A Quick Guide To The 5 Best Restaurants In Orlando International Airport

Orlando International Airport (MCO) doesn't have the best reputation among travelers. As it's one of the busiest airports in the country — and the busiest in Florida – things don't always go smoothly for jet-setters. Not only is MCO one of the absolute worst for layovers in the U.S., but it's also one of the airports across America with the worst TSA experiences. But when it comes to food, that's an entirely different story. In 2025, MCO was named one of the best U.S. airports for dining in the country in a study conducted by SEO For Restaurants (via Time Out), as well as by USA Today's 10BEST Readers' Choice Awards. 

Needless to say, MCO has much to offer hungry fliers. In fact, there are multiple locations of popular fast food eateries like Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Dunkin', and McDonald's throughout the more than 11,000-acre site. However, if you want to ditch the fast food and dine at the best restaurants at MCO, you've clicked on the right story. Using reviews and ratings from Google and other platforms, Islands has compiled a short guide with the five best restaurants at MCO. If you ever catch a flight at MCO (perhaps after an adventure at Walt Disney World), here's where to fuel up before soaring through the skies.

Landing at Orlando International Airport (MCO) in 2016, Cask & Larder offers travelers a taste of the South. Cask & Larder serves both breakfast and dinner with dishes like chicken biscuit sliders and a Southern Cuban sandwich, the latter of which appears frequently in Google user reviews. "I think I was most impressed by the quality and flavor of the food.  The chef who designed the menu knew what he was doing and the cooks did an excellent job of following through with each recipe," one reviewer explained.

Cask & Larder was founded by Orlando natives and esteemed chefs James and Julie Petrakis. For reference, their other establishment, The Ravenous Pig, located in nearby Winter Park, holds a Bib Gourmand restaurant from the Michelin Guide. Cask & Larder has also earned recognition. Throughout the years as one of the best airport restaurants in the country, having been featured by outlets including Thrillist and Taste of Home, and appearing in the USA Today's 10BEST Readers' Choice Awards. 

But it's not just the food that attracts diners to Cask & Larder. The rustic-style eatery is decorated with trees and greenery, giving guests the illusion of dining outdoors rather than inside an airport terminal. Additionally, it offers an assortment of libations. "Whether you're in the mood for a craft beer, a well made cocktail, or just something to help you relax before takeoff, this place has you covered," penned a user on Google. You'll find Cask & Larder at MCO's Terminal A/B and Terminal C. If you don't have enough time to sit for a meal, both locations have markets with on-the-go items.

Grab a pie before hitting the skies at DeSano Pizzeria in Terminal C. But don't expect a run-of-the-mill floppy slice. DeSano specializes in Neapolitan-style 9-inch oven-baked pies that will fill you up for your journey. Menu highlights include the diavola, made with soppressata and pepperoni, and the capricciosa, topped with prosciutto and veggies. They also have vegetarian options, such as the Margherita pie.

That said, DeSano Pizzeria was named one of the best places to eat at Orlando International Airport (MCO) by AllEars, a website that primarily covers all things Walt Disney World. Additionally, DeSano Pizzeria holds a 3.9 rating on Yelp and 3.7 on Google. On the former platform, a user noted, "Most airports provide limited options and poor quality, but I thought that the pizza and sub that I tried were actually pretty good."

A Google reviewer added, "The dough, the sauce, the mozzarella. I did not expect to have such a great Capricciosa pizza in an airport!" Keep in mind that some reviewers warned against ordering online or on the app, explaining that the system may list items not available at MCO, resulting in mix-ups.

Did you know that Orlando International Airport has a hotel? MCO, one of the largest airports in the country, is home to the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport – and that's where you'll find McCoy's Bar & Grill. Just a heads up: According to reviewers on Google and Reddit, this eatery is located before you enter security at Terminal A/B on Level 4. That makes it a solid dining option if you arrive at MCO early for your flight. And although sushi is typically one of the airport foods travelers should avoid, you might want to make an exception for McCoy's, which is especially popular for its rolls and other Japanese-inspired dishes. 

