Orlando’s food scene is a growing paradise, with new eateries and cafés opening all the time. Among the burgeoning crop of delicious new choice, these select few rise to the top as the most exciting, anticipated places. Some are just opening now, others are still under construction and opening soon, but all of them are worth the wait.

– Gallery by Sarah Jennifer Hardin

Henry’s Depot 212 W. 1st St., Sanford FL, 321-377-0900 Henry’s Depot is a culinary collective Sanford food hall slated to open this fall. The four tenants currently in build-out phase and “soon” to open is Dixie Dharma, a vegan inspired comfort food restaurant, Grain & Ember will feature wood fire pizza, Salvatore’s Prime Sandwiches, and Greenery Creamery a vegan ice cream shop. Photo via Henry’s Depot/Facebook
Twisted Root Burger Co 4270 Aloma Ave. Winter Park, FL., Phone number yet to be established Twisted Root Burger Co. will open its first Florida outpost any day now at The Grove retail complex in Winter Park. Of note are their exotic meats: elk, ostrich, rabbit, camel, venison, boar and duck Photo via Twisted Root Burger/Facebook
Taglish 3191 W. Colonial Drive, 407-930-1076 Filipino-American restaurant Taglish will open this fall inside the Lotte Plaza Market. Taglish is a joint venture between chef Michael Collantes and Johnny and Jimmy Tung of Bento Group. Taglish
Pita Street Food 400 N. Orlando Ave.Maitland, FL, Phone number has yet to be estrablished Look for Atlanta-based chain Pita Mediterranean Street Food to open on the ground floor of the 400 North apartment complex later this fall. They will serve a variety of colorful pita platters, fresh gyros, rice bowls and mezza spreads Photo via Pita Street Food/Facebook
Topolino’s Terrace 1080 Esplanade Ave., Lake Buena Vista, 407-939-7762 Topolino’s Terrace will be the signature restaurant inside Disney’s Riviera Resort when it opens on Dec. 16. The cuisine is expected to highlight French and Italian flavors, with wines being sourced from the Mediterranean coast. Reservations are open Walt Disney World website
Grilled Cheezus 400 Pitmann St., PHONE a grilled cheese concept (duh) by former Saddle Up bartender Sam Phillips and her fiancé, Damon Jerden (also a managing partner at Downtown Pourhouse), opened Sept. 21 near the Marriott Downtown Orlando. Photo via Grilled Cheezus/Facebook
Uncle Jack’s Meat House 6590 Sugarloaf Parkway Dulluth, GA., 770-497-2400 Food Network personality Willie Degel (host of Restaurant Stakeout) will open an Uncle Jack’s Meat House in a yet-to-be-disclosed spot in the city next year. The casual steakhouse will feature a 24-ounce, 35-day dry-aged “Fred Flintstone” rib chop. WILMAAAAAA! Photo via Uncle Jack’s Meat House/Facebook
Poke Hana Location yet to be disclosed, 407-601-0283 Poke Hana, which we favorably reviewed back in June, will open its second location in a 1,000-square-foot space in Windermere Village in February Photo by Rob Bartlett (or other photographer credited)
F&D Woodfired Italian Kitchen 104 E. First St, Phone number yet to be established F&D Woodfired Italian Kitchen will open a second location at 104 E. First St. in historic downtown Sanford in mid-November.It’s not that F&D makes Bottura-like strides in its cuisine or anything, but it’s got a good handle on the comforts of familiar Italian fare, and it appears that’s exactly what Hourglasswegians want: yielding meatballs of Italian sausage and pangrattato (that’s breadcrumbs) in a sweetish marinara ($12 for three); thin-ribboned cacio e pepe with Italian pork ($16); a wild mushroom pappardelle in a lovely porcini cream sauce ($13). Photo by Rob Bartlett
Greens & Grains 150 S. Magnolia Ave., 407-412-9230 Greens & Grains is the newest addition to the Market on Magnolia, replacing That Noodle Spot. Photo via Green&Grains/Facebook
Hungry Pants 3421 S. Orange Ave, Phone number yet to be established Look for Hungry Pants, a “plant curious” fast-fine eatery from the guys who ran the Yum Yum Cupcake Truck (remember them?) to open in the space currently occupied by Carol’s Place diner at 3421 S. Orange Ave. in SoDo sometime in October. Photo via Hungry Pants/Facebook
Melbourne Seafood Station 3900 Town Center Blvd., 407-286-1151 The Orlando outpost of Melbourne Seafood Station should start serving their signature seafood boils by the end of September on Town Center Boulevard in Hunter’s Creek. Photo via Melbourne Seafood Station/Facebook
Passione Di Sofi Food Truck Location yet to be disclosed, Phone number yet to be established specializing in various fried Neapolitan street snacks called “cuoppo,” Passione Di Sofi will roll out their food truck before moving into a permanent space. Photo via Passion Di Sofi/Facebook
The District Gastrobar 534 W. Church St., 407-704-7913 The District Gastrobar has opened on West Church Street in Parramore with a “modern speakeasy” and “nostalgic vintage” ambience. Here they serve community plates and specialty tacos, sandwich boards, flatbreads and pizzas. Photo via District Gastro Bar/Facebook
Tin & Taco 2429 Edgewater Drive, 407-425-4340 Tin & Taco will open it’s largest location in College Park any day now. The downtown location has built a unique reputation where customers sip on artistically designed tin cans containing craft beers and sodas. They serve a variety of meats and have great deals for those balling on a budget. Photo via Tin & Taco/Facebook
