Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant opens on International Drive September 15. The 11,000-square-foot venue will include a casual restaurant, a full-service bar, a private barrel-aging room, and a Napa-style tasting room and retail store. The main dining area will have seats for 262 people inside and 71 on a patio. There will also be a private dining room for 50 people. The menu will offer contemporary American dishes with bin numbers listed next to each item to guide guests in selecting one of the company’s proprietary wines.
Highball & Harvest is the newest restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes, offering casual, interactive dining and handcrafted cocktails. The menu is focused on Southern Lowcountry fare and Cajun-inspired dishes, with ingredients from local vendors as well as the resort’s own 7,000-square-foot Whisper Creek Farm. It's open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Thick drapes section off two semiprivate dining rooms, one for 46 people and the other for 35. The restaurant’s design was inspired by old-fashioned railroads and includes communal seating, a large bar and lounge area, a raw oyster bar, and two outdoor areas. The restaurant opened September 6 and seats 385 people.
Walt Disney World Resort has a new luxury hotel with the opening of Four Seasons Resort Orlando in August. The 443-room hotel has a 37,750-square-foot conference center that includes a 14,000-square-foot ballroom. The hotel also has a variety of outdoor areas suitable as event venues for as many as 720 guests. There are six dining options on property, including the rooftop Capa restaurant, scheduled to open in late September. The resort also has a full-service spa, a Tom Fazio-designed golf course, and views of the nightly Magic Kingdom fireworks.
South Florida-based Duffy’s Sports Grill will open in late September near Mall at Millenia, in the space that was formerly Crave restaurant. The 8,000-square-foot venue will have two private rooms, one for 40 people and the other for 75, and a covered patio that will seat 50. Sports fans will appreciate the more than 100 62-inch, HD TVs throughout the restaurant. The menu will offers sports bar fare such as burgers and wings along with sandwiches, pasta, and grilled items.
RA Sushi opened June 30 at Pointe Orlando. The restaurant’s Asian architecture and decor accentuate the menu of sliced-to-order sushi, signature rolls, and sashimi along with Japanese-fusion dishes and Asian-inspired cocktails. The 6,500-square-foot space seats about 260 people or holds 400 for receptions. There is a semiprivate dining area for 24 people and a patio with seating for 73. This is the chain's 26th location.
White linen-covered tables and deep red walls adorned with paintings of French scenery provide a cozy atmosphere at Bistro CloClo, a French restaurant that opened in April just off Restaurant Row. The restaurant seats 80 people inside and 48 on the covered patio. The menu includes traditional French fare such as moules marinierès, steak au poivre, and coq au vin. Management is currently updating the menu to add more small plate options.
The Rosen Centre Hotel opened Harry’s Poolside Bar & Grill in June. The restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating in a casual atmosphere accented with live tropical music. The combined indoor-outdoor space is also available for buyout and seats 60 people banquet-style or holds 200 for receptions. The menu offers a mix of Cuban and Caribbean flavors such as a Jamaican jerk turkey burger and a mojo chicken sandwich.
B Resort & Spa opened near Walt Disney World in June. The hotel has 394 guest rooms and suites and more than 25,000 square feet of flexible event space, which includes a 5,400-square-foot outdoor area. A separate banquet kitchen allows for the hosting of kosher and other culturally authentic functions. The hotel’s main restaurant, American Q, was developed with Jeffrey Chodorow of China Grill and Asia de Cuba fame. The restaurant’s appetizer buffet is served from the bed of a 1950s Ford pickup truck. The hotel also has a zero-edge pool with cabanas and an Aveda spa.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts has turned Tampa’s century-old federal courthouse into Le Méridien Tampa. The building underwent a $26 million renovation before opening in late June. Elements of the original courthouse remain, including the marble and terrazzo lobby as well as oak door frames and window casings. The hotel has 130 guest rooms and more than 4,000 square feet of event space, including a ballroom for 150 guests seated banquet-style. The hotel also has a full-service restaurant and bar, an outdoor pool, and a fitness facility. Guests can use their room cards for complimentary access to the nearby Tampa Museum of Art.
Charlotte, North Carolina-based Firebirds Wood Fired Grill opened its first Florida location in July in the Market at Mills Park. The upscale-casual restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and also offers catering. As the name implies, the menu is focused on wood-fired entreés such as steaks, chicken, seafood, and ribs, all prepared in an exhibition kitchen. The restaurant seats 50 on a patio and 330 inside, which has a large bar and decor of dark wood with stone accents.
SeaWorld Orlando's newest attraction, Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin, opened May 24 and is available for meetings and special events. The attraction combines close-up animal encounters with interactive rides, all in a frozen environment. The area can accommodate 750 people with the option for more by using other areas of the park. The reception menu includes a variety of miniature sliders, pasta, seafood, and a nacho bar.
