New places to eat in the area is great news for the thousands of restaurant workers who lost their jobs last year due to the economic impact of Covid-19. Metro Orlando alone lost more than 19,000 food service jobs from February 2020 to February 2021, according to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity's most recent stats and an estimated10,000+ restaurants in Florida have closed, according to the state restaurant trade group.

A Dallas-based restaurant chain with a focus on chicken plans to enter the Florida market with several Orlando locations. Cowboy Chicken will open four local eateries in 2021 and 2022. 

Locations haven't been 100% chosen yet but they are looking in Altamonte Springs, Kissimmee, the Waterford Lakes/Oviedo area and Winter Park. They are targeting to begin opening this August or September with the hopes of opening four locations with each location hiring roughly 35 employees.

Cowboy Chicken's menu includes rotisserie chicken, enchiladas and wings, along with sandwiches and bowls. Its sides include twice baked potatoes, Mexican street corn and corn fritters, and will feature a drive thru. 

The restaurant chain has 17 locations listed on its website, including in Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma and Louisiana.

Looking for something fancier? Well get ready for the Nashville owned restaurants The Chef and I and Pasion to make it's way to the area. Both restaurants are slated to debut in just a few months at the chef-driven food hall called, The Hall on The Yard in Ivanhoe Village! 

The Chef & I Nashville serves brunch items such as pan-roasted crispy duck and waffles, dinner options such as farm-raised elk tenderloin Charcuterie, desserts such as orange almond butter cake, as well as appetizers, cocktails and wine.

Meanwhile, Pasion will offer what is described as modernized Mexican, Puerto Rican and Cuban fare. The founders often travel through Latin America, where the project was born.

The Chef & I Nashville recently was named one of the “Top 100 Restaurants in the Country” by Yelp. It has been ranked in Trip Advisor’s “Top 5” Nashville Eateries for the last two years. The restaurant also was a winner in the Nashville Business Journal’s Best in Business Awards 2020.

WE CAN'T WAIT TO SUPPORT THESE NEW BUSINESSES AND TRY SOME NEW FOOD! Plus we are so excited for the job opportunities this will bring back to the Orlando area for our service industry workers.