Looking for new date night ideas you can enjoy on and around Park Avenue? We’ve got eight! This walkable and refined stretch of Winter Park has it all for lovebirds: brick-lined streets, romantic restaurants with outdoor patios, unique experiences, museums, and so much more. Here’s what’s new on Park Avenue:
Boca Girls' Night + Burger and Beer Mondays
Boca Winter Park recently announced two fun weekly specials: a new girls’ night out and Burger and Beer Mondays. Every Thursday at the bar beginning at 5pm, ladies can enjoy $3 wine and champagne, $5 flatbreads and $5 fried green tomatoes. There’s also a $5 cocktail menu featuring three specialty drinks. Another new addition, Burger and Beer Mondays is a weekly $9 burger and beer pairing special available all day. The current special is Boca’s OMG Burger paired with a pint of Intuition Ale Works Jon Boat Coastal Ale.
Proper & Wild
The latest brainchild of Chelsie and Jamie Savage of The Sanctum, Proper & Wild brings upscale plant-based fare to Winter Park. The new restaurant is located just a few steps off Park Avenue on Morse Blvd. The scratch kitchen serves up favorites like heartcakes (made with heart of palm), a proper burger and a wild burger, beet tartare, and one of our personal favorites—chickpea fries. Proper & Wild is open for breakfast on weekdays, lunch beginning at 11am, dinner Wednesday-Sunday, and brunch.
Winter Park Walking Tours
Mandy Longo founded Mosquito County Tours as a way to give back to her Audubon Park Main Street District neighborhood. She now leads tourgoers on local adventures all throughout the city. From brunching in Audubon Park to cocktail crawling through downtown Orlando and learning the history of Lake Eola Park, there are nearly a dozen experiences to enjoy. In Winter Park, hop on the 4-hour Explore Winter Park marathon tour highlighting the best of the area. You’ll take a historic walking tour, go on the scenic boat tour, tour a museum and history center and feast at a local eatery for lunch.
Mandy also recently announced the Mister Rogers Neighborhood tour. The 2-hour walking tour, which launches on Mister Rogers’ birthday (March 20), includes history and visits to various landmarks. You’ll even get to see Mister Rogers' famous shoes and a sweater worn on the show.
Sushi Pop
Chef Chau Trinh and team have been serving up delightful sushi and Japanese eats in Oviedo at Sushi Pop for years, and devotees from Orlando have been making the trek accordingly. Now, the restaurant has opened a second location in Winter Park, just around the corner from Park Avenue on Lyman Ave. The Winter Park location has plenty of new and exclusive menu items as well as a weekly happy hour on Tuesday-Thursdays and Sundays from 4-6pm.
Free Friday nights back at the Morse Museum
The Morse Museum has been a staple of Park Avenue for years. But, come November of each year, the museum reintroduces its Friday Nights at the Morse program, offering all visitors free admission from 4-8pm every Friday night from November-April. The experience is further enhanced with the addition of live music for the spring (March 22, March 29, April 5, April 12, April 19, and April 28) and on Holiday Friday Nights (typically mid-November to after Christmas). Admission includes access to the impressive collection of Louis Comfort Tiffany glass and American art. There is also live music and guided tours on select evenings.
COMING SOON
Bovine Steakhouse
Occupying the former home of Park Plaza Gardens, Bovine Steakhouse is the latest concept from the owners of 310 Restaurants (Orlando, Winter Park and Lake Nona) and blu on the avenue. High-quality meats and local produce will be the stars of the menu. The restaurant is currently aiming to open in mid-2019.
Imperial Wine Bar
Park Avenue is already one of our favorite locales for a wine and dine date. Soon, wine lovers will have another option when Imperial Wine Bar opens its third location just steps from Park Avenue. The wine bar will be located on Morse Blvd across the street from Proper & Wild. Like the existing Ivanhoe and Sanford locations, the Winter Park spot will be a furniture store by day and wine bar by night. An opening date has not been announced.
Financier Patisserie
Love French pastries? Then you’re in luck. Back in December, Orlando Sentinel shared that NYC-based French bakery Financier Patisserie will be opening a new location in Winter Park. Croissant lovers can look forward to another option for French goodies on the Avenue. An official opening date hasn’t been announced.
Feature image credit: Mosquito County Tours