I have to admit that I never thought I’d be sharing an airport restaurant with you all and telling you that it is one of my favorite “new” restaurants in Orlando. I guess officially it is in the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport hotel and not the airport, but it was a surprise all the same.
Hemisphere Restaurant was closed for 5 months earlier this year where it went through a $3 million renovation and redesign. With a floor-to-ceiling glass wall facing the airport runway, guests will view planes etching through the starlit sky and rockets launching into space. The redesigned 3,000 square-foot restaurant seats 164 guests in a stylish, fresh environment with light wood finishes and flexible seating to accommodate groups, as well as, small parties and single diners in its signature setting. Custom wine cuvées and lounge-style seating highlight the center of Hemisphere’s unique layout.
Hemisphere offers an active, upbeat environment that engages guests’ senses. Seasonal menus feature hand-crafted dishes that infuse fresh, local ingredients with modern world flavors. Led by Executive Chef Jeffery Powell, Hemisphere’s culinary team has designed a menu that infuses robust international flavors and seasonal local ingredients.
Hemisphere is committed to sourcing ingredients from local and regional growers and artisanal producers. Hyatt’s global philosophy–Food. Thoughtfully Sourced. Carefully Served. –focuses on offering guests and associates healthy food and beverage options generated by the local community. Local purveyors include Lake Meadow Naturals, Palmetto Creek Farms, Fat Cat Gourmet Foods,and Cigar City Brewing to name a few.
I was lucky enough to attend a media dinner recently and try out some of the amazing dishes on their menu. Items like Burrata Mozzarella, Avocado Toast, Pork Belly, Haricot Verts, and Soft Shell Crab were among the items we were able to sample. The avocado toast was my absolute favorite! It was fresh, full of flavor, and would be a great start to any meal.
All of the dishes at Hemisphere are meant to be shared and come out to your table in the order they are ready in the kitchen. So don’t be surprised if your Burrata Mozzarella makes it to your table before your salad does. In addition to the shareable dinner menu, they also have a list of 5 shareable cocktails available. Created to serve 4 or 8 people, these cocktails come in a pitcher along with all the fixings to make it look just as pretty as if you had just ordered one from the bar. These cocktails still pack quite the punch and are a great treat to share with friends.
I knew right away that I would be making another visit to Hemisphere soon. Thankfully on my most recent visit to the Orlando airport I had enough time to stop in to Hemisphere for a bit to eat and glass of wine before catching my flight. I was seated right next to the windows, so I had a great view of the runways as the sun was going down. I decided to try out the wine cuvées and picked a glass of German Riesling to enjoy with my meal.
After a lengthy chat with my amazing waitress I decided to try out the tempura vegetables with kecap manis sauce. AMAZING! The plate of tempura fried green beans, sweet potato, cauliflower, and broccoli that is meant to share was the perfect size pre-flight meal for one. The slightly spicy kecap manis sauce was the perfect accompaniment to the veggies. Yum yum yum! I totally would have had one of their fabulous desserts, but unfortunately I had to get moving to catch my flight.
So next time you are headed to the Orlando airport and know you will need to eat before your flight, give yourself a little extra time and check out Hemisphere. And if you are an Orlando local, don’t let the airport location scare you. You can park at the hotel valet for FREE and head right up to the 9th floor to enjoy an amazing meal anytime!
*Disclosure: My initial meal at Hemisphere was complimentary. As always, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.
