Oh joy! The Strand will expand in Mills 50; double the Johnny's Diner, double the fun; and more Orlando food news

click to enlarge

Photo via The Strand/Yelp

The Strand will take over the next-door space, formerly the British Shoppe, and open d.b.a., serving cocktails and small plates.

Orlando restaurant The Strand will take over the space formerly occupied by the British Shoppe next door and open a sister operation called d.b.a. In addition to cocktails, they'll also serve small plates ...

Tom's Watch Bar, an 11,000-square-foot, boob-tube-heavy behemoth by Smashburger founder Tom Ryan, is slated to open next month on the top floor of the Hollywood Plaza Garage entertainment complex on International Drive. Meanwhile, on the ground floor, look for Atlanta-based Indian street food concept Masti (which means "mischief") to open this spring ...

Johnny's Diner has opened at 500 State Road 436 in Casselberry. The restaurant is run by Linda Prekaj, who operated the original Johnny's Diner on Semoran Boulevard in Winter Park with her brother Giovanni "Johnny" Krasniqi. Krasniqi opened a Johnny's Diner in September at 10169 University Blvd. in the Suncrest Village Plaza. Double the Johnny's, double the fun ...

Sorekara, the high-concept venture embodying "the Japanese philosophy of culinary arts re-created with European imagination," will open next month at 4979 New Broad St. in Baldwin Park. The restaurant is by James Beard Award-nominated restaurateurs Johnny and Jimmy Tung, with chef William Shen at the helm ...

Vicky Bakery, the Miami-based operation that started in 1972, will open their first location outside South Florida next month at the Shoppes at South Semoran at 4556 S. Semoran Blvd. They'll serve everything from pastelitos to medianoches to café con leche ...

Vida Tacos & Tequila, an upscale Mexican restaurant from the owners of Garibaldi in Apopka, has opened at 275 W. State Road 436 in Altamonte Springs ...

Farm & Haus owners Patrick Lyne and Brittany Walsh-Lyne will shutter their stall inside East End Market after nine years. The pair will focus on the Farm & Haus restaurant on Park Avenue, which celebrates its one-year anniversary this month. Moving into the EEM space in March will be Hinckley's Fancy Meats owner Matt Hinckley with a barbecue concept called Boxer & Clover ...

Great Greek Mediterranean Grill will open at the Trelago Market in Maitland "before the end of March," according to a spokesperson. Contemporary Mexican woodfire concept Naya Comida + Barrita by Agave Azul owner Juan Rios is expected to open at Trelago later this spring.