There are a few questions that I dread. “Where do you want to go eat?” is probably at the top of the list. The others I cannot share in polite company.
How many times do we answer this question in our lifetime? And in Orlando, a town that boasts more variety than one might think, this is a question that requires some thought. There are a lot of great restaurants here. You can easily suffer from choice exhaustion. I’m lucky, my gig here at Genuine Orlando obligates me to break routine and find new places to stuff my belly. Otherwise, I would probably end up dragging my wife to the same five restaurants over and over.
A good remedy for getting out of a food rut is taking a food tour. For those unfamiliar with the concept, a food tour typically combines visits to a number of restaurants with the exploration of a neighborhood or two. Also, you usually learn a few new things about food, dining, or cooking.
Orlando has a few good ones and recently I had the chance to check out Orlando Food Tours, a newish tour that operates in the historical and attractive Winter Park downtown area. Started by six locals, this tour avoids the corporate and touristy, preferring to highlight some better known Park Ave establishments and a couple of well kept secrets.
My tour guide noted that the stops are not specifically listed on the Orlando Food Tour site as some people might not be initially interested due to a familiarity, but they promise to show a new side to even the award-winning restaurants on the tour. So even if you cruise Winter Park on a regular basis, keep reading.
I’ll honor this approach. I won’t tell you where we went, but I will give you a firm idea of what to expect.
The tour isn’t about tastings. It’s about eating. Two of the stops will give you an ample opportunity to become more ample. You’ll eat, by golly. Come hungry. You won’t learn as much at these two stops as you will at the others, but they are very social in nature and you’ll also be able to have a few drinks of an adult nature if that pleases you. Drinks are included.
Two stops are more educational in nature and for those that are into cooking, you’ll be pleased by the subject matter. The final two stops on the tour were strictly about honoring the sweet tooth and although they lean more to a gentle morsel or two, you can always go right back afterwards and sugar it up.
Mixed in between stops is a small bit of walking (1.5 miles all together) and some historical locations. Winter Park has quite a bit of history and you’ll be encouraged to investigate further.
Currently Orlando Food Tours is a weekend thing, but they tell me that they are gaining momentum and they are hoping to putt weekday tours (they do have the occasional Friday now) on the calendar.
If you’re interested in walking around the pretty environs of Winter Park chowing down, having some cocktails, and learning a little bit – take a look into spending an afternoon with Orlando Food Tours. Combine it with a visit to the Morse Museum or the Boat Tours and you’ve got a solid plan for the day.
For ticket info:
(800) 979-3370
info@orlandofoodtours.com
Buy Tickets Online: http://www.zerve.com/OrlandoFoods/WPLunch
