The summer feels are inching closer, and we’re gearing up for a whole new season of eats. Over the next few months, Orlando will be greeted with not just warmer weather, but with a score of new places to chow down.

Look out for coveted new locations of Cuban spots and coffee shops, Hawaiian diners, quick sushi concepts, elevated chophouses and more. Here are 15 hotly anticipated new restaurants coming to town this summer. 

Agave Azul 8685 Fenton St., Orlando Agave Azul will open its sixth location at the Town Center at O-Town West. Oh, and the local Mexican chain happens to be celebrating its 20th anniversary. Credit: Photo via Agave Azul Cocina Mexicana/Facebook

Black Bean Deli

126 W. Plant St., Winter Garden
After encountering numerous delays, Andres Corton will finally bring his media mañanas, media noches, and perfectly porcine Cuban sandwiches, not to mention filling plates of shredded Havana pork and picadillo, to a character- and charm-filled space in the heart of Winter Garden. Credit: Photo via Black Bean Deli/Facebook

Blue Dragon Pan Asian Restaurant

1001 Epic Blvd., Orlando
One full-service restaurant slated to open inside Celestial Park at Epic Universe will offer a bevy of pan-Asian eats (tonkotsu ramen, smashed cucumbers, snowflake potstickers) under the glow of “ethereal lanterns.” The restaurant’s Tiger Bar will play into the theme with such cocktails as “Chengdu Dream” and “Khaosan Boba.” Credit: Rendering via Universal Orlando
The Glass Knife 212 N. Park Ave., Winter Park The beloved patisserie belongs on Park Avenue, no question. Their pretty pastries, gateaux, cookies and doughnuts will no doubt be a popular draw when the bakery’s second location opens in the old Financier Bistro space this summer. Credit: Photo via The Glass Knife/Google Maps
June will draw inspiration from Ki’is in Riviera Maya Credit: Image via kiiskanai.com

Hot as Rice Japanese Kitchen

729 N. Mills Ave., Orlando
A Japanese teppanyaki concept akin to the wildly popular Pepper Lunch (which is also slated to open this year in the city) will tender their do-it-yourself dishes on the site of the now-demolished 7-Eleven near the intersection of Mills Avenue and Colonial Drive. Credit: Photo via Hot as Rice Japanese Kitchen/Instagram

Naya Comida + Barrita

701 Vista Trelago, Maitland
Agave Azul’s Juan Rios will anchor the Trelago Market in Maitland with this contemporary Mexican wood-fire concept. The menu will be centered around three elements dating to pre-Hispanic times — wood fire, nixtamal and mezcal. Naya will be inspired by the Pacific coast of Riviera Nayarit, featuring handcrafted tortillas using organic masa imported from Mexico along with mezcal and tequila-centric cocktails. Credit: Image via Google Maps

Okonomi

1110 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando
It’s already been another busy year for William Shen, who recently opened Japanese curry concept Cowboy Curry inside Mills Market, and is gearing up to debut Okonomi, a casual sushi concept with a refined presentation of (mainly) nigiri. Credit: Photo via Mills Market
Deeply Coffee 12639 W. Colonial Drive, Winter Garden Downtown Orlando’s ever-ambient caffeine hub and bottle shop Deeply Coffee is set to open a second location this summer in Winter Garden. Credit: Photo via Deeply Coffee/Google Maps

Luminescent

12286 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando
The high-end coffee and cocktail bar will distinguish itself with an interior employing an ever-changing lighting scheme and a menu of Indian street eats, set to open sometime this summer. Credit: Image via Luminescent/Instagram

Bourbon Steak

1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd., Orlando
Bourbon Steak, the chi-chi chophouse by celebrated chef Michael Mina, will take over the Shula Steak House space inside the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel later this summer. Credit: Photo via Bourbon Steak/Facebook

Sparrow

807 N. Orange Ave., Orlando
Sparrow, a 1,978-square-foot wine bar and lounge, will be located about 100 feet away from Reyes Mezcaleria and will present a focused menu drawing on executive chef/partner Wendy Lopez’s heritage (her great grandfather, “Papa Chema,” was Spanish). But flavors and techniques from Portugal, Italy and France will also pepper the bill of fare with continental classics like tortilla Española, patatas bravas, jamón ibérico and conservas served alongside bacalhau croquetas, cacio e pepe and prawn de bourgogne. Credit: courtesy Sue Chin

Halls on 5th

15 E. Fifth St., Apopka
Look for Halls on 5th to soft-open in May in Apopka. The historic feed store–turned–food hall will feature such vendors as Butcher’s Nook, Empanada & Co., Parlor Waffle Kitchen, Soulicious Vegan, Sweet & Salty Island Grindz and Thrive Eatery. Credit: Photo via Halls on 5th/Facebook
Lucky Goat Coffee 4753 S. Orange Ave., Orlando Tallahassee-based Lucky Goat Coffee will open in SoDo, bringing top-quality beans and plenty of caffeinated drinks. Credit: Photo via Lucky Goat Coffee – South Orange Ave/Facebook

Moa Kai Hawaiian Diner

2217 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando
After The Mongolorian closed last summer just a little more than a year after it opened, owner Hoi Nguyen set out to tap into his love of Hawaiian food and culture with a concept called Moa Kai Hawaiian Diner. The full-service diner will also serve cocktails — so saimin noodle soup, Spam musubi and loco moco can be enjoyed with mai-tais and passion fruit martinis. Credit: image via Google Maps

Additional Slideshows

Orlando’s 23 hottest new restaurants and bars open so far in 2025

Orlando restaurant critic. Orlando Weekly restaurant critic since 2006.

Chloe Greenberg is the Digital Content Editor for Orlando Weekly.