Kaya

The story

Kaya Orlando: Filipino Cuisine with Michelin Recognition in Mills50

Kaya Natin: Filipino Cuisine with Community at Its Heart

In Orlando’s Mills50 district, Kaya is a neighborhood restaurant and bar that serves the food closest to its owners’ hearts. The name itself means “capable” in Tagalog, and “kaya natin” translates to “we can do it” — a phrase that captures the restaurant’s ethos of possibility and communal effort. That spirit, known in Filipino culture as bayanihan, is woven into every aspect of Kaya, from the team’s pre-service huddle to the way guests are welcomed at the table.

Owned and operated by Chef Lordfer Lalicon and General Manager Jamilyn Salonga Bailey — alongside Lalicon’s wife Julie Anne and partners Johnny Tung and John Rife III — Kaya draws on Lalicon’s two decades of experience in Michelin-starred kitchens such as Blue Hill and Carbone. The result is Filipino cuisine that feels both deeply traditional and creatively personal. The restaurant earned a Michelin Recommended distinction, a nod to the care and skill behind each plate.

A Place for Gathering

Kaya describes itself as more than a restaurant: it’s a gathering place for families, friends, and neighbors. The dining room and bar are complemented by the outdoor Bayani Bar, a laid-back patio and garden space where guests can relax with cocktails, karaoke, or live music. On Saturdays, the restaurant runs Kapé Kaya, a daytime bakery concept featuring pastries by Chef Clarice Lam — a collaboration that extends the restaurant’s reach beyond dinner service.

The team’s values — pamilya (family), utang na loob (respect and gratitude), kapwa at bayanihan (community spirit), and mapanlikha (creativity) — guide everything from sourcing ingredients to how staff treat one another. A collage near the entrance depicts a house carried on the shoulders of many, a visual reminder that Kaya is supported by its entire community: farmers, fisherfolk, potters, artists, and guests alike.

A Welcoming Approach to Filipino Food

Kaya’s menu changes with the seasons and is built around the flavors of the Philippines, presented with a refined yet approachable touch. The restaurant also hosts special events — from Lunar New Year collaborations with Chef Clarice Lam to themed cocktail takeovers — that keep the experience lively and connected to the local food scene. Whether you’re stopping by for dinner at the bar or settling into a weekend pastry at Kapé Kaya, the hospitality is warm, intentional, and unmistakably Orlando.