Specialty Coffee Bar Coming to Orlando’s Historic Thornton Park

ORLANDO, FL — Koffee Sutra is planning to open at 707 E. Washington St., Orlando, FL 32801, inside the historic Veranda building in Thornton Park. The concept is co-owned by Ravi Gandi and Alexan Lima, with Elina Broniszewski serving as general manager.

The project will bring a specialty coffee bar, education-driven programming, and evening events into one of Thornton Park’s older commercial spaces, a building the team intentionally chose for its character and history.

Gandi said the team is targeting an opening in about one month.

What to Expect

Koffee Sutra is a coffee-centered concept focused on preparation methods, education, and global coffee traditions. The name “sutra,” Gandi said, comes from Sanskrit and refers to the passing on of knowledge.

“One of the things we’ve noticed about coffee is that many people have misunderstandings about what makes coffee good,” Gandi told Business Debut. “The idea is to share that knowledge with our guests.”

The concept will also include a bar component and coffee-themed drinks, alongside food.

Menu and Classes

The coffee menu will include standard offerings such as espresso drinks and cold brew, along with brewing methods from different parts of the world. Gandi said the shop will feature Indian filter coffee, a preparation style not commonly seen in the U.S.

“We’ll be hosting classes where we’ll take the same beans and prepare them in different ways and let our guests taste them and compare the different methodologies,” he told Business Debut.

Food offerings will be limited and fast-casual, with inspiration drawn from street food. One featured item will be a Bombay sandwich, a vegetable-based sandwich made with cilantro-mint chutney and Indian spices. Gandi said the menu will rotate while maintaining core items.

Ownership and Background

Gandi is a physician, and Lima is a nurse. The two met more than a decade ago while working together in the operating room at the same hospital.

“We actually initially met in the hospital and worked alongside each other in the operating room,” Gandi told Business Debut.

Gandi said the idea for Koffee Sutra emerged later through conversations about coffee, as well as their respective cultural backgrounds. Gandi is of Indian descent, while Lima is of Cuban descent.

“We said, ‘Let’s see if we can fuse our two ancestries together and create something unique,’” Gandi said.

The Veranda

Koffee Sutra will be located within The Veranda, a property made up of five buildings that are each more than 100 years old. Gandi said the site has historically been used for weddings and social events and includes a central courtyard.

“The Veranda has been a historic event space in Orlando for decades,” he told Business Debut.

The coffee shop itself will have about 30 indoor seats, with additional seating available throughout the Veranda’s shared spaces.

Opening Timeline

Koffee Sutra is targeting an opening in approximately one month.

Hours

Planned hours are:

• 7 a.m.–10 p.m. Monday through Thursday
• 7 a.m.–12 a.m. on Friday
• Saturday hours will be 8 a.m.–12 a.m.
• Sunday hours are still being finalized but are expected to be shorter, likely 9 a.m.–6 p.m.

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