OPENINGS & CLOSINGS:
Alfie’s HiFi, the vinyl listening bar with a ’70s vibe by Team Market Group, has opened in the old St. Matthews’ Tavern space at 1300 N. Mills Ave. Disco-era cocktails like Midori sours and Pink Ladies keep with the ’70s theme. Alfie’s is open Thursday to Saturday … Luca Turci Italian Restaurant, from Turci Pasta and Turci Panino owner Vinicius Turci, has replaced Braccia Ristorante at 153 E. Morse Blvd. in Winter Park … Mazal Latin Fusion, offering a mix of Mediterranean and Latin American cuisine, has opened at 4344 Hoffner Ave. in the old Streetwise Urban Food space near Conway Road … Garni Cafe, an “uncomplicatedly French” restaurant, has opened on the second floor of the Lake Nona Wave Hotel. Executive chef Guillaume Robin presents such classics as coquilles St. Jacques, bouillabaisse, smoked beef bourguignon and profiteroles … Closures to announce: The Hammered Lamb has closed after serving Ivanhoe Village for 12 years … Ahi Sushi on South Kirkman Road has closed just four months after opening … And over on North Orange Blossom Trail, Nick’s Family Diner, the all-day breakfast joint, has closed after a 15-year run.
Black Coffee/Cafe Negro Bistro, a Latin-ish concept by Univision personality Jose “El Negro” Figueroa, has soft-opened in the former Winter Park Fish Co. space at 761 N. Orange Ave. They’ll serve breakfast, lunch and early-dinner fare as well as weekend brunch. Hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ángel Serrano, a fixture in Puerto Rico’s food landscape, will oversee the kitchen … A Gourmet Chinese Cuisine, formerly Chuan Lu Garden (the one at 1101 E. Colonial Drive, not the former Peter’s Kitchen China Bistro at 3922 E. Colonial Drive), will open in the next couple of weeks with a renovated interior and revamped menu of Sichuan fare … Tamale Co. Modern Kitchen & Bar will move into the space recently vacated by Mid Drive Dive at 2401 Edgewater Drive in College Park this May. Owners Fernando and Jennifer Tamayo, who also operate the Tamale Co. food truck and Tamale Co. inside the Hourglass Market, say they’ll be open to serve their signature hand-crafted tamales and Mexican street fare in addition to “new menu items” in time for Cinco de Mayo.
NEWS & EVENTS:
Orlando Beer Week runs through Feb. 2 featuring promo discounts, drink specials and prizes for diners and drinkers across the city. Visit instagram.com/orlbeerweek for details … Sushi Saint will pop up inside Modest Wine in Winter Park Feb. 7 from 5-10 p.m. for a collab event featuring Sushi Saint’s signature handrolls and Champagne from Modest’s stellar selection … Ava MediterrAegean in Winter Park has instituted a “mandatory” 20% service charge on all guest bills. That money goes directly to the restaurant’s parent company, Riviera Dining Group, which keeps 4.5% and distributes the remaining to employees via a points system. BTW: Riviera reserves the right to modify, adjust or discontinue the points system at any time.
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This article appears in Jan 29 – Feb 4, 2025.
