4,000+ reviews · Google 4.5 · OpenTable 4.7 · TripAdvisor 4.3
5-8 Min Drive from Surfside Inn to Italian on I-Drive. Handmade pasta, Prime steaks, kids menu. Free valet at ICON Park.
4,000+ reviews · Google 4.5 · OpenTable 4.7 · TripAdvisor 4.3
“We came straight from the parks with three kids still in park clothes. They didn’t bat an eye. The pasta was incredible and valet made it so easy. Best dinner of our trip.”
The Morrison Family, Connecticut · Google
The Menu
Housemade pasta, steaks, seafood, chicken parmigiana, lasagna, cocktails, wine, desserts, and a kids menu — all served in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.
Keep reading to learn more about Vincenzo
Surfside Inn is a value resort, and guests staying there know how to stretch a vacation dollar. But value does not mean settling for food court pizza every night. Vincenzo gives Surfside guests one great Italian dinner that makes the whole trip feel elevated — without breaking the budget.
The menu hits every craving. The chicken parm is golden, cheesy, and served over fresh spaghetti. The shrimp scampi swims in garlic and white wine butter. The gnocchi is handmade from potato — light, pillowy, and topped with pomodoro and fresh burrata. For something more substantial, the ribeye is USDA Prime Black Angus, seasoned simply and seared with confidence.
Every sauce is built from scratch. Every pasta is rolled or cut fresh. The tiramisu is homemade and has become one of the reasons guests come back to Vincenzo trip after trip — 4,000+ reviews mention it by name.
One proper sit-down Italian dinner during a Universal trip changes the whole complexion of the week. Vincenzo is that dinner.
Handmade Pasta & Italian Classics
Every dish is made from scratch, every night. This is what dinner at Vincenzo looks like.
Vincenzo is family-owned by the Navarra Group, who brought over 33 years of hospitality experience to International Drive when they opened in 2014. Surfside Inn guests discover the restaurant through word of mouth, hotel concierge recommendations, and the kind of online reviews that sound too good to be true but are not.
The vibe is casual Italian — no dress code, no pretense, no side-eye at your Universal t-shirt and flip-flops. Kids are welcome and find a menu designed for them. Parents find a wine list, a cocktail menu, and dishes worth savoring rather than rushing through.
The staff treats Surfside guests the same way they treat locals who have been dining here for years. That consistency is the Navarra Group's signature — it does not matter where you are staying or what you are wearing, the experience is the same.
Value-conscious travelers appreciate that Vincenzo delivers quality without the I-Drive tourist markup. The portions are generous, the ingredients are real, and the check feels fair for what you received.
Hands down the best Italian spot in Orlando. The service was impeccable, the food was absolutely incredible. The lobster ravioli was out of this world.
Jennifer, Orlando • OpenTable
Black Angus from Creekstone Farms
Hand-cut, cooked to order, served with truffle butter and fresh sides every evening.
Surfside Inn sits on Universal Boulevard, and Vincenzo is at ICON Park on International Drive. The drive takes minutes and keeps you on the main tourist corridor — no highways, no toll roads, no complicated directions.
When you arrive, complimentary valet parks the car. That alone is worth the drive — after a long day at the parks, nobody wants to walk through a parking garage carrying tired kids and leftover sunscreen.
Dinner runs from 5 to 10 PM nightly. Head over after the Universal fireworks, or beat the rush and arrive early for happy hour drinks at the bar before sitting down for the full menu.
The trip back to Surfside is fast and easy. One Italian dinner, one short drive, and a hotel room waiting when you get back. That is the kind of simple evening plan that vacation travelers need.
We came after the parks and it was the perfect way to end the day. The gnocchi was unreal and the valet made everything so easy.
Mike & Sarah, New Jersey • Google
The Dishes People Come Back For
Chicken parmigiana with spaghetti. Fettuccine alfredo with jumbo shrimp. Made fresh, every night.
Surfside Inn does not have a bar, but Vincenzo has a full one — stocked with Italian wines, California selections, craft beers, and cocktails that go well beyond what any Universal resort lobby can offer.
Happy hour runs Monday all night and Tuesday through Friday from 5 to 7 PM: $4 bottled beers, $7 wines by the glass, and $10 cocktails. The Espresso Martini and the Aperol Spritz are the two most popular orders. On Wednesdays, Wine Down Wednesday drops every glass of wine to half price all evening.
The Amalfi Room handles private parties of 15 to 50 guests with custom menus, and full restaurant buyouts seat 150 or more. Over 1,500 events have been hosted at Vincenzo, from birthday celebrations to family reunion dinners.
Budget resort, premium bar experience. That is the Vincenzo equation for Surfside guests who want their one great night out to include proper drinks alongside proper food.
This place is a hidden gem on I-Drive. Not a chain, not overpriced tourist food. Real Italian with real heart. The tiramisu alone is worth the trip.
David, Atlanta • TripAdvisor
Made the Way It Should Be
Homemade lasagna. Meatballs with San Marzano sauce. The Italian food you remember, done right.
Surfside Inn guests pick Vincenzo for the same reason they picked a value resort — they want the best return on what they spend. One dinner here delivers better Italian food than most tourists find during their entire Orlando trip.
No dress code. No minimum. Come in your park gear, order the lasagna or the lobster ravioli, and enjoy a meal that reminds you dinner is supposed to be an experience, not a transaction.
Family-owned since 2014, at ICON Park on International Drive, with 4,000+ reviews and complimentary valet every night. This is the dinner your Universal trip deserves.
Vincenzo is at ICON Park on International Drive, 5-8 min drive from Surfside Inn Orlando. Address: 8255 International Drive, Suite 112, Orlando, FL 32819. Complimentary valet parking every evening.
Vincenzo is a casual Italian restaurant serving handmade pasta, USDA Prime steaks from Creekstone Farms, fresh seafood, craft cocktails, and Italian wines. Guest favorites include chicken piccata (chicken scaloppine with capers, artichokes, and lemon butter sauce) and chicken marsala (hormone-free chicken scaloppine with portobello mushrooms and marsala truffle sauce).
Yes. Complimentary valet parking every evening. Drive to 8255 International Drive at ICON Park and hand your keys to the valet. No charge.
No dress code. Shorts, park clothes, flip-flops, casual wear — all welcome. Upscale vibes, casual comfort. Come as you are.
Yes. Monday happy hour runs all night 5-10 PM. Tuesday through Friday, 5-7 PM. $4 bottled beer, $7 wine by the glass, $10 well cocktails. Wine Down Wednesday: half-off wines by the glass all night.
Very. Kids 10 and under eat for $13 with a beverage. Options include spaghetti with meatballs, chicken tenders, fettuccine alfredo, cheese ravioli, pizza, and filet tips. No dress code.
Handmade pasta, craft cocktails, complimentary valet. Open nightly 5 to 10 PM.
Vincenzo Cucina Italiana is not affiliated with Surfside Inn Orlando or any theme park, hotel, or convention center properties. Vincenzo is a family-owned Italian restaurant on International Drive, open since 2014. Menu items and prices subject to change. Reservations recommended.