It’s A Foodie Frenzy
Everyone in Central Florida is quite aware of the accolades our local restaurateurs and foodpreneurs have been raking in over the past 15 years, and our international visitors are becoming more aware of it as time goes on. But it can be overwhelming trying to keep up with all the new trends and dining rooms popping up in The City Beautiful. So, here’s a handy list of some can’t-miss concepts that you’re going to want to carve some time out to visit.
Orlando firm Make Design Studios created ÔMO’s stunning spaces.
ÔMO by Jônt, a new 16-seat French-Japanese tasting restaurant led by suspiciously handsome and talented chef/owner Ryan Ratino, opened earlier this year off Park Avenue in Winter Park. The name is a nod to Ratino’s two-starred restaurant, JÔnt, in Washington, D.C. “Omo” is a derivative of the Japanese word “omotenashi,” which means “hospitality.” Guests are guided through multiple rooms, corresponding to what course they’re on, ending up in a dessert room. When I went, I was treated to a puzzle box full of goodies at the end of the meal and a personalized thank you card themed to a joke I’d made earlier in the evening. Expect amazing attention to detail, over-the-top care and professionalism and amazing cuisine fit for a gout-ridden monarch.
Sorekara, a new Japanese/European-influenced restaurant concept by chef William Shen, recently opened in Baldwin Park overlooking the lake. Shen is also known for his stint at the now-closed French/Japanese Ato in New York City, so expect that same level of luxe pedigree in his dishes here. I wish we could show you some photos of the space and the food, but Sorekara has a strict No Photo Policy, which probably means you’ll have less TikTokkers and Instagrammers interrupting your meal with selfie lights and interpretive dance and more people who actually appreciate good food. I can tell you, that just like ÔMO, guests are ushered through multiple rooms during an hours-long experience featuring more than 20 different dishes. Girl, you’re gonna end up waddling out of that high-design labyrinth like a fat minotaur ready to put on some sweatpants and slip into a food coma on your couch watching “Drag Race.”
The new barbecue concept Boxer & Clover. Photo by Roberto Gonzalez
East End Market’s Matt Hinckley of Hinckley’s Fancy Meats just opened a new barbecue concept called Boxer & Clover just up the hallway in the former stall home of Farm and Haus. Hinckley brought in Trivium’s lead singer/guitarist Matt Heafy to collab on the new concept, named after the horses from “Animal Farm” and they’re serving up some amazing dishes from their tiny kitchen. If it goes well, expect a larger brick-and-mortar to open in the months to come.
Speaking of barbecue, Smokemade Meats and Eats just opened a brick-and-mortar on Crystal Lake Drive in the former Italian House Pizza and Restaurant after years of slinging award-winning dishes from a curbside tent. Chef/owner Tyler Brunache quickly made a name for himself at pop-ups around town slinging his perfectly prepared Texas-style ribs, pork and scratch-made sides, and the lines that greet him at his new restaurant prove that he’s developed a legion of greasy-fingered fans. Get there early or be prepared for some items to be sold out.
A La Cart now has a second location in SoDo that’s twice the size of the original. ©aA La Cart
Food truck hub A La Cart just opened a second location in Curry Ford West that’s roughly twice the size of the original one in the Milk District. Resident trucks will include a new German concept called Oldenburg Provisions, Nona Street Pizza, Smash Dunk Brgr, 503 Latin Fusion and Filipino/Hawaiian truck, Over Rice.
Oldenburg’s brat plate.
New York-inspired “international tapas, small plates” restaurant White Rabbit Restaurant and Bar is moving into a small storefront on Robinson Street and is the sister concept of Vines Grille and Wine Bar on Sand Lake Road. The name is obviously inspired by Lewis Carroll, but the word’s still out if the Wonderland vibe will extend further and inspire the interior and the menu. An early menu sample submitted to the City of Orlando with their paperwork package includes flambéed mussels, flatbreads, grilled stuff squid and picanha steak.
Wave Asian Bistro and Sushi in Mount Dora is building a bigger and better sister space in Maitland that’s expected to open sometime this summer. Chef/owner Jonathan McKinney specializes in over-the-top sushi-themed creations like sushi burritos, sushi fries and even sushi donuts. You’ll find it in the soon-to-open Maitland Social, which is currently being transformed by design darlings dap design. Also occupying the Social will be a new Maitland outpost for Pizza Bruno, serving up their trademark neo-Neapolitan pizzas.
Speaking of food halls, The Great Southern Box Food Hall is now open in the under-development Packing District project just west of College Park. Once open, the former orange packing building is home to 11 food vendors and a microbrewery led by Orange County Brewers. The new 17,300-square-foot food hall is being managed by chef Akhtar Nawab and his company, Hospitality HQ, which oversees similar projects in cities across the country like Otra Vez in New Orleans, Dr. Murphy’s Food Hall in Chicago, Patchwork at the Hyatt Centric in Philadelphia and Marble City Market in Knoxville.
PBR Cowboy Bar is coming to town! Check in with Brendan O’Connor for his list of don’t-miss dining destinations. ©Cordish
Baltimore-based PBR Cowboy Bar is expected to open at Pointe Orlando sometime this year. The acronym stands for Professional Bull Riding, as the franchise specializes in cowboy- and country-adjacent themes with a smokehouse menu, lots of TVs playing sportsball and a trademark mechanical bull that everyone can watch and cheer at as it knocks down pretty girls and frat dudes alike. Keeping with its American heartland theme, it even hosts a Freedom Friday special for members of the military and first responders.
The always-expanding Team Market Group is expected to open its new fire-themed Eastwood concept in Mills 50 sometime in the fourth quarter. TMG’s executive chef, Jason Campbell, says it’ll be live-fire-cooking focused, with lots of shareables, stiff drinks and grilled meats. The building is still being built out in a former print shop at 10224 N. Mills Avenue, just across the street from TMG’s quick service vegan burger chain concept, Plantees.
Longtime Mills favorite Tien Hung Market is undergoing some major renovations under the guidance of The Bento Group. The generational Asian market is being transformed into something a bit more current under the name Mills Market and will feature a 10-20 seat restaurant, a Japanese gift shop, a florist and a speakeasy-style Japanese whiskey bar. The market will house roughly 10 different businesses once complete, where new chefs can test out new projects before moving into their own brick-and-mortar locations.