Sunshine Soulfood Cafe

The Write-Up

The full story

Soul food with a Caribbean lean on West Colonial Drive, cooked like somebody's home kitchen: oxtails that fall off the bone, creamy mac and cheese, fried chicken, and soft cornbread on the side. Guests use words like homey and no-fuss, and more than one says the plate reminded them of home. Service can be uneven, but the portions are generous and the pineapple lemonade is worth adding.

District Story

The story of Orlando

A fort, a courthouse plat and a citrus boom built it. A name nobody can prove still runs it.

Read the Orlando story →

Similar Feel

More places with this feel

Matched by vibe, not by neighborhood: the places across Greater Orlando closest in spirit to Sunshine Soulfood Cafe.

At The Diner

Breakfast & brunch · Dr Phillips · $

Bright, playful Dr.

5072 Dr Phillips Blvd, Orlando, FL 32819

Soulicious Vegan Kitchen

Restaurants · Apopka · $$

Inside Apopka's Halls On 5th, vegan soul food with no compromise: fried oyster mushroom chick'n, sliders, and mac and cheese.

Soulicious Vegan Kitchen, 15 E 5th St, Apopka, FL 32703-5244, United States

The Licking

Restaurants · Millenia · $$

DJ Khaled's soul food spot across from the Mall at Millenia: loud, lively and generous.

4706 Millenia Plaza Way, Orlando, FL 32839

Nuri's

Pizza · Orlando · $$

Downtown's tavern-style pizza joint on East Pine, all cracker-crisp, paper-thin crust party-cut into squares you keep grabbing.

Nuri's, 63 E Pine St, Orlando, FL 32801-2617, United States

Downtown Food Tour

Attractions · Downtown · $$$

A walking food tour through the real Orlando, the downtown locals eat in, with history and art folded into the route by your guide.

A La Cart - City, 274 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801

Uncle Tony's Backyard BBQ Orlando

BBQ · Orlando · $$

Hole-in-the-wall on South Orange Avenue with a small-town feel that makes you forget you are in a big city.

Uncle Tony's Backyard BBQ Orlando, 6807 S Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32809-6025, United States

Keep Going

More in Downtown Orlando

Other places in Downtown Orlando, Local Picks first, then the closest to Sunshine Soulfood Cafe.

Fixtion Restaurant & Bar Local Pick

American · American Restaurant · $$

On Orange Avenue, comfort food and huge comfy booths early, club energy after dark, shape-shifting through the day.

15 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801

Wall Street Plaza Local Pick

Nightlife & music · Entertainment District · $$

One downtown block holds the whole crawl: eight bars and patios that, on a big night, turn into a single street party.

25 Wall St, Orlando, FL 32801

Elixir Kitchen and Bar Local Pick

Bars & lounges · Bar · $$

A rustic-hip gastropub in one of downtown's original buildings, and very much the neighborhood's spot.

9 W Washington St, Orlando, FL 32801

Jesse's Rib Shack

BBQ · $$

Jesse's Rib Shack is an old-school smokehouse on West Pine Street where you can see the smoke rolling off the back before you reach the door.

2202 W Pine St, Orlando, FL 32805

Broken Strings Taproom

Breweries · Brewery · $$

Music-first taproom on West Church Street, walls covered in murals of legends and a sister brewery sharing the roof.

Broken Strings Brewery, 1012 W Church St, Orlando, FL 32805-2216

Fettuccine Pasta-Making Class

Attractions · Cooking Class · $$

In a hands-on downtown class, Chef Mark walks you through fresh fettuccine from scratch: mixing, rolling thin, slicing ribbons and cooking them off.

Goblin Studios, 805 W Central Blvd, Orlando, FL 32805