Tin & Taco 2429 Edgewater Drive, 407-425-4340 Tin & Taco will open it’s largest location in College Park any day now. The downtown location has built a unique reputation where customers sip on artistically designed tin cans containing craft beers and sodas. They serve a variety of meats and have great deals for those balling on a budget. Photo via Tin & Taco/Facebook
Brix & Mortar S. Palmetto Avenue, Phone number yet to be established This “urban winery” with a midcentury modern vibe, will open this fall on South Palmetto Avenue in historic downtown Sanford next to the Old Jailhouse Restaurant. At the Brix & Mortar in Vancouver they serve seafood dishes, artisan cheese plates and the intriguing lamb bacon salad. Photo via Brix&Mortar/Facebook
Grattin Dog 1006 E. Altamonte Dr. Altamonte Springs, FL., 407-951-7267 Grattin Dog has moved into the space previously occupied by Tamale Co. 2-Go in the Citgo gas station in Altamonte. Grattin Dog will serve Colombian-style burgers, hot dogs, wings, empanadas, salchipapas and choripapas. Photo via Grattin Dog/Facebook
Russell’s on Ivanhoe 1414 N. Orange Ave, Phone number yet to be established Russell’s on Ivanhoe, a concept by Kevin O’Donnell and Justin Stratford of Winter Park’s Local Butcher & Market and the Porch, will move into the Mesa21 space in the Ivanhood. Expect “The Porch meets Hillstone,” says O’Donnell. Photo by Rob Bartlett
Domu Dr. Phillips 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd, Phone number yet to be established Work progresses on this ramen restaurant and they still appear to be on track for an October opening. Photo via Domu/Facebook
MamaJuana Latin Bistro and Rum Bar
Qreate Coffee + Studio 1212 Woodward St.,407-601-1796 A shared workspace serving crafty and creative coffee and tea concoctions, has soft-opened in Mills 50 behind the now-shuttered 7-Eleven on Woodward Street next to Ming’s Bistro. Photo via Qreate Coffee/Facebook
Sus Hi Eatstation 409 S. Chickasaw Trail, PHONE Sus Hi Eatstation will open a new “dojo” on South Chickasaw Trail late September. Two additional dojos will open in January – one in Gainesville and the other in Tampa Photo via Sus Hi/Facebook
Brother Jimmy’s BBQ 9101 International Dr, Phone number yet to be established. Look for NYC-based barbecue chain Brother Jimmy’s BBQ to open in Pointe Orlando this November. Start off with a few hush puppies or loaded fries then try a few southern favorites like smokey ribeye or dixie hoe cake. Photo via Brother Jimmy’s BBQ/Facebook
Bagel World 743 N. Magnolia Ave,, Phone number yet to be established Bagel World will open in the old Two Chefs Seafood Oyster Bar space on North Magnolia Avenue in NoDo this November. They will serve breakfast and lunch items like breakfast wraps and deli sandwiches. They’ll also offer bialys — the “non-boiled second cousin of the bagel with treasure in the center” as it’s described on BW’s Instagram page. Photo via Bagel World/Facebook
Brix & Mortar S. Palmetto Avenue, Phone number yet to be established This “urban winery” with a midcentury modern vibe, will open this fall on South Palmetto Avenue in historic downtown Sanford next to the Old Jailhouse Restaurant. At the Brix & Mortar in Vancouver they serve seafood dishes, artisan cheese plates and the intriguing lamb bacon salad. Photo via Brix & Mortar/Facebook
Chi-Kin ADDRESS AND PHONE NOT YET LISTED A Korean fried chicken concept by the folks behind King Bao and Poke Hana, will open in the former home of Noodles and Rice in mid-November Photo via Chi-Kin/Instagram
DG Doughnuts Foxtail Coffee, 805 Lee Road, 407-755-2235 The craft doughnut joint on West Colonial Drive in Oakland, will open a second location inside the Foxtail Coffee on Lee Road Oct. 5
Grain & Berry 400 N. Orlando Ave. Maitland, FL., Phone number yet to be established. Super-food café Grain & Berry will also occupy a space in the400 North apartment complex. Originally based in Tampa, but finally making its way to O-Town to serve its brightly colored picture perfect treats. You’l have the choice of Acai, Spirulina, pitaya, yogurt and kale bowls, each frozen treat is topped off with granola, fruit and other healthy toppings. Photo via Grain & Berry/Facebook
Pokéworks 20 N. Orange Ave, phone number yet to be established Cali-based poke chain Pokéworks plans to open a new spot in downtown Orlando. The fast-casual eatery run by former Top Chef contestant Sheldon Simeon will open inside the Morgan & Morgan building at 20 N. Orange Ave this November. While the signature dish at Pokéworks is Hawaiian-style build-your-own poke bowls, the chain also serves up poke burritos, poke salads, miso soup and seaweed salad. Photo via Pokeworks/Facebook
Steak It Easy 609 Irvington Avenue,321-525-3410 Steak It Easy, the food truck parked at A La Cart, will open a brick-and-mortar location called Steak Orlando inside Oviedo’s Food Factory food hall early next year SOURCE]===
Sus Hi Eatstation 409 S. Chickasaw Trail, PHONE Sus Hi Eatstation will open a new “dojo” on South Chickasaw Trail late September. Two additional dojos will open in January – one in Gainesville and the other in Tampa Photo via Sus Hi/Facebook
Tori Tori 720 N. Mills Ave, Phone number yet to be established Long-anticipated Mills 50 destination Tori Tori finally opened its doors early September. This new Japanese pub/izakaya is located in the space next to King Bao and Royal Tea. Stop by and try their hokkaido uni, flown in from japan weekly. Photo via Tori Tori/Facebook