Here's a look at Orlando/Central Florida’s new spaces open for events this fall. The new and renovated Orlando/Central Florida venues are available for corporate parties, weddings, fundraisers, outdoor functions, business dinners, team-building activities, conferences, meetings, and more.
A note regarding COVID-19: At BizBash, we're still committed to bringing you ideas and inspiration for when (yes, when!) events are back up and running. Some of the venues listed here may not yet be available for hosting events due to the pandemic, or they may be operating at a lower capacity.
Knife & Spoon
Taking the place of Norman’s at The Ritz Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes is steak and seafood restaurant Knife & Spoon, which opened last month. Upon entering the modern, sophisticated restaurant, guests are greeted with a lively bar and lounge area that includes an understated sign crowned with a fluorescent-style light installation and a brass-clad bar with natural turquoise stone. The restaurant differs from the traditional dark atmosphere of steakhouses with colorful doors at the entrance, an open kitchen, greenery, and a light, bright setting. The brainchild behind the new eatery is chef John Tesar, whose resume includes multiple James Beard Award nominations and appearances on the television series Top Chef. The menu highlights fresh seafood and boasts a wide selection of well-aged steaks. For gin lovers, a cocktail cart travels around the 253-seat dining room, inviting guests to craft their own gin and tonic.
Photo: Courtesy of Grand Lakes Orlando
Sixty Vines
Sixty Vines, named for its 60 wines on tap, brings a Californian-wine-country vibe to Florida with its new Winter Park location. The 8,000-square-foot space features an open kitchen, a charcuterie bar, and seasonal cuisine made from local ingredients. Several private dining options are event and meetings planners' for the taking, with the Napa Room holding as many as 50 guests and the Tuscan Lounge as many as 70. The glass-enclosed greenhouse patio, pictured here, evokes the environs that accompany a true wine-garden experience—not to mention, the area merges with a wine garden-inspired covered patio, together accommodating as many as 150 guests.
Photo: Courtesy of Sixty Vines
Neon Beach
Tin and Taco’s Rob Bair opened a barbecue beach bar concept in downtown Orlando in October. Neon Beach offers an upbeat space with a vintage Florida beach vibe, utilizing decor like hanging chairs and flamingos. The menu is just as lively with a creative cocktail list, Sunday Funday Brunch option, and even a late-night barbecue menu. Ideal for entertaining guests or hosting post-meeting team happy hours, the casual space offers a 150-inch LED TV wall, as well as live music and DJ entertainment.
Photo: Bryan Baquiran
Persimmon Hollow Brewing Co.
Persimmon Hollow Brewing Company opened its second brewery and taproom on Lake Eola in the Thornton Park District of Orlando in September. The 4,800-square-foot space includes a seven-barrel brewing system, a kitchen comprising a local food vendor, and games. The venue can host as many as 225 guests and offers a rustic feel with exposed clay brick and red couches surrounding a restored brick fireplace from the original building. The centerpiece, however, is the bar made from vintage doors from the DeLand location. Ample indoor and outdoor seating is available, with a 1,100-square-foot patio that seats as many as 52 and offers views of the park. The menu features a rotation of beers exclusively available and brewed at Lake Eola, along with the brewery’s core beers from the original location. Uniquely, Persimmon Hollow offers a coffee service beginning at 8 a.m. A highlight is the Get Weird brunch menu as an ode to the brewery’s motto “drink sensibly, but get weird.”
Photo: Courtesy of Persimmon Hollow Brewing Co.
Hotel Haya
Hotel Haya opened in Tampa in September, becoming Aparium Hotel Group’s largest property, offering 178 guest rooms. The hotel’s design by Alfonso Architects reflects the Cuban, Italian, and Spanish influences of the Ybor City neighborhood and evokes the 1950s golden age of Havana. The midcentury-Cuban-inspired guest rooms feature the period’s signature fabrics and colors, along with locally made glass bulbs symbolizing Ybor’s famous street lights. Additionally, vibrant colors are demonstrated throughout the brick-wall space, with a neon "HAYA" sign and artwork to boot. The property offers multiple indoor and outdoor private event options in the form of meeting rooms, a pool bar, private dining, and more. Of special note, the stylish 4,000-square-foot Valencia Ballroom boasts floor-to-ceiling windows and whitewashed brick.
Photo: Amy Pezzicara
