Ava MediterrAegean, Gordon Ramsay among 11 new restaurants to reveal Orlando opening plans

The calls haven’t slowed down for Taylor Coan since January.

During the past four months, the director of leasing at Orlando-based developer Unicorp National Developments Inc. has heard more from out-of-town restaurants wanting to be here than at any point she’s worked in Central Florida. “My phone has not stopped ringing.” Indeed, at least 11 new-to-Orlando restaurants or restaurant concepts have revealed plans to open in Central Florida already this year, as the region’s rapid growth is attracting these companies. In fact, the region added 60,000 residents in 2020, making the Orlando area one of the top growth markets in the U.S.

Click through the slideshow below to learn more about new eateries headed to town.

Many of the new concepts are looking for space in Orlando’s tourism corridor where they’re betting conventioneers and vacationers will be hungry for their business.

Unicorp itself is developing its $1 billion mixed-use project O-Town West near Daryl Carter Parkway and Interstate 4 near Walt Disney World. That’s where several out-of-town restaurants have already planted their flag, including Portillo’s and White Castle.

Meanwhile, across the interstate, high-end bowling and eatery concept Pinstripes plans to open at the Vineland Pointe shopping center in a roughly 28,000-square-foot space.

That said, new restaurants also are flocking to Orlando’s desirable residential neighborhoods, including Hamlin, Winter Park and Lake Nona.

Orlando’s retail market features a 4.6% average vacancy rate and an average rental rate of $23.25 per square foot, CoStar Group reported. “The metropolitan area entered the pandemic on solid footing and was one of the strongest retail markets in the nation, which appears to have allowed Orlando retail a sense of resiliency,” according to the report.