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Kaya

4.8 (275 reviews)
ModerateFilipino, Bars, Desserts
Closed Closed
Updated 3 months ago

Kaya Photos

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KAYA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Trendy
Romantic
Classy

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Recommended Reviews - Kaya

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Reviews With Photos

Lumpiang Shanghai
Lideyni F.

The ambiance was great, especially with live music on a Friday evening. They offer both indoor and outdoor seating, giving it that cozy, downtown mom & pop vibe. The place fills up quickly, so I'd recommend making a reservation if you can, but they do accept walk-ins. We arrived early for our reservation and were seated right away. The service was prompt, attentive, and very welcoming from start to finish. We tried several dishes, and our top favorites were the Lumpiang Shanghai, Bistek, Filipino Rigatoni (slightly on the sweeter side since it's made with banana ketchup sauce, but it tied everything together really well), shrimp toast, and of course, the garlic rice. Each dish brought a mix of flavors that really stood out. Everything was well crafted, balanced, and highlighted authentic Filipino flavors.

Entrance
Eneida Q.

Has been on my list for a while and I FINALLY got was able to have dinner here! Love trying new dishes and cultures and this Filipino inspired menu did not disappoint!! A bit on the upper price tag considering we shared smaller plates and the total came out to $220ish for 2 people - but please hear me, it was all worth it! Our anniversary dinner consisted of: - LUMPIANG SHANGHAI - yum! - PANCIT- this clam ragu was nice! - FILIPINO CESAR - was not expecting the floral taste to this but was very refreshing - FILIPINO RIGATONI - a sweeter version of what you're probably expecting - OXTAIL KARE KARE - I didn't think I would like this as much as I did!! With a side of their SINANGAG of course! :::;Star of the show:::: - BICOL EXPRESS MUSSELS, wow delicious!! My husband and I could have our own plates of these, we are already talking about returning and getting more of these! Ambiance was made to vibe with a cool music playlist, we sat outside with great weather and little lights above us. It was truly peaceful and perfect. The attention and service was also very pleasant and I would definitely recommend for a nice dinner date!

Chris K.

Definitely can cross this one off my bucket list ! Great spot, different atmosphere and tastes from other sides of the world ! Really loved the Filipino twists and special items they had to offer from food to alcohol. I ordered the Ube that's good and that didn't disappoint . Great twist of sweetness, light and refreshing as well as visually appealing. Paired that with some spring rolls and noodles and ended it with sown pineapple donuts. All 3 were delicious and can't wait to come back and try all their other items on their menu

Silvana Alaska
Beatrice P.

This is a very cute, very tiny restaurant with outdoor seating under a tent. Our server was great. He was very knowledgeable and helpful. He paired a wine with my dinner beautifully. The food was sort of a mixed bag. The appetizer was amazing. The desserts were amazing. The main courses were just okay. I will probably go back at some point but I am not in a rush.

Rolly T.

Came a bit late to get some Filipino bake goods that they serve on the weekends. But we were able to get some focaccia- and it was delicious. Didn't make it to eat as we ate on the road. It was flavorful, crunch outside but soft inside. If you haven't tried elevated Filipinos food- this place is a must.

Outside line
Kimberly P.

Went to try Kaya's popup bakery treats the past weekend. I ordered the strawberry hibiscus fritter and the Filipino Cuban bear claw. Both super good and flavorful. I will say the bear claw stood out because it was stuffed! What a yummy surprise and super flavorful. Both were very fresh and delicious. Not pictured I also ordered the Turon cold brew. It was good. I will probably get the cold brew next time. Be prepared to wait in a line. They had water ready for guest waiting. That was a great surprise and super thoughtful.

Seasonal Menu
Kurt K.

