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Tag: Orlando restaurant closings

  • Here are the Orlando restaurants closed in 2025 we’ll miss the most



    While a new year is kicking off, we can’t help but linger on some of Orlando’s hardest goodbyes of 2025. Financial struggles, city regulations and overall drops in business have led to the loss of some greats: The Hammered Lamb, Soco Restaurant, Nick’s Family Diner, Little Saigon, Shōgun Japanese Steakhouse and Chez Vincent are no more. 

    Here are the 2025 closures we’ll miss the most. 

    Soco Restaurant
    629 E. Central Blvd., Orlando
    After 11 years of serving its contemporary brand of Southern fare, Soco closed permanently in late May this year. The concept by real estate developer Craig Ustler and chef Greg Richie matched the lifespan of the space’s predecessor, Hue. In food and dining critic Faiyaz Kara’s 2015 review, he said the restaurant’s “imaginative, sometimes fanciful, takes on classic Southern staples are of the sort one would see on East Bay Street in Charleston, South Carolina, not East Central Boulevard in Orlando.” Credit: Photo via Soco Restaurant/Instagram
    Bar Kada
    957 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park
    Bar Kada, a Top Table of 2024 and winner of Best Windowless Restaurant honors, has closed. Chef-owner Michael Collantes, whose Michelin-starred tasting menu concept, Soseki, and recently opened pie house, Perla’s Pizza, straddle the venue, said it was a struggle for Bar Kada to catch on from the get-go. Credit: Matt Keller Lehman
    Hammered Lamb
    1235 N. Orange Ave., Orlando
    After one last tumultuous year of business struggles, Ivanhoe Village’s popular eatery and catering company Hammered Lamb announced in January it would close its doors for good. The closure came after the eatery pleaded for community support amid financial hardship months earlier. The beloved spot known for its loaded brunch dishes, drink deals and regular drag brunch shows opened its doors in Ivanhoe Park in 2013. Credit: Photo via Hammered Lamb/Facebook
    Hummus House
    862 Orlando Ave., Winter Park
    Hummus House in Winter Park closed its doors after nearly a decade of serving its brand of fast-casual Mediterranean fare along Orlando Avenue. Credit: Photo via Google Maps
    Leguminati
    2401 Curry Ford Road, Orlando
    Vegan eatery Leguminati has shuttered inside the Hourglass Market after 10 years. The spot served up decadent vegan fare, including wraps — with the glittering crown jewel being their much-healthier-than-Taco-Bell take on the iconic crunchwrap — burgers, sandwiches, bagels and beer to wash it all down. It closed in late August. Credit: Photo via Leguminati Vegan Eatery/Facebook
    Daybreak Diner
    3335 Curry Ford Road, Orlando
    Daybreak Diner abruptly closed its doors in late June, marking a jarring end to 27 years in business. This left a big void in both locals’ stomachs and the Dover Shores Shopping Center — which is expected to be filled by the upcoming Johnny’s Diner. Credit: Photo via Curry Ford West/Facebook
    Chicken Guy!
    818 S. Orlando Ave., Winter Park
    Chicken Guy!, the fried chicken chain restaurant from celebrity chef and Food Network star Guy Fieri and Planet Hollywood CEO and restaurateur Robert Earl, officially closed its Winter Park location. Last year, the franchise faced eviction over unpaid rent of more than $38,000. A three-day notice was issued twice before the eviction notice was filed in Orange County court in March. The 818 S. Orlando Ave. location first opened in 2021, following the chain’s first Central Florida location opening at Walt Disney World’s Disney Springs in 2018. Credit: Photo via Google Maps
    College Park Diner
    2304 Edgewater Drive, Orlando
    College Park Diner — one of the oldest eateries in Orlando at the time of shuttering — permanently closed in June. The diner was ordered to close temporarily due to health code violations, according to state inspection records, and they ultimately decided to close permanently, as reported by Bungalower. Credit: Photo via College Park Café/Facebook
    Mr. J Hand-Pulled Noodle
    1688 E. Silver Star Road, Ocoee
    Mr. J Hand-Pulled Noodle has served its last bowl in Ocoee. It opened back in 2023 and was the subject of a favorable and flavorful OW restaurant review. Credit: Photo by Rob Bartlett
    Shōgun Japanese Steakhouse
    6327 International Drive, Orlando
    Orlando’s oldest teppanyaki restaurant, Shōgun Japanese Steakhouse, closed in August inside the Rosen Inn on I-Drive. Credit: Google Maps
    Soho Juice Co. 
    646 S. Orlando Ave., Winter Park
    Soho Juice Co., on the corner of Fairbanks and South Orlando avenues, has closed after serving Winter Park for eight years. Credit: Google Maps
    Hanamizuki
    8255 International Drive, Orlando
    Hanamizuki Japanese Restaurant, known for its strict adherence to Japanese cooking techniques, closed this spring after nearly 30 years of serving the community an abundance of sushi and ramen, grilled entrees, onigiri and more. Credit: Image via Google Maps
