Pizza Bruno’s second location is unlike the original on Curry Ford Road in one significant way – the pizzas here aren’t Neapolitan but sauce-on-top Jersey-style pies of the highest order. The 16-inch rounds undergo a shorter dough ferment resulting in more browning for a crispier and slightly thicker crust, also on the menu: “snacks and stuff” comprising everything from royal red shrimp with Calabrian garlic butter to mozzarella en carrozza to fritto misto.

Chef Tung Phan’s creative and unconventional spins on Vietnamese dishes, all punctuated with classical French flourishes like espuma of pho, papaya with salmon and nước chấm and Vietnamese coffee-crusted Wagyu with potato pâvé are now presented in a gorgeous, 2,500-square-foot, 30-seat space with all the soothing spa feels. Snag a spot at the 8-seat chef’s counter and indulge in an intimate 10-course experience for $180 ($260 with beverage pairing). 

Bruno Fonseca’s high-end chef’s tasting pop-up concept is now ensconced in a stunning space where the Brazil-born chef and his team of “foreigners” (hailing from France, Syria, and, umm, Philly) present dishes that draw from global influences. The multi-course, prix-fixe menu ($175) places focus on local and luxe ingredients: The foie gras served with a charcoal-banana tartlet, sherry vinegar, coconut Chantilly and port wine caramel being a lush flavor bomb. The intimate space seats ten and offers two seatings for dinner. Beverage pairings range from $80-$150, with a meal-ending coffee service for $20 more.

The dough isn’t rolled in pork fat, but this barbecue-pizza mashup, described as “Italian-ish” by owner Thomas Ward (Pig Floyd’s), brings some fun to the pie-eating experience. Even the snobbiest may grin at a 12-inch round with smoked brisket, pickled onions, smoked mozzarella, cheddar, and grape jelly barbecue sauce. The sourdough crust, along with sauce fashioned from Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes and liberal use of Grande cheese, are proof positive Pigzza is out to impress. Pastas, like pulled pork pappardelle, get playful as well. The stylish 70-seater with a 40-seat patio and bar offers a full liquor program and some decent wines from the old country.

The “upscale social lounge” is the latest in a line of food and beverage outlets transforming the strip along E. Colonial Drive between Mills and Shine Avenues. “Flamboyant,” “devious,” and “spirit-forward” are categories of cocktails served here but could easily describe the vibe at The Moderne. Asian-inspired small plates of note include five-spice beef kushiyaki, miso cream pasta with grilled chashu, and Japanese poutine with curry gravy. Interesting note: The same architectural/design firm was behind the builds of neighbors Haan Coffee, Sampaguita Ice Cream & Desserts, Mamak, as well as Tori Tori around the corner on Mills Avenue.

This hotly anticipated Filipino concept by Kadence founding partners Lordfer Lalicon and Jamilyn Bailey lives up to the hype with its nostalgia-steeped interior and deeply personal dishes that veer less toward fried and porky fare and more toward seafood and vegetables. It’s “casual fine dining” at its finest, presented in five “waves” fusing mostly Florida ingredients with familial Filipino recipes.

Oak-smoked barbecue and hot doughnuts courtesy of Culinary Institute of America grad Ian Russell and wife Juliana Peña give lovers of sweet and meaty eats a playground to scarf in. Armed with one of the largest smokers in Orlando, S&D fires smoked meats and made-to-order cake doughnuts, the chopped brisket on a doughnut with vanilla and sea salt glaze effectively fusing the two. The create-your-own doughnut option is dangerously alluring. A full bar serves specialty cocktails as well.

The Flushing, NY import has expanded to metropolitan areas with large Asian populations where patrons come for chuan’r (pronounced ‘chwar’), the Chinese equivalent of yakitori and kushiyaki originated by the Uyghurs in Xinjiang. More than 50 different skewers are offered, the most notable of which are the Xianjiang special lamb and Mongolian beef. Don’t pass on gizzards, squid tentacles, crown daisy, and, yes, lamb testicles. Beyond skewers, Friendship’s vast menu highlights include grilled fish (whole grilled tilapia swimming in a broth of chilies, tofu, and sprouts) and lamb soup.

Chef Chris Hernandez applies a skilled and technical approach to crafting his Latin-influenced smash burgers; that focus pays off. His proprietary blend of beef is sizzled in mustard and American wagyu beef tallow from Snake River Farms, lending patties a tangy, crispy edge. They’re smashed with thinly shaved onions and topped with American cheese, of course, but the burger fillings set Papi’s apart. Everything from caramelized bananas and sweet plantains to mojo pork and chimichurri can be shoved between a Martin’s potato bun. Shakes can be made boozy too.

After a three-and-a-half-year hiatus, Norman’s is back in a new space with a new look and, thankfully, some old faces, most notably chef de cuisine Carlos Robles Molina and, naturally, legendary Florida chef Norman Van Aken. The menu’s original Latin-Caribbean DNA is still intact, even in its third incarnation, though flavors from Japan and Southeast Asia add to Van Aken’s “New World” bent. The wine list is just as stellar as it was before and a recently launched tasting menu should please the restaurant’s most avid patrons.