A quaint space that serves authentic Filipino food and has great service. They have a nice selection of cocktails and I had a very good old fashion. For appetizers they had a diverse selection for whatever your tastebuds might desire. We had the Lumpiang Shanghai. A surprising large three pieces and a sweet dipping sauce. For entree's we had the Filipino Rigatoni consisting of beef bolognese, spam, and 18 year old aged gouda. It was very good. Our other entree was Maranoa Rendang that is creekstone beef short rib, mindanao spices, coconut milk, lime and on a bed of Junky rice. It was exceptional. Took me back to my days in Manila and Mindanao. Dessert was Ube Mochi Donuts. Three balls of deliciousness stuffed with banana jam and a side of adobo caramel to dip in. Perfect size to share. The price was pretty hefty but I think you can say you get what you pay for. Service from the entire staff was on point. Jen our waitress was attentive but not intrusive and her teammates came by at just the right time to freshen drinks or clear a course. Music was a little loud but if we had sat on the patio we would have enjoyed the jazz being played live.

Non-alcoholic drink menu
Trisha T.

AMBIANCE - 5/5 Walking in, you can feel how cozy Kaya is. It is not a huge restaurant so reservations are recommended. I didn't book far enough in advanced so I selected bar seating for my reservation. As much as I would have liked a table, I did love my bar experience! It was raining so I didn't get a peek of the patio but that is also a seating option. The inside is decorated with old photos, Filipino decor, and art as well. SERVICE 5/5 Sitting at the bar, we were served by bartender Daniel who was great. He answered any questions we had and I overheard him answering another couple's questions about the food as well. He told us he's been with Kaya since the opening and gave us a little background story of their beginnings (prompted by my questions and curiosity). He knew about the dishes, including the chefs' favorites. He also knew the wines well. My husband couldn't decide between two so he let him taste them. Hubs ended up having one before food and the other to go with food. FOOD - 5/5 Being Filipino with a mother who can really cook, I like to think I have a good palette when it comes to the flavors. Let me tell you, Kaya's chefs did a fantastic job. PANDAN CREAM SODA - refreshing and even better than I anticipated. You're first hit when the pandan and vanilla flavors, then the rice milk gives it an interesting bit not unpleasant texture and the shio koji ads a slight saltiness to balance and pull out more of the the pandan flavor HIRAYA (non-alcoholic drink) - I was lucky enough to try this drink. It is white peony and marigold tea, sichuan peppercorn, pineapple, and lime. It's cold, shaken, and delicious. Even my husband liked it and he's not big on florals. The layering of the flavors made it complex and so interesting to try. LUMPIA - a famous deep fried finger food in the Philippines, Kaya's version was surprisingly not very oily on the outside but somehow still crispy and delicious. It is definitely more elegant than other versions I've seen. The filling is well well balanced, not too salty but also not bland. I think the star of this dish though is their homemade hibiscus sweet chili sauce. Unlike regular sweet chili sauce, it has a pinker color due to the hibiscus it's not as viscous as what you'd buy in the store. The pepper flakes they use have a little more of a kick to them it's also a little more vinegary which I enjoyed! PORK BELLY HUMBA - the pork belly is super tender and plated really nicely. I really enjoyed the sauce which was bold and peppery from the fermented black bean and soy glaze. BISTEK (special) - Bistek is a Filipino dish typically with thinking sliced beef and cooked down onions in a soy/calamansi based sauce. The chef did a great job taking a traditional Filipino dish and elevating it. The Australian wagyu was thick cut and still held the traditional flavor of this dish. The flavor coated the outside while leaving you still able to enjoy the taste of the steak itself. The lightly caramelized sweet onions are reminiscent of the onions in traditional bistek but the addition of the pickled shiitake brought a slight sourness that cut through and balanced out the oils in the sauce. I really enjoyed this dish and was really excited to see they pulled off keeping the flavors traditional while will elevating it. GARLIC RICE - Filipinos eat rice with every meal and this garlic rice tasted like home. It paired perfectly with the main dishes and was a good size too split between 2 people. Overall, 5/5 across the board. This is a must try when visiting Orlando. If you're Filipino, you will not be disappointed! I only wish I had room for dessert and to also try their adobo risotto. Next time!

Happy hour!
Kristen J.