    Nick’s Family Diner
    1235 N. Orange Ave., Orlando
    Orange Blossom Trail breakfast spot Nick’s Family Diner closed its doors after its 15-year run in Orlando. It had long been known for its cozy, casual environment, all-day breakfast and years of serving the community. Credit: Image via Google Maps
    HighT
    8255 International Drive, Orlando
    The Alice in Wonderland-themed cocktail bar HighT opened downtown in spring 2024, and its owners announced it would be closing permanently in early April due to “overwhelming financial strain” from recent restrictions placed on nightlife in downtown.
    Park Avenue Tavern
    558 W. New England Ave., Winter Park
    Park Avenue Tavern, the Winter Park outpost of the NYC original, shuttered two years after opening in the old Dexter’s space. It’s set to be replaced by the Charleston-based firm Oak Steakhouse. Credit: Faiyaz Kara
    Oviedo Brewing Co.
    1280 Oviedo Mall Boulevard, Oviedo
    The popular brewery located in the Oviedo mall announced early this year that after five years in business, the location would close for good. The announcement explained that lasting economic impacts from the pandemic and rising costs have made it difficult for the brewery to continue business. Oviedo Brewing Co. described the effort to push through these challenges as “mentally draining.” Credit: Photo via Oviedo Brewing Company/Facebook
    The Aardvark
    2610 S. Ferncreek Ave., Orlando
    Restaurant, bar and bottle shop The Aardvark closed in January. On social media, the owners blamed their lawyers for the closure. Credit: Photo by Rob Bartlett
    Broken Strings Brewery
    1012 W. Church St., Orlando
    Broken Strings Brewery, formerly located in Parramore, announced its closure in January. Owner Charles Frizzell said that changes to the downtown Orlando business landscape have turned the area into a “ghost town.” The business saw no way it could remain open throughout the new year, he said. Frizzell also attributed the closure to other factors like business cost increases and declines in craft beer enthusiasts. Credit: Photo via Broken Strings Brewery/Facebook
    310 Park South
    310 S. Park Ave., Winter Park
    After 26 years, 310 Park South closed its doors in Winter Park, and the space is now making way for thin-crust, coal-fired pizza joint Oak & Stone. Credit: Image via Google Maps
    Nagoya
    7600 Dr. Phillips Boulevard, Orlando
    After 23 years, Dr. Phillips culinary institution Nagoya Sushi, shut its doors. It was a longtime award-winning sushi bar and Japanese dining destination. Credit: Photo via Nagoya/Facebook
    Chez Vincent
    533 W. New England Ave., Winter Park
    After 28 years of serving Hannibal Square, Chez Vincent closed Dec. 21. Owners Vincent and Teri Gagliano, who also run Hannibal’s Lounge, are retiring and have sold both businesses to a “respected local chef and restaurateur.” Credit: Image via Google Maps
    Pho Ga Hien Vuong
    5282 W. Colonial Drive, Orlando
    The owners of Z Asian Vietnamese Kitchen opened their appropriately named chicken pho concept, Pho Ga Hien Vuong, Sept. 9 at 5282 W. Colonial Drive. In addition to the eponymous Vietnamese chicken soup, com ga hai nam (Hainanese-style chicken and rice), goi ga (chicken salad) and other chicken dishes are offered. Credit: Screengrab via Google Maps
    Little Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant
    1106 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando
     the venerable Vietnamese restaurant will serve its final bowl of soup Dec. 27. Siblings Vu Nguyen and Mai Huynh are hanging up their aprons after nearly 40 years of serving the Mills 50 community, a community they’re ever so grateful for. The restaurant has seen Mills 50 flourish into a culinary, cultural and historical hub for food lovers, a rise spawned by Vietnamese refugees who turned the neighborhood into the destination it is today. In fact, Hung Kim, widely considered to be Orlando’s first Vietnamese restaurant, occupied the Little Saigon space in 1983 before Nguyen and Huynh moved in a few years later in 1987. Credit: courtesy image
    Armando’s College Park
    2305 Edgewater Drive, Orlando
    It’s been a mainstay on Edgewater Drive since opening back in April of 2016, but Armando’s in College Park is now closed. A note posted on the door of the Italian restaurant announced the Nov. 3 closure after 10 years of serving the strip engorged with Italian restaurants.
    Credit: image via Armando’s/Facebook





    Chloe Greenberg
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  • Doshi, the modern Korean restaurant in Winter Park, will close at the end of the month

    Doshi, the modern Korean restaurant in Winter Park, will close at the end of the month

    click to enlarge

    photo by Rob Bartlett

    Doshi

    Doshi, the modern Korean restaurant that opened in Winter Park a little more than two years ago, will serve its last cheesy tteokbokki at the end of the month.

