Despite the doom and gloom of the past year, there were a lot of bright points in 2021, including the announcement of plenty of new bar and restaurant concepts heading to the City Beautiful.
Here is our year-end roundup of some of the top bar and restaurants that we reported on in 2021 that have yet to open and that we can look forward to visiting in 2022.
30. “Saddle Up team taking on Mills 50 concept“
“Lamp Shade Fair moved out of their former home at 1336 N. Mills Avenue back in September 2020 and the building has sat empty ever since, as its new owners worked with the City of Orlando on permits to transform it into something new […]” – CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE
29. “New Thai concept moving into former RusTeak building“
“A new Thai restaurant concept is moving into the former home of RusTeak College Park at 2625 Edgewater Drive. Thai Farm Kitchen is expected to open soon, according to a recent post in the College Park Neighborhood Community Group on Facebook. Led by Elizabeth Calvo and family, who are originally from Bangkok, Thailand, the […]” – CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE
28. “Mexican chain opening in former Dexter’s New Standard“
“According to a recent report by Faiyaz Kara for Orlando Weekly, a Mexican restaurant chain has signed on to take over the former home of Dexter’s New Standard in Winter Park. Ponte Vedra Beach-based Anejo Cocina Mexicana has signed the lease for the space in the Ravaudage development by Orlando Meats. An […]” – CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE
27. “Pig Floyd’s taking over former Bubbalou’s“
“Pig Floyd’s will be opening a second location of its “Urban Barbakoa” concept in Winter Park – not to be confused with the Pigzza concept coming to Mills 50. The new restaurant will be taking over the former home of Bubbalou’s Bodacious Bar-B-Que in Winter Park, at 1471 Lee Road, and will offer the same menu as the […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE
26. “Smoke and Donuts opening brick-and-mortar in the Milk District“
“Popular food truck Smoke and Donuts has just signed a lease for the former home of Kernel Encore at 601 N. Primrose Drive, just by Se7enbites. Smoke and Donuts will offer lunch and dinner dine-in, take-out, third-party delivery, and catering options out of their new home, which is just around the corner […]” – CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE
25. “Orlando’s first spirit-free tasting lounge to pop-up at Jingle Eve“
“Coming to Ivanhoe Village in Spring 2022, The BANDBOX – Orlando will be Orlando’s and Central Florida’s first alcohol-free cocktail tasting lounge and package shop. Ahead of the opening, The BANDBOX – Orlando will be popping up in front of its new home in the former location of Horizon’s […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE
24. “Former Mills 50 laundry building being transformed into new food concept“
“Team Market Group has informed us that the concept has changed since the paperwork has filed and it will not be called “Burny’s Hot and Greasy Pies” but that a new concept is in the works led by Nick Grecco, who comes to the team via Black Bean Deli. Companies tied to Keith […]” – CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE
23. “A La Cart owners trying to open new location in SoDo“
“The scheduled review date by the Planning and Zoning Board is subject to change and interested parties should follow the board agenda for any updates. The owners of A La Cart are trying to open a second location of their popular craft beer bar/food truck park, with their eyes set on a parcel located […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE
22. “Stasio’s owners opening new pizza fritta concept next door“
“The Palo family, which owns the ever-popular Stasio’s Italian Deli in the Milk District, has just signed a lease for a new concept in an empty building at 2300 E. Robinson Street. As first reported by Jack Witthaus for Orlando Business Journal, the new concept will be called “Alfo’s Pizza Fritta” […]” – CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE
21. “King Bao opening new location in Winter Park“
“Mills 50 favorite, King Bao, is opening a new restaurant in Winter Park. The first restaurant opened in January 2016 in the former home of Raphsodic Bakery (yes, we know that’s not how you spell rhapsodic) with a bao-specific menu of affordable and tasty buns and tots […]” – CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE
20. “New dog run/bar pitched for vacant downtown building“
“Paperwork has been filed with the City of Orlando requesting approval for a Conditional Use Permit that will allow for on-site consumption in a building located at 317 N. Orange Avenue, just across the street from St. James Catholic Cathedral. The plans call for a new dog park/sports bar called Pups Pub which, […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE
19. “New standing sushi bar coming to Mills 50“
“Tori Tori and Domu proprietor Sean “Sonny” Nguyen will be opening a new standing sushi bar concept in Mills 50 sometime this winter. The new Japanese-inspired experience will feature an eight-person bar offering a selection of fresh nigiri sushi and hand roll options in a 700 SF space located directly behind Tori Tori at 728 […]” – CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE
18. “New restaurant moving into former Mills 50 mattress shop“
“Plans that were rendered by the talented team at gdp Design Build build have been submitted to the City of Orlando for a new restaurant concept in a former Mills 50 mattress shop. The firm has been responsible for a number of the most eye-catching restaurant and retail designs in Orlando in the last […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE
17. “4Rivers opening new restaurant in SoDo District“
“4Rivers Smokehouse has just announced that it will be opening a new restaurant in the SoDo District, just south of downtown Orlando. The Winter Park-based barbecue chain has taken over the former Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers building at 3200 S. Orange Avenue and is expected to have everything ready for an early 2022 […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE
16. “Two businesses to share former Mills 50 restaurant space“
“Bites and Bubbles moved out of its original home at 912 N. Mills Avenue earlier in the year and moved up the street into a new space with a rooftop patio in the Mills Park development. The 1,100 SF restaurant they left behind has been snatched up by not one, but two local restaurateurs and […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE
