THIS YEAR HAS BEEN A BIG ONE FOR ORLANDO’S RESTAURANT SCENE—from Good Salt Restaurant Group’s Jason and Sue Chin’s finalist nomination for the James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur award to Sorekara’s two MICHELIN stars, making it the second restaurant in Florida to receive the honor. And the city isn’t slowing down anytime soon, as a wave of new openings have rocked Orlando’s food scene. Here are some of Orlando’s most buzzworthy new restaurants that made their debuts this year.

Food and wine offerings from Sparrow. Photo by Roberto Gonzalez.

Sparrow

Meet Sparrow: the tiny wine bar and lounge in downtown Orlando’s North Quarter that packs a big punch. Sparrow is a Good Salt concept that soft opened this May, and at Sparrow’s center is the minds of Chef Wendy Lopez of Reyes Mezcaleria and Good Salt’s Beverage Director Lorena Castro—crafting a menu that is as sophisticated, playful and sultry as the space itself.

“We wanted it to be something fun; someplace where adults can hang out,” says Lopez. “It doesn’t have to be like a weird club or uncomfortable, you know, just something very cozy and wine-heavy.”

Just shy of 2,000 square feet, the ‘70s-inspired space is funky and intimate, decked out with red velvet ropes, checkerboard tiles and carpeted floors, warm glowing lights and a disco ball named Rhonda. The menu features New- and Old-World wines, cocktails, tapas and platos with a traditional Southern European focus, combining Lopez’s Spanish heritage and experience as chef at Tapa Toro with French, Italian and Portuguese influence.

Lopez says she wants to keep the dishes as traditional as possible, focusing on the ingredients and technique itself and bring Madrid and Barcelona to Orlando.

Dishes like the jamon Iberico, arroz negro and Caesar carpaccio take you on a food tour of the Old World. House-made conservas and tin fish make a frequent appearance on the menu as an ode to Lopez’s Portuguese partner, from the pan con tomate with pickled, tangy boquerones (or anchovies) to the tin fish pasta.

But Lopez’s self-proclaimed “showstopper” is the sole meuniere—a French classic of sole with lemon butter and capers and the chef’s personal favorite, which she first learned to prepare and make in culinary school when she was 17.

Although the space is wine-forward, Lopez says she and Castro aimed to offer both wine and cocktails to appeal to wider audiences. Castro’s cocktails are showstoppers, too—especially the tomato gimlet, their most popular cocktail with a dry gin base, the strained tomato juice from the pan con tomate and basil eau de vie.

“She really knows her stuff,” Lopez says of Castro. “To be blessed with someone who has such a great palate, that’s just amazing.”

But wines and spirits aren’t the only drinks served up at Sparrow. Every last Saturday of the month is Afternoon Tea, with seatings at 1 and 3 p.m. A tea lover herself, Lopez says she wanted to incorporate the high tea experience as a way for patrons to treat themselves to something fancy.

“There’s not a lot of places in Orlando that do it, so it feels so special,” Lopez says.

As for Sparrow’s long-term goals as one of the newest third places in the city, Lopez says it’s simple yet “silly”: to stay youthful and fun.

Leiah’s menu is updated regularly depending on what is being harvested locally. ©Jovan Burke/MGX Media

Leiah

Soft opening this March near the North Quarter, Leiah is award-winning Executive Chef Omar Torres’ love letter to his family and an ode to his decades of fine dining experience across Orlando, from the The Ritz-Carlton to the Waldorf Astoria.

Named after his daughter, Leiah has elements of the Torres lineage incorporated into every corner of the restaurant—from the menu to the logo design itself. Leiah’s menu showcases flavors across Italy, Greece, Israel, Egypt, France, Spain, Puerto Rico and the United States, following his family’s migration patterns throughout generations.

“Food evolves with time, and we want to continue the tradition with a new spin as we evolve too,” Torres says. “Leiah Restaurant is a respect to our ancestors while we give a home family experience to our guests, just like our friends and family get when they visit our home.”

Torres intentionally designed the restaurant to bring guests into the comfort of his own home—from the intimacy of the open kitchen to the matching color scheme, countertops, chairs and dinnerware. The menu also changes regularly depending on what is being harvested locally, offering a more personalized experience for patrons.

As for his favorite dishes, Torres said it’s hard to pick when the menu is constantly revolving. However, he does boast of two permanent items: the tortellini and the wagyu pastrami.

Leiah executive chef Omar Torres loves creating edible art, works he constructs specifically for each individual diner. ©Jovan Burke/MGX Media

The tortellini, which he deems “the best in the world even if chef Massimo Bottura [the owner of Osteria Francescana, a three-MICHELIN-star restaurant in Modena, Italy] thinks his are the best,” are handmade with local egg yolk and stuffed with brie, aged fontina and citrus, coated in a parmiggiano reggiano sauce and topped with 40-months-aged parmiggiano reggiano. The wagyu pastrami, on the other hand, comes on a sourdough-ciabatta bread, partnered with pickled onions, mustard and mustard-gouda cheese with a side of handcut fries fried in wagyu tallow.

“There’s no other sandwich like that in Orlando,” Torres adds.

