THIS ROUNDUP WAS FIRST FEATURED IN OUR DECEMBER 2020 PRINT ISSUE
In the heat of the moment, it’s hard to take a moment to celebrate the good things that have happened to you, making it too easy to forget and brush aside our accomplishments. Which makes it that much more important to stop, breathe, and appreciate the wins during such a tough year.
We have so much to celebrate this year and even more to look forward to in the next, so we’re taking this moment to shout out some of our local winners – food truck owners taking a big step into the world of brick and mortar storefronts, food stall owners glowing up and opening game-changing flagship restaurants in the theme parks, and old favorites expanding their local empires and flexing their business muscles to make our local scene that much more beautiful in the coming year.
Don’t want to read? We have a map of our coming and going businesses too.
CHICKEN FIRE – OPEN
@eatchickenfire
Kwame Boakye’s fresh take on Nashville hot chicken has saved a lot of people from a really
dark, flavorless pandemic. His uber-popular food truck has taken up a residency at Barley and Vine Biergarten but that hasn’t stopped him from signing a lease for the former Fratello’s Pizza space in Colonialtown, where he’s opened his first brick and mortar restaurant.
KAYA – COMING SOON
@kaya.orlando
The rockstar team at omakase Shangri-la, Kadence in Audubon Park, are opening a new
concept in the former home of Dandelion Cafe in the Mills 50 District. The restaurant will focus on a Filipino-inspired menu and we cannot wait to see what they do with the building.
LOBOS COFFEE ROASTERS – OPEN
@lobos_coffee_roasters
Lobos Coffee Roasters opened in a former Marathon gas station in Audubon Park last month. The gas station has been completely renovated into a beautiful new coffee shop with an on-site roaster, sandwiches, and a tasty coffee menu with innovative offerings like the Florida PSL – a pumpkin spiced latte with citrus that slaps you in the face with yummy orange zest.
THE MONROE – COMING SOON
@themonroeorlando
Jason and Sue Chin, the folks behind Good Salt Restaurant Group, have blessed Orlando with The Osprey, Seito Sushi, and Reyes Mezcaleria, and are now adding another beautiful showstopping restaurant to their collection – The Monroe. The Monroe will open in 2021 on the bottom of The Julian Apartments in Creative Village and will feature a massive dining room and outdoor deck.
WINTER PARK BISCUIT COMPANY – OPEN
@winterparkbiscuitco
This vegan deli concept has just opened in the East End Market and the local veggie-eater community is freaking out. Owners Mary and Neil Westfall (yes, he’s the hottie from the band A Day to Remember) just added equally as handsome Chef Peter Summers to their team, fresh off a stint at Luma on Park. We can’t stop eating their Impossible Burgers but really everything is good there.
GIDEON’S BAKEHOUSE – OPEN
@gideonsbakehouse
This is not a drill. Gideon’s Bakehouse has opened a second location of its award-winning cookie restaurant and it’s at Disney Springs. We couldn’t be more proud of them. Also, more cookies.