Mills 50 retail property eyed for redevelopment
ORLANDO, Fla. — Editor’s note: This story is available as a result of a content partnership between WFTV and the Orlando Business Journal. A new urban infill redevelopment project may be in the works in the popular Mills 50 area, near downtown Orlando. Orlando Business Journal has learned that the Dollar Tree at 1840 E. Colonial Drive is being eyed for redevelopment by its property owner. Why this matters: Urban infill and redevelopment projects in and around downtown Orlando can be important economic drivers for the city, as demand increases for residential and commercial uses in the city’s core. Click here to read the full story on the Orlando Business Journal’s website.
wftv.comName-your-price coffee house finds permanent home in Mills 50
ORLANDO, Fla. — A familiar face is replacing the coffee-cup-sized hole that recently opened up in Orlando’s Mills 50 neighborhood. Framework Craft Coffee House announced that it will replace JavaJs, which recently closed up shop at 1201 N. Mills Ave. Framework previously operated out of a camper parked daily across the street at the building currently being renovated to house Pigzza. SEE: Pig Floyd’s, Stasio’s team up for new Mills 50 pizzeriaFramework operates on a donation-based payment system, allowing customers pay what they want for their drinks. Photos: Pig Floyd’s, Stasio’s team up for new Mills 50 pizzeriaExpand Autoplay Image 1 of 11 Pig Floyd’s, Stasio’s team up for new Mills 50 pizzeria Pig Floyd’s Urban Barbakoa and Stasio’s Italian Deli & Market are collaborating on a new pizza restaurant in the trendy Mills 50 District.
wftv.comIconic Orlando pub Wally’s Bar & Liquors trades hands
ORLANDO, Fla. — Editor’s note: This story is available as a result of a content partnership between WFTV and the Orlando Business Journal.
An Orlando-based group bought three properties along Mills Avenue in the city’s popular Mills 50 district in separate transactions that include iconic watering hole Wally’s Bar & Liquors.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<
How Orlando’s Mills 50 district turned into thriving Asian American community
After the Vietnam war ended, hundreds of Vietnamese came to Central Florida through the catholic charities refugee program and found a new home near Mills Avenue and Colonial Drive, an area known today as the Mills 50 District.
AANHPI Heritage Month: Celebrate Central Florida’s Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander community
During Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month, News 6 hopes to capture and highlight some of the contributions, achievements and stories of Central Florida’s own growing and diverse AANHPI community.
Doctor buys 3rd downtown-area property, this one set to become meadery
ORLANDO, Fla. — Editor’s note: This story is available as a result of a content partnership between WFTV and the Orlando Business Journal. A corner property in the popular Mills 50 commercial district has sold -- and the buyer’s name is becoming familiar to anyone following commercial real estate in the area surrounding downtown Orlando. The buyer was DRNK Investors LLC, an entity affiliated with Orlando neurosurgeon Dr. Ravi Gandhi. In March, his group paid $7.4 million for the ground-floor retail component of Thornton Park Central. Read: ‘Completely preventable’: Attorney visits Orlando thrill ride where teen fell to his deathClick here to read the full story on the Orlando Business Journal’s website.
wftv.comLate Mills 50 barcade BART gets ‘Sims 4’ tribute
All of our beloved institutions will one day end, but that doesn't have to be so final. If you're an Orlando bar, at the very least a Redditor might come along and recreate the space inside The Sims 4. User AeviDaudi is back again with perhaps the most fitting tribute to Mills 50 bar BART. They lovingly recreated the barcade, including its recognizable mural, inside the virtual world of The Sims. "It was my fave bar on Mills and I miss it very much!"
