Two years after opening atop Conrad Orlando at Evermore, Ceiba, the resort’s award-winning signature rooftop restaurant, is marking the milestone with its first significant menu update, introducing new dishes across savory and sweet courses and deepening its commitment to refined regional Mexican cuisine.
Emerging as a favorite among Orlando residents and hotel guests, Ceiba is celebrated for its extraordinary agave-centric cocktail program, modern take on traditional Mexican dishes and stunning, panoramic rooftop views, complete with nightly fireworks from nearby theme parks. The menu honors the depth and diversity of Mexico’s culinary heritage, exploring regional techniques and ingredients with a focus on specialty salsas, including 10 distinct house-crafted varieties, house-nixtamalized Masienda corn elements such as tortillas and tostadas, and complex moles at the heart of many dishes.
Ceiba’s culinary experience is guided by Chef de Cuisine David Montelongo Merlo, who brings both technical precision and lived memory to the kitchen. Raised in San Diego, Jalisco, he grew up cooking alongside his grandmother in her small family restaurant before sharpening his skills through formal training in Mexico City. His approach, grounded in a strong sense of place, craftsmanship and a modern sensibility, is reflected in Ceiba’s evolving menu, where each dish reflects refinement and authenticity.
“Updating our menu has been a meaningful process, as it gave me the opportunity to return to many of the traditional dishes I grew up eating and cooking in Mexico,” Montelongo said. “At Ceiba, I’m excited to share these contemporary versions of classic dishes with the hope that they are a source of connection and celebration for our guests, as they have been for me.”
The updated menu opens with “botanas,” or snacks, that bring brightness, spice and robust flavors. Chabelita de Mariscos channels coastal cantina culture with local Royal Red shrimp from Cape Canaveral and Patagonia scallops tossed with pico de gallo, avocado and lively house sauces layered with citrus and heat. An elevated take on the Guadalajara street food staple, the Torta Ahogada features tender pork belly and crisp garlic bread soaked in savory tomato and chile de árbol sauces. A warming new tomato-based Sopa de Tortilla offers a comforting start to the meal.
Following botanas and a selection of elevated tacos, the menu shifts into “platos fuertes,” or main dishes, where substantial new plates emphasize slow-cooked meats with layers of deeply satisfying flavor. Highlights include the Carne en su Jugo, a hearty, rustic preparation of prime short rib braised until fork-tender and simmered in a vibrant tomatillo salsa verde with beans and smoky bacon, and Mixiote with chile-marinated chicken leg, cactus and pineapple pico. Mole, inspired by Oaxaca’s most revered culinary treasure, features a guajillo-marinated hanger steak accompanied by a plantain-corn masa tortilla and finished with a rich mole negro crafted from more than 30 ingredients. A taste of Mexico’s Yucatán, the Relleno Negro presents slow-cooked Iberico pork shoulder enriched with recado negro, a paste of charred chiles and spices, served with chicharrón and bright citrus salsas. While the menu introduces a thoughtful wave of new regional dishes, several of Ceiba’s most celebrated signatures remain at the heart of the experience, including the Barbacoa de Cordero, a slow-braised lamb shank rich with depth and tradition, and the Pescado Zarandeado, the restaurant’s striking whole grilled fish inspired by Mexico’s coastal kitchens.
Ceiba’s menu evolution extends to dessert under the direction of Pastry Chef Caroline Ballam, who brings more than 15 years of luxury hotel and MICHELIN Guide-recognized experience to Conrad Orlando. Her new selections invoke playful nostalgia and fine-tuned finesse, from the Piña Colada Tres Leches with caramelized rum pineapple and coconut foam to a decadent Mole Chocolate Cake accompanied by burnt cinnamon ice cream and peanut brittle. Inspired by the classic Mexican-spiced coffee, Café de Olla layers whipped orange panna cotta with coffee mousse and dark chocolate cream for an elegant yet familiar finale to the meal. Additional new desserts include the imaginative Paloma Paleta served with pickled blackberry, tequila gelée, and Fresno ginger pearls, and the bright MangoMarind, a refreshing mango-tamarind sorbet in tamarind sauce.
“Dessert at Ceiba is meant to be a continuation of the story we’re telling throughout the menu,” said Caroline Ballam. “I drew inspiration from classic Mexican flavors like coffee, chocolate and tropical fruit and reimagined them in a way that feels refined but still approachable. The goal is for guests to recognize those flavors, feel a sense of nostalgia, and leave with the same sense of warmth and connection they experience throughout the meal.”
Together, the updated menus reinforce Ceiba’s standing as one of Orlando’s most distinctive dining destinations, where sophisticated regional Mexican dishes and agave cocktails are built with expertise and intention in a serene rooftop setting, inviting guests to explore the flavors of Mexico from the first bite to the last sip.
For more information or to make a reservation, visit CeibaOrlando.com or follow @CeibaOrlando on social media.
