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Moderate
Cuisine type: : American
The food here is fancier than the prices would indicate. Entrees include poached filet of halibut stuffed with shiitake mushroom souffle and wrapped in spicy Swiss chard; appetizers include onion soup doused with ale and smoked gouda. Desserts such as carmelized bananas and creme brulee are also a specialty. Harvey's can get quite crowded after performances at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center or Magic basketball at the Orlando Arena. The chef is the same as at the famed Manuel's on 28th.

Ken Griffey's Baseball Cafe
5851 Caravan Court
407-3 63-0530
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Moderate
Cuisine type: : American
As you could guess sports form the main theme here. Hall of Fame memorabilia lines the walls around the cafe and there are satellite televisions aplenty to watch the big game on.

Le Coq Au Vin
4800 South Orange Ave.
407-851-6980
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Moderate/Expensive
Cuisine type: : French
Though the interior of Le Coq Au Vin is nothing to write home about, the cuisine certainly is. The menu changes seasonally, but some of the options often present are fried eggplant stuffed with crabmeat, and chicken and mushrooms in burgundy wine sauce. Desserts are equally sumptuous, such as the Grand Marnier souffle and creme brulee. Reservations are recommended.

Maison & Jardin Restaurant
430 South Wymore Rd.
407-862-4410
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Expensive
Cuisine type: : Continental
Located on five acres in a Mediterranean style building that hints at Southern France, Maison & Jardin is much more than a restaurant. This elegant spot, featuring crystal statues, intricate chandeliers, and top-quality artwork has drawn diners from around the world since 1958. Garnering a number of awards (such as one of the Distinguished Restaurants of North America), it is the premier restaurant in Central Florida. There are a number of caviar choices to start off the meal. Entree choices include Florida red snapper wrapped in a puffy pastry and topped with chunks of crab in a creamy mousseline sauce or more odd choices like ostrich or quail. The restaurant also offers one of the world's hundred best wine lists. Reservations are highly recommended.

Manuel's on 28th
In the NationsBank building
390 North Orange Ave., Suite 2800
407-246-2580
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Expensive/Very Expensive
Cuisine type: : International
The menu at this romantic, elegant spot, considered one of Orlando's premier restaurants, features such delicacies as Chilean sea bass and jumbo lump crab, as well as dessert options like blackberry sorbet. The restaurant offers a full bar including a vast wine selection. One of Manuel's most enticing features is the view it offers of the city and outlying suburbs. This is also a celebratory place, as many locals come here for anniversaries, birthdays, and the like. Manuel's is open Tuesday through Saturday. Jackets are recommended for men.

Ming Court Wok & Grille
9188 International Dr.
407-351-9988
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Moderate
Cuisine type: : Chinese
The terrace rooms of this exquisitely decorated interior look over a colorful lotus pond, adding to the di ning experience in this garden restaurant. Entrees include chicken in lemon-tangerine sauce and Szechuan-grilled filet mignon. Appetizers like wok-charred mandarin make good starters, and there is a vast wine list. Dim sum is popular here at lunchtime. Live folk music is performed here nightly.

Morton's of Chicago
7600 Drive Phillips Drive
407-248-3485
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Expensive
Cuisine type: : Steakhouse
The dark wood paneling and leather-lined booths add to the rustic feel of this upscale steakhouse. The emphasis here is on porterhouse steaks, though there are other options on the menu such as oysters and chicken. If there is still room left after the giant steak, the dessert menu is quite rich, with quality choices like Godiva chocolate cake. Reservations are recommended. Choose a wine from the extensive list to help wash it all down.

Motown Cafe
Universal CityWalk
1000 Universal Studios Plaza
407-363-8000
Credit cards accepted: American Express, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Moderate
Cuisine type: : Soul
This is a chance to eat to the sounds of all your favorite Motown stars. The ceiling is adorned with a 28-foot vinyl replica of the Jackson 5's single "ABC." Life-size statues of the Supremes, Jackson 5, and other superstars line the cafe, along with other Motown records artifacts. The food is as soulful as the music, with items such as barbecue ribs, fried chicken, and sweet potato fries. There is also live music nightly, with bands covering Motown classics.

Outback Restaurant
Wyndham Palace Resort & Spa
1900 Buena Vista Dr.
407-827-2727
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Moderate
Cuisine type: : Australian
One of the leading family restaurants in town, the Outback Restaurant has a dugout canoe hanging from the ceiling, a three-story waterfall, a stuffed crocodile in a stream, aboriginal gear on the walls, and an Australian storyteller. The choice of food ranges from steak to six-pound Maine lobsters.