When asked how Torres personally aims to move people through food as someone who considers himself a food and beverage artist, Torres says: “I love art, I love food, and this is my opportunity to create art that’s edible. Think about a masterpiece that has been painted just for you and no one else will have but you. That’s what our dishes are meant to be.”

“You take a photo, enjoy it and then it’s gone forever, but saved in the memories that are being created,” he continues. “I want people to experience food full of flavor as art at the same time they are getting a healthy meal.”

June was inspired by Tulum, Mexico’s open-air dining concepts. Its cuisine is a nod to the flavors found in Mexico City. Photo by Roberto Gonzalez.

June

June soft-opened in early July in Thornton Park and brings a fresh, staycation vibe to Orlando’s Mexican food scene. Founded by the Mawardi brothers at Team Market Group and executed by duo executive chefs Jason Campbell and Nick Grecco, June was inspired by the resorts and open air dining concepts of Tulum.

“We want you to feel like you took a step away out of Orlando and you’re on your own little mini vacation once you step on our patio and come through the doors,” Campbell says.

Initially intended to focus on the flavors of the Yucatan, the restaurant’s focus shifted to highlight Mexico City’s diversity of cuisine and laid-back dining style.

“Mexico City, to me, is the new New York,” Campbell says. “It’s a huge melting pot of different cultures, and the way that Mexico City has really grasped on to the individuals that have moved there and influence each other—from Middle Eastern cooking to Moroccan to French to Japanese—that was kind of inspiring.”

June embodies this diversity in their dishes, using Asian, French and Middle Eastern techniques with traditional Mexican flavors, like the yellowfin tuna crudo.

However, the maiz is the star of the show at June, garnering the establishment its “gluten-conscious” (and seed-oil free) reputation. They receive their masa fresh daily from Joseph Creech and his team at Hunger Street Tacos—who is anticipated to open their wholesale tortilleria and masa production facility Masamor in Casselberry this December—filling the space with that “wonderful” and “warm” fresh-bread aroma. Campbell says that Creech, who also provides masa to other restaurants around the city, reached out first to offer tips, tricks and the masa itself.

“Joseph has been there every step of the way, helping us with what to look for in the flip and when to season,” Campbell said. “Without that product, June would be a little bit different.”

June was inspired by Tulum, Mexico’s open-air dining concepts. Its cuisine is a nod to the flavors found in Mexico City. Photo by Roberto Gonzalez.

But Hunger Street isn’t the only important partnership at June. Campbell and Grecco first met at the original Cask & Larder while Campbell was the sous chef and Grecco was a cook. Although the two went different ways with their careers, Campbell said they stayed in contact the whole time before reconnecting at TMG.

“We just bounce off each other very, very well—we have a lot of experience in different areas that make us a whole,” Campbell said.

Campbell’s favorite dishes are the short rib, equites and the wood fire kobachi with tomato chili butter and a chayote salad and side of fresh tortillas.

“It’s just a really clean, fresh and great interpretation of what we’re doing here at June, from the wood fire to the simple technique to just letting the ingredients shine for what they are,” Campbell says.

On top of their seed oil and gluten consciousness, June appeals to those seeking minimal refined sugars, using agave and pressing their own sugar cane for their cocktail program’s simple syrups.

“We’re just thoughtful about it; we try and make sure we don’t have any cross contamination, and there’s a lot of allergies we’re able to honor, just because we can cook a lot of things to order,” he says.

Campbell adds that he understands the fear and discomfort in dining out with celiac disease or gluten-intolerance and wants guests to feel at home.

“Our staff, our servers, our cooks and chefs have all the knowledge to make sure we’re as conscious as possible,” Campbell says. “It’s just a nice offering to have for our community. I think it really was one of our goals, too: how do we be unique but familiar.”

Making Spirits Bright

Looking to celebrate the holidays with a different kind of spirit? Orlando’s bar and lounge scene provides festive cheer, from themed cocktails to holiday décor that transports any patron to their favorite movies and memories. Here are some of the most merry ways to get your drink on this holiday season.

Mathers Social Gathering

Get transported to an old timey Christmas when you take the elevator up to this vintage-speakeasy in downtown Orlando. The space’s exposed brick and dark wood pillars are draped in warm twinkling lights and reefs, setting the tone for a sophisticated date night with some holiday spirit. The lounge’s mixologists create classic cocktails and modern libations with boutique spirits, seasonal fruit, and house-made cordials, bitters and syrups. mathersorlando.com

The Courtesy

For the holiday season, The Courtesy in Winter Park has transformed into the “Miracle on Orange.” Turning into a fully decorated space with presents hanging from the ceiling and cocktails served in festive mugs, this Instagram-ready space is perfect for both parties and posts. Last year, we couldn’t get enough of the Holiday Spiked Chai, Snowball Old-Fashioned and Hot Buttered Rum. thecourtesybar.com/miraclepopup

The Reindeer Room

Opening last year, this Thornton Park pop-up is owned by the same folks behind The Abbey. Previously decorated for the Halloween season as “The Nightmare Before the Reindeer Room,” the Christmas vibes are making a comeback this season through their immersive holiday experience, from the holiday songs and movies on loop to the “snow flurries” on the patio. If the Sugar Cookie Martini is back on the menu this season, try it! facebook.com/reindeerroomorlando