Just Hatched: Winter 2019 Openings Around the State
Debuts to Peruse: brand new restaurants, galleries, shops, resorts and more
NORTH Florida
BLACK BEAR BREAD CO.
Santa Rosa Beach
Chef Phil McDonald and restaurateur Dave Rauschkolb had the shared vision to bring a true artisan bakery to South Walton. The duo opened Black Bear Bread Co. (BBBCo), a neighborhood cafe with fresh-baked goods and coffee, in the Shops of Grayton in 2017. Named for the black bears known to wander behind the bakery kitchen, the all-day eatery makes breads like naturally leavened country sourdough, multigrain sourdough, baguettes, focaccia, bagels, challah, cinnamon rolls and kouign-amann and serves breakfast and lunch. Positive response led to the April 2019 opening of Bar Room next door, with a broader menu, a wine bar and more seating. BBBCo also has a second location in the works, slated to open at the first of the year, at the Hyatt Place Sandestin on Grand Boulevard. blackbearbreadco.com
CYPRESS FLORAL DESIGN
Jacksonville
In September, the floral company Ann Evans once ran out of a private downtown Jacksonville office became the brick-and-mortar shop called Cypress Floral Design. The space on West Adams Street has white walls and a clean-lined industrial look, giving flowers, art and accessories all the attention. Guests can stop in to purchase flowers and gifts every Wednesday, order daily flower deliveries or discuss weddings and events by appointment. “I think downtown Jacksonville is beautiful. It’s rich in history and has a unique mix of architectural styles and businesses, which I love,” Evans says. cypressfloraldesign.com
RIKSHA TACOS
Tallahassee
RikSha Tacos was born out of co-founders Nikhil and Sunil Rajan’s love of Asian street food. The father-son team created a menu based around flavors from Southeast Asia but added a twist by serving their creations in taco shells. The restaurant’s exterior walls feature art by local muralist Sarah Painter. Sunil says the goal of RikSha Tacos is to connect with their guests and start cultural conversations about food by using interesting flavors and simple presentations of Southeast Asian street food. The bright colors of the location and the bold bites are inspired by the Rajans’ own travels and family history. rikshatacos.com
T-DUB’S
Atlantic Beach
Co-owner Tom Weber says guests at his men’s apparel and accessories store in the Beaches Town Center share remarks like “Wow, is this a store for men?” and “It smells really good in here.” Although the quality experience might come as a surprise to first-time visitors, Weber set out with the intention to create a place where men could shop product lines featuring clothing and accessories that are well-suited to the casual beachside vibe in Atlantic Beach. In June, Weber opened T-Dub’s, which carries clothing from Faherty, Billy Reid, Linksoul, Bonobos, johnnie-O and Free Fly Apparel, as well as accessories like leather goods and custom-made oyster and hunting knives. Guests can buy gifts for everyone from brothers to bosses or play shuffleboard and grab drinks at the speakeasy-style bar. tdubsmercantile.com
CENTRAL FLORIDA
THE OLD JAILHOUSE
Sanford
In a historic 1890 building on Palmetto Avenue in downtown Sanford that housed Seminole County’s jail from 1914 to 1959, executive chef Bram Fowler fulfills orders from a seasonal menu inspired by the South. “Sanford is a very cool emerging city with lots of historic charm and great potential economic development,” Fowler says. The Old Jailhouse Kitchen & Spirits opened in February 2019 after nearly two years of preservation and expansion. The 3,600-square-foot establishment includes private rooms for events, a courtyard for dining alfresco and even a dog-friendly indoor/outdoor piazza. theoldjailhousesanford.com
NOBLE MARKET
Tampa
Adriana and Eric Fralick, owners of the popular restaurant Noble Rice in South Tampa, used to get questions all the time from guests who wanted to procure hard-to-find items like fresh wasabi root, wagyu beef and foie gras. Feeling like they’d discovered a gap in the local market for Japanese and gourmet food items, the husband-and-wife duo took over the neighboring space and launched Noble Market this summer. There, culinary nerds can find Japanese-style desserts, ramen noodle kits, fresh vegetables like shishito peppers and matsutake mushrooms, gourmet soy sauces and misos and soon (if permits are approved) premium sake and Japanese craft beer. noblericeco.com
