Exploria Stadium, home to Orlando City Soccer Club and Orlando Pride, announced recently an “Orlando Made” food initiative to feature concessions from local restaurants. They include 4 Rivers Smokehouse, The Coop by 4Rivers, Teak Neighborhood Grill, Black Rooster Taqueria and Harrell’s Hot Dogs + Cold Cones (math skills not required). The program, a permanent addition to the stadium, is a result of season ticket holders saying they wanted “more local, authentic Orlando food options,” according to Orlando City’s website.
In addition to the concession stands, there will be vendor carts with a rotating roster of other local purveyors, including Cholo Dogs and Sus Hi Eatstation. Mmmmm, sushi from a vendor cart; can’t wait.
Feather & Quill, the Windermere restaurant from the owners of RusTeak and the Stubborn Mule, has closed. It opened in February 2019 in the space that had previously been a Dexter’s.
Meanwhile, at the former Winter Park Dexter’s, Park Avenue Tavern, a “quintessential American bar and restaurant,” has opened. It’s from In Good Company Hospitality, the New York based group that also brought The Wilson to Central Florida. IGC also operates the original Park Avenue Tavern near Grand Central Terminal on an actual Park Avenue. Although Winter Park has a well-known Park Avenue, Park Avenue Tavern isn’t on it – it’s a few blocks west on New England Avenue. I hope that clears things up. This isn’t without precedence; there are a number of Saks Fifth Avenues not actually on 5th Avenues. The New England Avenue Park Avenue will have its official grand opening on Friday.
Smoke & Donuts, the food truck operation that serves barbecue (smoke) and donuts (donuts), finally opened its brick and mortar restaurant after a particularly extensive construction period. It first announced the project in late 2021. It took over the Kernel Encore Gourmet Popcorn building on Primrose Avenue in the Milk District. S&D had been working out of the A La Cart food truck court nearby.
OverRice, another food truck operation going wheelless, is in soft-open mode at its new place at 1084 Lee Road. Its menu features Filipino and Hawaiian dishes.
