
Kaya is a neighborhood restaurant and bar located in Orlando’s vibrant Mills50 district. More than just a restaurant, we are a gathering place for families, friends, and neighbors to connect over delicious food and shared experiences. As a proud recipient of the Michelin Green Star and a 2024 James Beard Finalist for Best New Restaurant, we are committed to sustainability and community engagement. There are a number of ways to experience an evening at Kaya, including a la carte dining, a chef’s tasting menu, full liquor bar, elegant cocktails and an intentionally curated natural wine list.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 618 N Thornton Ave, Orlando, FL 32803
Phone: (407) 627-9117
Website: http://kayaorlando.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: kayaorlando.comresy.com
Photo Gallery
Related Web Results
Kaya Orlando | Filipino neighborhood restaurant & bar
Kaya – Orlando – a MICHELIN Guide Restaurant
Kaya | Neighborhood Restaurant & Bar (@kaya.orlando) – Instagram
Reviews
We ordered the Bicol express mussels, lumpia Shanghai, Kare Kare, pork belly , grouper Sinigang , ube donuts and the pandan Silvanas.
We loved the cozy atmosphere, the R&b vibe was clutch. The decorations , the piano setup with all the pictures and candles felt like I was at my Lola’s house.
Definitely need to come back and sit at the bar!
SALAMAT!
(disclaimer: I am not familiar with many Filipino dishes, so cannot comment on authenticity)
The service was immaculate and the food tasted very very good. The flavors were incredibly unique, with lots of variety of taste and texture to try from. We ordered 2 NA drinks, 5 dishes, and 2 deserts. It was more than enough for 2 people imo, but there were a lot of items we wanted to try.
The highlights for me were the Oxtail Kare Kare and Sizzling Sisig. And the garlic rice was delicious.
A few notes on overall experience: some of the facilities and tables were not exactly what you would expect from a place with their price point. Also, you basically need a reservation to dine here on the weekends. At some point their website said walk-ins were welcome but I think they changed it to reflect that you should have a reservation or call ahead of time to avoid being disappointed.
Still would definitely recommend this place to anyone. The food is awesome!
They had a special Halloween menu, and we tried the scallop crudo, Bicol Express mussels, oxtail kare-kare, Iberico secreto, and the sizzling sisig. I also had the halo-halo for dessert. Every single dish was excellent.
The restaurant is mentioned in the Michelin Guide, and the service matched that level. The food arrived quickly, and our waitress was fantastic—friendly, passionate about the dishes, and even shared the stories behind our cocktails, which we really enjoyed.
I definitely recommend this restaurant. It’s not a fancy place, but it has a warm, welcoming vibe and outstanding food.
The bartender, Tim, explained to us that the idea was to give the customer the feeling of eating in a Filipino household. He + Renata guided us thru the drink + food menus tenderly suggesting some of their own favorite dishes.
We landed on a Lumpiang Shanghai, which I can best describe that the freshest spring rolls I’ve ever tasted. They come straight out to the kitchen to your plate + they dont skimp on the filling one bit. Paired with the sweet thai chili sauce, they were delicious.
We werent excessively hungry so we shared the Oxtail Kare Kare. My husband is Jamaican so he’s no stranger to oxtail. I, on the other hand, have never been a fan. But when I tell you this was the most delicious + tender, buttery soft piece of meat I’ve ever tasted! Its no joke. Surrounded by a pool of delicious peanut sauce + paired with a turmeric infused rice, it was to die for!
Renata helped me create a Negroni with a Filipino gin named Archipelago Botanical (it was the smoothest gin I’ve ever tried), the cocktail was phenomenal!
For dessert, we ordered the Milo Silvana, words cant even describe how good it was! The perfect balance of cold filling, crunchy flakes crust, and not overwhelmingly sweet. Amazingggg!
** I almost forgot to mention the Filipini Ceasar Salad we ordered. Tasted nothing like a traditional Ceasar salad but it was incredible! The greens were so rich + fresh. And the dressing was like none other, definitely worth trying out.
Best experience. A must try!
The team was so friendly. Chef Lo came to check on us a couple times and generously gave me cooking tips. Loved this place and will definitely be back.
I haven’t really had a lot of Filipino food in the past, so I can’t really say too much about authenticity. However, the Filipino rigatoni was SO GOOD. I love how the bolognese sauce has a sweet side to it. The rigatoni was al dente, perfectly cooked. I think everyone needs to try this at least once when they go to Kaya. Their highball was honestly super refreshing and goes really well with the rigatoni.
tried Kaya since you can barely find good filipino food in orlando -as this place was well-reviewed, gf and i had high hopes (we’re from toronto). this place does not serve a lot from the menu but specific and tweaked dishes made to feel more, upscale! (filipino foods i dont recall seeing from the menu: adobo, kaldereta, menudo, sinigang, bulalo, nilaga, inihaw na liempo or bangus, lechon kawali, crispy pata, turon, etc)
tuna kilawin was good, its a good starter, flavor and all. lumpia was not greasy, well made. they have a good recipe for it, highly recommended. the rest didnt make an impression, i had the sisig, gf had the shrimp. and the halo-halo is.. different! not bad.. but, will not remind you of the ph!
decor, seating, was a little.. weird. the tables and chairs arent fine dining but the plating and service are.. so, mixed vibes.
walk ins are welcome but place has very limited seating, and parking may be difficult if you come late. they reserve seats and refuse to give them up for walk ins, so call ahead. daniel was great (so was the other guy with him whose name i couldnt catch)