Boston-based Kings Bowl will open its first Florida location April 15 in the "I-Drive Live" project on International Drive. In addition to 22 tenpin bowling lanes, Kings will have billiards tables, shuffleboard, and a full outdoor bocce ball court. The venue will also have multiple private bowling and meeting spaces that can accommodate as many as 200 people and a full-service restaurant and bar. The facility will be family-friendly during the day, but switch to a 21-and-over space after 6 p.m.
Pharmacy is a new speakeasy-style bistro that opened in Orlando's Dellagio complex in February. The secretive space was created by the owners of the Table next door and features an unmarked entrance made to look like elevator doors. Inside is a 1,600-square-foot casual restaurant that serves seasonal, local fare and handcrafted cocktails. Pharmacy is open for dinner and late-night dining and is also available for buyout.
Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant is a combination winery, restaurant, and retail shop that opened its first Florida location March 11 in Tampa. The menu offers contemporary American dishes with bin numbers listed next to each item to guide guests in selecting a wine match. The restaurant has seating for 350 guests. There is a private room that can accommodate 88 people, or it can be divided into two smaller rooms. The venue also has a Napa-style tasting room and gift store where guests can sample the company’s proprietary wines.
Eddie V’s Prime Seafood will open its first Florida location in Tampa in early April. The 10,000-square-foot restaurant has seating for 325 guests in a contemporary atmosphere. For groups, there are three private dining rooms ranging in sizes that can accommodate as many as 50 people. Each room has audiovisual capabilities. The menu includes fresh seafood and aged steaks, along with a wine list of more than 400 selections. Live jazz and blues acts will play nightly in the bar, known as V Lounge.
Siro Urban Italian Kitchen opened in January inside the Orlando World Center Marriott. The restaurant has seating for 143 in the dining room and 56 on a patio. There’s also a private dining room that can accommodate as many as 40. The restaurant has a casual, rustic vibe with a mix of regular tables, high tops, and communal tables. The menu includes a variety of antipasti, seafood, meat, pasta, and pizza.
The first full-service Hilton in downtown Tampa opened in mid-February, taking over a property that used to be a Hyatt. The Hilton Tampa Downtown is a 17-story hotel with 520 rooms and 30,000 square feet of function space. The hotel is undergoing a $13 million renovations to the public space, restaurant, bar, and guest rooms, with the first phase scheduled to be completed by August.
Italio is a new fast-casual Italian restaurant in Winter Park that opened March 6 and has seating for 122 inside and 60 on the patio. Guests can choose from three base items: a whole-grain pasta bowl, a salad bowl, or a wrap sandwich called a Piadina. From there they select proteins, vegetables, sauces, and other ingredients to complete the dish. The menu also offers “Pronto Italio”—a selection of combinations suitable for business meetings and large party orders.
Room renovations are underway at Mainsail Suites Hotel & Conference Center in Tampa. The property has more than 12,000 square feet of flexible indoor space and 6,000 square feet of landscaped outdoor space, accommodating as many as 700 people. The renovations include $1.5 million in interior upgrades to rooms and the hotel lobby and are scheduled to be completed in August.
Nightlife options on Church Street downtown continue to grow with the opening of Native Social Bar in January. The decor is intended to celebrate the culture and history of Orlando through photographs and artifacts. The bar serves a variety of specialty cocktails and locally brewed beer. Entertainment includes live music during happy hour on Fridays and DJs nightly.
Open since September 7, the Vault is in the former Exchange National Bank building in downtown Tampa. Built in 1923, the two-story building has floor-to-ceiling windows that offer views of the city’s skyline. The 6,200-square-foot space can accommodate 600 people for a reception. The mezzanine overlooks the open main floor.
The new Drury Inn & Suites near International Drive has a variety of options for group meetings and events. The 150-seat dining room has a 40-seat section that can be roped off. The hotel also has a 2,180-square-foot ballroom that can accommodate 154 people theater-style, and an adjacent conference room with seating for 30.