Park Plaza Gardens
319 Park Ave. South
407-645-2475
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Carte Blanche, Discover, Diners Club, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Expensive
Cuisine type: : American
Considered by many locals to be one of Orlando's best offerings, Park Plaza Gardens features a variety of entrees including fresh seafood and quality poultry dishes, and has an extensive wine list. There is piano music as dinner accompaniment Wednesday through Saturday. A jacket is not required, but is suggested, as are reservations. The nearby Park Avenue is a romantic spot to walk after dinner.

Pebbles Restaurant
17 West Church St.
407-839-0892
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCa rd, Visa
Price range: Moderate
Cuisine type: : Fusion
Decorated in a splash of Florida colors, Pebbles, a local restaurant chain, touts itself as perfect for the casual gourmet. The fare here is creative--such as the Nutty Cheese Salad and the angel hair pasta with smoked duck and scallops--and the key-lime pie is well worth a try. A full bar, including an extensive wine list, is available. Pebbles' other locations include 12551 State Rd. 535 in Lake Buena Vista (407-827-1111) at 2110 West State Rd. 434 in Longwood, and 2516 Aloma Ave. in Winter Park. All of the locations can get quite busy, especially on weekends.

Rainforest Cafe
Downtown Disney Marketplace
407-827-8500
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Moderate
Cuisine type: : American
A simulated tropical rain forest, a 10,000-gallon aquatic habitat, and waterfalls surround diners here. Look for the gorillas in the mist and a whole safari's worth of animated wildlife. The food is basic but tasty. There is also a Rainforest Cafe at Disney's Animal Kingdom, 505 North Rainforest Rd., Bay Lake (407-938-9100).

Rolando's
870 State Road 436
407-767-9677
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Inexpensive/Moderate
Cuisine type: : Cuban
Though the interior is a bit drab aside from the photos of Cuba that don the walls, the food here is considered the best Cuban cuisine in Central Florida. There are a variety of options such as fried plantains, black bean soup, corn fritters and entrees like chicken with garlic, cumin, white wine vinegar. Paella is also served if ordered an hour in advance.

Sergio's Restaurant
355 North Orange Ave.
407-428-6162
Credit cards accepted: MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Moderate
Cuisine type: : Italian
One of the top eateries in downtown Orlando, Sergio's Restaurant is romantically lit, with each table sporting its own dimmer. Appetizers like antipasti and spinach pasta with Gorgonzola and pine nuts make a good start, and entrees such as the shrimp ravioli are excellent, especially considering the reasonable prices. There is also a cigar bar on the premises and a full wine list. The restaurant is jammed after Magic basketball games.

Spoodles
Boardwalk Resort, Disney World
407-939-3463
Credit cards accepted: MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Inexpensive/Moderate
Cuisine type: : American
Spoodles offers more than the typical burger and fries. The brick interior is decorated with wooden chairs and intricate chandeliers, adding a homey feel. For lunch you can order a quality sandwich such as grilled salmon on focaccia bread with tangy mustard sauce for about the price of a burger in the Disney parks. Tapas and handcrafted pizzas are popular for dinner.

Tasca Tacon Spanish Cafe
37 West Pine St.
407-316-0140
Credit cards accepted: American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Moderate/Expensive
Cuisine type: : Spanish
Appetizers include an array of hot and cold tapas. The entree specialty here is the paella, which is offered with different main ingredients, such as lobster. The restaurant livens up when a flamenco dancer takes the stage on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings.

Victoria & Albert's
Grand Floridian Beach Resort at Walt Disney
4401 Floridian Way
407-824-2383
Credit cards accepted: American Express, MasterCard, Visa
Price range: Very Expensive
Cuisine type: : American, French
Despite the fact Victoria & Albert's is located on Walt Disney World property in the Grand Floridian Beach Resort, it is one of the most posh restaurants in all of Central Florida. Dishes are exotic, ranging from veal topped with white truffle to mahi-mahi with a horseradish crust, and the menu changes daily. The six-course pre-fixe meals are served in a space that is a replica of Queen Victoria's dining rooms. The experience will cost you a pretty penny, with prices running from US$80 to US$100 per person. It is also possible to sit at the chef's table and watch the food being prepared. (The food is even more unique at the chef's table, which accounts for the US$115 to US$160 per head price range.) Reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance, while seats at the chef's table can be sold out as far as six months in advance. Jackets are required.