FORBICI MODERN ITALIAN
Tampa
Forbici means “scissors” in English—and it means delicious Roman-style pizza for Tampa. Named for the tool those in the central Italian city use to cut their pies, Forbici Modern Italian recently opened in Hyde Park Village, thanks to partners Jeff Gigante, Jason Brunetti and Joseph Guggino. The kitchen is helmed by executive chef Jason Saldutti, who crafts square and round crisp and airy pizzas using house-made mozzarella and handcrafted dough fermented for 72 hours before being baked. While artisan slices are the star, other menu items to try include pasta dishes, like cacio e pepe, and main plates, like veal parmesan. eatforbici.com
BOXI PARK
Orlando
In the Lake Nona Town Center area just southeast of downtown Orlando sits a cluster of repurposed shipping containers, forming a kid- and dog-friendly outdoor community perfect for grabbing dinner and drinks with friends, family or coworkers. Food concepts like Fowl Play, a fried chicken spot known for its spicy Korean kimchi sandwiches, and The Grill Next Door, a burger joint with vegetarian options, serve up dishes from inside 12 highly sustainable, repurposed shipping containers. A playground for kids, a fenced-in park for dogs and live music Thursdays through Saturdays add to the experience. While Boxi Park is a destination for the community, the space also supports local entrepreneurs by serving as an incubator for new restaurant concepts. boxiparklakenona.com
South Florida
CELEBRATION PARK
Naples
When Rebecca Maddox bought the old Tipsy Seagull on Bayview Drive nearly a decade ago, the locals laughed. But now, the retired financial consultant, author and entrepreneur is the one smiling. Maddox opened Three60 Market, a waterfront restaurant where boaters can dock and dine, in the gentrified area known today as the Bayshore Arts District. She added to the plan by buying the land across the water a few years later and calling it Celebration Park, an alfresco bar and food truck lot. With eight rotating vendors, like Cousin’s Maine Lobster and Nawty Hogg BBQ, the causal cuisine collection is a local favorite spot for watching the game or grabbing brunch with friends. celebrationparknaples.com
HIVE FOR HER, HIVE FOR HIM AND HIVE FOR KIDS
West Palm Beach
Palm Beachers know the Hive brand well. Designer Sara McCann opened her first store, Hive Home, Gift & Garden, more than six years ago. The popular shopping destination for decor and high-end furniture, as well as women’s clothing, accessories, baby gifts and more, has spun off into three separate but equally stylish lifestyle boutiques dedicated to men’s, women’s and kids apparel. The three shops sit side-by-side in the historic Gatsby building on South Dixie Highway, right around the corner from Hive’s flagship store, which now focuses solely on home goods and furniture. hivepalmbeach.com
THE DALMAR
Fort Lauderdale
Until last spring, overnight stays in Fort Lauderdale were limited to beachside hotels, far from the city’s iconic Las Olas Boulevard and downtown. Plenty of guests likely never ventured beyond the beach and thought of Fort Lauderdale as just another coastal town for sipping premade margarita mixes in the sun and shopping at kitschy souvenir shops. But finally, The Dalmar Fort Lauderdale, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, opened in the heart of the city. The hotel boasts midcentury modern-inspired guest rooms, a yoga studio, pool deck and five dining options, including Sparrow, the highest rooftop bar in the city, set on the 25th floor. thedalmar.com
EL ESPACIO 23
Miami
In Allapattah, close to Wynwood, Miami, Jorge M. Pérez has launched his latest passion project. The philanthropist, entrepreneur and contemporary art collector purchased El Espacio 23, a storage-space-turned-studio with 30-foot ceilings, to accommodate his monumental pieces of art. At first, the venue was used as an “extended living room” for gatherings with friends and family. But Pérez decided to expand the concept, making it part museum and part community center, by displaying his inventory in a meaningful way and hosting artists in residence. El Espacio 23’s inaugural exhibition, Time for Change: Art and Social Unrest in the Jorge M. Pérez Collection, features close to 100 works by artists from around the world. elespacio23.com
