Fortuna Bakery, an Central Florida chain featuring Colombian and South American pastries, breads and savory items, will move into the space on Park Avenue that most recently was Grato of Winter Park. Before that it was Antonio’s House of Pizza, Antonio’s Trattoria & Wine Bar, and Maestro Cucina Napoletana. It was also, very very briefly, Makis Place, a Brazilian sushi franchise, and I seem to remember a place called Sala Wine Bar. Going back further, it was home to Park Avenue Compact Discs, which today would qualify as an antique store.
Fortuna has nine locations besides the one about to open, including Mall at Millenia and two at Florida Mall. Its online menu features mainly sweets and cakes and just six savory items, such as empanadas and arepas. But a sign on the window on Park Avenue suggests that location will have pizzas. I guess they figured they’d make use of the oven the previous tenants left behind.
Grato had been a second location of a Lake Mary restaurant. That one has also closed.
We now know where the previously announced Orlando franchise of Shaq’s Big Chicken, the sandwich concept from Shaquille O’Neal, will be. It will move into the space on Michigan Street in the SoDo District that had been Boston Market. No announced date; not opening soon.
JoJo’s Shake Bar, a small (six locations) chain out of Chicago that specializes in spiked milkshakes, has opened at Pointe Orlando where Hopdoddy was for a hot minute. (OK, it was there just over a year.) It was Funky Monkey Wine Bar before that. Besides liquored up ice cream drinks, JoJo’s features a full menu of soups, salads, sandwiches and entrees such as lasagna, pot pie and something called a Walking Taco. If you actually see it move, put down your milkshake.
