Anyone lucky enough to be visiting Orlando at any time of the year is certainly in for a treat, as the locality can accurately be described as world-class when it comes to tourism, business function facilities and all-round fun and entertainment. And with Orlando’s Restaurant Row right at the heart of things, it’s an area that’s also famed for its fine dining establishments.
Now, we might be considered biased by some, but we believe that perhaps the very best restaurant in Orlando is Christini’s Ristorante Italiano. And this is no idle claim either, as it’s based on many factors that go into creating a truly premier dining experience for every one of the visitors that pass through our doors.
Every single aspect of the ambience, cuisine and service at Christini’s has been refined and perfected over time by our highly experienced owner and proprietor Chris Christini. With almost half a century in fine dining, it would be true to say that the great man knows exactly what it takes to create the best restaurant in Orlando.
An Owner’s Passion For His Craft
One of the things that sets Christini’s Ristorante Italiano apart from the rest is its owner and proprietor, Chris Christini, who has poured his heart and soul into creating not only the best Italian Orlando restaurant but the best restaurant in Orlando, period. In a long career spent as a top chef, working in major restaurants like The 21 Club in New York and L’Originale Alfredo’s di Roma back in the old country, his insight into the fine dining industry is unsurpassed.
His passion for his work and extensive experience gives him a real eye for every minute detail of the fine dining experience, from his fabulous restaurant’s ambience to every ingredient that’s used in the many mouthwatering dishes that leave the Christini’s kitchen every day. Becoming the best restaurant in Orlando does not happen by accident and it’s Chris’s drive and perfectionism that makes it all possible.
“A New Addition of Talent to the Christini’s Chef Team”
Chris’s passion for his craft also extends out from the kitchen and into the garden, as many of the vegetables and herbs used in Christini’s fine Italian cuisine are grown and nurtured in his very own garden. The same goes for the olives and olive that our chefs use, which are grown in the rich and fertile soil of the owner’s farm in Europe and you can taste the old country in each and every one.
There’s no room for second best when it comes to sourcing the finest ingredients and Chris likes to play a big part in ensuring that only the very finest kind find their way into the hands of our chefs. It’s a mark of the man and an illustration of how he lives and breathes his role as the figurehead of the finest restaurant Orlando has to offer.
Introducing Our New Chef
Maintaining our position as the best restaurant in Orlando takes a lot of hard work and dedication, but also extremely high levels of cooking expertise. And we’re delighted to be able to introduce you to a fantastic new chef that has joined the Christini’s team – Jason Gonsalves. He’s an accomplished culinary professional with a great deal of experience and having learnt his trade in Michelin-starred restaurants right the way across the United States, he’s certainly learnt from the best in the business.
“We Focus on Every Minute Detail of the Fine Dining Experience.”
He’s now thankfully going to be plying his trade for Christini’s and under the stewardship of Chris, we’re expecting great things from him. In his own words, Jason finds food to be ‘an astounding thing’ that can “tell stories of the past” and “inspire our futures”. His ethos, drive and dedication to reaching the highest culinary heights mean that he’ll fit right into our existing team which views excellence as the minimum standard.
Privately Owned for Complete Control
Christini’s Ristorante Italiano could have easily have become a nationwide chain of restaurants, such is its broad appeal, but whilst this move would have allowed more people to sample our fantastic food, it was felt that to do so would ultimately dilute the very essence of what makes our fabulous restaurant so unique. So many fine restaurants have gone down that path and found that there is an almost unavoidable lowering of standards, as it’s impossible to maintain them over multiple establishments, spread across the country.
So, it was decided that Christini’s Ristorante Italiano would remain as simply being the best restaurant in Orlando. Being privately owned and focused on just one restaurant allows Chris and his team to control every tiny detail of the fine dining experience, from the supreme levels of culinary expertise in the kitchen, to the ingredients that go into the food. It also allows us to provide premium levels of customer service in our world-class dining room that leave our dinner guests feeling not only satisfied, but also extremely well looked after.
“We want you to feel like the most special person in the place”
There is a saying within the walls of our amazing restaurant and it states that “to enter Christini’s is to enter Italy” and it’s an ethos that runs through everything we do. We’ll talk about what makes our fine Italian cuisine something that you’ll never forget shortly, but here we’re talking about the unmistakable Christini’s atmosphere, which is one that stays with every guest that we welcome into our establishment.
Whether you’re a holidaymaker, convention-goer or a celebrity diner – and we’ve had a few of those down the years – we want you to feel completely at home and like you’re the most special person in the place. From the moment that Chris invites you through the door, takes you to your table and gives you the inimitable Christini’s welcome, you’ll know that it’s no empty statement when we say we’re the best restaurant in Orlando.
A Serial Award-Winning Restaurant
There are a variety of ways to measure the standards set by the best fine dining restaurant in any location. There’s visiting the establishment for yourself of course, and then there are the countless online reviews that people post onto the internet to give you an idea of what to expect when you go visit the restaurant personally. There’s also another way to gauge just how good a restaurant is that calls itself the best in Orlando and that’s by the number of awards it wins for the services it provides.
