11 of the Best Restaurants in Universal Studios Orlando

With two giant parks and one colossal shopping area, Universal Orlando has quite a number of dining options to choose from. The sheer number of options can be intimidating. To help narrow things down, I’ll give you my experience with 11 of Universal Studios Orlando's best dining options.

1. Mythos

Mythos has won Theme Park Insider's Best Restaurant award ten times as of 2023. There’s a need to wonder why! Located in The Lost Continent section of Islands of Adventure, this restaurant looks and feels like you’ve entered the inner sanctum of a god hidden inside a cave! The food is also delicious. Starters range from lemon hummus with pita to grilled octopus. Its delicious entree menu includes vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-sensitive options. The pad thai is always delicious if you’re up for chicken or shrimp, but I love it with tofu.

2. The Three Broomsticks

Walking into the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade feels like walking into the movie. The dining area is dark and grungy but still cozy and welcoming. Having options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you can eat at this iconic Wizarding World location whenever you see fit!

The menu mainly consists of classic meals from the UK, all of which are hearty. So arrive hungry. There’s even an option for a “Great Feast,” which can feed four people if you want to bring the whole family!

3. The Leaky Cauldron

Similar to the Three Broomsticks, the Leaky Cauldron takes immersion to another level! You’ll feel just like you’ve walked into the dingy London pub that we all know and love. The menu is comprised of English pub food like scotch egg, shepherd's pie, and fish and chips during lunch and dinner. Breakfast includes English and American traditional breakfasts, an apple Oatmeal Flan, and pancakes. However, one of my favorite things on the menu is Butterbeer Potted Cream it has for dessert!

4. Thunder Falls Terrace

Thunder Falls Terrace is located right next to the finale of Jurassic Park River Adventure. So, its giant windows offer a great view of the ride and the riders getting soaked. The quick service menu provides a variety of grilled and roasted meals to satisfy your prehistoric hunger. And don’t worry if you’re an herbivore and not a carnivore; there are a couple of plant-based options to choose from. One is a delicious rice bowl you can get with jackfruit! I personally love the fried plantains that it’s served with.

5. The Burger Digs

As the name implies, The Burger Digs specializes in burgers. Luckily, if you’re not up for a beefy (pun intended) burger, there’s also chicken sandwiches and salads. I have personally had the Herbivore Burger, a portobello mushroom marinated in balsamic and roasted with plant-based bacon, which is yummy! If you’re looking to dine here on your next trip, you’ll find it in the Jurassic Park Discovery Center on the upper floor.

6. Blondie's

Located around the small hub for the Popeye statue in Toon Lagoon, Blondie’s is home to the famous high-piled Dagwood inspired by Blondie’s husband’s insatiable appetite. This deli-style restaurant allows you to build your own sandwich or choose a style from the menu. They also have hotdogs if you’re not in the mood for sandwiches.

7. Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville

If the tropics are calling your name, regardless of the time of year, Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville in CityWalk is the place to go! With plenty of sharable starters, cocktails, mocktails, and tropical-inspired entrees, Margaritaville will have your worries melt away in no time. There are even live musicians playing covers of some Jimmy Buffett classics.

8. VIVO Italian Kitchen

Close to the lagoon in CityWalk, VIVO is an excellent choice for those looking to have a more formal meal. Of course, you’re not required to wear anything fancy to dine there, but the sleek, modern vibe won’t make it seem out of place if you do so! VIVO’s menu is made up of delicious Italian dishes, from pizzas to pasta and everything in between. The squid ink pasta here was the first time I had the dish, and it has still stuck out to me after all this time! It is spaghetti colored with squid ink and cooked with shrimp, calamari, clams, and mussels.

9. Voodoo Doughnuts

It may not be a place to go and have a full meal, but Voodoo Doughnuts still deserves its position as one of the best spots to eat in Universal! With over 50 types of doughnuts to choose from, you could stop at this magical place for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and try something new every time. If you’re a fan of spicy chocolate like I am, I’d recommend giving the Ring of Fire a try. It is a devil food cake doughnut covered in cinnamon sugar and cayenne pepper.

10. TODAY Cafe

Created and inspired by the well-known and loved TODAY Show, the TODAY Cafe is happily seated near the front of Universal Studios Florida. It serves all the goodies a cafe should, including pastries, sandwiches, salads, and even seasonal dishes. I love its overnight oats with fresh fruit, almond milk, agave, and chia seeds to give me a good start to a long day in the parks. Be warned, though; the cafe is pretty small and can be packed full on busy days.

11. Illumination’s Minion Cafe

It may have replaced my beloved Universal Studios' Classic Monsters Cafe, but Illumination’s Minion Cafe is still a great place to eat. The cafe’s menu is full of inventive dishes inspired by characters from the Despicable Me movies. The minion tots are what stuck out to me most. They are both adorable and delicious. Think of those smiley face fries from when you were a kid, but shaped like minions!