Orlando’s deliciously diverse dining gets a starring role in season 7 of the popular culinary series, ‘Somebody Feed Phil,’ now streaming exclusively on Netflix (Capa Steakhouse & Bar at Four Seasons Resort Orlando at WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort pictured).
Visit Orlando had the pleasure of working with Phil Rosenthal and his team for the seventh season of his hit Netflix series, Somebody Feed Phil. The partnership resulted in a 45-minute episode devoted to Orlando’s homegrown cuisine and culture — and left the host feeling very well fed and equally impressed.
“I’m here to maybe change your mind about Orlando itself,” Rosenthal says in the episode. “It’s a city created around entertainment, yes. But it has its own story beyond the theme parks.”
Get a preview of The City Beautiful’s star turn, available exclusively on Netflix, and make plans to experience the featured venues during your next visit.
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See How Orlando Fed Phil
Hosted by Everybody Loves Raymond creator Rosenthal, Somebody Feed Phil is a quirky, unscripted series that travels the globe to sample unique food and traditions. For the show’s seventh season, Rosenthal and his production crew worked with Visit Orlando to spend a week exploring the destination’s multicultural culinary scene.
The episode opens with Rosenthal drifting down the lush lazy river at Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World® Resort, happily accepting treats and drinks from welcoming staff along the way. He then shares a story about his first trip to Orlando, way back in 1972, to visit the then-new Magic Kingdom® Park — before making it clear that this is a different sort of visit.
From there, he and his team connect with award-winning chefs, local foodie experts and elected officials to uncover what they call the real Orlando. “Did you know [Orlando] has an amazing food scene?” says Rosenthal. “I didn’t, but it’s not surprising really because it’s a city of immigrants from all over the world, and what they brought is their culture and their cuisine.”
In addition to landmarks like Lake Eola Park and Rollins College, plus an airboat tour and trip to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, the episode spotlights several MICHELIN Guide honorees, local favorites, and culinary and cultural hidden gems. They include:
Se7en Bites
A MICHELIN Recommended, Southern-inspired bakery and restaurant, the LGBTQ+ owned Se7en Bites is part of The Milk District® near downtown Orlando. It’s also been featured on Food Network. “This looks like paradise,” says Rosenthal as he enters the shop.
He’s joined by Pulse survivor and activist Brandon Wolf, media relations manager for Equality Florida, as well as Se7en Bites owner, chef and baker Trina Gregory-Propst. From the two, Rosenthal learns about Florida activism and the restaurant’s mouthwatering menu.
East End Market
For this segment, Rosenthal met with Amy Drew Thompson, a food writer for the Orlando Sentinel and other outlets. A community food hall and hub for local vendors in Orlando’s Audubon Park Garden District, East End Market has four businesses featured on the show, including:
- Hinckley’s Fancy Meats, a counter deli serving gourmet sandwiches and other creations sourced from locally produced meat, where Rosenthal chats with owner/chef Matt Hinckley;
- La Femme du Fromage, a woman-owned artisanal cheese shop where Rosenthal was particularly impressed by owner/chef Tonda Corrente’s signature grilled cheese sandwich, the Truffle Pig;
- DOMU, a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand ramen bar that Rosenthal describes as “Japan level” during a chat with owner/chef Sonny Nguyen; and,
- Gideon’s Bakehouse, which is known for oversized half-pound cookies with a second location at Disney Springs®. Gideon’s founder and head baker Steve Lewis makes a guest appearance here, joking that the secret ingredient in his cookies are his tears.
Sampaguita Ice Cream & Desserts
Part of the Mills 50® district adjacent to downtown, this woman- and Filipino-owned ice cream shop serves unique flavors, including dairy-free options. Accompanied by Florida state Rep. Anna Eskamani, who represents much of Orlando and other local communities, Rosenthal meets co-owners Marie Mercado and Mo Hassan.
While discussing local politics, Rosenthal and Eskamani marvel over the shop’s wild assortment of flavors, such as Guava Creamsicle, Soy Sauce Butterscotch and more. “I discovered this place on my last trip here,” says Rosenthal. “Every bite is fantastic. There’s stuff you’ve never had before — stuff I never had before.”
Black Bee Honey
This student entrepreneurship program, which harvests, packages and sells honey at local farmers’ markets and other locations, is in downtown Orlando’s Parramore District.
During the segment, program Director Alexis Hicks and some of her students join Rosenthal for a honey tasting. As Rosenthal puts it, “I came on a good day.”
Crocante
Just east of The Milk District, Crocante serves authentic Puerto Rican cuisine. It’s also the first stop on the episode’s tour. During his visit, Rosenthal enthuses with Chef Yamuel Bigio and patrons about the restaurant’s offerings before enjoying a surprise musical performance from some local talent.
“Wowee wow wow,” says Rosenthal as Bigio presents a succulent rack of porchetta with a Latin/Caribbean twist. “I’m not worthy!”
Kook’N With Kim
Rosenthal heads to Eatonville, the nation’s oldest African American municipality with “some of the best food around” per the host, to experience this takeout soul food kitchen. Rosenthal gets to meet namesake founder and chef Kim Middleton and her grandson and business partner Marcell Coke, as well as Eatonville Councilwoman Wanda Randolph.
Middleton, who was born in Thailand, shares some of her most popular dishes with the appreciative host (but not the recipes!), while Randolph explains the history and importance of Eatonville.
Tien Hung Market
A cornerstone of the Mills 50 district, this Asian grocer also serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here, Rosenthal is joined by local food blogger and author Ricky Ly, who heads TastyChomps.com and has also contributed blogs to Visit Orlando.
Ly and Rosenthal discuss the history of Orlando’s Asian community, particularly in the Mills 50 area, while enjoying the market’s delicious fare.
Capa Steakhouse & Bar
Capa at Four Seasons Resort Orlando is the only MICHELIN Starred restaurant in Florida led by a woman chef of Asian descent, Malyna Si. The tapas-style venue is also the site of the episode’s final meal, with many of the episode’s chefs and food experts joining Rosenthal at the table.
“This is the big splurge of the week for me,” says Rosenthal, “and, wow! It does not disappoint.” With Chef Si introducing each dish, the host and his guests discuss the meal and Orlando’s global appeal. “The world comes to Orlando, so it’s not that surprising that Orlando is a world city,” says Thompson.
Rosenthal wraps up the episode with an expression of gratitude for everything he experienced during his visit. “Thank you, Orlando,” he says. “Thank you for being such a beautiful surprise.” Head to Netflix to see why.
Map of ‘Somebody Feed Phil’ Locations in Orlando
Use this interactive map to track down the locations featured in the Orlando episode of Somebody Feed Phil season 7.
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