Torchy’s Tacos comes to Altamonte Springs, Lazy Moon comes to Maitland, and Norman Van Aken’s restaurant is finally open in Dr. Phillips

click to enlarge

Lazy Moon/Instagram

Lazy Moon expands their empire to the north early this summer.

OPENINGS + CLOSINGS: It's been a long time coming, but Norman Van Aken's eponymous restaurant, Norman's, has finally opened at the Dellagio Town Center in Dr. Phillips. Van Aken, along with his trusted chef de cuisine Carlos Robles Molina, will offer a menu touting (new) "New World" cuisine ... Black Magic Pizza has opened its food window at Whiskey Lou's at 121 N. Bumby Ave. The Neapolitan pie portal is currently in soft opening and will be sending private invites for more soft open dates, according to an Instagram post. Traviss Santos, the pizzaiolo behind the brand along with girlfriend Elizabeth Hill and chef Justin Goronda, still plans to open Black Magic Pizza at 14 W. Illiana St., next door to Rockpit Brewing, later this year ... Renovation work has begun on Lazy Moon Pizza's Maitland location at 441 S. Orlando Ave. Look for a late spring/early summer opening ... L.A.-style birria outfit Birria 1983 will move into the old Graffiti Junktion space downtown at 54 W. Church St. No opening date has been announced ...

Barnie's Coffee & Tea Co. celebrates the reopening of its flagship café on Park Ave. Feb. 23. Both the interior and the menu have been revamped, with new items available for breakfast, lunch and brunch ... Also in Winter Park, The Bagel Shop is now going by The Bagel Dudes, and the dudes behind the operation plan on opening a downtown location behind Artisan's Table at 55 W. Church St. ... Popular Austin, Texas-based chain Torchy's Tacos will open a second Florida location in Altamonte Springs in late spring. The taqueria, known for its house-made tortillas and intriguing filling combinations, will open at 999 N. State Road 434 ... Maryland-based chain Mason's Famous Lobster Rolls, serving both Maine- and Connecticut-style options, will open a location downtown in the former home of Embassy Irish Bar at 2 S. Orange Ave. in the fall ... NYC-based Just Salad has opened an outpost inside the Palm Hills retail complex at 415 S. Orlando Ave. in Winter Park ... Sophia's, an "evolution-centered" restaurant inspired by Sophia, the world's first robot citizen, has opened inside Roboland on I-Drive offering, uh, regional American fare. Do androids dream of smothered waffle fries? Maybe they do.

EVENTS: The 407 Food Fair "After Dark" edition goes from 6:30-10:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, behind Pour Choice Taphouse and Framework Coffee House. Numerous food vendors including the Pizza Slut, Brock's Barbecue, Burger Jawn, Nonni's Mini Donuts and more will be on hand.