Kadence

Kadence began in 2014 as Kappo, a seven-seat sushi counter tucked into Orlando's East End Market. After outgrowing that space, owners Mark and Jennifer Berdin — University of Florida alumni who trained in Michelin-starred kitchens in New York and London — reopened nearby as Kadence, a nine-seat sushi and sake bar in the Audubon Park Garden District, alongside co-owner Lordfer Lalicon. The restaurant earned its first Michelin star in Florida's inaugural 2022 guide and has retained it every year since, holding the star again in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide Florida for a fifth consecutive year. It was also named Orlando Sentinel's Restaurant of the Year in 2023.

Both Berdins are Advanced Sake Professionals, and their curated sake list anchors the beverage program, but Kadence also stocks non-alcoholic pours for guests who want a pairing without alcohol, including Copenhagen Sparkling Tea (Green), a 0% ABV sparkling blend of sencha, green tea, and citrus, and a matcha green tea milk tea made with soy milk.

Housed in an unassuming black building that one reviewer said looks more like a pop-up modern art museum than an actual restaurant, Kadence remains one of the hardest reservations in Orlando, seating just nine guests a night for a multi-course omakase built around the highest-quality seasonal fish available.