    Owner/restaurateur Johnny Tung said the decision to close was based on rising food/labor costs and the economic hurdles the restaurant faced. “It’s a difficult choice, but under the current conditions, we can’t continue operating in this space.”

    The restaurant jumped from Doshibox Korean Kitchen, a ghost kitchen outfit on Curry Ford Road, to elegant Winter Park eating house in the summer of 2022. In my review from November 2022, I said the feat was “the culinary equivalent of dunking from the free-throw line.” But as much as Doshi wanted to be Central Florida’s version of Atomix, Atoboy, Jungsik, Jua and the like, the challenge proved too daunting for the fledgling concept (even though their chicken yakitori meatballs garnered a Best Bites mention that year).

    That said, Tung remarked that he’s planning to search for a new, smaller location for Doshi in the future.

    And as far as Doshi’s space in the Winter Park Whole Foods Plaza, Tung says it’s possible they’ll lease it, but is unsure of the direction. “We first need to close [Doshi] to figure it out.”

    Word is that Top Chef Season 3 winner Hung Huynh is back in town helping to take Mills Market to the next level, but the talented journeyman is also working with Tung on a new restaurant concept. Not that I’m planting any ideas for that Winter Park space or anything …

    A hard closing date for Doshi hasn’t been announced, but Tung says it will be “around the end of the month.”

    The restaurant welcomes guests to celebrate their journey in these final days. Reservations can be made on Resy. And be sure to follow @DoshiOrlando on Instagram for updates.

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    Faiyaz Kara

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  • Kappy’s Subs to close this week

    Kappy’s Subs to close this week

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    Longtime Maitland staple Kappy’s Subs will close its doors this week after nearly six decades of service.

    Opened in 1967 and owned by the Caplan family since 1972, Kappy’s is known for slinging sandwiches out of its metal diner trailer at 501 N. Orlando Ave. Recently, they added a location in Exploria Stadium and a food truck for special events.

    The Caplan family bought the restaurant in 1967 before their daughter, Rachel, took over and later appointed her son Adam Milsom general manger and chef.

    The restaurant’s closing came in a social media announcement made by Milsom late Monday.

    Milsom said they had tried to purchase the property, but the owners sold to someone else. At that point, “Unfortunately, after great effort, we were unable to get to terms with the party acquiring the location,” Milsom wrote.

    Kappy’s will close Saturday, Sept. 14, at 4 p.m.

    “It has been an absolute honor for me and my family to serve this community for the past 52 years,” he wrote.

    Milsom says closing Kappy’s is the hardest thing he’s ever had to do.

    “We will be open until we run out of food or Saturday at the latest and we will endeavor to serve as many of you as possible. We want to be remembered as people who did our best until the very end,” Milsom wrote.

    In another social media post expressing gratitude for the uptick in business Monday evening, Milsom said the Kappy’s team is open to seeing what they can do after the restaurant is closed, but they will need some time to do so.

    Kappy’s will be open from 10:30 a.m. until prepped food is sold out through its last day of service.

    “We’re going to have to make some operational changes to serve the massive increase in volume. This is a great problem to have and we love all of you,” the post reads.

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  • Matts Heafy and Hinckley close Boxer + Clover — for now, Rise Southern Biscuits + Righteous Chicken opens downtown Orlando location, Garp + Fuss reopens in Winter Park

    Matts Heafy and Hinckley close Boxer + Clover — for now, Rise Southern Biscuits + Righteous Chicken opens downtown Orlando location, Garp + Fuss reopens in Winter Park

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    Photo via garpandfuss.com

    OPENINGS & CLOSINGS:

    Garp & Fuss, the fetching Winter Park restaurant and bar that closed back in March, has reopened under new ownership at 348 N. Park Ave. … Frank’s Pizza, from the original owners of Antonella’s Pizzeria on Fairbanks Avenue in Winter Park, has opened at 7591 University Blvd. … Boxer & Clover’s six-month run at East End Market has come to an end. Owners Matt Hinckley and Matt Heafy are actively searching for a space in Audubon Park, Mills 50 or the Milk District for a brick-and-mortar iteration of the popular BBQ joint … The owners of Isan Zaap have signed a lease on the old City Pub space at 861 N. Orange Ave. in the North Quarter. No word as to what concept they’ll open or when … Look for Alfie’s HiFi, a vinyl listening bar with a ’70s vibe courtesy of Team Market Group, to open in early October in the old St. Matthews’s Tavern space at 1300 N. Mills Ave. You’ll have to wait on those disco fries, as food won’t be served when they open, but may be offered as they grow into the space … Sixty Vines, the NoCal-inspired restaurant known for its extensive wine-on-tap options, has opened its second area location in Dr. Phillips at 7760 W. Sand Lake Road … Press Waffle Co., a Shark Tank-approved Belgian waffle concept, will open inside Oviedo’s Food Factory some time next month … Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken has opened a location downtown at 355 N. Rosalind Ave. on the ground floor of Radius Apartments … Ocean Buffet, an 8,800-square-foot seafood buffet concept from the owners of Natsu Omakase, will open next to Floor & Decor at the Fashion Square Mall. No word on when it will open.

    NEWS & EVENTS:

    Qahwah Con Leche, a pop-up experience fusing Latin and Arab culture, beats and beans by Puerto Rican artist El Bles and Syrian-American producer Thanks Joey, will take over El Donut Shoppe on the corner of East Colonial Drive and North Orange Avenue Sept. 14 and 15. Visit @qahwahconleche on Instagram for details … After 28 years as chef de cave at Dom Perignon, famed winemaker Richard Geoffroy has set his sights on sake and, on Sept. 15, he and chef Ryan Ratino will present a six-course tasting menu with pairings from Geoffroy’s IWA Sake at Ômo by Jônt. Cost is $395.

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    Faiyaz Kara

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  • Coffee shop and community hub Downtown Credo to close North Quarter location

    Coffee shop and community hub Downtown Credo to close North Quarter location

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    Photo via Downtown Credo/Facebook

    Downtown Credo will close its last remaining location in Orlando’s North Quarter Aug. 25, owner Nathan Fields announced in an emotional Instagram video this week.

    “We’ve always been more than just a company,” said Fields, a longtime Credo worker who bought the small-batch coffee roasting business with his wife in January. “Credo is a movement of people who actively choose to build substance of lives by pursuing meaning and impact through community.”

    But movement can’t run on ideas alone, Fields said. Shortly after he took over as owner, the building’s landlord issued a non-renewal notice. Negotiation attempts proved unsuccessful.

    The first Credo shop opened in College Park in 2011. It quickly gained traction as a community gathering spot by hosting events like trash clean-ups, poetry readings and permaculture workshops.

    Credo eventually opened two more Central Florida locations in AdventHealth and the North Quarter. But its expansion didn’t last long. The College Park location closed in May 2020, followed by its AdventHealth location in July 2023.

    Although Credo’s last physical location is now closing, Fields said the company will not “disappear.” He encouraged patrons to order its bagged coffee, available in whole bean, french press, drip and espresso grinds, online while he searches for a new café location.

    “Our work goes on,” Fields said. “We know our city values the work we do and the coffee we serve and roast.”

    Widely known for its pay-what-you-want model, Credo introduced prices to its menu in February after Fields took charge. Since then, staff salaries have grown an average of 47%, Fields said in the video.

    Fields also highlighted Credo’s social activism accomplishments. He has hosted Pulse Nightclub shooting survivors to speak about ongoing trauma and political exploitation; a group of U.S. veterans in need of services; and a state representative to speak with constituents, all in the past year, he said.

    Credo also partners regularly with local activism organizations Florida Palestine Network and People’s Free Kitchen, working with the latter to supply over 4,700 meals to people suffering from homelessness in Orlando.

    People’s Free Kitchen is now looking for a new location to host its cooking events, where it prepares and packages meals to be served to the local homeless population.

    “Despite the challenges capitalism throws our way, we maintain our revolutionary optimism to find solutions,” the program shared on social media.

    Local leaders including Orlando Rep. Anna Eskamani expressed sympathies to Credo on Instagram.

    “This is so frustrating to hear; Credo has always been such a staple in Orlando,” Eskamani wrote. “I know you will find an even better place to land soon and if our office can be of any assistance, just let us know.”

    Credo shared its North Quarter space, located at the base of NORA Apartments, with Zeppelin Books. The independent bookstore posted to its website an announcement saying it will host pop-ups while searching for its own space.