photos.orlandoweekly.comSoft openings in Mills 50: Japango, selling sushi boxes out of Chewy Boba; and Dochi, selling mochi doughnuts
OPENINGS: Japango — offering "bitch box" and "boss box" sushi bento options — has soft-opened inside the Chewy Boba Co. space. The 7,800-square-foot restaurant features double drive-through lanes and two large covered outdoor patios ... Epcot will debut Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, a gastronomic escapade with the little rat chef, on Oct. 1. Visit ivanhoevillage.org for tickets ... Soseki, the omakase/chef's tasting concept from Michael Collantes and Denni Cha, will welcome chef Tadateru Tokudaiji (or "Chef CJ" for short) to the team. CJ has worked with or staged at such notable eating houses as Guy Savoy, Alinea, Restaurant Alain Ducasse, Cafe Boulud and many others. The 18th-floor SkyBar at the AC Hotel downtown is now offering a weekend "Elevated Brunch," serving everything from French toast to steak and eggs to cazuelas.
orlandoweekly.comMayhem on Mills returns with live outdoors wrestling in Orlando this weekend
click image Photo courtesy Mayhem on Mills/FacebookSunday is a day of firsts in Mills 50. First, local punk-infused wrestling federation Mayhem on Mills returns to action with their first show in a year. (Bungalower will curate a number of these upcoming events. )Mayhem on Mills Presents: Weird Science happens at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 21, at Carlotta's Culture Park. Tickets are still on sale Safety considerations for this event include required masks and assigned, socially distanced pod seating (standing?)
orlandoweekly.comBlack Rooster Taqueria celebrates 5 years in business, opening second location
ORLANDO, Fla. – The owners of Black Rooster Taqueria have plenty of reason to celebrate. The restaurant owners, John and Juliana Calloway, are getting ready to mark five years in business in the heart of Orlando’s trendy Mills 50 district. At the same time, the couple is working on opening up a second location in another up-and-coming part of the city, the Hourglass District. AdThe couple says the new location is likely to open sometime over the summer, but they also say their expansion plans do not end there. They also explain the origin of the black rooster they named their business after.
Will's Pub joins forces with Swine and Sons to open Will's new in-house kitchen
click to enlarge Photo by Mathew Moyer for Orlando WeeklyMills 50 bar and music venue Will's Pub continued its pandemic pivot on Friday, with the long-anticipated opening of a new in-house kitchen.Operated in partnership with Winter Park's Swine & Sons, the new Will's menu offers up Southern starters like boiled peanuts, pork rinds and pickles. Main courses are of the sandwich-y sort — where Swine & Sons excels. On the board are smoked burgers, pulled pork sandwich, pressed turkey and cuban sandwiches, and, for the non-carnivores, a pressed falafel.The new kitchen will get a trial-by-fire Friday night, during a limited-capacity engagement with swampy locals the Oak Hill Drifters.The operating hours of the kitchen going forward are 4-10 p.m Thursday through Sunday — ideal for weekend noshing.Masks are required on premises except when seated and eating. Will's is currently operating at limited capacity.
orlandoweekly.comLil Indies to host 'Hey Grrrl' group show highlighting women artists in Orlando
click image Photo courtesy Heidi KneislMills 50 establishment Lil Indies will this month see a return of the "Hey Grrrl" group art exhibition, spotlighting women artists from Orlando.Organized annually by Heidi Kneisl, "Hey Grrrl" assembles a group of local artists working across a range of media. In 2018, the exhibition even included a a compendium of unsolicited — and inevitably creepy — texts and chats.Featured artists this year include Avaryl Buzbee, Erin Nolan, Sarah Jane Rozman, Cassidy Jones, Megan Steward, the Naysayer and Valentina Felce. "Hey Grrrl" opens at Lil Indies on Friday, Jan. 15. Checking out the art is free, but you more than likely should buy a drink to support the host establishment. Masks and social distancing are prerequisites.Helpful note for the crowd-averse: The art will remain on the walls of Indies for a month after opening night, so there is plenty of time for solo-ish perusal.