With an upscale flair, the eatery's menu includes everything from uramaki rolls to sashimi, which you can enjoy at the dedicated sushi bar. Take into account that the sushi bar is open daily but only from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. If those hours don't align with your visit — or if sushi isn't for you — there are plenty of other options, including the restaurant's famed crawfish chowder, served at lunch and dinner.

"EVERYTHING we had was delicious, salads, sushi, steak, soup, dessert.. EVERYTHING! And as someone who travels often we were impressed by the prices...," wrote a reviewer on Tripadvisor, where McCoy's Bar & Grill holds a 4.1 rating. The restaurant also receives consistently strong reviews on Google and Yelp, where it carries 4.3 and 4.0 ratings, respectively. Reviewers on Find Me Gluten Free also note that McCoy's is highly accommodating toward dietary restrictions.

Art Smith is a Florida native and a renowned culinary figure who counts Oprah Winfrey as a former employer. He has risen to prominence in Orlando, where he operates two restaurants, including Sunshine Diner. Fortunately for travelers, it's located in Orlando International Airport's Terminal C and has been referred to as one of the best restaurants at MCO by Mickey Visit, a website akin to AllEars. With bright yellow booths and retro flair, Sunshine Diner's inviting aesthetic welcomes guests in — and may even bring a bit of joy before they depart for their next destination.

Are you the type of person who loves having breakfast for dinner? Great news: Sunshine Diner serves breakfast all day, including eggs, a granola bowl, and other dishes. The menu also features plenty of non-breakfast items like salads and sandwiches. If you need a bit of liquid courage for your flight, the bar offers an assortment of moonshine-based drinks. 

"Airport food has always been looked at as fast food, un healthy [sic] and bland. This place is the flip side of all those things," commented a reviewer on Google, where the restaurant has earned a 4.6 rating. "Usually, when you eat at an airport, the experience can be hit or miss, but the Sunshine Diner at Orlando International Airport's Terminal C was impressively smooth," raved another diner.

Drinking at airports – no matter how early or late it may be — is a common practice among travelers. Bars and breweries are usually easy to find, and wine bars have increasingly become part of the mix. Orlando International Airport features one of them: Vino Volo, located in Terminal A/B near Gates 70-79. Pamper yourself with an affordable glass of wine or flight — selections are frequently swapped out but typically hail from California, according to Wine Spectator – at this comfortable and casual spot. And most importantly, have a bite to eat.

Vino Volo has a cafe-like ambiance and serves sandwiches, charcuterie boards, pizzettas, and braised beef, among other options. If you're looking for a light meal and a place to unwind before boarding your flight, this is the spot for you. Although not a traditional restaurant per se, the ratings speak for themselves. Vino Volo holds a 4.6 rating on Google, a 4.0 on Yelp, and a 4.5 on Tripadvisor, where reviewers write highly of not just the wine, but also the food and service.

Take, for example, the Yelp user who penned, "For my meal I had the prosciutto and Brie sandwich. It also had fig jam and arugula on it. It was so so so good! The bread was slightly toasted. It was perfect." On Google, another diner stated, "The food exceeded expectations and was much better than any other food place we have eaten in an airport."

Islands determined these five restaurants as the best at Orlando International Airport by primarily analyzing ratings and reviews across Google, Yelp, and Tripadvisor. All our selections have a minimum of 3.5 stars and above on at least two of these platforms. For the purposes of this article, we excluded major fast food establishments in an effort to highlight dining experiences you can only get at MCO or inside an airport. Vino Volo, for instance, is a chain that can only be found exclusively at select airports in the U.S. and Canada. Likewise, DeSano Pizzeria's MCO location is the only one in Orlando.

Articles from websites such as AllEars and Mickey Visit – both tailored to those passing through MCO — also helped guide our search. To cater to all palettes and preferences, we selected five restaurants that we believe offer completely different experiences, based not only on their menus but also on their ambiance.