Waterford Lakes Town Center is gearing up for a big turn in 2026, with Japanese lifestyle retailer MINISO, Mediterranean fast-casual favorite CAVA, and Miami-born Mister O1 Extraordinary Pizza all queued up to join the East Orlando lineup, while Fat Rosie's Taco & Tequila Bar has already flipped the lights on. Together, the newcomers tweak the mix for nearby University of Central Florida students and neighborhood regulars, adding more late-night bites and budget-friendly shopping just a short hop from campus.
New tenants named by local outlets
According to Central Florida Lifestyle Magazine, MINISO is slated to open this summer, CAVA is expected to follow in the summer months, and Mister O1 Extraordinary Pizza is planned for later in 2026. The outlet frames the wave of arrivals as part of a broader push to expand the center’s blend of discount retail and quick-service dining for East Orlando shoppers.
Center listing confirms the lineup
The landlord's directory backs up the chatter. The Waterford Lakes Town Center site lists the new names, with a note that reads "Coming Soon: Cava, Miniso and Fat Rosie's," signaling that leases are either in place or close to finalized. Waterford Lakes Town Center flags MINISO and CAVA as coming soon, pairing value-focused shopping with quick, build-your-own dining concepts. CAVA's menu of bowls, salads and pitas, built around dips like hummus and house sauces, has already found fans in college-adjacent retail corridors, as shown on CAVA.
Fat Rosie's opens its first Florida location
Fat Rosie's Taco & Tequila Bar has moved from teaser to touchdown. The brand held a fiesta-style opening on March 5 in a roughly 6,675-square-foot space at 749 N. Alafaya Trail, marking its first location outside Illinois. Central Florida Lifestyle Magazine covered the debut and highlighted the restaurant's "Fluent in Fiesta" vibe, while industry reporting in FSR detailed opening-day events and the brand’s menu focus.
What the center brings to the neighborhood
Waterford Lakes is already one of Central Florida’s largest open-air lifestyle centers, with more than 100 shops and restaurants spread across roughly 700,000 square feet and drawing a broad regional crowd. Commercial listings outline the center's scale and lineup of anchors, which help explain why national brands are planting flags here. Crexi details the property’s footprint and tenant mix.
Why it matters for UCF and locals
The center sits a short drive from the University of Central Florida campus, making it a natural magnet for quick-service concepts and affordable retailers that play well with student budgets. Local directories and community guides place Waterford Lakes on North Alafaya Trail near SR-408 and emphasize its pull for the UCF area. Arts in Orlando notes the center’s proximity to the university. Industry coverage also indicates that openings like Fat Rosie's are expected to create multiple jobs and boost evening foot traffic in the shopping district, with FSR estimating that the Fat Rosie's location would generate a number of positions locally.
Managers and the brands have not yet announced firm timelines for every storefront, so shoppers will have to keep an eye on retailer updates and the center's tenant page for grand-opening dates. Spot On Florida pulled together the Central Florida Lifestyle reporting on March 9, 2026, for readers who want to see the initial roundup. Spot On Florida highlighted the coverage on March 9, 2026.
