Downtown Lakeland is always a nice spot for a cozy little diner. With all the energy and growth in this part of town, it sure is the perfect nook for new Downtown Lakeland restaurants.
Personally, I love finding out that there are new restaurants in town. We love going to Downtown Lakeland whether for a quick bite or a romantic dinner since it’s full to capacity with quaint restaurants with a 50s vibe or a picturesque little cafe that serves delectable mini cheesecakes. It’s a town for everyone.
Just this year, some new Downtown Lakeland restaurants opened their doors to Lakeland residents and visitors.
Posto 9 Brazilian Gastro Pub, owned by Brazilian native Marco Franca, is opening in December this year. It will be located at the old Lillian’s Music Store bar building, and will be serving traditional Brazilian fare. Franca is supposedly investing around $2 million for the three-floor restaurant.
The first floor will house the main restaurant and the bar. It will feature Brazilian food–from the appetizers to the seafood to the desserts. The second floor will be where the kitchen is located. It will also be the place for events.
The third floor, on the other hand, will be on a rooftop, which is perfect for date nights.
There’s also the Mojo BBQ restaurant at the old Federal building in Tennessee Avenue. Matt Clark of Broadway Real Estate hopes to see the new restaurant opening by early next year.
Mojo BBQ, based in the Jacksonville area, will be a welcome addition and it’s good to have it in Downtown Lakeland, especially in such a historical building such as the old Federal building.
Both Franca and Clark are working with the city to recruit more Downtown Lakeland restaurants since they believe the city can become a culinary destination like downtown St. Petersburg and Winter Park.
Julie Townsend, the Downtown Development Authority director, is also liking the idea of having new and unique restaurants in town. This is going to be a good investment since the city wants Downtown Lakeland to be a new foodie destination.
Of course, when you’re done trying out these new restaurants, you can still dine in your favorite ones such as Cafe Zuppina, Harry’s Seafood Bar and Grille, The Red Top Pit Stop, and Scarpa’s Italian.
Whether it’s an old or a new restaurant, the downtown area, with its charming personality, is always the best place to hang around in Lakeland.