The story
Primo sits at 4040 Central Florida Parkway in Orlando, inside the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes. The Italian kitchen earned a Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star rating in 2026, and its menu draws on Mediterranean coastal traditions alongside Florida ingredients.
Chef Melissa Kelly grew up cooking in her grandmother's kitchen and draws on the traditions of Puglia in Southern Italy. Produce, honey and eggs come from the onsite Primo garden and Whisper Creek Farm. Whole pigs arrive from Mountain Trail Farm in Clermont, and chicken and duck come from Lake Meadows Naturals in Ocoee.
The menu centers on shareable small plates, with pasta and pizza close behind. Tortelloni filled with braised beef rib and finished with butter-poached lobster is a crowd-pleaser, as is a white pizza topped with marinated eggplant, pistachios and squash blossoms. Charred octopus arrives with Cuban oregano and Seminole pumpkin romesco, a South Florida touch on Mediterranean cooking. Pork saltimbocca is the house bestseller.
Arriving early gives you time at the bar, where the Lost in Sicily Old Fashioned blends whiskey with banana-infused Averna Amaro, orange bitters and lime tincture. The dining room has cascading greenery, a bamboo backdrop and earthen stone floors.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
“Farm-to-table” isn’t just an overused catchphrase at Primo. Produce, honey and eggs are sourced from the restaurant’s onsite garden and nearby Whisper Creek Farm, all seafood is sourced from Florida fishermen, and both poultry and pork are sourced from ranches within the state.While dishes are distinctly Mediterranean in origin, a South Florida accent can be detected in plates like rock crab arancini or charred octopus seasoned with Cuban oregano and served with Seminole pumpkin romesco.Shareable small plates are the focus of the revamped menu, but you’ll also want to make space for mouthwatering pasta and pizzas. Rich tortelloni with braised beef rib and butter-poached lobster is a crowd-pleaser, as is a white pizza topped with marinated eggplant, pistachios and squash blossoms.Even classic cocktails enjoy an Italy-meets-Florida twist at Primo. Old Fashioned fans can try Lost in Sicily, a whiskey-based sip blended with banana-infused Averna Amaro, orange bitters and lime tincture for a tropical take on the tipple.Arrive a bit before your reservation to belly up to the bar. The Instagrammable space features cascading greenery, a bamboo backdrop and earthen stone floors that feel just as at home in an alfresco South Florida dining room as an Italian courtyard.
AAA: 4 Distinctive fine dining, well-serviced amid upscale ambiance.
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