The FoodSided guide to dining at Universal Orlando Resort

Looking for the best eats at Universal Florida? The FoodSided guide to dining at Universal Orlando Resort shares our top dining choices.

From the opening of Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure to the upcoming Bigfire American Fare, Universal Orlando Resort is the place to be this summer. After riding new rides and old favorites you’re going to need to stop and eat something to keep your energy up to keep having the time of your life!

Here at FoodSided, we’ve created the FoodSided guide to dining at Universal Orlando Resort. We get it. Sometimes it can be challenging to know where to get the best food while touring a theme park, especially one with so many options like Universal Orlando Resort.

But do not fear, we’ve rounded up the ten best places to eat while on vacation and touring the parks.

The Kitchen at the Hard Rock Hotel

The Kitchen at the Hard Rock Hotel is our only resort location at Universal Orlando Resort. The only thing you need to know about dining her is how amazing the brunch is!

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Every Sunday the hotel serves up their Acoustic Sunday Brunch which includes an omelet station, carving station, a full buffet and unlimited mimosas or bloody Mary’s! This is the best way to either start or end your trip to Universal Orlando Resort.

The Leaky Cauldron at Universal Studios Florida

Inside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter there are a few options for food, but we love the Leaky Cauldron at Universal Studios Florida. This tradition British pub is serving up classic fare with a fun Harry Potter twist.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley at Universal Orlando Resort.

The location is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but we love stopping in for a quick bite at lunch time between riding Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. We always get the fish and chips and a frozen butterbeer when we eat here.

Mythos Restaurant at Islands of Adventure

Located just inside Islands of Adventure, Mythos Restaurant is one of the best table service meals at Universal Orlando Resort. The menu boasts all sorts of salads and sandwiches, along with multiple entrees that are big enough for sharing.

We love their blackened fish tacos and pad Thai for a substantial lunch that would get us through dinner with just a light snack. Mythos is a great place to stop in the middle of the day, especially with those Florida rain showers that tend to pop up over summer.

Confisco Grille at Islands of Adventure

As you near Islands of Adventure’s Port of Entry there are a few options for dining but if you’re looking for an under-the-radar table service meal look no further than Confisco Grille. The global-inspired menu features Italian, Mexican, Asian, Greek and American dishes.

The menu is vast and is sure to please everyone in your group. Confisco Grille is only open for lunch and dinner and we love eating here later in the day after doing some of the bigger attractions at the park.

If you’re looking for something light the Southwest Chicken Salad is filled with big flavors. If someone in your group is vegan, the Portobello Veggie Wrap is filling and super yummy.

Voodoo Doughnut at Universal CityWalk

Fresh doughnuts are one of life’s little pleasures and Voodoo Doughnut is bringing fresh doughnuts to Universal Orlando guests every single day. The small shop at Universal’s CityWalk is filled with inventive and creative doughnuts for the perfect sweet breakfast or post-park treat.

Voodoo Doughnut at Universal Orlando City Walk, photo by Cristine Struble

The line for Voodoo Doughnut can get long so it’s best to get here early in the morning or go late after the parks close for the least amount of wait. If you’re going later in the day you might not have the best options for doughnuts left, but any doughnut is a good doughnut if you’re asking us!

Bigfire at Universal CityWalk

The newest restaurant added to Universal Orlando Resort‘s lineup is Bigfire. Taking up the space formerly occupied by Emeril’s, Bigfire is bringing the feelings of a northern lakehouse to central Florida.

Big Fire 16oz Cowboy Ribeye Steak, photo provided by Universal Orlando Resort

If you’re family is looking for a place to just sit down and chill out between parks this is the place to be. We loved the wide variety of food that will please just about anyone. The fried green tomato and burrata salad is a fantastic light choice, and the sliders are sure to be a hit with anyone who orders them.

Bigfire is set to open this summer, but an official date has not been announced as of publication.

Universal Orlando’s newest immersive dining experience – The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen – is now officially open at Universal CityWalk with a diverse, radically innovative menu that also raises the art of chocolate to an entirely new level. (Credit: Universal Orlando Resort)

Toothsome Chocolate Emporium at Universal CityWalk

When you walk down either side of the lagoon at CityWalk you are sure to notice the steampunk vibes coming from Toothsome Chocolate Emporium. Even as you walk by the smell of sweet chocolate fills the air.

The real star here are the endless amounts of appetizers, which some are big enough for an actual meal. We love ordering a few appetizers to share around then getting some dessert before heading back into the parks for the night.

If you think that’s a good idea we highly suggest the tatchos, roasted Brussels sprouts, and the pork belly sliders. The great thing about Toothsome Chocolate Emporium is the fact that you can have as much or as little chocolate during your meal as you wish. We usually opt for somewhere in the middle for the best balance in our meal.

Today Café at Universal Studios Florida

The recently opened Today Café is serving up some of the prettiest desserts and yummy breakfast and lunch options at Universal Studios Florida.

Al Roker’s Avocado Toast at Today Café, Universal Orlando, photo by Cristine Struble

For breakfast we never pass up the chance to eat one of the vegan elderberry croissants. The light and flaky pastry is wrapped around gooey sweet elderberry jam for the perfect bite.

For lunch we love Al’s Avocado Toast which features smashed avocados, cherry tomatoes, marinated artichokes, roasted red onions, tomato aioli, bread & butter pickles. The pickles definitely sounds like a weird addition to avocado toast, but it’s worth a try. If you’re apprehensive like we were to start you can order them on the side.

Finnegan’s Bar and Grill at Universal Studios Florida

Serving up lunch and dinner Finnegan’s Bar and Grill at Universal Studios Florida is bringing traditional Irish fare to theme park guests. You have the choice of everything from Scotch eggs to fish and chips, to bangers and mash and a Reuben sandwich.

Since it’s located right inside the park it’s super convenient and allows for you to maximize your park time while enjoying a delicious meal.

Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour at Universal Studios Florida

The only snack place on our list is Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour. This sweet shop is located in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter- Diagon Alley just near the entrance of Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts.

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The ice cream shop allows guests to pick from a multitude of soft serve and hard pack ice cream. If you’re a soft serve fan we recommend the butter beer ice cream for something not too sweet but super delicious. If you’re more of a hard pack type of person we love the earl grey and lavender option.

Let us know your favorite Universal Orlando Resort restaurant in the comments!