James Bond never visited Orlando. The nearest he got was Miami, where he had his first run-in with Auric Goldfinger at the famous Fontainebleau hotel in the 1964 blockbuster Goldfinger. It notably marked out Bond’s affinity for a luxury hotel and a great cocktail or two, though.
Fast forward to 2025, and we think we might just have discovered the kind of rich, swanky hotel bar that would have massive appeal for 007, if the modern version of the character was ever to visit Central Florida instead of just the south.
It’s called the Apéro bar, and it’s nominally the lobby bar of the fabulous Conrad Orlando, the upscale deluxe hotel at the heart of the vast Evermore Resort, which we highlighted in this blog last November. But the Apéro is to lobby bars what a Ferrari is to a normal family saloon. That is to say, there is no real comparison.
To start with, the Apéro is located downstairs from the main lobby, albeit they share the same sleek, bright space that marks the hotel out as a major breath of fresh air. We’re certainly no strangers to the upscale cocktail bar experience, but we have to admit the Conrad’s version really took us by surprise.
Taking the stairs down from the main lobby to the ground level presented the close-up view of the Conrad’s grand vista, the 20-acre Evermore Bay with its glorious aquamarine crystal lagoon. Even on a rather overcast evening, it still sparkled like the true gem that it is, and the grand panorama from the outside fountain deck was nothing less than sumptuous.
But we were here for the bar experience on this occasion, and Apéro did not disappoint. On our most recent visit, we were supremely fortunate to have mixologist extraordinaire Marco Dongi in the house, demonstrating his talent for concocting memorable flavours and creating new versions of well-known cocktails.
Originally from Italy, by way of London, Mauritius, Australia, Turkey, Dubai, Hong Kong and Thailand, Marco lives and breathes cocktails and had created some of his own specialities for us to sample, in addition to the bar’s usual line-up of classics old and new. And what a sampling it was!
From the moment we sat down, we were treated like local royalty by bar staff who really knew their stuff and always made sure we had everything we wanted, either from the main menu or the bespoke collection arranged by Marco.
We were originally tempted by Apéro’s regular line-up, which included five different variations of Negroni, including both coffee and low-alcohol versions, as well as an attractive choice of spritzes, American classics and even alcohol-free options. On a normal night we would probably have had the Negroni Sbagliato (Bar Basso Signature, Campari Bitter, Aperol, Mancino Vermouth Rosso, Prosecco and pink grapefruit) or the Carciofo (Amaro Highball, Mancino Vermouth Bianco Ambrato, Contratto Bitter, Carciofo Aperitivo Don Ciccio, tonic water and Kinome, a Japanese rice wine), but we weren’t here for a normal evening.
With Marco eager to demonstrate his decade-plus of drawing on flavour profiles from four continents, we were happy to let him choose a couple of drinks for us, and we were delighted with his selections. First up was the Bangkok Brunch, his version of a deconstructed Bloody Mary, which looked nothing like the original but tasted absolutely divine.
Made from tequila and mezcal, with the added ingredients of salted tomato water, rice vinegar and vanilla, along with a hint of pad krapow (a popular Thai stir-fry dish of pork, Thai basil and chili black pepper) to give it some Mary-style body, plus a large, frozen tomato for the visual kick. This was absolutely unlike any drink we’ve ever tried, with a smooth, silky initial taste that slowly morphed into a gentle chili warmth, plus that wholly original, almost meaty, flavour of the pad krapow.
While savouring this taste adventure in a glass, we ordered some of the bar’s signature dishes to ensure we weren’t drinking on an empty stomach. We chose the Arancini (breadcrumb-coated Sicilian rice balls), Chicken Wings (with an orange rosemary glaze and crispy pickled vegetables) and the Italian Tuna Poke (in a Calabrian chili vinaigrette with smoked egg aioli, red onion, cherry tomato, capers, arugula and lavash), and that proved a good-sized meal for the two of us to share. The menu also offers more substantial pizzas and their own burger, as well as a salad, shrimp cocktail and cheese and charcuterie board.
All three dishes we tried were packed with flavour and immensely enjoyable, especially the Arancini, which definitely had the taste of Sicily front and centre. For our second cocktail Marco recommended the Oh Liang, another of his creations from Bangkok. Originally a traditional iced black coffee, here Marco has mixed it with rum, almond, pandan (a fragrant Thai leaf) and jasmine, with Pu Muen coffee from Thailand. To say this was a taste sensation would be a major under-statement. Simon is a total coffee hound, and this really ticked all the boxes for him, but we’ll have to move to Bangkok if we want more!
To finish off the evening, our super-attentive barman, Riccardo, twisted our arms ever-so-slightly to try a dessert. And not just any dessert. Oh no. His must-try recommendation was the decadent Rocher, which, as the name suggests, has echoes of that delicious Italian chocolate delicacy Ferrero Rocher. The Conrad’s version is like an amplified version, featuring chocolate frangelico semifreddo, salted caramel filling, chocolate cake and chocolate fudge sauce. Too much chocolate, you might think? Not at all. This might just be our new favourite dessert in the whole of Orlando (with its 4,000-plus restaurants), and we do not say that lightly.
While the food and drink were truly superlative, the ambiance and décor of the bar were equally appealing. With live ambient music from a strolling violinist, excellent service, elegant surroundings and good conversation, this was an evening of rare quality and finesse.
If you’re looking for that genuine special occasion venue, Apéro would certainly be a very strong candidate. It’s not cheap – cocktails range from $15-$24, and the various dishes from $16-$29 – but, with that James Bond vibe in mind, it definitely has that level of super-cool style and sophistication that typifies the secret agent’s rich tastes. Oh, and for hotel non-residents, the bar validates for valet parking, which is a very nice touch.
As for us, we are overdue to go back to sample the Conrad’s highly recommended rooftop restaurant delight Ceiba in the near future, but we may just have to sneak in a second visit to Apéro first, if just for another Rocher!
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