The Alfond Inn is scheduled to open in August in Winter Park. The hotel, owned by Rollins College, will have 10,000 square feet of event space, including a boardroom that can be used for corporate retreats or dinner meetings. There will also be a 5,000-square-foot ballroom that can be divided into five spaces, plus a 2,000-square-foot meeting room. The 112-room hotel will also have a full-service restaurant and bar.
As of April 18, Capital Grille has taken over the space formerly occupied by McCormick & Schmick’s at Mall at Millenia. The 8,100-square-foot restaurant has a wine room that seats 24 people. There is also a covered patio with seating for 30 guests. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner seven days a week with a focus on dry-aged steaks.
Twin Peaks restaurant chain opened its first Florida location June 4 on International Drive. The company describes the concept as “the ultimate man cave in a mountain-lodge setting.” The 9,000-square-foot restaurant has seating for 300 people, including a semiprivate room that has 150 seats. There’s also an outdoor bar with seating for 125 people.
Hash House a Go Go opened its first Florida location April 16 on International Drive. The concept is “farm-fresh food with a funky, modern twist.” The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, serving items such as chicken pot pie, crab cakes, and one-pound stuffed burgers. The restaurant has seating for 275 people, included two private rooms that each seat 35.
The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress recently completed a $65 million renovation project that included updates to the lagoon pool deck, which can be reserved for private functions. The pool sits along an expansive white sandy beach that is part of the resort’s 1,500-acre property near Walt Disney World. Rocks bar, located on the pool deck, has been expanded and can be used as a gathering space for groups. The renovations touched nearly every aspect of the property, including rooms, meeting space, recreational amenities.
Mitchell’s Fish Market in Winter Park Village has added a private chef’s table that can accommodate as many as 12 guests. The restaurant has also redesigned its outdoor seating with a wraparound patio that has booths and community tables. The lunch, dinner, private dining, and bar menus have been updated, as well.
The event space at East End Market is available for rentals beginning August 1. The 1,500-square-foot East End Event Hall is on the second floor of the market and will offer goods from 10 vendors, demonstration kitchens, a restaurant, and retail space. The hall will accommodate 150 people and will be decorated with reclaimed wood and antiques. Catering will be available through Cuisiniers Catered Cuisine & Events or by the market’s merchants.
Rock-shrimp ravioli will be on the menu at Lotus when it opens in mid-July in Eola Square, in the space formerly occupied by Prickly Pear. The 6,500-square-foot restaurant will have seating for 265 people and a large patio. There will also be private dining space for 75. Lotus will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily with a focus on farm-to-table fusion cuisine.
The menu at Honey, scheduled to open in mid-July, will feature foods that are supposed to have aphrodisiacal qualities, such as lobster poached in olive oil with an herb-lime vinaigrette. The restaurant will occupy the space in Eola Square that used to house Nick’s Italian Kitchen. It will have seating for 112 people, a 60-person private dining area, and a patio. The restaurant will be open for dinner only.
Eddie V’s Prime Seafood is the newest establishment on Restaurant Row, just off the I-Drive corridor. The 10,000-square-foot restaurant has three private dining rooms with full audiovisual capabilities. Two rooms seat 40 people each and the third room seats 18. There’s also a large lakefront patio that has seating for 60. The menu includes fresh seafood and aged steaks, along with a wine list of more than 300 selections. Live jazz and blues acts play nightly in the bar, known as V Lounge. Eddie V’s opened October 24.
Take in breathtaking views of downtown Orlando from the Plaza Penthouse. By day, the venue high above Orange Avenue is home to a sustainable development company, but since October 1 it is available select evenings and weekends for private events. The property has a large indoor bar and gallery space, plus a 10,000-square-foot private terrace. Events are managed by Posh Able Events, which can assist in securing catering, entertainment, and decor.
The old train station on Church Street will soon be home to Ferg’s Depot, a venue from the owners of Ferg’s Sports Bar in St. Petersburg. The Orlando location is expected to open in late November. The 15,000-square-foot restaurant and bar will have seating for 500 people. The interior will include an upscale restaurant and a tap room with accommodations for private groups; there will also be patio seating and a raw bar.
The City of Orlando opened the Eola House at Lake Eola Park on September 20. The two-story, Mediterranean Revival-style house was built in 1924. It has several areas available for private events: the Thornton Park room seats 25 people and the Royal Swan room seats 10. The 1.36-acre East Lawn is also available for outdoor events. The Eola House serves as the park’s office and has a welcome center for the city.
Vanity, downtown Orlando's newest upscale night spot is, opened October 23 in a second-floor space on Orange Avenue. The 5,000-square-foot main area has three full-service bars, tiered seating, crystal chandeliers, three V.I.P. areas, a dance floor, and LED lighting. There’s also a 400-square-foot balcony overlooking Orange Avenue. The interior is designed to evoke the “glamour of Las Vegas and Hollywood nightlife,” with contemporary furniture and mirror accents. Private groups can use the venue’s video wall and stage for events.
