Podcast Notes: Let's Eat Orlando with Amy Drew and Biggie 🎙️🍴

In this episode of *Let’s Eat Orlando*, Amy Drew and Biggie serve up a hearty conversation about Orlando’s vibrant food scene, looking back at 2024 and forward to the exciting developments in 2025. Here's what we covered:

🍽️ Restaurant Openings & Closures

- **Cheers to Gnarly Barley** for breaking the "Ivanhoe curse" and thriving in their location. 🎉

- Saying goodbye to beloved spots like SkyBird, V’s Diner, Ethos, Dajen Eats, and Valkyrie Doughnuts. 💔

- A reminder to support your favorite local eateries during challenging times—shoutouts to spots that also closed 💔 like Pom Pom’s, Mid Drive Dive, Dead Words Brewery, Persimmon Hollow, and many more.

🔥 Trends in 2024

- The smash burger boom continues to dominate the scene. 🍔

- Asian cuisine shines bright with innovative and flavorful offerings. 🍜

🌟 Amy Drew’s 2024 Favorites

- Kai Kai, Coro, and Seito top Amy Drew's list for must-visit spots!

🔮 What’s Coming in 2025

- Anticipating the arrivals of Cowboy Curry, Mills Market, Kai Kai’s Red Panda Chicken Sandwich Truck (Baba Yaga), Pepper Lunch, and more.

- Local gems expanding to Orlando's airport terminals: Stasio’s, Maxine on Shine, Smoke and Donut, Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream, Foxtail Coffee, Otto’s High Dive, and Swine & Sons, among others. 🛫

🍔 Biggie Bomb Mi & Burger Jawn Love

- A quick chat about Biggie Bomb Mi and Amy Drew’s undying love for Burger Jawn—a must-try burger destination.

❤️ Community Support

We emphasize the importance of rallying behind our local restaurants, whether they're old favorites or exciting new spots, to keep Orlando's food scene thriving.

Tune in for all this and more as we celebrate Orlando’s dynamic dining landscape. Hungry yet? Hit play now! 🎧

Follow Us:

- *Instagram*: @LetsEatOrlandoPod

- *Amy Drew*: @AmyDroo

- *Biggie*: @UCFBiggie and @DeliFreshThreads

This week on *Let’s Eat Orlando*, Amy Drew and I dive into the holiday favorite, Coquito! We share how we enjoy making and drinking this creamy, coconut-based delight, perfect for celebrating the holiday season.

### Highlights from the Episode

- **Coquito Creations**: Amy Drew and I discussed how we make our Coquito, the stories behind our recipes, and the joy of sharing this festive drink with friends and family.

The different variations of Coquito being made around the city. Biggie also shares the variations he has blended up through the years.

### Local Spots We Mentioned:

- **Otto’s High Dive** – Famous for their Coquito.

- **Matt’s Latin BBQ** – A great spot to check out for Latin flavors.

- **Crocante Rotisserie Kitchen and BBQ** – Delicious food and holiday vibes.

- **The Wellborn** – Known for its festive offerings.

- **Buen Fuegos** – Always a crowd-pleaser.

- **Bang Bang Bakehouse** – Perfect for sweet pairings.

- **The Gnarly Cuban** – A must-try for Cuban classics.

Do you have a favorite Coquito recipe we should try? We’d love to hear from you! Please leave us a review, share your thoughts, and help us keep the conversation going.

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**Tune in to Let's Eat Orlando for more local dining insights and recommendations!**

**Follow Us:**

- *Instagram*: @LetsEatOrlandoPod

- *Amy Drew*: @AmyDroo

- *Biggie*: @UCFBiggie and @DeliFreshThreads

In this episode of *Let’s Eat Orlando with Amy Drew and Biggie*, we dive into the world of cinnamon rolls—light, fluffy, and everything a Cinnabon isn’t. We kick things off with DeVilma Cinnamon Rolls, which Amy Drew describes as smelling amazing, though she admits the aroma sometimes outshines the taste. Biggie shares his go-to cinnamon rolls from Ikea and Donut King, while Amy Drew reveals her favorite—the Ultimate Cinnamon Roll from The Glass Knife in Winter Park, FL, especially for its perfectly balanced cream cheese icing.

We also chat about Amy Drew’s unique dining habit—she never finishes her food, leaving plenty for Biggie to taste. This time, he lucked out with bites of Benny’s Burger, a smash burger loaded with onions that hit all the right notes.

The conversation expands into the characteristics of a good cinnamon roll (spoiler: balance is key!) and why Amy Drew loves cakes more than frosting. She even has her eye on a Fluffer Nutter Pop Tart, leading us to explore the growing trend of homemade Pop Tarts from spots like The Glass Knife and Buttermilk Bakery.

We dig into a few must-try bakeries for cinnamon rolls, including Bread for the Masses, Yeast Coast Bakehouse, and Sourdough Bakehouse, and share stories like Biggie’s mom bringing over her favorites from Bread for the Masses.

Biggie shares the best thing he’s eaten lately—tacos from Taqueria Las Cazuelas, a small, family-owned gem—and we chat about the magic of tacos and other handheld foods.

Finally, we discuss the balance of eating, writing about food, and managing those extra calories, along with tips for navigating holiday eating and making the most of leftovers. Plus, a sneak peek into what’s coming next for *Let’s Eat Orlando*!

Don’t miss this deliciously diverse episode!

### **Follow Us for More Local Dining Adventures!**

- *Instagram*: [@LetsEatOrlandoPod](https://instagram.com/letseatorlandopod)

- *Amy Drew*: [@AmyDroo](https://instagram.com/amydroo)

- *Biggie*: [@UCFBiggie](https://instagram.com/ucfbiggie) and [@DeliFreshThreads](https://instagram.com/delifreshthreads)

**Tune in now and let’s eat, Orlando!**