“Live Entertainment from the Great Dariusz Grabowski”
Well, Christini’s Ristorante Italiano certainly isn’t too shabby in this regard either, as since opening back in 1984, we’ve been one of the most decorated restaurants in the whole of the United States. Measured against the competition for quality, professionalism, service and of course its cuisine, Christini’s has been the recipient of a number of prestigious awards from its competitors and some of the most critical judges in the business.
They include:
- The Four Diamond Award from the American Automobile Association (AAA)
- The Golden Spoon Award – One of the most established and coveted dining awards in the State of Florida
- The Zagat ‘Treasure Among Restaurants’ Award
- Outstanding service and cuisine rewarded with an Epicurean Award
- Best Award of Excellence given by one the world’s leading wine magazine ‘The Wine Spectator’
- The International Award of Excellence
- An award from DiRoNA (The distinguished restaurants of North America)
- A Best of the Best 5-Star Diamond Award
- An Ivy Award – another of the most sought-after accolades in the fine dining industry
- Nations Restaurant News Fine Dining Hall of Fame Award for consistently high standards
Even our owner, Chris has received recognition for his work in the industry as the 2015 recipient of Restaurateur Hall of Fame Award from the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA). You could call Christini’s a serial winner when it comes to awards and if you were to know nothing else about us, you’d know that we’re critically acclaimed and justifiably able to call ourselves one of, if not, the best restaurant in Orlando and the wider state of Florida.
Live Entertainment
Something else that adds to the ambience and unforgettable atmosphere that patrons of Christini’s can expect upon every visit is the live music that we’re able to provide. It comes from the extremely talented fingers of Dariusz Grabowski, who’s both a concert pianist and world-renowned accordion player. Amazingly experienced and with an encyclopaedic knowledge of stimulating and romantic tunes, he learnt his trade at the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music, Katowice, Poland and has performed for the likes of Colin Powell, Pope John Paul II and Queen Elizabeth II.
“Cuisine that Can Truly Be Called World-Class”
All you need to do to sample this man’s singularly unique musical skills is to come and visit us when you’re in town. As he walks amongst the tables and takes requests from anyone who asks for a dedication, we challenge any one of our diners to think of a tune that he doesn’t know and it’s not often he’s caught out!
It’s touches like these, combined with the throng and buzz of a top restaurant in full flow that creates an atmosphere that attracts people from all walks of life to come and dine with us, from politicians to major film actors and everyone else in between. You don’t have to take our word for it when we say we’re the best restaurant in Orlando. Just ask anyone walking out of our front door or read some of our reviews to find out how they feel they were treated with us and we’re sure they’ll say that they felt “like a VIP!”.
World-Class Fine Dining
Of course, something you are always assured of when you visit Christini’s Ristorante Italiano is a range of authentic Italian dishes that stimulate the taste buds in a way quite unlike you’ll find anywhere else in Florida. Our passion for using only the freshest and highest quality ingredients in the food we cook can be tasted in every single mouthful.
Let’s take a look at just a selection of what we mean.
Amazing Appetizers
You could start with a fabulous Antipasto appetizer like Gamberoni alla Veneziana (Baby squid from the Atlantic Ocean, covered in breadcrumbs, lightly seasoned, fried and served in our delicious marinara sauce). Or what about a touch of opulence with some smoked salmon and black russian caviar, served up with dill, caperberries, house-pickled red onion and crème fraiche.
“A Meat Lover’s Paradise”
If you’d like to leave a little more room for your main course, we do some wonderful Insalata starters, from our world-famous Caesar salad with our signature salad dressing to our Artichoke and Fennel salad served with niçoise olives. However you’d like to begin your Christini’s dining experience, you’re assured of cuisine that will look as beautiful as it tastes.
Superlative Seafood
Being located so close to the Atlantic allows us to source the freshest and highest quality seafood you’ll find anywhere and this is something that’s reflected in our Pasta & Seafood menu choices. From simply gorgeous dishes like our homemade Ravioli di Pesce – created by the expert hand of our chefs and stuffed with shrimp, crab, scallops, Maine lobster and lobster cream sauce – to indulgent pan-seared Chilean sea bass Spigola Alla Christini, served with lobster tarragon sauce and shrimp risotto.
Whether you’re a seafood nut or someone just looking to try something deliciously new, we’re certain you’ll find the perfect ‘fruits of the sea’ dish for your taste on our menu.
Magnificent Meat Dishes
If you’re someone with a penchant for prime steak, succulent chicken or mouthwatering veal, you’ll find a real cornucopia of choice on the Christini’s menu. You could go for the delicious Filetto al Barolo prime filet mignon with pearl onions shitake mushrooms in a red wine sauce or perhaps Pollo Al Marsala sautéed chicken scaloppine in white wine, lemon juice and served with green sweet peas and capers.