Schumann’s Jager Haus opened September 19 on Church Street in downtown Orlando. Staff don traditional German garb and serve Bavarian fare such as knockwurst, bratwurst, braised beef, and meat patties known as frikadellen. There’s also an extensive selection of German beer. The 9,000-square-foot restaurant accommodates 330 people for a buyout. For smaller events, a mezzanine overlooking the dining area holds 30.
Church Street Tavern now occupies the former Dessert Lady space in downtown Orlando. The restaurant seats 150 inside and a small patio includes eight four-top tables. There are two semiprivate areas, one with seating for 35 and another with seating for 50. The owners describe the restaurant as an “American tavern with a Pittsburgh theme,” so expect Steelers, Pirates, or Penguins games on the televisions. The menu includes perogies, kielbasa sliders, deli sandwiches, and entrées such as meatloaf. The interior is filled with dark wood, ornate tin ceilings and turn-of-the-century light fixtures. It opened in August.
Grande Lakes Orlando, which includes the Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott, is in the midst of a renovation of its meeting space. The 30,000-square-foot Mediterranean Ballroom was completed last year with new carpet, wall treatments, paint, lighting, decor, and foyer furniture. Work continues in the 20,000-square-foot Palazzo Ballroom, the 15,000-square-foot Ritz-Carlton Ballroom, and several meeting rooms. It’s expected to be completed by the end of the year. The meeting space renovation is the beginning of a series of planned enhancements over the course of the next year, including a new restaurant concept and renovation for the Ritz-Carlton Orlando casual dining restaurant and a new look for the 40,000-square-foot spa.
Crumb & Cork opened in August in downtown Tampa with a focus on wine, cheese, and jazz. The venue seats about 90 inside and 30 on a patio. It accommodates 150 for a reception. More than 100 wines by the glass as well as a number of bottle selections are on offer. The menu is cheese- and charcuterie-oriented but also includes a variety of sandwiches, flatbreads, and salads. Private events can bring in catering.
As the name indicates, Hangar Bar & Grille is decorated with memorabilia from aviation history. The casual 5,000-square-foot restaurant and bar opened August 30 in College Park. It seats 190 inside and 50 on a patio, and a small private area seats 10. The menu offers burgers, flatbreads, and homemade soups, along with heartier fare such as braised short ribs and Swedish meatballs.
The Westin Orlando Universal Boulevard will open a new conference and special event center February 20 that will add 5,576 square feet of flexible space to the resort. The largest room will be a ballroom that will accommodate 370 people for a banquet or 330 people for a meeting. When the facility is complete, the hotel will have nearly 14,000 feet of event space. The hotel is located across from the Orange County Convention Center and has 315 room and suites.
The foodie-centric Epicurean Hotel opened in Tampa December 17. The 137-room $35 million property has an 80-seat restaurant, a culinary classroom, a wine store, a rooftop bar, a full-service spa, and 5,200 square feet of flexible event space. Corporate groups can also book private cooking or wine tasting classes. The hotel was developed in collaboration with Bern’s Steak House, a Tampa landmark, and is the first newly constructed property in the United States to join the Autograph Collection of Marriott International.
Austin-based Chuy’s brings Tex-Mex dining to International Drive in February. The restaurant will be one of the first venues to open in the new I-Shops development less than two miles north of the Orange County Convention Center. Chuy’s will be open for lunch and dinner daily, with happy hour in the evening that includes the brand’s signature free make-your-own nachos bar. The 9,028-square-foot restaurant will have seating inside and on a 1,137-square-foot patio.
The Kessler Collection, which operates high-end hotels around the country, completed a $6 million renovation of the Castle Hotel on International Drive in October. The hotel has also joined the Autograph Collection, a group of independent properties associated with Marriott. The Castle Hotel has more than 8,000 square feet of meeting space, including two ballrooms, meeting rooms, a terrace, and a courtyard near the pool. Dining options include the Garden Bistro & Bar and Antlers Lounge. The hotel’s decor is intended to evoke a modern interpretation of a European-style castle.
Kasa Tapas & Raw Bar is a new dining concept from the Bento Group, which operates several other restaurants around Central Florida. The menu is focused on small plates with global influences and there’s also a raw bar. The 6,000-square-foot restaurant in downtown Orlando has seating for 200 inside and on a patio along with a private dining room that accommodates 30 people. Kasa opened November 14.
Meltz is a new option downtown for breakfast and lunch meetings. The casual restaurant opened December 1 and specializes in sandwiches from the classics—French dip, Reuben, grilled cheese—to signature items such as the "Atomic Chicken" with roasted chicken breast, tomato, jalapeños, baby spinach, hot sauce, and provolone pressed on Cuban bread with whipped blue cheese. The menu also includes vegetarian options, salads, soups, and breakfast sandwiches. The restaurant seats 42 people and also offers catering for in-office meetings. Delivery is available for a fee.
