3 Orange County Restaurants in the Works

Austin’s Coffee — Winter Park

Address: 2240 W. Fairbanks Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789

Status: Opening very soon; targeting before December (timing depends on final approvals). This is a re-opening after the café was forced to vacate its previous West Fairbanks Ave location.

What to expect: Inclusive community hub with live performances, a cozy vibe, ~40 indoor seats, and expanded patio seating beyond the former spot’s capacity.

Vision: Elevated ingredients with budget-friendly hot meals. Expanded vegetarian and vegan options with locally sourced produce.

Hours: Returning to 24/7—open all day and night, seven days a week.

Who’s behind it: Led by president Richard Whitmer with vice director Angela Whitmer and investor Preacher Lawson, a comedian and longtime performer at the original café.

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Terra Modern American — Orlando

Address: 434 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801

Status: Preparing to open; targeting end of March 2026.

What to expect: Full-service restaurant and bar serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. ~50 seats at a central bar and 70+ in the dining room. Located inside Society Living but fully open to the public; geared for downtown residents, courthouse employees, and city traffic.

Menu highlights: Modern American lineup spanning meat, vegan, chicken, and fish. Signature daily burger will be a staple. Two distinct chicken preparations (lunch vs. dinner). Weekday breakfast runs until the end of lunch; separate dinner menu after.

Hours: Tentative—weekdays from 8 a.m.; weekends from 10 a.m.; closing between midnight and 1 a.m. Final hours TBA.

Parking: Dedicated onsite retail parking plus multiple nearby garages, including across from the courthouse.

Who’s behind it: Owner Michael D’Esposito (Thriving Hospitality). Executive chef/partner Ryan Stewart (Universal Orlando; prior roles in the Carolinas including Calfish).

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Sama Restaurant — Winter Park

Address: 1449 Lee Rd, Winter Park, FL 32789

Status: Ground-up three-story build; targeting February 2027, construction-dependent.

What to expect: Two guest-facing levels seating ~160 combined. Ground floor is full-service dining; second floor “Sama Terrace” is bar-driven with small plates and an energetic evening vibe. Third floor for offices and employee areas.

Menu highlights: Downstairs—elevated exploration of regional Indian cuisine drawing from multiple parts of India. Upstairs—world-inspired tapas influenced by Mediterranean, Asian, Mexican, and Japanese flavors with a creative cocktail program.

Hours: TBA. Plan is lunch and dinner downstairs; upstairs dinner-only, roughly 5 p.m.–11 p.m./midnight.

Who’s behind it: Owner Amit Kumar.

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