OPENINGS: Ford Fry, the Atlanta-based chef and five-time James Beard Award nominee, will open a 5,000-square-foot outpost of his Superica Tex-Mex chain in the Palm Hills development at 325 S. Orlando Ave. in Winter Park. According to a press release, the "casual yet whimsical space" will feature Fry's "Northern Mexican-meets-Texas ranch style of cooking," complete with a 900-square-foot patio. Expect a late-2022 opening ... Just up the road, Crumbl Cookies will open in the old Phenomenom Nitrogen Ice Cream & Bake Shop space at 501 N. Orlando Ave. in August. Look for additional locations to open in Altamonte Springs and Waterford Lakes in September or October ... Global Korean fried chicken chain bb.q chicken will open later this year in the old Tasty Wok space at 1246 E. Colonial Drive ...
Hawaiian-inspired restaurant-bar The 808 has opened in the old Dexter's spot on East Washington Street in Thornton Park ... Over in Ivanhoe Village, The Pinery has opened on the ground floor of the Lake House Apartments ... Cuba Libre will reopen July 2 after a renovation of the space during the pandemic ... In Clermont, former NFL player Chris Johnson has opened the Just Love Coffee Café, described as a place that "blurs the lines between a modern, fast-casual dining experience and a specialty coffee shop."
NEWS+EVENTS: Jennifer Hostetter, food and wine educator at the UCF Rosen School of Hospitality, will host In Vino Veritas: Discovering Italian Wines July 10 from 1-3 p.m. at Leu Gardens. The event will explore lesser-known wines from Italy. Food pairings will be included. Cost is $80. Visit eventbrite.com for tickets ... Get ready for the post-pandemic edition of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, running from July 15 to Nov. 20. On Oct. 1, Disney World's 50th anniversary, additional global marketplaces will open showcasing cuisine from the Alps, Belgium, Brazil, India, Ireland, Kenya, Spain and New England.
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