The Ocoee Lakeshore Center opened February 1 adjacent to Starke Lake. The facility has a 3,200-square-foot banquet hall that can be divided into two rooms. The space also has a 632-square-foot meeting room as well as a lobby that can be used for prefunction activities. The facility has a covered porch and a 2,200-square-foot plaza, which both offer views of the lake. The center is owned and operated by the city of Ocoee. Outside caterers are welcome.
Host a western-theme event at the OK Corral Gun Club in Okeechobee, which opened a new 7,000-square-foot event space in October. The facility includes a small meeting room for as many as 30 people and a larger room that accommodates 300 people for a reception. Attached to the event center is a 1,200-square-foot covered patio. There are two other flexible event spaces on the property: a 3,700-square-foot clubhouse that has a covered porch with rocking chairs, and a livery stable suited for semi-covered gatherings. The club offers full-service catering and activities suitable for teambuilding such as two sporting clay courses, shooting ranges, and a fishing pond. Staff can also arrange fishing, hunting, and birding excursions in the surrounding area.
Westgate River Ranch, another western-theme property in southern Osceola County, recently completed an extensive renovation of its accommodations and event space. The resort offers more than 8,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, with 10 rooms suited for as many as 250 people and 4,500 square feet of outdoor event space. Accommodations include two-bedroom cabins, an inn, and 10 new glamping sites that offer tents with deluxe amenities, air-conditioning, and private bathrooms. For events that incorporate recreation, the resort has a ropes course, a dance hall, mini golf, a rock-climbing wall, a zip line, a mechanical bull, bungee jumping, horseback riding, golf, nature trails, and more. Guests can fly straight to the resort using the property’s 5,000-foot paved and lighted runway.
Therapy Brew Bar & Wine Lounge opened in November in downtown Orlando. Management describes the vibe as “an antidote to the crazy, hustle-bustle of downtown life.” The bar accommodates 75 people inside and 75 on a covered deck. The menu includes flatbreads, sandwiches, salads, and beer-based desserts such as Guinness chocolate pudding and a stout beer float.
Whisper Creek Farm is a new outdoor event space at the 500-acre Grande Lakes Orlando, home of the Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott hotels. The area includes a 7,000-square-foot fruit and vegetable garden and an adjoining 6,000-square-foot lawn that can accommodate 250. The venue will offer four options for private groups: plated dinners served by chefs; family-style menus served at long communal tables; Argentinian and Uruguayan barbeque; and an intimate experience for 12 with seating at a handcrafted wood table under a large oak tree.
Atlanta-based Marlow’s Tavern opened its first Florida location at Pointe Orlando on International Drive in October. The restaurant is available for buyout and can seat 215 at booths, communal tables, on the patio, and at a bar that straddles the interior and exterior of the restaurant. The menu offers classic tavern fare and an extensive menu of cocktails made with fresh juice and small batch liquors.
Raga is a new restaurant in the former Antonio’s location on Sand Lake Road. The 8,000-square-foot restaurant can seat 180 in its main dining room. There are also two private rooms, one with seating for 60 and the other with seating for 70. Private groups can create a custom menu from a selection of European, Mediterranean, and Indian-inspired fare.
Miller’s Field in the Dellagio Plaza is an upscale sports bar and restaurant that has more than 60 high-definition TVs and a 28-foot sports-ticker that wraps around the main room. The venue opened in June and can seat nearly 200 inside and 75 on a patio. There’s also a private room dubbed the “Don Q Owner’s Box” with seating for 30. The menu offers steaks, sandwiches, seafood, and a variety of wood-fired pizzas.
V Orlando is a large, lakefront nightclub just east of Orlando Executive Airport. The 12,000-square-foot venue opened in October. Inside, the space can accommodate 1,000 with a large dance floor, LED-lighted bars, and several V.I.P. lounge areas. A 5,800-square-foot patio can accommodate 300 and has another bar and dance floor, along with heaters for events during the cooler months.
The Venue is an independent event space in Ivanhoe Village that is the home BabyBlueStar Productions, a company that produces several variety and burlesque shows. There are two buildings separated by an outdoor lounge. The 750-square-foot front building has a casual vibe and full bar, while the back building has 1,400 square feet of open space and 13-foot ceilings. The Venue has seating for 105.
The new Embassy Suites Orlando-Lake Buena Vista South has several spaces suitable for corporate holiday parties. The hotel has a 15,000-square-foot ballroom, a 5,000-square-foot junior ballroom, and 28 breakout rooms. There are also two terraces, one that can accommodate nearly 300 and the other for about 170.