    “Zeppelin Books has been one of the best journeys of our lives,” the announcement reads. “However, all journeys must come to an end and for now, we do not have a brick and mortar shop. We hope to see you again in our own space in the future!” Fields said he is planning a goodbye party before the store’s last day later this month. In the meantime, Credo’s social media is still promoting its culinary offerings.

    “This Sunday. Is the final vegan biscuit Sunday in Credo nation history,” it said on an Instagram story this week. “There is exactly one valid excuse for missing it and that’s not being a part of the living world.”


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    Zoey W. Thomas

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  • Hamburger Mary’s to close downtown location, looks to relocate

    Hamburger Mary’s to close downtown location, looks to relocate

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    After nearly two decades in downtown Orlando, storied LGBTQ+-owned restaurant Hamburger Mary’s will close its doors and look for a new location.

    Owner John Paonessa announced on Facebook Wednesday evening the last day of operation for the 110 W. Church St. location will be Sunday, June 2.

    Paonessa says times have changed and points to a decrease in evening business at the location. Hamburger Mary’s plans to reopen in a different location, although a new location has yet to be announced.

    “We are in negotiations/talks with a couple of venues that we feel will be an excellent fit for our brand. However, if anyone knows of a space that you think looks like a good fit for Marys, we are all ears,” the post reads.

    Earlier this month, the City of Orlando began limiting nighttime access to parking garages in the downtown core. Business owners and nightlife workers took to social media to express dismay.

    First opened in 2008, Hamburger Mary’s downtown Orlando location has served as a community hub for drag and live entertainment, known for its drag brunch and drag bingo events.

    Last year, the restaurant sued the state of Florida over a new law that contained penalties for venues that host any type of “adult live performance” with children under 18 present. The law was widely interpreted as a way for the state to punish and restrict venues that host drag events. The lawsuit resulted in a block on the law statewide.

    “This bill has nothing to do with children, and everything to do with the continued oppression of the LGBTQ+ community,” Hamburger Mary’s co-owner John Paonessa wrote in a statement on the restaurant’s Facebook page after the lawsuit was filed in 2023.

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    Chloe Greenberg

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  • Orlando openings and closings: I-Drive gets Tom’s Watch Bar, Dancing Yeti brings Nepalese cuisine, Grazie Modern Italian Kitchen heads to Audubon Park and more

    Orlando openings and closings: I-Drive gets Tom’s Watch Bar, Dancing Yeti brings Nepalese cuisine, Grazie Modern Italian Kitchen heads to Audubon Park and more

    click to enlarge

    Photo via Tom’s Watch Bar/Facebook

    Dancing Yeti, a restaurant specializing in Nepalese and Indian cuisine, will open somewhere in the city. Not much is being revealed about the eatery other than it will open “soon,” so follow them on Instagram @dancingyetiorlando for updates … Tom’s Watch Bar, the 11,000-square-foot, boob-tube-heavy behemoth by Smashburger founder Tom Ryan, will open “mid-May” on the top floor of the Hollywood Plaza Garage entertainment complex at 8050 International Drive. Tom’s will feature 150-plus hi-res screens, 360-degree views of Orlando from its rooftop, virtual golf bays and a menu of elevated (see what I did there?) bar food …

    Look for Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream to open in the old 407 Gelato space at 120 Independence Lane inside Maitland City Centre in late May … Grazie Modern Italian Kitchen, the new concept by Nazih Sebaali (Cafe Annie, Meza Mediterranean Grill) will open in early May in the old Bem Bom space at 3101 Corrine Drive in Audubon Park. Expect a menu of “Italian classics with a modern touch” … Brazilian steakhouse Divina Carne will open May 17 in the 8,000-square-foot TGI Fridays space at 6424 Carrier Drive near I-Drive … Mango Fresh, the Latin-inspired juice, sandwich and salad bar, has opened a location downtown at 361 N. Rosalind Ave. next to the Drake. They also offer a mango biche made from mango noodles and mango chunks with a host of toppings like Chamoy, Tajín, condensed milk, salt, vinegar, chocolate drizzle and more …

    Quantum Leap Winery will vacate its space on Wilfred Drive in Mills 50 at the end of the month after 12 years in operation. They’re still finalizing plans for a long-term home, but will move into a “nearby interim location,” which they’ll announce next week … Tijuana Flats, the Tex-Mex chain founded by Brian Wheeler back in 1995, was acquired by new ownership group Flatheads, LLC, who subsequently closed 11 of its 65 company-owned locations, including the original Tijuana Flats at 7608 University Blvd. near Goldenrod Road, and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

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    Faiyaz Kara

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