It’s been an “all-out war” at the Great Southern Box Company Food Hall in recent weeks as developers and vendors prepare for a soft opening this weekend in Orlando’s Packing District.
The food hall, at 2105 N. Orange Blossom Trail, will open to the public on Friday, with nine of its 11 vendor spots serving up everything from chicken shawarma to picanha steak, Oreo cheesecake brownies and the best Neapolitan pizza in Orlando.
Paul Jacques, chef and owner of Antica Wood Fired Pizza, spent the better part of a week curing his new pizza oven and proofing his dough before baking his first four pies. “And they all had great results,” he said.
The centerpiece bar at the Great Southern Box Co. food hall in the Packing District is seen during a preview tour on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. The revamped 13,000-square-foot eatery has a soft opening this weekend. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
As a two-time Foodie Award winner, Antica sets high standards for itself. Needless to say, Dr. Phillips Charities CEO Ken Robinson will tell you this is “probably one of the best pizza places you’ll find anywhere” when asked. He personally invited Jacques and his partner Kevin Turner to the food hall.
“I’d like to think it took a lot of persuasion, but this property sells itself,” Robinson said. “So when people come and see it, they understand the vision. They understand Dr. Phillips’ commitment to the vision, and they buy in right away. And we’re excited to get all of them.”
As master developer of the 202-acre Packing District, Robinson worked closely with chef Akhtar Nawab and his group, Hospitality HQ (HHQ), to curate a variety of vendors serving menus highlighting a fusion of American and immigrant cuisines.
Managing chef Akhtar Nawab talks with Connie and Thiago Lisboa of Braza Brazilian at Great Southern Box’s food hall during a preview tour on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. The renovated 13,000-square-foot dining facility will have a soft opening this weekend. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Some vendors, like Kabob2Go, are new to the market but have a successful track record in food halls elsewhere: The Mediterranean restaurant serves kebabs, shawarma, falafel and baba ghanouji made with spices imported from Lebanon.
“We’ve been preparing for the past two weeks,” says chef Ahmad El-Sheikh. “Everything is ready. Now we just have to wait for our customers. We’re very excited to be in Orlando.”
The likes of A Lo Cubano and BrazaOrlando operate food trucks here in town and have loyal customers.
“This is our first brick-and-mortar restaurant,” said Braza owner Connie Lisboa. She and her husband immigrated from Rio de Janeiro and brought their love of barbecue and the Brazilian grill, which gives steaks that extra char, to Orlando.
Connie and Tiago Lisboa of Braza Orlando imported a grill from Brazil to perfectly sear their signature picanha steaks at their Great Southern Box Co. food hall, which opens May 24, 2024. (Joe Burbank / Orlando Sentinel)
Coxinha (Brazilian chicken croquettes) is the most popular appetizer at Braza Orlando, which opens this weekend at the Great Southern Box Company food hall. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Long-time restaurant owner Noreen Allen has put new spins on Jamaican classics like jerk chicken and oxtail stew, offering “build-your-own bowl” stalls at her Kayos Jamaican Grill stall. We have introduced a new fast-casual menu called “Let’s make something new.”
“So you can choose between rice and beans, choose white rice or yellow rice or quinoa, and choose your protein,” she said. “You can have steak, you can have oxtail, you can have chicken. There are vegan options as well.”
Other vendors include:
Dancing Yeti: A Nepalese/Indian concept from chef Rajesh Pathack featuring Himalayan bowls, sandwiches and stuffed dumplings known as momos. Eighty Twenty: A new burger concept from Nona Street Pizza executive chef Andres Maldonado Fuertes. Raj Express: An Indian restaurant serving traditional curries, housemade cheese and pepper fries.
The food hall features a spacious central bar where visitors can order from any of the concession stands and enjoy beers and craft cocktails. Orange County Brewers is currently building a 3,000-square-foot craft brewery, which is expected to open in about four months.
Cannoli stuffed with buttercream and brownies are some of the specialty desserts at Stacked Brownies Bakehouse at the Great Southern Box Co. food hall, which opens this weekend. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Lake Mary-based Stacked Brownies will gain the only dedicated dessert stand, offering a range of unique baked goods along with soft serve ice cream and milkshakes.
“We’re really going to have fun with our desserts, so it’s not just going to be a scoop and a brownie, it’s going to be so much more,” chef Jason Long said. “People are going to come here and love it. If they want an apple crumble or a slice of peach pie, we’re not just going to have a brownie.”
Dr. Phillips President Ken Robinson stands in front of a Legacy Fruit Box label in the Great Southern Box Company’s food hall during a preview tour on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. The renovated 13,000-square-foot food and drink venue will have a soft opening this weekend. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
For Robinson, this weekend’s opening marks the culmination of a journey that began eight years ago. “So the development took a long time, from the planning stage to the execution of the construction stage,” he said. “And when it comes to the final moments, everyone is giving it their all. It’s chaotic. It’s very exciting. We’re nervous, so we’re opening it up to the community tonight and tomorrow night, and we’re opening it up to the whole community this weekend. I can’t wait until it’s ready to go public.”
But once this week is over, he’ll soon be turning his attention to the next phase of construction in the Packing District. Robinson said Dr. Phillips is just starting to market to its new retail buildings along Princeton Street and Orange Blossom Trail. “So we did our initial marketing to the broker community probably two months ago,” he told GrowthSpotter. “And the response to that has been overwhelming. We’ve already started signing leases there and are excited about the quality of tenants that are coming in. So it’s going to be a real positive for the community. It’s going to help drive traffic to Foxtail and Publix throughout that area. And then our big next project after that is what’s going to happen with the green space out front here. And then our plan is a hotel and office building. That’s going to be our next big step.”
Robinson said the district already has the rights to the hotel and office building, but the development team is considering whether to build two buildings or combine them into one building. Hotel occupants will be treated to a 120-room boutique and limited-service brand aimed at complementing the food hall.
“That’s why we’ve done this together and why we’re intentionally putting a hotel on this corner. There will be event space here. There will be food and beverage service. We’ve already designed the parking garage to accommodate all of the uses,” he said.
Have a tip for development in Central Florida? Contact me at lkinsler@GrowthSpotter.com or (407) 420-6261. Follow GrowthSpotter on Facebook and LinkedIn.
