"Over the last seven or eight years, we've had a wait list with new restaurants opening all the time."
Joe Mahoney said that in 2019 as chair of A Taste of Dr. Phillips. He was describing how hard it is to get a tent at the biggest fundraiser the Rotary Club of Dr. Phillips holds each year. The event was in its 13th year then. On Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, it holds its 19th edition in the Dellagio Town Center courtyard from 1 to 4 p.m.
Seven years later, his description still fits. Each November the event puts more than 20 Restaurant Row kitchens around one fountain, and the lineup changes every year. Three things have stayed the same in every year with records: the Dellagio courtyard, a Sunday afternoon in early November, and the places the money goes. Those include Little League fields, YMCA programs, school classrooms and food pantries in southwest Orlando.
A Lineup That Changes Every November
The Rotary has not published its 2026 restaurant list yet. As of early October, the official event site says only that tastings will come from "over 20" Restaurant Row restaurants, with wine, beer and cocktails. Lineups from earlier years show how much the list moves.
| Year | Edition | Date | Restaurants named in local coverage | General admission |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 15th | Sunday, Nov. 13 | Big Fin, The Capital Grille, Dragonfly Robata, Eddie V's, Fleming's, Morton's The Steakhouse, Ocean Prime, Blue Martini, Rocco's Tacos | Not reported |
| 2023 | 16th | Sunday, Nov. 5 | Big Fin, Del Frisco's, Eddie V's, Ocean Prime, Paddywagon Irish Pub | Not reported |
| 2024 | 17th | Sunday, Nov. 3 | American Social Bar and Kitchen, Big Fin, Blue Martini, Burntwood Tavern, The Capital Grille, Del Frisco's, Dragonfly Robata, Eddie V's, Fleming's, Fresco, London House, Morton's, Norman's, The Oceanaire, The Palm, Pererocino, Rocco's Tacos, Seasons 52, Voodoo Bayou | Not reported |
| 2025 | 18th | Sunday, Nov. 2 | BigFin, Burntwood Tavern, Chima Steakhouse, Dragonfly Robata, Norman's | $75 |
| 2026 | 19th | Sunday, Nov. 1 | Not yet announced | $85 |
Each of these lists is partial. The West Orange Times & Observer named a selection of restaurants each year, never the full field of 20 or more, so the table is a sample. Some patterns still show up. Big Fin is named every year from 2022 through 2025. Dragonfly Robata is named in three of those four years, and Eddie V's in three. Paddywagon Irish Pub is named only in 2023, and Chima Steakhouse first appears in the 2025 preview. The 2024 list is the longest, at 19 names. It ran from steakhouses like Morton's, Fleming's and The Palm to Pererocino, Voodoo Bayou and Rocco's Tacos.
That turnover fits Mahoney's description of a wait list fed by "new restaurants opening all the time." The Row has kept changing since he said it. This summer we wrote about Restaurant Row rearranging itself around the corner planned for The Pinnacle. We also covered two new Dr. Phillips restaurants that opened away from the Row on the Daryl Carter Parkway side. Whether any of those changes reach the Dellagio tents will be clear once the 2026 list is out.
Why a Restaurant Takes a Tent
In 2019, Mahoney explained how the event started. "At the time we started, there was nothing like that happening in the area, especially showcasing those restaurants," he told the Observer. He also explained why the restaurants come back. "The larger restaurants always set aside some funding to give back to the community and to help raise money. They all enjoy being a part of the process."
The money from those tents stays in southwest Orlando. The event site says 100% of proceeds go through the Rotary Club of Dr. Phillips Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. In 2019, Mahoney said the club gives the money back as donations, scholarships and sponsorships. The foundation names these current recipients on the event site:
- Youth sports and recreation: Dr. Phillips YMCA Family Center, Dr. Phillips Little League
- Schools and learning: Palm Lake Elementary School, Tangelo Park Elementary, Southwest Middle School, Orange County Library System, A Gift for Teaching
- Community services: Second Harvest Food Bank, Hope Worldwide, Golden Care for Seniors, Fairways for Warriors, JFS Orlando
Earlier coverage adds more names. Past recipients include Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, the Southwest Branch Library, the theater magnet program at Dr. Phillips High School and the CFHLA Foundation.
The site gives the event's total impact as more than $600,000 for local communities, more than 40 charitable organizations served, and more than 3,000 volunteer hours. For a sense of scale, Central Florida Lifestyle reported in 2019 that the 2018 event raised nearly $60,000. One strong afternoon brought in close to a tenth of the total the site claims for the event's whole history.
A neighborhood club produces all of this. In 2019, the Rotary Club of Dr. Phillips had just turned 40 and had about 100 members, which Mahoney said made it one of the larger clubs in Central Florida. It started as an offshoot of the Rotary Club of Windermere.
How the Sunday Runs
Dellagio has hosted every edition with records, from 2019 through 2025. In 2019, the tasting tents were set up around the Dellagio fountain. The 2026 listing gives the venue as Dellagio Town Center, 7924–8075 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando, FL 32819. The afternoon runs in this order:
- 12:30 p.m. Doors open. VIP ticket holders get in early.
- 1 p.m. General admission begins. Tastings open, and The Down Brothers start a set of classic rock and pop covers that lasts until close.
- 4 p.m. The event ends.
There are two ticket levels this year. A third-party listing breaks the Eventbrite price range of $85 to $125 into $85 for general admission and $125 for VIP. General admission covers everything during the 1-to-4 window: food from more than 20 Restaurant Row restaurants, plus wine, beer and spirits. VIP costs $40 more. It adds the 12:30 p.m. entry, a private lounge with seating and shade, a welcome drink, an insulated wine tumbler, a separate wine and beer station, photo and interview opportunities, and a VIP badge.
General admission is up from last year. The Observer listed tickets at $75 for the 2025 edition, so the 2026 price is $10 higher. The event is 21 and over, parking is free, and Eventbrite lists the refund policy as no refunds. The listing also mentions a 50/50 raffle. Past editions included a silent auction. In 2023, the auction offered artwork, gift baskets and activity packages.
What Is Still Unannounced
Some details are not public yet. Eventbrite lists FAQ questions about dress code, buying tickets at the door, and rain checks, but the answers are not shown on the page. Since refunds are not offered, check with the Rotary before buying if weather or door sales matter to you. The 2026 restaurant and beverage lineup is also still unannounced. An August 15 post on the event's blog called the 2026 event "coming soon" and focused on the charities rather than a restaurant list. Tickets are on sale now on Eventbrite, and the club's calendar lists the event for November 1.
Our advisors keep track of the Dr. Phillips calendar, from the Dellagio tents to the corners changing along Sand Lake Road. If a move into or within this community is on your horizon, Elite Sport Network offers discreet guidance built around your schedule. Book a private consultation.