Went here for the first time today and I LOVED it! These guys really know their food! Every single dish we had was delicious! I love lumpia and the hibiscus sweet chili sauce was the perfect accoutrement. The oxtail was my favorite dish. While it does look small in the picture, it's actually deconstructed and put together so there's no bone and all meat. I think the peanut sauce was so good, it can be served as a dish alone! LOL! The pancit noodle dish was also great! The handmade flat noodle was the perfect chewy texture. The chef shared that we were actually the first ones to try it since it premiered at lunar new year! He also shared that they learned to make it from a chef that... well I forget if he was native from or worked in Hong Kong! So the "biang biang" part of the descriptor comes from the sound they make when the noodles are being made/stretched. When it came to service, they were very attentive! I was firstly impressed that they were able to fit us in. We came hoping to get in but figured we may be enjoying a cocktail on the patio. However, we were given a table and were able to get in a quick dinner before another reservation came in. They were very clear about the timeline too. I appreciated the upfrontness with a smile. Every was so kind and happy to be there. I liked how each dish was explained (showing the care and thoughtfulness behind the menu). And wow! I don't think my water glass was ever empty. It is a little pricey but we knew that going in. It's locally sourced, low waste, and food inspired by traditional filipino cuisine. That sort of tag line will come with a cost (one of my dishes was $42!) but I think it's well worth it. I'm looking forward to seeing them (or their bar staff) at the Flora and Fauna event next week. My expectations are high!

Pop up chef on Tuesday
Lawrence U.

Place did not change, still great. The food choices is limited, but the quality is great. The pork belly Jim a is tender, and not the human that I'm used to. It's on the dry side. It the taste is the same. The Laing was really good. There was a slight kick to it. The rigatoni was classic Filipino taste. Sweet sauce. Service Was fast and very friendly. Place is clean and cozy.

Robin D.

This place is an experience of epic proportions!!! The staff is the most attentive and friendly group of people I have ever met! Meticulously prepared and served...every stage -from the minute you enter this place! The ambience it open ...you can see the bar and kitchen like you are sitting around the kitchen table! the atmosphere is quaint, cozy and retro at the same time!! Now, the food and drinks take everything to another level, an experience...with every drink and plate! Perfect size shareable proportions! I was full before I could get to the dessert...I am going back just for a dessert round! The story of how and what they do is just the tip of the iceberg...and I don't mean lettuce! A five course meal of divine goodness! I cannot recommend this place enough! OH...and the Garlic Rice.... order 2! Thank me later!!

Angela M.

This is the BEST restaurant I have ever been to. Everything was perfectly curated and well presented. From the outside, you wouldn't think this restaurant is as exquisite as it is but man oh man when you walk in-- the service, decoration, drinks, food-- everything tells a story. We started off with the parol from the holiday menu and it was incredible. Even the garnish was sooo tasty. Definitely hand crafted to perfection. We then share a Bicol express mussel for appetizer and I was in awe at the explosions of flavor. The mussel tasted fresh. We then ordered our main dish which we had crab fat shrimp with fried rice. Again, explosive. We ended the night with coquito, which was served in this Christmas mug that had a story to it as well. This place is my favorite restaurant in all of Orlando thus far!

We met the owners
Toni G.

I had researched this restaurant for over two months watching every YouTube video and reading all the reviews. We knew we were coming to Orlando for a visit and made this one of our stops. Reservations were made far in advance and I'm glad we did. From the moment we walked into the restaurant, we were treated as if we were going to our aunt and uncle's house. Everybody was warm. Everybody was friendly. Everybody wanted to tell us how delicious the food was. meeting the chefs, and the owner just made it even better it was icing on the cake . Our waiter took the time explained each dish to us several times even when we asked five times he came back, all dishes were intriguing delightful different delicious and exploded with flavor. The uniqueness of the food had me smiling like we were at Disney for the first time . Eating here definitely had me in my happy place Wish we lived closer

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Ask the Community - Kaya

Do they take brunch reservations?

Yes, on Sundays they open at 10 am.

Does the business sell gift cards/gift certificates?

