Where do we begin? Orlando’s huge, and if you’re attending the University of Central Florida, there’s an endless stream of things to do here. We’re positive that you’ll find ways to occupy yourself, but we’ve compiled a list of some of the best places to eat, drink and hang out to make sure you don’t end up hiding out in your awesome apartment for the next four years!

Restaurants

To start, if you’re looking for places to eat, there are some top dog restaurants for every kind of cuisine imaginable. Some of the best local food that’s not too pricey comes from Yellow Dog Eats (and no, don’t worry, they don’t serve dog food here… or dogs, for that matter). Their BBQ is the right amount of homestyle goodness, and they’ve got great selections of wine to choose from, too! We love this place because it’s not chock-full of tourists like some other Orlando restaurants. There are loads of great places like Yellow Dog Eats in Orlando, so we’ve highlighted a few of them here. We’ve also added some of our favorite bars, too, because in a city like Orlando, you’re going to want to explore the local nightlife scene!

Yellow Dog Eats
Nona Blue
Winter Park Fish Company
The Ravenous Pig
Luma

Bars

Olde64
Rocco’s Tacos and Tequila Bar
Hanson’s Shoe Repair
The Lucky Lure
Jelly Rolls

Lastly, we have to mention it: have you been to Disney World yet? Or Universal Studios? Or both? You really can’t go to UCF and not attend either of these incredible theme parks. Chances are if you’re Florida born, you already know their wonders, but if it’s been awhile since you’ve explored Epcot or explored the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, you’d better get down there and make the magic happen!