Tons of new restaurants opening in Orlando

There are so many new eating (and drinking) spots opening in Orlando in the next few months, our wallets are already crying big fat foodie tears for all the money we’re going to spend on food. 

Here’s a little preview of all the tasty new eat spots that have opened recently (or are coming soon). 

Look for more details – along with some closings, some restructurings and other foodie news – in Faiyaz Kara’s Tip Jar column in the print edition, available on stands Wednesday.

Open now:

• Recently opened in Winter Park, Rome’s Flavours features house-made gelato, pizza made from scratch and other authentic Italian tastes.
• RA Sushi, now open in Pointe Orlando, offers some unusual sushi rolls (chili ponzu yellowtail, anyone?), plus a pretty killer happy hour.
• Kappo at East End Market is already open, but they will hold an official grand opening Aug. 10. They will release their full menu the same day.
• Taipei Kitchen is serving up another option for Taiwanese cuisine at 5038 W. Colonial Drive (near the 1st Oriental Supermarket).
• Ivanhoe Wine & Spirits, a new liquor store, has opened in the Ivanhood. Follow theirFacebook page for some sweet liquor deals.
• And, as any good Orlando foodie should already know, Shake Shack is officially open for business.

 Opening soon:

• Opening in MetroWest in a few weeks, Crafted Block & Brew calls their food “unapologetically awesome” and we look forward to not apologizing when we check it out.
• In September, the Four Seasons Resort will add Capa, a contemporary Spanish steakhouse located on the roof, and a Cuban restaurant, Plancha, to their eatery offerings.

A future spot to salivate over:

The Plant Street Market and Crooked Can Brewery Company is slated to open in Winter Garden on St. Patrick’s Day, 2015.

Closed:

Surprisingly, after only five weeks in business, Blackfin in Maitland has closed. Staff were alerted just this morning not to come in for work. It was nice knowing you, Blackfin.

Bron

There are seven, count ‘em, seven new restaurants that just opened in Orlando, as reported in this week’s Tip Jar food news column. If you want to retain your foodie bragging rights, you’d better start making plans to visit them now (and to let that belt out a notch).

 Another Broken Egg Café 

Winter Park Village

Um, they had me at biscuit beignets. Hell, they had me at the mere concept of breakfast appetizers. Followed by a lobster Brie omelet, I’d say they are “inspiring eggs to excellence.”

Sushi Lola’s

2902 Corrine Drive

Sushi Lola’s has kind of a rabid fan base. If you’ve ever been there, you’ll understand. I mean, their Dirty Old Man roll is almost legendary.

Stefano’s Grill

7512 Dr. Philips Blvd. Ste. 80

One word: risotto. They don’t make it every day, but keep an eye on Stefano’s Facebook to see when it’s available. Don’t let the lack of risotto keep you from going, though, because the entire menu looks delicious. (Like that steak up there … Chef Steff specializes in hand-cut steaks and chops.)

Grounding Roots Juice Bar 

710 W. Princeton St., Suite C

Offering smoothies, shakes, and juices in 16-ounce cups or 32-ounce bottles with ingredients like Swiss chard, dandelion and beets, this is a great place to get your healthy kicks.

Qarma Crêpes

12 N. Summerlin Ave.

If crêpes are your thing, Qarma Crêpes has you covered on both the savory and sweet side. Turkey + smoked gouda + apple? 

Aku Aku

431 E. Central Blvd.

If you’d rather skip the eating and get straight to the drinking, Aku Aku is for you. With more than 50 different types of rum and super-campy tiki-inspired barware, it’s a fun place to meet up with your peeps after a long day at work.

Antojitos

Universal CityWalk

We’ve already covered the grand opening, but if you haven’t had the chance to get out there yet, we recommend it.