15. “New sports club intended for former Finnhenry’s space“
“Kevin Young of Eden Bar is allegedly opening a new sports club concept in the former home of Finnhenry’s in downtown Orlando, as first reported by Jack Witthaus of Orlando Business Journal. Finnhenry’s, located at 37 N. Orange Avenue, closed last weekend citing a difficult business climate in the downtown core as the cause but the space […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE
14. “Susuru opening new location on East Colonial“
“Lewis Lin, the owner of Susuru and Jade Sushi and New Asian, will be opening a new restaurant on East Colonial sometime in the winter of 2021. Susuru, which is the Japanese word for the slurping noise people make when they eat ramen, is a popular restaurant out by Disney Springs in Lake Buena […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE
13. “Parliament House reopening in downtown Orlando“
“The world-renowned institution that was Parliament House Resort closed its doors in November 2020, leaving a giant, yet fabulous, hole in the local LGBTQ+ community. Parliament House owner, Don Granatstein, told his staff and the media at the time that he had plans to find a new home for the local institution with rumors circulating in […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE
12. “New quick-service Mongolian restaurant opening in Mills 50“
“The folks behind Mills 50 District hot spots King Bao, Poke Hana, Chi-Kin, and Matcha House are opening another concept in the same neighborhood, but this one is all about barbecue. The Mongolorian will be taking over the former home of Firehouse Subs at 2217 E. Colonial Drive and be a quick-service restaurant […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE
11. “Starbucks eyeing up former restaurant space in College Park“
“According to paperwork filed with the City of Orlando, Starbucks is eyeing up a former restaurant space on Edgewater Drive for a new storefront. The coffee chain has filed an application for a Conditional Use Permit that would allow for a new Starbucks location with a drive-through, which is in the pre-screen review stage with […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE
10. “Orlando to get its first meadery this year“
“Orlando is getting its first meadery – or rather – a space that makes mead. Mead is an alcoholic beverage that is made by fermenting honey with water, and occasionally with fruits, spices, grains, and hops. It’s the oldest known alcoholic drink in the world and pre-dates beer and wine by thousands of years. Zymarium […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE
9. “Pig Floyd’s opening pizza restaurant by Will’s Pub“
“Pig Floyd’s will be opening a new pizza concept just up the road from its Mills 50 BBQ restaurant this year. Pigzza will be located at 1050 N. Mills Avenue in a building that is currently owned by Track Shack, and home to an ongoing pop-up by the Framework Craft […]” – CLICK TO READ ARTICLE
8. “New brewery/food truck park coming to Parramore“
“An old 15,500+ SF warehouse in Parramore will soon have a new look. A new brewery and food truck concept is being planned for a warehouse at 639 W. Robinson Street and is scheduled to go before the City’s Municipal Planning Board on April 20. A pre-screening review on February 22, 2021, approved an […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE
7. “New coffee shop opening near Rollins College“
“A new coffee shop is moving into a former retail space at 552 S. Park Avenue in downtown Winter Park, just south of BurgerFi. Rockstar Coffee will move into the space that has sat vacant for the past two years, located just across the street from Rollins College, and comes with its own parking […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE
6. “Former Orlando Meats space to house a new ramen concept“
“The former home of Orlando Meats, located at 728 Virginia Drive, will soon house a new ramen concept by Santiago’s Bodega owner, Jason Dugan. Orlando Meats jumped ship on the Ivanhoe storefront earlier in the year when they secured a new, and much larger space, in Winter Park at 1035 Orlando Avenue. The project is still […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE
5. “New pizza kitchen opening in Ivanhoe Village“
“A new take-out-only pizza kitchen is opening in Ivanhoe Village. We don’t know much, but we know that the former gallery space at 1419 N. Orange Avenue, sandwiched between Ta-Ke Sushi and Grill and Ski World of Orlando, will soon house a pizza kitchen. The kitchen, which is nameless at the time of this […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE
4. “New brewery opening in the Milk District“
“A new brewery will be opening in the former South Street Coin Laundry space at 2807 E. South Street. Twelve Talons Beerworks hasn’t announced a timeline for the new space but they’ve been hosting collaborative releases for a while now, including tapping kegs at places like Rockpit Brewing (a Chocolate Orange Russian Imperial) […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE
3. “Wall Street building out former Subway space“
“The team behind Wall St. Plaza is using some of its idle time during the pandemic to expand its footprint in downtown Orlando. The entertainment district has acquired a former Subway restaurant space, located on the bottom floor of the historic Angebilt Hotel building at 37 N. Orange Avenue, and are […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE
2. “Formerly shelved Tubbs Brewing project back in play“
“A previously approved brewery project in Parramore that inevitably bit the dust has unexpectedly found legs again and is slowly coming back to the land of the living. Tubbs Brewing, which we originally wrote about HERE in September 2016, was being spearheaded by the team at Wall St. Plaza but hit a roadblock at City […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE
1. “Bento building Colonialtown food hub“
“The restaurant group behind Bento Asian Kitchen and Sushi is working on a new test kitchen/food hub in Colonialtown as part of it ever-expanding food empire. Omei Restaurant Group, led by restaurateur brothers Jimmy and Johnny Tung and David Yu, has brought Orlando a number of popular restaurants in the past few years including the […]” – CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE