🍽 Part two of Orlando's biggest restaurant openings and most heartbreaking closings of 2021

Plus, Pulptown readers share their bright spots of 2021.

By Katie Johnston

Welcome to Wednesday, Orlando.

Well, we’re here: the final Pulptown newsletter of 2021. It’s been a long, strange, winding road up to this point, but it feels good to still be here and sharing the magic of this city with you, our wonderful readers who keep this newsletter going.

Today’s edition is all about closing things out on a cheerful note, which is why the spotlight is on you, our awesome audience. We asked you to share your bright spots of the year with us, the special things that stood out to you among the strangeness of 2021. Your responses have left me smitten. 💘

But before we get to the feel-good, we’ve still got to wrap up Tuesday’s roundup of Orlando's biggest restaurant openings and most heartbreaking closings of the year. So without further ado… 

🍽 Psst… Did you eat yet? 

In yesterday’s newsletter we shared 28 of Orlando's biggest restaurant openings that happened in the first half of the year, and today we’re sharing 27 more rockstars that opened in the latter half, listed in order of appearance (i.e. by opening date).👇

July

🍕 Buttercrust Pizza opened in the South Orange community near Edgewood in the heat of summer and specializes in square buttercrust slices of ‘za. The pepperoni pinwheels are a nice touch too! 

🍕 Brad’s Underground Pizza took the Orlando Foodie Forum Facebook group by storm this year. The pandemic popular pop-up pizza purveyor secured a brick-and-mortar in Curry Ford West in early July. 

August 

🍻 Gatlin Hall Brewing helped further put the Fort Gatlin plaza on the map for good eats when it debuted next door to Buttercrust and The Porch. The brewery/food hall is home to Da Kine Poke, Frenchy’s Woodfired Pizza, Willy’s Original Burgers, and a slew of craft beers.

🧁 SugarDough Bakehouse is the sister concept to Light on the Sugar, another equally popular bakery, and like its sister, often has a line out the door for its sweet treats. Light on the Sugar also opened a second Winter Park location earlier this month. 

🍕Ziggie’s Pizza opened its doors in August in its predecessor’s (Perla’s Pizza) space beside Thirsty Topher in Ivanhoe, keeping a familiar face at the helm. Perla’s was hot from the start but Ziggie’s hasn’t missed a beat since co-owner Christian Ziegler and his brother Floyd took over the concept.  

🐟 Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips opened in ICON Park and is the first Florida restaurant from the famous chef. It was recently voted as one of the best places to order fish and chips in the U.S. 

September  

🚀 Space 220 takes you 220 miles above the earth’s surface for panoramic views and interstellar dishes. You’ve just got to travel to Disney to check it out. 

🛍 Marketplace at Avalon Park is one of many trendy food halls that opened across Central Florida in 2021 and offers nine eateries, indoor and outdoor seating, live entertainment, a general store, and a gathering kitchen.

October

🍽 Milkhouse is a food hall(ish) that opened in the Milk District in October across from Sideward Brewing and adjacent to MX Tacos. There you’ll find Foxtail Coffee, the Courtesy, Bagel Bruno, The Ravenous Pig Brewing Co., and Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream. 

🐓 Itsa Chicken! Is a hot new chicken sandwich and fries concept that opened on the side of Whiskey Lou’s in the Milk District, right by Milkhouse and across from Sideward. 

🍷 Pour Choice Taphouse boasts 50 taps of beers, cider, sake, seltzer, and wine and is new to the Mills 50 neighborhood. 

November 

🍸 The Neighbors is a neighborhood store and cocktail lounge located on the 2nd floor of @eastendmkt and is home to @camille.orl,  a French-Vietnamese, multi-course tasting menu at an 8- seat Chef’s table. Shop for local goods while drinking fun cocktails, enjoying live music, good food, and community. 

🍽 The Hall on the Yard finally made its debut in Ivanhoe Village in November and features nine food tenants, three cocktail bars, and an impressive interior. 

🌭 Uncle Dendog’s is a food truck operation that pops up around town at places like Orlando Brewing, Wally’s Liquor, and Whippoorwill. It specializes in Korean-style hot dogs and globally inspired street food. 

December 

🍗 Chicken Guy! Is shaking things up in the former Winter Park Steak ‘n Shake as of Dec. 2, further solidifying that part of Orlando Ave as either the Chicken Strip or the Cock Block with all of its fried chicken offerings. 

🐓 Jam Hot Chicken is another chicken joint, this one much more local. The pop-up gained popularity during the pandemic before taking over the Sausage Shack in Hannibal Square earlier this month.  

🍻 Sloppy Joe’s has long been a household name in Key West and hopes to become one here in Orlando too now that it’s open in ICON Park.  

🍻 Gnarly Barley, a local’s favorite for good beer and tasty sammies, made the move from South Orlando earlier this year to Ivanhoe and officially opened to the public earlier this month in its new location on the corner of Orange Ave and Virginia Drive.  

Curious about what else opened this year, like Black Rooster Taqueria and Hunger Street Tacos second locations, The 808 in Thornton Park, Phat Ash Bakes'in Mills 50, North Italia in Dr. Phillips, Sickie’s Garage in Kissimmee, Frosty Fox in Baldwin Park, Deadwords Brewing in Parramore, or bb.q Chicken in Mills 50? We’ve got the full scoop waiting for ya here. 

📣 You said it