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Sampaguita

Sampaguita

4.8(598 reviews)
0.2 miMills50, Colonialtown North
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I've been wanting to try Sampaguita for the longest time! And finally getting around to it - it…read moredidn't disappoint. You can probably guarantee this place will always be busy (and for good reason). Even with a line to the door, the service was very quick. There is a lot of seating even towards the back of the shop and loved the ambiance. They're very on brand throughout the entire place. I ordered the birthday mamon in a cone and I loved it! They also had a ton of other unique flavors and sundae options. I definitely will be returning!

Even on a Wednesday Sampaguita Was packed. While it's off of Colonial, there is a parking lot in…read morethe back of the plaza. Despite there being a parking lot, we weren't able to find parking and we had to park on the street. For the middle of the week, I was surprised that there was a line out the door. It took about 15 minutes before we were serviced, but the staff behind the counter was working hard. Sampaguita has unique flavors, such as Ube. They were very accommodating and they let us try a bunch of different flavors. I was surprised because every flavor that I tried wasn't too sweet like ice cream typically is. My friend and I ordered the Ube brownie with Ube whipped cream and vanilla ice cream. It was good but also not too sweet. Personally I think the ice cream actually wasn't sweet enough. With the hype that Sampaguita gets, I was expecting to be blown out of the water, but it was a little underwhelming. I think there's better ice cream in Orlando. The dining room is really cute and there's actually a lot of tables. It's very comfortable to sit there and hang out with friends.

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Ice cream area

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Crispy Cones

Crispy Cones

4.2(116 reviews)
2.1 miDowntown South
Casual dining
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We came to crispy cones for a work ice cream trip and it was delicious! I wasn't sure what to…read moreexpect with the dough cone. It was interesting. Probably not my favorite, I mean it was delicious, but I think I prefer a regular cone. Be prepared the ice creams are massive! But they are so good A group of five of us came and ordered and we got served pretty quickly There were a couple tables to sit at and we're able to get ice cream sit and enjoy no problem

Another good ice cream place to add to my list of favorite places to go in Orlando!…read more The ice cream is a perfect combo of dense, soft, and creamy. From the top of the swirl to the very bottom of the inside of my cone, there was not a single air pocket to be found. I got the chocolate flavored ice cream, and every bite was chocolatey and creamy heaven. Now, if you know your desserts, the cone that is used is usually known as a chimney cake. It is a sweet pastry that is soft on the inside and has a glass-like crunchy exterior that is coated with cinnamon and sugar. It's a little like eating a cruffin, but with a crunchier exterior due to their special way of making it. Definitely worth trying at least once if you've never tried it before. Overall, if you're looking to impress a foodie with something sweet, decadent, and pretty, I'd say give this place a go. The ice cream is as perfect and delicious as you see it.

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Mango Mango Dessert

Mango Mango Dessert

4.5(131 reviews)
13.3 miInternational Drive / I-Drive, Horizons West / West Orlando
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I am crazy with mango desserts, and I love visting Hui Lau Shan when I go to Hong Kong. I am…read moretherefore super excited when I found out that Orlando has a mango dessert place! I didn't even realize that there's this chain named Mango Mango! I am so happy they made it to Florida. There are so many things on their menu: ice cream, crepe, waffle, drinks... and the decision between mango and durian... I want them all! The mango is very smooth, totally fiber-less, and I'm in mango heaven!! The shop is kind of out of the way, as least for a tourist, but worth the drive!

Wow. What a find! Some family that was visiting recommended mango mango since they loved it from…read moreNew York and I can now confidently say it has become a new Favorite! I orders the Strawberry Mango Juice Sago & Lychee Jelly w. Mango Ice Cream and the Nutella and strawberry crepe with coconut ice cream. I suggest ordering the pomelo and herbal jelly to have with the strawberry mango juice sago as it adds the right touch of sourness. Everything is fresh and light and every time I leave, I'm already looking forward to coming back The space is light and welcoming and has a good amount of seating. The staff is friendly and helpful and the orders seem to be filled pretty quickly. They even have a little stand where they sell blind boxes and other goodies, so fun! I've already brought one of sisters here and look forward to bringing even more family and friends to enjoy some seriously wonderful desserts!

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Mango Mango Dessert - Sitting area

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Kaya - filipino - Updated May 2026

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