orlandoweekly.comOrlando Meats is moving to Winter Park
click to enlarge Rob BartlettSeth Parker (L) and Eliot Hillis (R) of Orlando Meatsclick image Todo SushiTodo Sushi interiorclick to enlarge Rob BartlettMills 50's loss is Winter Park's gain. Or is it Ivanhoe Village's loss is Winter Park's gain? Anyone remember that?) Anyway, Orlando Meats, the butcher-eatery and fixture of thedining scene, will close up shop at the end of the year and open in the Ravaudage complex in Winter Park in January.The new restaurant and retail operation will occupy the former Todo Sushi space, just a few doors down from the New Standard , which means a larger footprint, outdoor seating and ample parking space (yassss!) — all deciding factors for the move.It also means that Winter Park will now be privy to the gastronomic esoterica being conjured by Orlando Meats' mad wizards of whimsy , namely culinary director and co-owner Eliot Hillis and his head chef/work husband Seth Parker.But, in addition to a menu of creatively executed (and bizarrely named) sandwiches, burgers and noodles, the new location will also see a resuscitation of the team's Recess Pizza concept , and, brace yourselves, folks: a full liquor bar.Hillis hopes to become the Merlin of Mixology with a cocktail menu comprising such zany tipples as "Perfume in a Hat" with ham-washed mezcal, pineapple shrub, umeboshi cherry and clove bitters; and the "Assisted Living Dracula" with Irish cream, butter bourbon, espresso, and dulce-miso ice cream.Expanded food and beverage options aside, Orlando Meats' full-service butchery will remain a focus and, given the increased space, patrons can expect to see new retail items.Oh, and in case you're wondering: No, Orlando Meats won't be changing its name to Winter Park Meats.
orlandoweekly.comPizza Bruno will finally expand its Curry Ford location
After releasing the news that their long-awaited Mills 50 location would unfortunately not be opening last September, Pizza Bruno has another restaurant expansion in the works.Instead of finding another location to serve pizzas, Pizza Bruno will be expanding into the space right beside its 3990 Curry Ford Road location, as confirmed by restaurant owner Bruno Zacchini III. Zacchini told us last year that he was looking to expand his current location on Curry Ford Road to offer takeout service, a specialty grocer and a larger prep area.Zacchini is mulling over how to best utilize the amount of projected new space at this time. Consider supporting local journalism. Our small but mighty local team works tirelessly to bring you high-quality, uncensored news and cultural coverage of Central Florida. Whether it's a one-time acknowledgement of this article or an ongoing pledge, your support helps keep Orlandos true free press
orlandoweekly.comNew Mills 50 cigar bar and caf aims to please smokers and nonsmokers alike
Across the lawn, meanwhile, neighboring Brass Tap gets crowded with guests several days a week.After Mills Park was constructed, the first tenant was Segafredo, an Italian restaurant and caf that struggled, later adding a brunch buffet , a " Rooftop Experience, " and even a Bonkerz comedy club. Four Rebels didn't last long, and their name didn't help. The new, larger location offers a full menu and bar, boutique cigars and live music, and aims to "transform the cigar lounge experience." The old space was located less than a block from the Morse Museum of American Art.Hanlon says the new location "welcomes both cigar lovers and non-smokers," with air-conditioned and outdoor seating. To follow Belicoso's progress and see nightly offerings, check them out on Facebook and Instagram
orlandoweekly.comWhere to eat vegetarian, vegan in Central Florida
ORLANDO, Fla. - Whether it's meatless Monday or you're committed to a cruelty-free lifestyle, there are plenty of restaurants across the Central Florida region that offer vegetarian and vegan dining options. News 6 has compiled a list of some local eateries that specialize in meat free cuisine as well as some standard restaurants that offer an extensive vegetarian menu. Dishes like pulled BBQ jackfruit, sushi and Cubanos are sure to get mouth watering. Check out the list and comment below with your favorite place to eat cruelty free in Central Florida. Copyright 2017 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.