Monday meals

310 Lakeside

Address
City
Phone
Price

301 E. Pine St.
Orlando
407-373-0310
$$

This is a second location for a restaurant called 310 Park South, which was named for its address on Park Avenue in Winter Park. But 310 Lakeside is not at 310 Lakeside, it’s at 301 Pine. Very confusing. The food here is mostly straightforward — steaks, pastas, salads. And most of it is done well enough. The lake on whose side the restaurant sits (actually, it’s across the street) is Eola.

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4 Rivers Smokehouse

Address
City
Phone
Price

1600 W. Fairbanks Ave.
Winter Park
407-474-8377
$

It’s easy to spot Four Rivers when you’re driving down Fairbanks Avenue; just look for the place with the line outside. Folks are happy to queue up for this ‘cue, especially the brisket. But the pulled pork is pretty darned tasty, too. There is no indoor seating, just some picnic tables on a covered patio. But no one seems to mind.

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4Rivers Smokehouse Winter Garden

Address
City
Phone
Price

1047 S. Dillard St.
Winter Garden
407-474-8377
$

 A second location for the wildly popular Winter Park barbecuerie. This one has better parking and indoor (read: air-conditioned) seating. But the barbecue is the same — excellent. Lines are just about as long here, too, but with two cash registers it moves a bit faster. Try the brisket, a house speciality, or the ribs. The baked cheese grits are pretty tasty.

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Adriatico

Address
City
Phone
Price

2417 Edgewater Drive
Orlando
407-428-0044
$$$

College Park and Adriatico are a perfect match. The Orlando neighborhood certainly has some good, or good enough, restaurants. But it’s been missing a quaint trattoria, the sort of Italian place with a mom-and-pop feel, one that’s comfortable, homey and immediately familiar. A welcoming spot where the food is good but beside the point.That’s Adriatico.The “mom and pop” owners are Marco and Rosetta Cudazzo. She runs the dining room, greeting guests with a matronly welcome, and he does the cooking, demonstrating the skills he most recently plied at the estimable Terramia, a multiple Foodie winner, and at Antonio’s La Fiamma in Maitland before that.Have the scallopine alla Sienese or the pollo al limone. The scallops are a perfect appetizer. I could have made a meal of the three huge scallops sauteed with shallots and brandy in a creamy sauce tinged with a touch of mustard, served over fresh spinach. One could want little more when the appetizer is this good.The classico antipasto misto was a thoughtful selection of salami, prosciutto, cubes of hard parmesan, roasted peppers, baby artichokes and a handful of some of the tastiest green olives you’re likely to find.

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Agave Azul Winter Park

Address
City
Phone
Price

900 S. Orlando Ave.
Orlando
407-972-3414
$$

A second location for this Mex (with a lot of Tex). The food is inventive and flavorful if not entirely authentic.

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American Kitchen Bar & Grill

Address
City
Phone
Price

1905 Hotel Plaza Blvd.
Lake Buena Vista
407-828-2828
$$$

The menu, under the direction of chef Venoy Rogers III, offers an array of choices, including Small Bites that that would suit a group that wanted to share a meal tapas style, and Provisions that offer more substantial meals. (The Small Bites Tour gets you three appetizers for just $25.) Both categories have varied selections but most of them proudly proclaim local ingredients: Canaveral shrimp, Florida corn, Kissimmee mushrooms and such. The location might give some people pause, but this is some of the best food in town.

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American Social

Address
City
Phone
Price

7335 W. Sand Lake Road
Orlando
407-454-9992
$$$

Boisterous sports bar out of South Florida with good food, especially the burger. Vibrant happy hour.

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Antonio’s House of Pizza

Address
City
Phone
Price

528 Park Avenue S.
Winter Park
407-636-7222
$$

Formerly Maestro Cucina Napoletano, Antonio’s HOP still features pizza, of course, but not the Naples style. Now the crust is crustier — not wrong, just different. Good toppings on the pies, and the Spaghetti Bolognese is wonderful

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Armando’s

Address
City
Phone
Price

463 New England Ave.
Winter Park
407-951-8930
$

A new offering from Armando Martorelli, owner of Trattoria Toscana on Park Avenue, Armando’s is a more casual Italian restaurant. Pizzas are a focus, but there are also full entrees, such as veal Milanese, and the price point is very good, with most entrees in the mid teens.
It’s a big bright space with doors and windows that open wide to the outdoors. There is plenty of seating outside, too.

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Armando’s College Park

Address
City
Phone
Price

2305 Edgewater Drive
Orlando
407-930-0333
$$$

A College Park outpost of the Hannibal Square eatery. The vibe here is a bit more vibrant, at least on nights that have a good crowd, which seems to be most of them.

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