“The ideal venue for large parties”
Or what about the magical taste of milk-fed veal in dishes like Saltimbocca di Vitello, which is comprised of veal scaloppine with prosciutto, fresh sage and covered in sumptuous sherry wine sauce?
There are many very good reasons why people come from far and wide to visit the best restaurant in Orlando, but it is perhaps the food itself that’s at the centre of the Christini’s appeal, as you can’t have a fine dining restaurant without incredible food, right? Choose any of these dishes or from the many jaw-dropping options from our carefully constructed menu and you’ll see and taste exactly what fine dining really means..
Gluten-Free Pasta Available
At present, there are more than 20 million people in the United States alone that suffer from an intolerance to gluten, which usually precludes them from trying many of the delicious meals most others take for granted. At Christini’s Ristorante Italiano, we don’t believe that this should stop you from enjoying our world-renowned cuisine, so we’ve taken steps to ensure that our food is able to be enjoyed by everyone.
All of our meals can be created using gluten-free pasta, meaning that if you are gluten-intolerant, you don’t have to feel left out whilst your friends and family are tucking into their food. If you have any other food allergies or intolerances, make sure you mention them to your dedicated waiter, as we’ll always do our best to accommodate your needs.
Able to Cater For Large Parties
If any more reason were needed to illustrate the Christini’s fine dining experience, it can also be seen in the way that we are able to cater for large parties. If you’re bringing a group of up to 54 guests to the Florida and whilst here you’d like to come and sample our incredible food, service and ambience, we can most certainly accommodate. We’re just a short distance from the Orange County Convention Centre – a world-class centre for seminars and conventions – so we often get bookings of this size.
“Treat a Loved One with a Christini’s Gift Card”
Our elegant Ivy room is a fantastically welcoming feature of our restaurant that provides private group dining for parties that would struggle to fit in anywhere else. Of course, everyone in your party can order from our a la carte menu, but if you’d like to make things a little simpler, orders can be taken from our group menu offering. Every dish you’ll find there adheres to the same extremely high levels of culinary perfection – it’s a menu that’s easier to navigate and organise for a large group of people!
We’re also able to provide a cosier, more romantic setting for your meal with us, as we have an upper mezzanine area just off the main dining room that features semi-private areas for you to enjoy your food with a degree of peace and seclusion. We’d always recommend trying our main dining room at some point, as it offers a singularly unique atmosphere, but when you want to entertain important business guests or get some quality romantic time with that special person in your life, there’s nothing better!
Want a Special Treat for a Loved One?
If you’re a previous patron of Christini’s Ristorante Italiano and you’re well aware of the amazing time that is to be had from walking through our doors, we’re here to tell you that it’s an experience that can now be gifted to a loved one. Whether someone special in your life is visiting Florida on holiday or they’re local to the area, a Christini’s Gift Card is something that they’re never likely to forget.
“Book Early to Avoid Disappointment”
Able to be pre-loaded with between $25 and $1,000, Christini’s gift cards http://bit.ly/2yPYyrN allow you to offer the gift of fine dining, wonderful atmosphere and life-long memories to a relative or loved one. Purchasing one is easy too, as we take most major credit cards, as well as secure online payment facilities like PayPal. Once purchased, we’ll send your Christini’s branded gift card either straight to you or to the person you’re giving it to.
And when they visit us and sample the same service, cuisine and ambience that you did, they’ll realise just what a great present it was!
We’d Love to See You At Christini’s
We could talk to you until we’re blue in the face about why we’re the best restaurant in Orlando and why what we offer is unlike anything else you’ll find on Restaurant Row, Orlando or indeed in Florida as a whole. However, until you’ve sampled all the things we’ve talked about here for yourself, in person, you won’t fully understand the love, dedication and sheer hard work that goes into making Christini’s a fine dining experience that will stay with you for years afterwards your visit.
That’s why we encourage you to come and see us if you find yourself in the Orlando area so that you can get a first-hand sense of what it is that keeps people flooding through our doors from all around the world, year in year out. We’d also encourage you to book early, as we get very busy, especially during the holiday season and we’d hate for you to travel all the way to Orlando and miss out.
The Christini’s Ristorante Italiano reservation service is nice and easy too, as you can make your booking in a couple of ways. You can either book online by visiting the reservation page of our website http://bit.ly/2XQcSfr or call us on (407) 545-6867 if you’d like to speak to a real person. Just bear in mind that our reservations office doesn’t open until 12 pm on a Saturday and 1 pm on a Sunday.
So, there you have it – simply tons of reasons to come and visit both the best Italian restaurant in Orlando and indeed the best restaurant in Orlando. We hope that you get the chance to come and experience it for yourself because then you’ll see that excellence and enjoyment is just part of the Christini’s way.
Thanks for reading our blog and we look forward to seeing you in person.
