A month after announcing he’ll open Saikō Coffee inside Orlando Racket Sports, former Sorekara head of mixology, Josue Villacis, will open a dumpling stall called Stufd inside the very same space. Villacis says he’ll offer jiaozi dumplings with three different fillings (beef, pork and chicken) as well as fried shrimp balls, cucumber salad and a special rotating item. Both Saikō and Stufd will open at the end of the month or early September.
In related news, Marie Mercado says she’ll open a Greenery Creamery inside Orlando Racket Sports, though an opening timeframe hasn’t been announced.
Mills 50 Sichuan restaurant A Gourmet Chinese Cuisine (formerly Chuan Lu Garden) is set to finally open the week of Aug. 25, though a specific date has yet to be determined.
Also in the neighborhood, Moa Kai Hawaiian Diner is now soft-opened in the old Mongolorian space at 2217 E. Colonial Drive. The full-service joint will serve cocktails along with a menu of saimin noodle soups, Spam musubi, loco moco and more.
Heatwave, a coffee bar by day, happy hour hotspot by evening and nightclub/tapas bar by night, is set to soft open Aug. 15 in the former Stonewall space at 741 W. Church St.
Waffle Sandwich Bar has taken over the stall vacated by Dancing Yeti inside the Great Southern Box Co. Food Hall. They offer sweet and savory gluten-free waffles as well as vegan options.
South Florida-based Giardino Gourmet Salads has opened its first Orlando location at 9165 S. John Young Parkway offering hand-crafted salads, wraps, grain bowls and soups.
MetroWest mainstay Habibi Lebanese Grill has opened a location in Winter Garden at 13770 W. Colonial Drive.
Peruvian restaurant Lima 1535 has opened at 7347 Lake Underhill Road. And, yes, they serve alpaca.
Orlando’s oldest teppanyaki restaurant, Shōgun Japanese Steakhouse, has closed inside the Rosen Inn at 6327 International Blvd. The hotel is currently exploring ways to reimagine the Shōgun experience. The restaurant opened in 1975.
NEWS/EVENTS:
Orlando Magical Diningruns Aug. 15 to Sept. 30 with more than 160 restaurants offering $40 or $60 prix fixe meals. Visit magicaldining.com for menus and prices.
The Noroom.project will host an aperitivo Aug. 17 from 5-8:30 p.m. at Redlight Redlight. The pre-dinner social ritual will feature food, drinks and music with the $20 ticket allowing guests to sip on a welcome tipple and a snack. More drinks and snacks will be available for purchase. Visit @noroom.project for more.
Seito Sushi Baldwin Park celebrates its 25th anniversary Aug. 20 from 6-9 p.m. with a reception-style event offering guests a welcome cocktail, hors d’oeuvres, a carving station, sushi/handroll bar, live entertainment and a special take-home gift. Cost is $150. Visit seitosushibp.com for tickets.
4Roots Farm will host a “Harvest to Table” event featuring chef Hari Pulapaka, who will lead the hands-on culinary/educational experience at the 4Roots Farm Campus Aug. 20 from 6-8 p.m. Guests will get an insight into the nutritional, agricultural and culinary impact of plant-forward cooking with an emphasis on reducing inflammation. Cost is $125. Visit 4rootsfarm.org for more.
Boca Winter Park will host the last event of its summer wine series titled “California Dreaming” on Aug. 21 at 5:30 p.m. Five California wines will be paired with seasonal amuses bouche ranging from smoked swordfish and grilled venison. Cost is only $40. Visit opentable.com/boca-winter-park for more.
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This article appears in Aug 13-18, 2025.