Winter Park’s MICHELIN-recognized Italian spot Prato is packing up its wood-fired swagger and heading north. The Park Avenue favorite is slated to land at Bethesda Row this fall, with a second outpost planned for Nashville in early 2027.
Plans And Timeline
In a press release, Park Lights Hospitality, Prato’s parent company, announced that Bethesda Row will be the brand’s first venture outside Florida, followed by a Nashville opening in early 2027. As reported by ClickOrlando, management says the Bethesda location is expected “this fall,” although a specific date has not yet been shared.
What Park Lights Is Promising
“We’ll open in Nashville in early 2027, and we’re negotiating deals right now in other major markets,” CEO Scott Bowman said in the release, making it clear Prato’s road show is not intended to be a one-off.
The company says the Maryland dining room will echo the Winter Park flagship’s look, with exposed brick, warm wood, careful lighting, and a richly textured palette aimed at recreating what Bowman’s team calls the Park Avenue “special room,” according to ClickOrlando.
Winter Park Pedigree
Prato’s website lists the original restaurant at 124 N Park Ave in Winter Park, the template Park Lights plans to replicate as it moves into new markets.
The restaurant’s local stature has been buoyed by MICHELIN Guide recognition for Orlando-area dining, a distinction highlighted by Visit Orlando and cited by Park Lights as part of its rationale for expansion.
Why Bethesda Row
Bethesda Row has been steadily retooling its mix of restaurants and retail, an effort by property owners to keep the corridor busy and relevant as the wider D.C. suburbs chase the same diners. That strategy has turned the neighborhood into a testing ground for buzzy regional concepts like Prato.
Recent and upcoming additions to the Bethesda Row lineup, including announcements from Federal Realty, are tracked by The MoCo Show, which notes a consistent stream of new shops and eateries filling out the block.
Park Lights says it is still negotiating additional deals and plans to release firm opening dates for Bethesda and Nashville closer to launch. For corporate background and future updates, visit Park Lights Hospitality and Prato’s website.
